F1

NICO HULKENBERG has been given the all-clear to replace Sergio Perez at the British GP after the Mexican tested positive COVID-19.
In incredible scenes at Silverstone, the German was left to sweat after his first test proved inconclusive.

3

Nico Hulkenberg is out for his first-ever F1 podium after the shock call-upCredit: AFP or licensors

3

Sergio Perez will miss the weekend’s race and is a huge doubt for the whole double-headerCredit: EPA
Hulkenberg was required to take a second “rapid test” with the results rushed through just seconds before the start of the GP weekend.
Hulkenberg, who drove for Renault last season, will partner Lance Stroll at Racing Point, with Perez facing a spell on the sidelines.
The Mexican could also be in hot water with Racing Points after he revealed he travelled back to his home country after the Hungarian GP.
However, when contacted by SunSport last night, Racing Point were unaware he had made the journey.

His whereabouts raises serious questions about his attitude to the strict Covid Code of Conduct F1 has implemented to get the sport started.
Perez, who lives in Madrid, is understood to have travelled back to Spain in between the first triple-header in Austria and Hungary.

And now F1 chiefs could revise their code to put strict measures in place to prevent an outbreak.
Perez already faces an uncertain future at the team, as Sebastian Vettel has been linked with a seat at the team in 2021 when it will be rebranded as Aston Martin F1.

Perez released a grovelling video in which he expressed his sadness at missing the British GP.
He said: “I am extremely sad. It is one of the saddest days of my career. The amount of preparation that we put into the weekend, to be 100 per cent ready for it. I knew I had a great car underneath me and the team has done a fantastic job.
“I’m really sad that this happened, but this shows just how vulnerable we all are with this virus.
“I followed all the instructions from the FIA, from my team. After Hungary I took a private plane to go to Mexico, to see my mum for two days because she had a big accident.

I don’t know from where [I caught it]. I have no symptoms at all. So it just shows how vulnerable we are on this.
Sergio Perez

“So as soon as she left hospital, I was able to see her. And then I came back to Europe. Same way, all the protocols in place.
“I don’t know from where [I caught it]. I have no symptoms at all. So it just shows how vulnerable we are on this.
“I want to thank all my fellow drivers for all the support that they’ve given me. My team. The authorities. The fans.
“Certainly tough moments for me at the moment, but I’m sure I will come back stronger from this.”
Hulkenberg’s unexpected return to F1 came just as he was heading to another racing event.
He added: “I was on my way to the Nürburgring for another racing project when the call from Otmar [Szafnauer, CEO & Team Principal] came.

‘HUBBA BUBBA’
Nia Jax poses in bikini leaving fellow WWE stars stunned before return to Raw

Pictured

RI-WOAH
Rio Ferdinand stuns fans with huge bicep as Rafael accuses him of using Photoshop

Pictured

HOLD THE FRONT PAIGE
Paige VanZant shares ‘booty’ snaps after Bare Knuckle Fighting offer

Revealed

WIL I NEVER
Man Utd to land £17.5m from Zaha move as Crystal Palace ‘demand £70m for star’

Pictured

YOU GATTI GET ONE
Ronaldo ‘snaps up rare £8.5m Bugatti Centodieci’ to celebrate Juve title

MAC BACK?
Conor McGregor hints at stunning UFC comeback with ‘I accept’ post

F1 and Racing Point star Sergio Perez put in self-isolation after inconclusive Covid-19 test just days before British GP
“That was less than 24 hours ago, so it feels a bit surreal for me right now, but I like a good challenge and this is certainly one. It’s obviously a difficult situation for Racing Point and Checo.
“He’s a buddy of mine, an old team-mate and I wish him a speedy recovery. I’ll step in and try do the best I can for the team.”
Meanwhile, Williams are paying tribute to the NHS and key workers with a “Thank You” message on their car in Silverstone.
The Oxford-based team will be hoping for their first points of the season after promising moments from young racers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi.

3

Williams are paying tribute to key workers in the UK for their part in battling the pandemicCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

SERGIO PEREZ has tested positive for coronavirus and will miss this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
The Mexican, who drives for the Silverstone-based Racing Point team, has been placed into isolation, along with a handful of staff who he made contact with.

1

Sergio Perez will miss the British GP after contracting coronavirusCredit: EPA
Perez, 30, took a pre-event test that was inconclusive but a second test on Thursday has confirmed the diagnosis.
The British GP will still go ahead as planned and the team are now weighing up who will replace him.
A statement from Racing Point said: “Following the announcement that Sergio has tested positive for COVID-19 at the Silverstone Circuit ahead of the Formula 1 Pirelli British Grand Prix, the team regrets to announce that he will be unable to participate in this weekend’s race.
“Sergio is physically well and in good spirits, but he will continue to self-isolate under the guidelines of the relevant public health authorities, with safety the ultimate priority for the team and the sport.

“The entire team wishes Sergio well and looks forward to welcoming him back into the cockpit soon.
“Our intention is to race two cars on Sunday. We will communicate the next steps for our British Grand Prix weekend in due course.”
Perez is the first driver to test positive since the sport returned on July 5 with a double-header in Austria and one race in Hungary.

The entire team wishes Sergio well and looks forward to welcoming him back into the cockpit of the RP20 soon. Our intention is to race two cars on Sunday. We will communicate the next steps for our British Grand Prix weekend in due course. [3/3] #F1 #BritishGP
— BWT Racing Point F1 Team (@RacingPointF1) July 30, 2020

Two-support staff tested positive in Budapest and were immediately isolated but Perez is the first from F1’s so-called “profile 1” category with access inside the paddock – with around 20,000 tests completed since the start of the season.

A joint statement from F1 and the FIA added: “Perez has entered self-quarantine in accordance with the instructions of the relevant public health authorities, and will continue to follow the procedure mandated by those authorities.
“With assistance of the local organiser of the British Grand Prix, local health authorities and the FIA COVID-19 delegate, a full track and trace initiative has been undertaken and all close contacts have been quarantined.
“The procedures set out by the FIA and Formula 1 have provided for swift containment of an incident that will have no wider impact on this weekend’s event.”
Racing Point will now weigh up who to replace Perez with.
They can call on Mercedes’ reserve drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne or Esteban Gutierrez.

‘HUBBA BUBBA’
Nia Jax poses in bikini leaving fellow WWE stars stunned before return to Raw

Pictured

RI-WOAH
Rio Ferdinand stuns fans with huge bicep as Rafael accuses him of using Photoshop

Pictured

HOLD THE FRONT PAIGE
Paige VanZant shares ‘booty’ snaps after Bare Knuckle Fighting offer

Revealed

WIL I NEVER
Man Utd to land £17.5m from Zaha move as Crystal Palace ‘demand £70m for star’

Pictured

YOU GATTI GET ONE
Ronaldo ‘snaps up rare £8.5m Bugatti Centodieci’ to celebrate Juve title

MAC BACK?
Conor McGregor hints at stunning UFC comeback with ‘I accept’ post

However, Vandoorne has race duties with Mercedes in Formula E across the next couple of weeks, meaning Gutierrez is likely to be the primary candidate in the event that he is needed.
Vandoorne has not raced in Formula 1 since leaving McLaren at the end of 2018 while Gutierrez’ last start came with Haas in 2016.
Another option, which could also be the preferred choice, is to recall former F1 Nico Hulkenberg, who used to drive for the team under its previous guise, Force India.

Sergio Perez will not compete in F1 after positive Covid-19 test More

LEWIS HAMILTON has been labelled “a machine” as he hunts down Michael Schumacher’s records and breaks them.
The praise comes from Formula One’s Managing Director, Ross Brawn, who runs the sport on a day-to-day basis for owners, Liberty Media.

3

Lewis Hamilton has been hailed as “incredible” by F1 chief Ross Brawn

3

The former Ferrari boss admitted he thought that Michael Schumacher’s records would never be beaten
Brawn has a bittersweet feeling about seeing Hamilton eclipse the German’s achievements.
He was the technical director at Benetton when Schumacher won his first two titles and followed him to Ferrari where he won five more.
But Brawn has also played a key part in Hamilton’s success, convincing him to join Mercedes in 2013 when he was the team’s boss.
Hamilton has since flourished and is set to equal Schuamcher’s total of seven world titles this season.

Schumacher’s record of 91 wins is also set to be bettered by Hamilton, who is currently on 86 and goes into this weekend’s British GP as the clear favourite.
When quizzed by SunSport as to which driver is the best, Brawn’s long-term relationship and loyalty to Schumacher prevents him from picking sides.
He said: “I have a very long and personal relationship with Michael, so it would be difficult to pick who is the best.
“But I never imagined for any moment that anyone would come close to Michael’s record.

His driving is incredible and, what’s fascinating is his lifestyle is contrary to what you’d expect from a top sportsman.
Ross Brawn

“Having been part of Michael’s achievements and witnessed it, it is absolutely incredible that Lewis is close to breaking that record and I am sure he will.
“He is in the right team, he is at the peak of his ability. His driving is incredible and, what’s fascinating is his lifestyle is contrary to what you’d expect from a top sportsman.
“What I see in Lewis, compared to Michael is that they are both incredibly professional and committed but Lewis doesn’t make mistakes.
“He might have a spin in practice, but it is so rare for him to make a mistake in a race.
“He is relentless. He is one in a generation. I am convinced he will break the record and go on to set the bar even higher.
“Lewis is a machine and has done it his own way. He has broken the mould. A great competitor and sportsman.”
Brawn said he had no hesitations about approaching Hamilton to drive for Mercedes midway through the 2012 season.
Hamilton was then at McLaren and was sold Brawn’s dream and, with retirements in Belgium and especially Singapore, he was convinced to jump ship.

3

Ross Brawn has played a big part in both Schumacher and Hamilton’s careers
The hurdle proved to be the contract, which the late Niki Lauda helped get past the paymasters at Daimler.
Brawn added: “The biggest challenge was finding a commercial agreement and that is where Niki came in.
“We had convinced Lewis it was the right move for him to make. He had only known McLaren and he wanted to try something different.
“We had to sort out the commercial terms, which you can imagine for someone like Lewis, were pretty strong, so Niki helped to get that over the line.”
Hamilton has been outspoken on many issues in the past and his current focus is on end racism and support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Following the Hungarian GP, the 35-year-old called out F1 and the sport’s governing body, saying he felt their End Racism campaign had slipped off the agenda.
Brawn says it definitely hasn’t and they will ensure that message is hammered home at Silverstone this weekend.
He said: “Hungary was not impressive and it was compounded by the weather conditions with the drivers coming to the grid as late as possible.
“We also moved from something F1 had structured at the first race to something the drivers wished to take responsibility for, and that didn’t work terribly well.
“We had a very good meeting with them and the FIA and at Silverstone you will see a structured, respectful message.

LEWIS HAMILTON FACTFILE

Age: 35
Place of Birth: Stevenage, England
Races: 253
Championships: 6 (2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019)
Wins: 86
Podiums: 153
Pole positions: 90
Fastest laps: 48

“The other topic is some drivers take the knee and others don’t but I think we should allow people to express their message in how they feel is appropriate.”
F1’s commitment to ending racism and improving diversity was not helped by Bernie Ecclestone’s bombastic comments.
Brawn gives little time to the former F1 supremo, who is no longer involved in the sport.
He added: “Bernie was a key part of Formula One for many years. I was talking to Lewis the other day about this. My father is in no way racist but his terminology towards this topic is very different to me.
“Each generation is changing for the better and we have to look at future generations for solutions, not the older generations.”
Brawn and his team deserve plenty of credit for getting the season started as F1 became the first international sporting event to return after the coronavirus pandemic.
Preparations are all in place for Silverstone for this week and next in a rare double-header.
And Brawn remains confident the measures in place will also allow the Spanish GP to go as planned.

GO ON MY RON
Mourinho snubs Cristiano AND Messi in GOAT debate to dub Ronaldo his best-ever

Exclusive

TOP GEA
De Gea banks huge £3m from image rights last year despite struggles on the pitch

Live Blog

UNITED LATEST
Man Utd transfer news LIVE: All the gossip and updates from Old Trafford

JAX BRACKET
Nia Jax fined for ‘inappropriate contact’ with officials after on WWE RAW

Live Blog

gunners news
Arsenal transfer news LIVE – Latest updates from the Emirates

Revealed

GUNNER GO
Top ten Arsenal stars set to quit with Guendouzi ODDS-ON to move after bust-up

He said: “In Formula One, logistics is all part of our daily grind, so dealing with a new set of rules and challenges is in our DNA.
“Our decision today is that we are going to Spain. We believe that the biosphere communities within the teams is holding strong.
“The Spanish GP organisers have been going through their system with a fine tooth comb to make sure that people who will be joining from the Spanish community have been tested to make sure there is no risk.
“I am reasonably comfortable if nothing changes. We have to react to change but if things stay as they are, then we think we can manage the situation.”

Lewis Hamilton blasts Formula 1 drivers after Hungarian Grand Prix win as anti-racism message continues to fall flat More