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      Lewis Hamilton in major boost before new F1 season as secret weapon returns to Mercedes star’s team

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has received a major boost ahead of the new F1 season by recruiting his former right-hand man Marc Hynes.Hynes, a former British Formula Three champion, has known Hamilton, 39, since they were kids.
      Marc Hynes is back working with Lewis HamiltonCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton has known him since he was a kidCredit: AFP
      He has previously worked alongside the seven-time world champion at Mercedes, forming part of his inner sanctum, before leaving to run Hamilton’s Project 44 company, overseeing his business interests.
      Hynes left Hamilton’s camp ahead of the 2021 F1 season to run his own business as the F1 driver changed his management team.
      Hamilton joined media talent manager Penni Throw, who runs PR company Copper, and had worked with the star on a number of other projects.
      However, Hamilton’s deal with Copper has now expired and while he will continue to work with Throw on a number of projects, he has returned to Hynes to get him to manage his F1 operations.
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      The 45-year-old’s return will provide Hamilton with a much-needed confidant that has been missing since he split with long-term performance coach Angela Cullen in March last year.
      It comes as Mercedes launch their bid to return to the top step of the podium after seeing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominate the sport since he won the title from Hamilton in 2021.
      Hamilton is on a winless run that stretches back to December 2021 – the longest barren spell of his F1 career.
      Mercedes have delivered two dud cars in successive seasons but the Brackley-based team have enlisted the help of design whizz James Allison to produce a car that can now challenge Verstappen.
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      They will launch their car, the W15, on February 14 at Silverstone.
      The new season gets underway in Bahrain on March 2. More

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      My dad is an F1 legend – now I’m the sport’s most famous Wag, modelling for Vogue and selling my own make-up range

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      KELLY PIQUET has been surrounded by Formula One royalty all her life, but now she firmly has her own crown as the sport’s most famous Wag.The Brazilian beauty, 35, has been dating three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen since the end of 2020.
      Kelly Piquet is F1’s most famous WagCredit: Rex
      Kelly often stuns in front of the cameraCredit: Getty
      She is dating Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
      However, thanks to a career in modelling and PR she has risen to have star power in both a financial and influence sense.
      Kelly’s professional career has helped her cultivate a huge following on social media.
      While she is not a driver, motorsport flows through her veins.
      Kelly is the daughter of a disgraced F1 legend and has had previous relationships with former drivers.
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      Start your engines
      Kelly was born in Germany on December 7, 1988 as the second child of Nelson Piquet and Sylvia Tasmsa.
      Brazilian hero Piquet won three F1 titles in the 1980s and continued to be a presence in and around the paddock for years after.
      However, in 2022 Piquet was banned from the F1 paddock and ordered to pay £780,000 in damages after using a derogatory term referring to Lewis Hamilton when speaking about the 2021 Silverstone Grand Prix.
      Kelly has six siblings including ex-F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. who was a key player in the infamous “Crashgate” scandal of 2008.
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      Although Kelly was born in Germany, she spent much of her childhood in France.
      Her studies saw her spend 12 monthsat St Clare’s Oxford in England before heading back to Brazil.
      She eventually found her way to New York, where she graduated in International Relations from the Marymount Manhattan College with a major in Political Science and Economics.
      Kelly is the daughter of disgraced F1 champion Nelson Piquet
      Kelly has six siblingsCredit: Splash
      Previous relationship
      Kelly was previously in a relationship with Russian Daniil Kvyat.
      The pair began dating in January 2017 and had a daughter together, Penelope, months before they split up in December 2019.
      And around a year later, Verstappen entered into a relationship with Kelly, going Instagram official in January 2021.
      Ironically, Verstappen replaced Kvyat at Red Bull in the second half of the 2016 F1 season.
      Verstappen says he gets on well with the three-year old, regularly sharing images with her online.
      But has also firmly stated he has no intention of becoming her father figure.
      Kelly had a three-year relationship and daughter with Daniil KvyatCredit: Getty
      She began dating Verstappen at the end of 2020Credit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Speaking to TIME magazine, he said: “I’m not the father, that’s not the aim.
      “It’s always very important that she has a good relationship with her own father, which she has.
      “But I see her every day when I’m at home. We get on very well. She’s very cute.”
      Kelly and Verstappen live together in Monaco, a stone’s throw from a host of other drivers who have made the glamorous country their home.
      Taking a Piq
      When she is not looking after Penelope or seen track-side, Kelly tries her hand at a number of different jobs.
      As well as being a model and PR specialist she is also an F1 columnist.
      Her work in front of a camera has helped her attract a following of more than 1.4 million fans on Instagram.
      Kelly has modelled for the likes of Vogue and has her own make-up range.
      Her exploits have seen her top the rich list of F1 Wags when it comes to Instagram earnings.
      She often stuns both at trackside and while at red carpet events.
      Kelly has revealed that sometimes she has to remind petrol-head Verstappen to get take his mind off the F1 circuit.
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      She said: “There have been times where I’ve been like, ‘OK, time to switch off’.
      “You have to give a gentle reminder that the sun is shining outside and, you know, there are other things to do.”
      Kelly tops the rich list of F1 Wags
      Kelly has more than 1.4 million followers on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/kellypiquet/
      Kelly revealed she sometimes has to remind Verstappen to ‘switch off’Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/ More

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      Michael Schumacher health update as F1 boss says stricken legend is ‘receiving best medical treatment in human history’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher is receiving the best medical treatment in human history, ex-Mercedes boss Nick Fry has said.The F1 legend’s condition has been kept under lock and key over the last decade, leaving fans and motorsport enthusiasts wondering about his health.
      Nick Fry, pictured left, said ‘no human being in history has had the treatment Michael Schumacher has’Credit: Alamy
      The Ex-Mercedes boss hopes the stricken F1 legend has a good quality of lifeCredit: Getty
      Fry said he wouldn’t be surprised if Schuey does sit at dinner table after reports were shared by Michael’s retired pal, Johnny Herbert.
      He backed his certainty by saying no human in history has had better medical treatment like the stricken driver.
      “I haven’t heard anything about Michael Schumacher’s condition, so I’m unable to confirm or deny any of the recent reports about him,” Fry told Online Betting Guide.
      “Michael has the best medical team in the world, and I’m 100% sure that no human being in history has had the treatment Michael has had for his specific injury. The family has the resources. 
      Read more on Schumacher
      He continued: “I hope and pray that they’re making progress with him. If the reports about him at the dinner table or in a car are true, then it wouldn’t surprise me at all because I’d imagine that’s the type of thing you’d do to get the brain going again.
      “The only thing I hope for is for Michael’s quality of life to be good.
      “My mother has dementia, so I know what it’s like when someone is alive but not conscious of the world around them.”
      Fry added that if Schumacher makes progress, he will be a role model for people with brain injuries.
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      “Humans are remarkable, and it’s not impossible to hope for things to get back to as close to normal,” he said.
      “I’m sure we’ll hear at some stage and if the medical team have learned something about how to treat people with these sorts of injuries then that will be Michael’s greatest contribution.”
      Despite having a rocky start with Schumacher at Mercedes, the Brit boss said everything changed once they got to know one another.
      “I’d say my experience of working with Michael Schumacher was complicated,” he said.
      “Being a good Brit, I’d never have Michael high on my list of most-loved people as he was the dastardly German who did rotten things to good, honest Brits and others!
      Fry then admitted: “I wasn’t an immediate fan of Schumacher but I had massive respect for what he had accomplished. I hate to say it, but when you meet Michael, you realise how special he is very quickly.
      “The difference was the level of teamwork. Michael really appreciated that everybody in the team needed to contribute if he was going to be successful.”
      December 29 marked a full decade since Michael fell and struck a rock so hard it split his ski helmet in two – leaving him in a coma for 250 days.
      Schuey has since been living alongside his wife Corinna at their Lake Geneva home under the care of a team of 15 doctors.
      Only a few people have been lucky enough to visit the seven-time world champion since his fateful ski accident in Meribel, France.
      That includes Schuey’s ex sister-in-law, who was kicked out of I’m A Celebrity amid fears she would reveal secrets about the F1 legend’s health.
      Cora Schumacher, 47, was married to Michael’s brother Ralf for almost 15 years and was dumped from the German spin-off reality show after only three days in the jungle.
      TV bosses were concerned that the OnlyFans model was too chatty and might reveal the guarded secrets about the stricken driver during a live show, German media reported.
      Any indiscretion would violate an implicit ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between broadcaster RTL and the racing driver’s family not to pry into the driving champion’s personal life, BILD reports.
      Meanwhile, Schumacher’s ex-Ferrari rival Rubens Barrichello revealed the time he was denied a visit to the F1 legend after his fateful accident.
      Speaking to Flow Podcast in his native Brazil, Barrichello said he tried visiting his former teammate after his accident, but was declined after getting a call from Schuey’s team.
      “With Schumacher, I called once and said I wanted to visit him,” he revealed.
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      “They told me that unfortunately I wouldn’t be helping and that I might be sad.
      “So I understood that at that moment it was not the time to enter [his life]. More

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      Charles Leclerc signs £28m Ferrari contract extension as F1 star looks to end Max Verstappen’s dominance

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      CHARLES LECLERC has signed a contract extension with Ferrari worth around £28million a season.The 26-year-old’s current deal was due to expire at the end of this year but Ferrari have signed him up to a new one, believed to run until the end of 2026.
      Charles Leclerc has signed a new deal with FerrariCredit: Getty
      Leclerc came through the Scuderia’s driver academyCredit: X/ScuderiaFerrari
      Leclerc’s deal is believed to run until 2026Credit: X/ScuderiaFerrari
      Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2016 and came through the Italian team’s academy before making his debut for F1’s most famous brand in 2019.
      The Monaco-born racer has taken 30 podiums for Ferrari in 103 races, winning five times.
      He said: “I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come.
      “To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment and I would always look out for the red cars.
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      “This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years.
      “However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race.
      “My dream remains that of winning the world championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy.”
      Leclerc finished fifth in the drivers’ championship last season but ended the campaign without a win as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominated with 19 victories in 22.
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      Ferrari have acted quickly ahead of the new season to kill off any potential interest in Leclerc from Mercedes or Red Bull, who are assessing the futures of Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez respectively.
      Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur added: “Charles’ bond to the Scuderia goes beyond that of just a driver and a team.
      “His values and those of our team are intertwined and so it was natural for us to be in agreement on extending our collaboration.
      “We know him for his incessant desire to push himself to the limit and we appreciate his extraordinary abilities when it comes to fighting and overtaking in a race.
      “We are determined to give Charles a winning car and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”
      Ferrari, who will launch their 2024 F1 car on February 13th, will now turn their attention to signing Leclerc’s team-mate, Carlos Sainz, to a new deal until 2026.

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      Leclerc has taken 30 podiums in 103 races at FerrariCredit: X/ScuderiaFerrari
      He has won five races with the iconic constructorCredit: X/ScuderiaFerrari
      Leclerc said he believed the ‘best is yet to come’Credit: X/ScuderiaFerrari More

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      Max Verstappen’s glam Wag Kelly Piquet risks wardrobe malfunction braless in open jacket as fans say ‘girl, you slay’

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      KELLY PIQUET put on the style as she attended a fashion show.Kelly, who is the partner of Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen, was snapped at Couture Week Fashion Week in Paris, France.
      Kelly Piquet stunned while visiting a fashion show
      She could be seen wearing black jacket and top combo
      Her jacket came with a old patterned leaf design finish
      Kelly was attending the Couture Week Fashion Week in Paris, France
      The 35-year-old posted a set of pictures from the event to her Instagram page.
      Kelly, a model and PR professional, could be seen wearing a black jacket and bottoms with no bra.
      Her open jacket top was completed with a golden pattern leaf branch and leaf design.
      The look also came with a small black and golden handbag accessory.
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      Fans rushed to the comments to share their thoughts on the glamorous snaps.
      One user said: “Gorgeous.”
      A second said: “Queeeeeen! ❤️”
      A third said: “Exquisite and perfect.”
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      Kelly is no stranger to sharing glamorous snaps onlineCredit: Instagram @kellypiquet
      She has 1.4 million followers on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/kellypiquet/
      Another said: “Wow. That’s a boss woman outfit for sure.”
      A fifth added: “GIRL YOU SLAY.”
      While a sixth said: “Goddess👏”
      Kelly is no stranger to stunning fans with her beautiful outfits.
      Earlier this month she was seen in a leopard-print dress.
      Before that she was pictured in a striking silver dress for New Years Eve.
      Kelly has dated three-time world champion Verstappen since 2020.
      Kelly has dated three time F1 World champion Max Verstappen since 2020Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/
      Kelly works as a model and PR professionalCredit: Getty More

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      Ex-wife of Schumacher’s brother is KICKED OFF I’m A Celeb over fears she would reveal stricken Michael’s secrets

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      THE ex-wife of Michael Schumacher’s brother has been kicked out of I’m A Celebrity over fears she would reveal secrets about the F1 legend’s health.Cora Schumacher, 47, was married to Michael’s brother Ralf for almost 15 years and was dumped from the German spin-off reality show after only three days in the jungle.
      Cora Schumacher, ex-wife of Schumacher’s brother, was booted out of the German version of I’m A CelebrityCredit: RTL
      Cora was married to Ralf Schumacher, pictured right, for almost 15 yearsCredit: EPA
      TV bosses at RTL were reportedly worried Cora would reveal secrets about Michael’s health conditionCredit: PA:Press Association
      TV bosses were concerned that the OnlyFans model was too chatty and might reveal the guarded secrets about the stricken driver during a live show, German media reported.
      Any indiscretion would violate an implicit ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between broadcaster RTL and the racing driver’s family not to pry into the driving champion’s personal life, BILD reports.
      Cora was close with Michael and his wife Corinna throughout her marriage to Ralf.
      The two women are said to still have a “respectful but not close” relationship with one another.
      Read more on Schumacher
      Ralf congratulated his ex-wife on joining Ich Bin Ein Star and revealed that they had often discussed her role on the reality TV show.
      He told BILD that the pair was on good terms and that he did not think she would make any revelations.
      “I think that she wants to find her own topic with the jungle camp and won’t, for example, take up our shared past. After all, it was all a long time ago,” he told the German news outlet. 
      Ich Bin Ein Star – the German version of I’m A Celeb – announced Cora’s exit on social media.
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      Producers informed that she had said the phrase to “get out of the jungle” shortly before the third live episode.
      An official statement read: “Cora suffers from a severe cough and decides that she no longer feels healthily fit for the jungle adventure. We wish her all the best!”
      Cora is said to suffer from long Covid, and was struggling to breathe due to the smoke coming off of the campfire.
      The 47-year-old, who is also a racing driver herself, sobbed as she explained her reason for leaving, saying:”‘I want to go home. I cannot stand this anymore. 
      “I can’t do this anymore with the smoke, everything is burning. I can not anymore. I want to get out of here now. Now, now, now!”
      It comes after Schumacher could be set to attend his daughter’s wedding after spending the last 10 years hidden from the public.
      The location of the wedding has finally been revealed as fans of the former F1 legend eagerly wait to see if he will turn up.
      December 29 marked a full decade since the seven-time world champion crashed while skiing in Meribel, France, later staying 250 days in a medically-induced coma.
      Since 2013, his wife Corinna has been creating a private world around Michael as he continues his recovery – including forming a tight knit group of people allowed to see the great man and those who can’t.
      Corinna has cut out certain people for a plethora or reasons including keeping the families privacy a priority and for the sake of Schuey.
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      Michael’s wife – who he described as his “guardian angel” – has done her best to keep their life private including reportedly slimming down his £500m business empire and selling prized assets such as his private jet and Norwegian home.
      She has even converted part of their £50million home into a hospital where 15 doctors and a team of masseurs give him 24-hour care and the surrounding forest and security fences kept him away from anyone not welcome.
      Cora and Michael’s wife Corinna (left) are said to are said to still have a ‘respectful but not close’ relationshipCredit: AFP
      The OnlyFans model pictured at Frankfurt Airport before heading to Australia , only to quit three live episodes inCredit: Getty
      Cora and Ralf Schumacher on their wedding dayCredit: AP:Associated Press More

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      Max Verstappen’s Red Bull sign ‘groundbreaking’ deal that will bring ‘new look’ team to F1 grid in 2024

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      RED BULL RACING’s B-team has been renamed as Visa Cash App RB for the new F1 season.The Italy-based team were formerly known as AlphaTauri, the soft drink’s clothing range, and before that Toro Rosso – Italian for ‘Red Bull’.
      AlphaTauri has been renamed to Visa Cash App RBCredit: Reuters
      Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will stay with the team for 2024Credit: Getty
      The move will see the Visa logo on the Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB cars for the new season however, fans are critical of the name change.
      Peter Bayer, Chief Executive Officer of the newly named Visa Cash App RB team said: “It’s fantastic to reveal the new identity and to welcome new partners as we embark on the next phase of the team’s F1 story.
      “Faenza is entering a new era of racing, staying true to our roots as a hothouse for talent but now with an even greater focus on competing for the biggest prizes in F1.
      “We have a bold vision for the team lead by myself and team principal, Laurent Mekies and having future-focused partners such as Visa and Cash App alongside us on that journey is hugely exciting.”
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      Visa Cash App RB Drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo will unveil the new car livery during a special event in Las Vegas on February 8th ahead of the new season, which kicks off in Bahrain on February 29th.
      However, the rebranding has drawn criticism, with F1 website The Race calling “Visa CashApp RB the worst team name in F1 history and would be an embarrassment to Red Bull and F1 as a whole” for its lack of imagination.
      McLaren chief executive Zak Brown called for a ban on common ownership in Formula One last month.
      Although he did not directly mention Red Bull and AlphaTauri, they are the only two teams in F1 with shared owners.
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      In an open letter, Brown argued that “there is an opportunity to improve some of the other processes in Formula 1 to strengthen the values of fairness and competition.”
      F1 icon Damon has backed the McLaren chief’s point, saying he “agrees 100 percent”. More

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      Iconic Spanish Grand Prix MOVED amid fears for Barcelona track’s future with new F1 race on stunning circuit

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      FORMULA ONE chiefs have signed a ten-year deal with Madrid to become the new home of the Spanish Grand Prix.It will replace Barcelona’s out-dated Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on the schedule, which has been a key venue for the sport since 1991.
      Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya faces an uncertain futureCredit: GETTY
      The drivers will race next to Real Madrid’s training baseCredit: Getty
      Madrid’s track will be built around the Ifema exhibition centre
      F1 will return to the capital from the 2026 season for the first time since 1981’s race at Circuito del Jarama.
      Spain’s new circuit will mix street and non-street sections.
      F1 chiefs officially revealed that the 5.47km circuit will feature 20 corners and it is going to join the calendar on a long-term deal until 2035.
      It will be located near Barajas airport and next to Real Madrid’s training base Ciudad in the suburb of Valdebebas.
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      The track will be built around the Ifema exhibition centre.
      And itwill incorporate a premium paddock building with a new race tower, office spaces, VIP hospitality and entertainment areas.
      The venue will have capacity to host more than 110,000 fans per day across grandstands, general admission, and VIP hospitality.
      There are also plans to increase the capacity to 140,000 per day, making Madrid one of the largest venues on the F1 calendar.
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      The track is also committed to reaching “Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and plans to be the most sustainable event of the season”.
      All buildings will use renewable energy and any temporary structure will be made of recyclable materials.
      Stefano Domenicali, F1 president, said: “Madrid is an incredible city with amazing sporting and cultural heritage, and today’s announcement begins an exciting new chapter for F1 in Spain.
      “I would like to thank the team at Ifema Madrid, the Regional Government of Madrid and the city’s Mayor for putting together a fantastic proposal.
      “It truly epitomises Formula One’s vision to create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment that delivers maximum value for fans and embraces innovation and sustainability.”
      Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, added: “Modern F1 cars racing on a new circuit in the Spanish capital city of Madrid is an enticing prospect.
      “As is customary, the proposed circuit will be subject to FIA homologation and safety checks and calendar approval by the World Motor Sport Council.”
      Meanwhile, Barcelona track bosses are still hopeful of holding F1 races at their venue in the future, alongside the Spanish GP.
      Drivers will go past Real Madrid’s training base and Ifema exhibition centre
      Coming up next season…
      Max Verstappen lifted his third World Championship title in 2023 as he won 19 out of 22 races.
      Next season gets underway in Bahrain on March 2.
      McLaren beat their rivals to revealing their livery for 2024 with a bold new design.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      And Mercedes have re-hired technical director James Allison, who oversaw Lewis Hamilton win five World Championships as they look to close the gap on Red Bull.
      Hamilton, 39, has no plans to retire just yet, having signed a £100m contract in August that sees his spot on the grid nailed for both the 2024 and 2025 season. More