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      Scandals that rocked F1 as Christian Horner’s Red Bull future hangs in balance… from pit romps to driver TOLD to crash

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      THE world of Formula One has been sent into a spin after shocking allegations were levied against Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner. The 50-year-old, who is married to ex-Spice Girl Geri Horner, has been accused of “inappropriate” and “incredibly controlling behaviour” by a female former employee.
      Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner’s career is said to be hanging in the balanceCredit: Getty
      Driver Max Verstappen with the Red Bull Racing boss Horner at the Abu Dhabi Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Details of the allegations are yet to surface but Horner, who’s been with Red Bull Racing since 2005, has flatly denied claims and vowed to “clear his name”.
      Earlier this week, the energy drinks firm launched an independent investigation and said they would “take these matters extremely seriously”.
      Horner’s career hung in the balance on Friday as he sat down for a D-Day grilling with a senior trial lawyer, hired by Red Bull GmbH, to defend himself in an unknown central London location.
      Sources said the investigation would centre on the employee’s concerns about Horner’s strict work regime and does not relate to any sexual impropriety.
      READ MORE ON CHRISTIAN HORNER
      Horner has overseen a huge period of success for the racing team – winning multiple F1 championships with Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen – and now loyalists claim insiders are trying to oust him.
      It’s the latest of a long line of scandals to afflict the motorsport world. From cheating claims to serial womanising, here, we report some of the most shocking. 
      Spygate
      Nigel Stepney leaked confidential Ferrari documentsCredit: AP:Associated Press
      In 2007, the F1 world was shaken in the wake of the now-infamous ‘Spygate’ saga.
      It resulted in McLaren receiving an unprecedented and eye-watering $100million fine and being thrown out of the 2007 constructors’ championship. 
      Most read in The Sun
      The scandal followed Ferrari chief mechanic Nigel Stepney stealing nearly 800 pages of confidential technical information from the company and giving them to his friend Mike Coughlan, who was the Chief Designer at McLaren.
      Stepney was exposed after asking his wife to copy the secret documents at a local photocopy shop, in Woking, and a worker informed Ferrari.
      It cost both men their jobs and led to Ferrari taking legal action against Coughlan, who reached an agreement with the racing giant. 
      Following the uproar, an investigation from McLaren found none of the documents “had been passed to any other members of the team or incorporated into our cars”.

      However, when new evidence was produced, McClaren was disqualified from the championship and served the record-breaking fine. 
      That year, the battle between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton led to Kimi Raikkonen sweeping in and claiming the 2007 title.
      Crashgate 
      Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed his car to help his teammateCredit: YouTube
      Piquet Jr initially denied any foul play before confessing a year laterCredit: EPA

      Just one year later, another sporting scandal emerged when Renault driver Nelson Piquet Jr deliberately crashed to give his teammate an advantage.
      On lap 14 of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, Piquet Jr drove into the circuit wall at turn 17 leading to the safety car being deployed.
      It allowed his fellow Renault driver Alonso, who made an early pitstop, to take the lead while other motors pitted under safety car conditions. 
      The move allowed Alonso, who started 15th on the grid, to win the race. 
      At the time, Piquet Jr claimed his crash was a “simple mistake”, However, after being dropped by Renault in 2009, he revealed bosses Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds had instructed him to do it. 
      Briatore was handed a lifetime ban from holding any position within an F1 team and Symonds, who confessed, was banned for five years. It was later branded ‘Crashgate’.
      Sex drive
      Renowned womaniser James Hunt reportedly bedded more than 5,000 womanCredit: Getty
      The F1 racer died of a heart attack aged 45Credit: Getty – Contributor
      During his racing days, James Hunt was known as F1’s biggest playboy and was photographed with an army of glamorous women. 
      Among the slew of salacious claims is that the Surrey-born racer bedded 33 flight attendants in a fortnight and was greeted by “a fresh supply of females” every morning.
      His then-McLaren teammate Alastair Caldwell recalled: “James would bounce up to them in his shorts and bare feet, say, ‘Hello, I’m James Hunt,’ and take them straight upstairs for a party. This happened every day for a fortnight.”
      James would bounce up to them in his shorts and bare feet, say, ‘Hello, I’m James Hunt,’ and take them straight upstairs for a party. This happened every day for a fortnightEx-F1 racer Alastair Caldwell
      Ahead of the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix, he was caught romping with a woman in the pit garage just minutes before the race began. 
      James – who had “Sex, Breakfast of Champions” embroidered on his overalls – finished third in the race but won the title that year.
      The racer, who died from a heart attack aged 45 in 1993, spent six years in F1 until 1979 and reportedly bedded 5,000 women.
      ‘Deliberate’ crashes
      Michael Schumacher was among F1’s most talented driversCredit: EPA
      Schumacher’s car went airbourne after trying to cut up rival Hill in 1994Credit: YouTube
      He crashed and Hill’s car was pitted and retired from the raceCredit: YouTube
      Michael Schumacher is known for being one of F1’s greatest ever drivers – but he was also tarred with claims of cheating. 
      Among them are ‘deliberate’ crashes including during the 1994 Australian Grand Prix, when rival Damon Hill, for Williams, was one point behind him. 
      During the race, Schumacher went off the track and hit a wall side-on.
      When Hill began to gain on him at the next corner and was set to pass him, it’s claimed the German racer cut him off.
      Christian Horner’s life and careerCHRISTIAN Horner is among the most well-known names in Formula One having helped build Red Bull into one of the biggest teams in the sport.
      1973 – Born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
      1991 – Wins a Formula Renault scholarship after impressing in karting races
      1993-1997 – Competed in a host of competitions including British Formula Three, British Formula Two, and Formula 3000
      1997 – Founded and developed the F3000 team Arden
      1999 – Retired from driving and continued developing the Arden team
      2005 – Appointed head of Red Bull team, becoming the youngest ever team principal at that time
      2009 – Wins his first races as team principal with Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber
      2010 – Wins the Constructors’ Championship and Drivers’ Championship with Vettel – the first of four doubles in a row
      2013 – Has a daughter with ex-wife Beverly Allen shortly before the couple split
      2014 – Gets engaged to Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell
      2015 – Marries Halliwell in Woburn, Bedfordshire
      2017 – Horner and Halliwell welcome their son
      2021 – Wins another Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen, pipping Lewis Hamilton on the final lap of the season
      2022-23 – Red Bull win the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship two years in a row

      Both vehicles collided, sending Schumacher airborne before hitting a wall. Hill tried to continue the race but was pitted and retired after irreparable damage to the vehicle’s front left suspension wishbone.
      Due to neither driver scoring, Schumacher took the title – much to the fury of fans. 
      Schumacher denied deliberate foul play and an investigation ruled it was a racing incident and took no further action. 
      Hill deliberately avoided becoming embroiled in the outcry but in later years accused Schumacher of deliberately driving into him.
      In a F1 Racing magazine interview, technical director Patrick Head said: “We at Williams were already 100 per cent certain that Michael was guilty of foul play.” 
      However, he said the team decided not to take action due to dealing with the death of Ayrton Senna that same year.
      Another incident during the final race of the 1997 European Grand Prix followed.
      Schumacher was found to have rammed William-Renault rival Jacques Villeneuve as he tried to overtake him on the inside. 
      Schumacher colliding with Villenueve’s car in 1997Credit: YouTube
      Schumacher ended up stalled in the gravel after ramming VilleneuveCredit: EPA
      However, it caused Schumacher to drift off into the gravel where his vehicle came to a halt and Villeneuve – who was just one point behind his opponent – managed to cross the finishing line in third place. 
      An FIA investigation found Schumacher was at fault for the crash and stripped him of his second-place finish in the championship.
      Schumacher was also accused of dirty tactics while trying to fend off Fernando Alonso during the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix qualifiers.
      The German racer had set the fastest time but during the closing stages stopped his car in the Rascasse corner, blocking part of the track. 
      Schumacher was found to have stopped at Rascasse corner to stop his rival getting a better timeCredit: YouTube
      It prevented Renault racer Alonso from attempting to improve his time. Schumacher insisted it was an innocent mistake and his vehicle had stalled. 
      Furious Renault boss Flavio Briatore referred to the so-called mistake as “f***ing disgusting!”
      He added: “How can a seven-times world champion make a simple mistake like that? Of course it wasn’t a mistake!”
      Three-time Monaco winner Sir Jackie Stewart said the move was “not an accident” and was “too obvious”. He noted there was “plenty of time to sort things out”.
      Later, stewards discovered Schumacher’s vehicle ‘lock-up’ happened while he was driving under 10mph. He was penalised by being sent to the back of the starting grid and Alonso promoted to pole position.
      Watergate
      Strict rules around weight have long been in place in F1, but in 1982, companies including Brabham, Williams and McLaren hatched a clever plan to get under the minimum allowance.
      Their cars were fitted with large water tanks to ‘hold water coolant’ – it would transpire that the liquid was being jettisoned early into races to make them lighter.
      Dumping all of the water allowed some vehicles to race as much as 50kg underweight, which gave them a clear advantage.
      Before the vehicles’ post-race inspection, they would be topped up with coolant again – returning them to the mandated weight. 
      At that year’s Brazilian Grand Prix, Brabham’s Nelson Piquet and Williams Keke Roseberg claimed first and second place.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      It was deemed to have contravened the ‘spirit’ of FIA regulations and both of the drivers were disqualified.
      It led to Prost being awarded the win and was later referred to as ‘Brakesgate’. More

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      Red Bull ‘make offer to Alex Albon’ as F1 market is thrown open by Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move’

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      RED BULL have made an offer for Williams driver Alex Albon to replace Sergio Perez.The after effects of Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell Ferrari announcement are being felt with a re-shuffle of Formula One’s top seats already in the works.
      Alex Albon previously drove for Red Bull in 2019 for 18 monthsCredit: EPA
      There is plenty of new opportunities following Lewis Hamilton’s announcementCredit: Splash
      According to Autosport, Red Bull are keen to secure a first option on Albon.
      The 27-year old partnered with Christian Horner’s team for an unsuccessful 18-month spell in 2019, but Red Bull have offered Albon another shot following a strong spell at Williams.
      If he agrees, Red Bull will be welcoming him back to the fold for three years in 2027, when his contract with Williams expires.
      It’s an appealing option for the Anglo-Thai, but it will cut off any chance of a move to Mercedes.
      READ MORE F1 STORIES
      Hamilton’s impending departure has left more doors open than ever for ambitious drivers gunning to climb the greasy pole.
      At the 2024 Williams launch, Albon hinted at what had been going on behind the scenes, saying: “I would be denying it if I said that there haven’t been questions and general chats surrounding around that.
      “But truthfully it’s not really personally my area, that’s more my management.
      “My focus is on driving.
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      WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

      “My whole focus is on Williams and that’s where I see myself.”
      Albon added: “I feel like I’m very close to my peak.”
      The richest Wags in F1 revealed with some earning thousands from Instagram
      He is contracted to Williams for the 2025 season, but team principal James Vowles made comments suggesting he would not deny Albon a move away from Williams, were an opportunity to present itself.
      He said: “Should any decision go that way, it’s because I’ve made decisions that are correct for the team’s long-term goals and not the short term.”
      When pressed, Vowles did not provide a direct answer, saying: “Let’s see. Time will tell.
      “But my focus is on 2024, let’s keep it like that.
      “Realistically I want to be with the team.
      “If the team are where I want them to be, it will be a long-term contract.
      “We’re gonna go all the way or nothing.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s secret clause in Mercedes contract ‘revealed’ after F1 legend signs £100million Ferrari deal

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      LEWIS HAMILTON reportedly had a secret clause in his contract with Mercedes which could affect his time at Ferrari.The British driver will join the Italian team for the 2025 season after activating a break clause in his Mercedes deal.
      Lewis Hamilton will not be able to poach anyone from MercedesCredit: Rex
      He had been linked with bringing Peter Bonnington to Ferrari with himCredit: AFP
      Hamilton, 39, signed a two-year deal with Ferrari worth £100 million.
      This will bring an end to his 11-year association with the Brackley-based Silver Arrows.
      However, he will not be allowed to bring anyone with him to Maranello.
      PlanetF1.com have claimed that Hamilton had a “no-poaching” clause in his deal to prevent him from doing that.

      Hamilton had been linked with a move to take race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington with him.
      But Mercedes are said to have said that the existence of the clause was “accurate”.
      This type of clause is not uncommon in F1 as Sebastian Vettel, 36, had a similar one when he was at Red Bull.
      The German was unable to take race engineer Guillaume ‘Rocky’ Rocquelin with him when he joined Ferrari in 2015.
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      Hamilton’s move to Ferrari shouldn’t come as a surprise, as he admitted in 2015 that he was keen to drive for the Italians before retiring.
      He will become the 12th Brit to get behind the wheel and race for Ferrari.
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      Former world champion Jenson Button reckons Fernando Alonso would be the ideal candidate to replace Hamilton at Mercedes.
      Button told Sky F1: “I might have a bit of a man-crush on my ex-team-mate, but I would love to see Fernando Alonso. 
      “He is 42 now, but the hunger is there. And if the hunger is there, the fitness is there.”

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      Lewis Hamilton revealed plans to join Ferrari in 2015 in Tokyo bar… years before F1 legend signed £100million deal

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      LEWIS HAMILTON reportedly revealed plans to join Ferrari NINE years before the move was announced. Last week, the seven-time world champion rocked the world of Formula One when he triggered a break clause in his Mercedes contract to head to Ferrari for the 2025 season.
      Lewis Hamilton first revealed his intention to join Ferrari at a Tokyo bar in 2015Credit: EPA
      Hamilton signed a £100m deal to join Ferrari in 2025Credit: PA
      However, it seems these plans have been in the works since 2015 after a chat between Hamilton and Motorsport Magazine’s Matt Bishop was revealed.
      Bishop lifted the lid on a chat between the pair while at F1-favourite Lex Tokyo Lounge Bar in the Roppongi district of Tokyo following the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix.
      Then McLaren’s communications director, he explained how he was drinking some beers with his colleagues and mulling over the race at Suzuka, where McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso had been lapped by race winner Hamilton.
      Hamilton – who had only departed McLaren for the Silver Arrows three years prior – eventually arrived at the bar with Mercedes engineers before heading over to chat with Bishop and co.
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      The pair soon found themselves in a one-on-one chat, where Hamilton confessed to wanting to drive for Ferrari one day.
      Bishop asked: “Do you think you’ll stay at Merc until you retire?”
      To which Hamilton responded: “Well, what I’d really like to do, one day, is drive for Ferrari…
      “Yeah. That would be a great way to end my F1 career, wouldn’t it? To win championships for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari?”
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      The bar has since closed down, but Hamilton’s dream to race for the Scuderia clearly never did.
      Hamilton’s multi-year contract at the Prancing Horse could prove to be the final transfer of his F1 career given comments he made in the chat.
      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s £13m collection of supercars including £4m classic and £1.6m ride made entirely for him
      In the chat Hamilton also ruled out ever returning to McLaren, stating: “I don’t know. Never go back, they say, don’t they?
      “Sometimes you just feel you’ve been somewhere too long and you need a change.”
      Alpine driver Pierre Gasly revealed he knew about the move for some time.
      Speaking at the launch of Alpine’s 2024 F1 car, he said: “Obviously, he’s been a long time with Mercedes, but I was aware of some talks with Ferrari.
      “Ultimately, he’s towards the end of his career. So it was either now or never.
      WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES?Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton.

      “I think it was kept secret for quite a long time. I just wish him the best. Obviously, it’s sort of exciting with the driver market, and all of you guys come with it, which is normal.
      “But I think ultimately, for the sport, he is the most successful driver of all time joining a new project, a new challenge. I’m sure everybody will follow that very closely.”
      Hamilton’s deal at Ferrari is said to be worth a cool £100million.
      He will become the 12th British driver to race for Ferrari.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Fresh reports claim that Hamilton’s future team-mate Charles Leclerc was left “shocked and disappointed” by the move to sign the 39-year-old.
      However, this stands in contrast to prior reports claiming he was welcoming to the move and Leclerc naming Hamilton as what he looks for in a team-mate.

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      Charles Leclerc left ‘shocked and disappointed’ by Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari and F1 star ‘blindsided’ by decision

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      CHARLES LECLERC has been left “shocked and disappointed” by Ferrari’s move to sign Lewis Hamilton, according to reports. Last week it was announced that seven-time Formula One champion Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025.
      Charles Leclerc is said to have been left ‘shocked and disappointed’ by Ferrari signing Lewis HamiltonCredit: AFP
      Leclerc is also said to have had no idea about the move before signing a new Ferrari dealCredit: 2019 Getty Images
      The Hamilton news came one week after Ferrari signed Leclerc down to a new multi-year contract.
      However, according to a sensational report from Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Leclerc and his entourage were unhappy about the move.
      The report claims the Monegasque has been left “shocked and disappointed” and had no idea the move was in the works.
      He is said to have kept quiet about his feelings until now to not “reveal a weakness”.
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      This feeling is said to come from the 26-year-old feeling under threat in his position as Ferrari’s No1 driver.
      Since joining the team in 2018, Leclerc has established his position against Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.
      The claims contradict earlier reports in Italian media which suggested Leclerc was welcoming of Hamilton joining Ferrari.
      Counter reports in Spain say he was in fact aware of the move, with F1 journalist Sergio Rodríguez saying Leclerc was informed of the arrival before renewing his contract.
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      Hamilton broke a number of records while at Mercedes
      Despite talk of their future rivalry, Piero Ferrari – the son of Ferrari founder Enzo and a board member – has said: “Charles is the champion of the future, Ferrari believes in him and has proved it, I think.
      “Hamilton is Hamilton. I don’t see why they should fight.”
      Did Charles Leclerc drop secret hint about Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari from Mercedes in awkward interview LAST YEAR?
      In June, Leclerc fuelled rumours that Hamilton was set to move to Ferrari when he was asked what he looked for in a team-mate while in a press conference alongside the Brit, responding by looking at the 39-year-old and saying “Hello Lewis”.
      The Hamilton announcement helped see Ferrari’s market value increase by £3billion.
      Hamilton will become the 12th British driver to race for the Prancing Horse as he looks to become the teams first British champion for 60 years.
      With only eight drivers nailed down to contracts in 2025, there could be widespread change on the grid in 12 months time.

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      What the F1 grid could look like in 2025 – with Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari and Max Verstappen set for new team-mate

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      THE FORMULA ONE grid could look very different in 2025 with a number of drivers potentially on the move.Racing fans are gearing up for another season of speed and excitement.
      Lewis Hamilton will lead the way for a new-look 2025 in F1 by joining FerrariCredit: AP
      Carlos Sainz will be on the hunt for a new side after being replaced by the BritCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen is set for a new partner with Sergio Perez likely to leave Red BullCredit: EPA
      Alex Albon has been tipped to leave Williams and link up with F1 champ VerstappenCredit: AP
      But the opener in Bahrain on March 2 has already been overshadowed by a major development.
      That’s because Lewis Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the year for rivals Ferrari.
      The shock switch is certainly going to have a knock-on effect, as it means there will be a seat free at Mercedes.
      Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is also set to spell the end of Carlos Sainz’s time with the Italians.
      READ MORE ON F1
      His contract is up at the end of the campaign, while teammate Charles Leclerc’s runs into 2025.
      Meanwhile, Alex Albon looks destined for a big move.
      He has been linked with replacing Hamilton at Mercedes.
      But Albon has also been tipped to join champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
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      That would put Sergio Perez back on the market, while there are numerous other drivers out of contract later this year.
      Fernando Alonso, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant face uncertain futures in F1 next year.
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      But all eyes will be on Hamilton when he lines up for Mercedes in his final campaign with the Germans.
      After signing his Ferrari deal, the seven-time champion said: “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I’m so proud of what we have achieved together.
      “Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old.
      “It’s a place where I have grown up, so making the decision to leave was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.
      “But the time is right for me to take this step and I’m excited to be taking on a new challenge.
      “I will be forever grateful for the incredible support of my Mercedes family, especially Toto for his friendship and leadership and I want to finish on a high together.
      “I am 100 per cent committed to delivering the best performance I can this season and making my last year with the Silver Arrows, one to remember.”
      WHO COULD REPLACE HAMILTON AT MERCEDES? Mercedes will have a vacant seat for 2025.
      Here, SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt looks at FIVE potential candidates who could replace him and partner George Russell in the Silver Arrows.
      Oscar Piastri – McLaren have sewn up Lando Norris to a new long-term contract that should (in theory) put him out of Mercedes’ reach. However, they are yet to tie down his teammate Piastri, 22. The Aussie has an excellent record and won the Formula 3 and Formula 2 titles before spending a year on the sidelines with Alpine and getting his chance in F1 with McLaren. He impressed on his debut season last year and has the potential to be a world champion.
      Daniel Ricciardo – The experienced driver’s future remains in doubt as he bides his time at Red Bull’s B-team. Ricciardo would be low-hassle and offer some stability but by that time he would be 35. It seems unlikely that they would opt for him at this point in his career, but if he has a good season this year, he could come into the reckoning.
      Kimi Antonelli – You may not have heard of the Italian, but he is mustard. Still only 17, he has won at all the junior categories and has been part of the Mercedes young driver programme since 2019. This season he has been promoted from F4 to F2, where he has been tipped to shine. A good debut season in F2 could sway Mercedes into taking a risk on him for 2025. Antonelli and his family are close to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
      Mick Schumacher – Wolff has always been so incredibly supportive of Schumacher and spoken highly of him, that you’d at least expect him to come into consideration. He knows the team from his role as reserve driver and consequently would get up to speed. But speed is also the problem. He was shocking at Haas and if he really was THAT good, he’d still be driving in F1.
      Alex Albon – A more-sensible choice would be the London-born Albon. A great guy who is also very quick. He has a fantastic relationship with Russell and would be the low-maintenance quick partnership similar to Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas that swept to successive titles. Albon would take little convincing to join from Williams and Mercedes would not need to pay him half of the £50million they were dishing out to Hamilton. More

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      Fleeced by a gigolo, F1 factory romps, secret love children & a cocaine sting… scandalous secrets of supercar dynasties

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      MOST of us can only dream of being part of a supercar dynasty like Lamborghini or Ferrari.But life inside these ultra-rich families is far from simple – as they are haunted by hidden pasts and sordid scandals.
      Flavia Borzone claims to be the lovechild of Tonino Lamborghini – the son of the luxury car firm’s founderCredit: instagram/@flavia_borzone
      A DNA sample was secretly taken from Tonino’s daughter, Elettra Lamborghini
      Just this week, Flavia Borzone, 35, was in court over her claim to be the secret lovechild of Tonino Lamborghini – the son of the luxury car firm’s founder.
      Tonino is suing Flavia after she publicly alleged he had an affair with her mother in the late 1980s.
      In the latest twist to the scandal, it has emerged that Flavia hired private detectives to collect a DNA sample from Tonino’s daughter, Elettra Lamborghini.
      The private detectives snatched a straw, dubbed ‘the straw of a thousand secrets’, that was used by Elettra to drink a coffee.
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      Experts at the University of Ferrara tested the sample and found a DNA match between Elettra – who appeared in the reality show Geordie Shore – and Flavia.
      It is just the latest in a long line of scandals that have rocked the supercar dynasties.
      Bugatti founder’s double tragedy
      Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti suffered a brutal double tragedy in his life.
      His brother Rembrandt, a talented sculptor, took his own life in 1916 after the outbreak of war stopped him from selling his work, which now sells for millions.
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      Ettore Bugatti’s life was torn apart by the deaths of his son and brotherCredit: Getty
      Ettore’s brother Rembrandt took his own life during WW1Credit: Getty
      Ettore’s son Jean Bugatti died in a crash testing one of his carsCredit: Getty
      The artist was heartbroken when many of the animals he used to base his sculptures on were slaughtered after Germany besieged Antwerp.
      Bugatti suffered another ordeal when his eldest son, Jean, died testing one of his cars. The 30-year-old lost his life when he swerved to avoid a cyclist and crashed.
      BMW heiress fleeced by gigalo
      A gigalo fleeced BMW heiress Susanne Klatten out of £5.9million after meeting her in an Austrian spa.
      He went on to attempt to blackmail Ms Klatten, threatening to release naked photographs of them together if she did not give him more cash.
      Swiss gigalo Helg Sgarbi was jailed for six years in 2009 for his cruel crimes against Ms Klatten and other women.
      Ms Klatten initially handed Sgarbi £5.9million after he told her the Mafia was out for him. But he then took the scam a step further.
      BMW heiress Susanne Klatten was fleeced out of £5.9million by a gigaloCredit: AFP
      Helg Sgarbi was jailed for six years in 2009 for his wicked crimes against Ms Klatten and other womenCredit: Reuters
      Sgarbi threatened to release naked pictures of Ms Klatten which were taken in this Holiday InnCredit: Reuters
      She said: “He asked me to meet him at the Holiday Inn in Munich. When I went there he showed me two photographs, in one of them I was naked and so was he.
      “I could tell they were from a video and I was scared. There was a letter which said he would tell all to the press and my family. He wanted money and I had already given him seven million Euro.
      “He just wanted more money and at that point I decided to go to the police because I realised I was being blackmailed.”
      Ms Klatten’s father, Herbert Quandt, was also engulfed in scandal over his ties to the Nazi party.
      Quandt’s BMW collaborated with the Nazis and employed around 50,000 forced labourers in its arms factories.
      Roughly 80 slave labourers died per month at the plants – and many were executed.
      One of the slave labourers, Takis Mylopoulos, said: “We were treated very badly, we were whipped and had to drink water out of the lavatories.”
      Porsche boss pals with Hitler
      Ferdinand Porsche, the founder of the luxury car firm, showing Adolf Hitler his Volkswagen Beetle designCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
      Porsche was arrested for war crimes as an SS officerCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The man who created Porsche was a devoted Nazi and pal of Adolf Hitler.
      Ferdinand Porsche developed the V-1 flying bomb – which was nicknamed the doodlebug by Brits during the Blitz – and Nazi tanks.
      He also worked closely with Hitler, receiving a contract from the dictator to create a ‘Volkswagen’, meaning a car for the masses.
      The result of this alliance was the Volkswagen Beetle.
      Shamefully, prisoners of were were used as slave labour at the Volkswagen car plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, while Porsche was general manager.
      By 1945, Porsche had been arrested for war crimes as an SS officer and was languishing in a French prison of war camp.
      Porsche was released from custody in 1947 after his family posted bail of one million French francs.
      In 2022, the Austrian city of Linz announced that it planned to rename ‘Porscheweg’ street, which honoured the carmaker.
      A report commissioned by the city senate said: “Porsche played a central role in the NS [National Socialism] war economy and actively promoted the forced labour of prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates.”
      Ferrari lovechild
      Ferrari founder Enzo had a secret lovechild, Piero, with his mistress
      Enzo’s wife refused to let Piero (pictured) use his father’s surname while she was alive
      Enzo Ferrari, who started the supercar company, was known for his wild love life.
      The playboy, who was played by Adam Driver in a biopic last year, bedded factory workers and had a secret lovechild with his mistress Lina Lardi.
      Enzo’s wife Laura was so furious about the affair that she refused to let the lovechild, Peiro, have her husband’s surname while she was alive.
      Enzo continued to visit his widow’s grave every morning after she died in 1978.
      And Piero Ferrari, who is now the vice-chairman of the family firm, was by his father’s bedside when he died.
      Lotus founder’s missing millions
      Lotus boss Colin Chapman was embroiled in scandal over missing taxpayer cash
      A judge said Chapman would have been jailed for at least 10 years had he been in the dockCredit: Getty
      Lotus founder Colin Chapman died before he could be charged over a case that cost the taxpayer millions.
      The British Government invested more than £50million in a scheme to build a sports car in Belfast.
      However, £10million of the cash was not spent on the project, which was the brainchild of Chapman and an American car tycoon called John DeLorean.
      The DeLorean Motor Company filed for bankruptcy in October 1982 – just a few days before DeLorean was arrested in a cocaine trafficking case. Undercover federal agents had filmed him agreeing to bankroll a cocaine smuggling operation.
      He was later acquitted over the cocaine case as he argued police had entrapped him.
      However, the mystery over the missing taxpayer cash sparked an investigation which led to the imprisonment of Lotus Group accountant Fred Bushell.
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      It emerged that Bushell had siphoned off £5million for himself.
      Chapman died aged 54 from a heart attack in 1982 but the judge in Bushell’s case said that if he had been in the dock he would have been jailed for at least 10 years. More

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      F1 fans convinced they’ve worked out who’s replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes after social media clue

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      F1 FANS are convinced that they know who will be replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.The British driver will be leaving the Formula 1 team for Ferrari next year.
      Fans are sure who will replace Lewis Hamilton at MercedesCredit: Alamy
      Fans spotted a clue on social media about a driver being near Mercedes’ team baseCredit: Instagram @valtteribottas
      The driver is former Mercedes star Valtteri BottasCredit: Getty
      Hamilton, 39, has been with the Brackley-based team since 2013 but will leave after the 2024 campaign.
      Mercedes are now on the lookout for a replacement driver.
      The Silver Arrows have been linked with the likes of Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Oscar Piastri and Alexander Albon.
      However, Valtteri Bottas has got fans thinking he will be the new driver after a social media post.
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      The current Stake F1 team driver posted a snap of him playing darts on Instagram.
      His followers were quick to point out that the Finnish ace has tagged the location as Brackley, the town where Mercedes’ operations centre is based in.
      Many took to social media to share their theory that Bottas will be lining up alongside George Russell next year.
      One fan posted: “Now Bottas is at Brackley. Oh GARD.”
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      A second commented: “Bottas babe why are you in Brackley? WHY ARE YOU IN BRACKLEY?”
      A third wrote: “Bottas strolling back into Brackley.”
      A fourth said: “Bottas arriving back at Brackley to replace Lewis at Mercedes.”
      Another joked: “What if Bottas isn’t actually in Brackley and he posted it as a joke.”
      Bottas spent four years at Mercedes as Hamilton’s team-mate between 2017 and 2021.
      He left the team to join Alfa Romeo after coming second in the driver’s championship twice.
      As a result of Hamilton’s move to join Ferrari, the company’s value has skyrocketed to over £3billion.
      The Brit released a statement in which he admitted that the move has made him feel a “range of emotions”.
      He said: “It’s been a crazy few days which have been filled with a whole range of emotions.
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      “But as you all now know, after an incredible 11 years at Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, the time has come for me to start a new chapter in my life and I will be joining Scuderia Ferrari in 2025.
      “I feel incredibly fortunate, after achieving things with Mercedes that I could only have dreamed of as a kid, that I now have the chance to fulfil another childhood dream. Driving in Ferrari red.” More