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      Max Verstappen strolls to Bahrain Grand Prix win and looks cert to retain title after ONE race as Alonso gets third

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN kicked off his F1 title defence with a routine win here in Bahrain.The Red Bull man cruised to victory ahead of his team-mate Sergio Perez, who was second, as the 2023 season got off to a familiar start.
      Max Verstappen carried on how he left off in 2022 as he cruised to victoryCredit: Getty
      Verstappen won by an almost 12 second gapCredit: Getty
      Fernando Alonso’s pace in the Aston Martin proved too much for Lewis HamiltonCredit: AP
      The podium was littered by familiar namesCredit: Getty
      Verstappen has now won five of the last six F1 racesCredit: PA
      Alonso enjoyed his time on the podiumCredit: PA
      Bahrain Grand Prix organisers made sure the spotlight was on the winner
      Red Bull looked supreme once again while Ferrari suffered reliability problems that forced Charles Leclerc to retire. And Mercedes were again off the pace.
      It had an all-too familiar feel as Lewis Hamilton was fifth – the only new element being an impressive performance from Aston Martin duo Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
      Two-time world champion Alonso battled with Hamilton on lap 38 with the Spaniard getting past the Brit with an excellent piece of driving through turns nine and 10.
      Alonso then swooped past Carlos Sainz on lap 45, to take a place on the podium for the first time since the 2021 Qatar GP.
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      It was vintage from Alonso, who had looked impressive over the whole weekend while Stroll, who had broken his wrist only two weeks earlier, was sixth.
      The Aston form will pile the woe on Mercedes, as they were beaten by their customer team.
      Merc boss Toto Wolff bizarrely admitted the team had made a mistake for the second year running with the design of their racecar – a huge error that could have serious ramifications if Hamilton decided not to re-sign with the team.
      But while Mercedes were off the pace, Ferrari will be concerned by Leclerc’s engine failure that cost him a place on the podium.
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      The situation is even more bleak for McLaren. Oscar Piastri was forced to retire on his debut GP with a gearbox problem.
      After all the build up for the Australian he was told to pull into the pits after only 13 laps.
      Team-mate Lando Norris did not do much better. Despite finishing the race, he came home in last place after stopping SIX TIMES.
      It is a worrying start to the season for the Woking-based team, who had warned that they had failed to hit the targets they had set themselves over the winter.
      Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon had a shocker. He was penalised for being out of position on the startline.
      He then failed to serve the five-second time penalty correctly, triggering another sanction.
      And in making his pitstop, he was penalised for speeding in the pitlane before eventually retiring from the race.
      Charles Leclerc was forced to retire from the raceCredit: Getty

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals reason behind splitting from dad as manager as Mercedes star prepares for new F1 season

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has opened up on the reasoning behind his split from his dad as his manager. During the early days of his record-breaking Formula One career, Hamilton was managed by his father Anthony.
      Lewis Hamilton has revealed the reasons behind him splitting with his dad shortly after getting into F1Credit: Reuters
      Anthony Hamilton managed his son until 2010Credit: AP:Associated Press
      The seven-time champion revealed the pressure to succeed had put strain on their personal relationshipCredit: Getty
      This paid dividends early on, with Hamilton winning the 2008 title with McLaren in just his second year in the sport – with his debut season seeing him only narrowly miss out on the title to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
      Consequently, it came as a surprise to many when Hamilton suddenly split from his dad as his manager in 2010.
      Speaking on the On Purpose podcast, Hamilton explained the decision, revealing the pair’s professional relationship from karting and into F1 had put strain on an otherwise strong bond.
      He said: “The thing with my dad was he was my manager all the way. We got to Formula One, and he worked so hard.
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      “His work ethic was inspiring for me, seeing how hard he worked, the time he gets up in the morning, the little sleep that he would have, ending the day in the garage, working on the go-kart, preparing for the weekend, packing up the truck and getting us to where we are.
      “Mechanic-ing and learning to be a better mechanic and still weighing all these different things. It was quite phenomenal to see.
      “But I think it was difficult for him to then show me love.
      “Sometimes you just want a hug from your dad or, when you’re facing these things, you want to be able to be embraced.”
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      Hamilton explained that once he entered the “pit” that is F1, the pressure to succeed caused him and his father to become more distant emotionally.
      He added: “At the time, I didn’t have management other than my dad, and my step-mum booked flights and trips.
      “But I didn’t have PR, I didn’t have anybody to help protect me or prepare me for things.
      “Driving, I was good, I will say. But, in these things, is where a lot of mistakes happened.
      “You’ve got all the media attention, so you’re just learning on the go, which was very difficult for a youngster I think.
      “Also you just want to try and live some sort of normal life, but nothing is normal for you at the time.
      “The thing for me and my dad – we were just really bumping heads at one stage.
      “It was like ‘I really just want you to be my dad, let’s go and have fun, let’s go and have a laugh’. We hadn’t had that for a long, long time.
      “So, eventually, I decided to part ways from my dad and I was like, ‘I’m gonna start making some of the decisions for myself and the mistakes that I’m gonna need to make’.”
      In the end, the decision proved to be inspired as Hamilton went on to win another six world championships after joining Mercedes in 2013.
      Hamilton is congratulated by his dad after winning the title in 2014Credit: Getty

      It also allowed for a cooling-off period between him and his dad, with the 38-year-old admitting it took time to mend their fractured relationship.
      He said: “There was definitely a period of time where we spoke less.
      “But we both have worked so hard to come back together and we have one of the greatest relationships (now) – he’s the first person I want to call when I finish a race.
      “Because I know he knows what it’s like, he was there from day one.”
      Hamilton also added that his dad has been important for him in overcoming recent struggles on the track.
      Those include his Abu Dhabi GP heartbreak in 2021 when Max Verstappen pipped him to the title – which led to the now-famous image of Anthony hugging Lewis in the paddock.
      Hamilton added: “There are days where I do feel like I’m not enough, there are days where I don’t feel like I’m good enough.
      “People can be like, ‘Yeah, but you’ve won seven world titles’ but still there are days where I question ‘have you still got it, can you still be the best?’
      “I’m having that conversation with myself often. But my dad’s also there. Sometimes I’ll say something that’s maybe not the most positive.
      “And he’ll be the one there just reaffirming ‘you’ve got this, believe in yourself’.
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      “It’s so important for people to have people like that around them. I support myself, I surround myself with other positive people as well.
      “I think it’s all our job to lift everyone up. I want everyone around me to win, and to become the best versions of themselves.” More

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      Lando Norris breaks silence on claims he and Daniel Ricciardo ‘hate each other’ after turbulent year at McLaren

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      LANDO NORRIS has hit back at claims he and Daniel Ricciardo “hate each other”.The pair were McLaren team-mates for the 2021 and 2022 Formula One seasons.
      Lando Norris, right, opened up on his turbulent relationship with Daniel RicciardoCredit: The Mega Agency
      However, there were a number of instances of the pair appearing to clash with the Brit said he had “no sympathy” for the Aussie after his axe in August.
      A month earlier, Ricciardo called Norris a “s***head” four times in a bizarre interview and then later they got temporary tattoos of each other on their necks.
      But addressing the claims of their turbulent relationship, Norris denied hating Ricciardo.
      He told The Race: “It just frustrates me when I see people trying to make it look like we hate each other or that we don’t like each other, or have fun or whatever.
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      “I hate that people think that because there’s not been one case where that’s been the truth.”
      Ricciardo struggled to get to grips with the McLaren F1 car throughout his two years at the Woking-based team.
      Again, Norris was not too bothered about his colleague’s problems – and was more focused on delivering points.
      He admitted in the summer he realised “people will probably hate me” for his comments.
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      But as he prepares to link up with new team-mate Oscar Piastri in 2023 following Ricciardo’s early snub, Norris refused to pile in on the man who will return to Red Bull as their third driver.
      The Bristol-born racing driver said: “Being honest because of some certain comments that I’ve said, when it’s regarding what it’s been like some of the things Daniel’s struggled with this car, and I’ve just been honest and said that it’s not my job to help him.
      “Those comments, people just for some reason take it as I don’t like him, that I’m not friends with him and we don’t get along.
      “Then they just see like a headline and just want to believe everything like that.
      “I don’t know why else they would believe it.
      Norris continued: “I want to be like what Daniel is good at, knowing what the person he can be on a racetrack and the person he can be away from a race track and the respect he can have on either side of that platform.
      “I think that’s what he’s very good at. When he puts his helmet on, he becomes this guy. And when it’s off, he’s the fun guy.
      “He’s still a fun guy when he’s in the car, probably! But it’s just another level of concentration. And you kind of forget about the fun stuff.
      “In terms of personal interests, it’s such a simple thing, it just wasn’t quite the same.
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      “So, we didn’t talk about things as much, because we didn’t speak about that similar things.
      “It was just some simple things, maybe, made it look like we weren’t as good mates.”
      Ricciardo and Norris were at McLaren together for two yearsCredit: Splash More

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      Ferrari hire replacement for axed Mattia Binotto as McLaren and Sauber get involved in bizarre managerial merry-go-round

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      FERRARI, McLaren and Sauber have all appointed new team chiefs in a bizarre managerial merry-go-round.Ferrari have signed Fred Vasseur as team boss after axing Mattia Binotto earlier this month.
      Ferrari have found a replacement for axed team boss Mattia BinottoCredit: Splash
      Fred Vasseur is joining Ferrari from SauberCredit: PA
      Vasseur, 54, joins the Italian team from Sauber, who have confirmed that highly-rated German, Andreas Seidl, has taken the position of CEO of the Sauber Group, which in turn is expected to run as the Audi F1 team in 2026.
      Seidl, who previously worked at BMW and Porsche, has left his role at McLaren where he has helped the team rebuild after a wretched few years.
      And he will be replaced by Andrea Stella, who has been promoted from his role as Executive Director by the Woking-based team.
      It is one of the biggest managerial shake-ups in years and will have widespread repercussions across the paddock as each new arrival tries to recruit new team members.
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      Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said: “We are delighted to welcome Fred Vasseur to Ferrari as our team principal.
      “Throughout his career he has successfully combined his technical strengths as a trained engineer with a consistent ability to bring out the best in his drivers and teams.
      “This approach and his leadership are what we need to push Ferrari forward with renewed energy.”
      Vasseur will be charged with delivering Ferrari their first title since 2008.
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      Andreas Seidl joins Sauber from McLaren, and has been replaced by Andrea StellaCredit: Getty
      He has a long career in motorsport and co-founded the ART Grand Prix junior team, which helped Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Nico Rosberg on their way up the ladder.
      Meanwhile, McLaren will be disappointed to lose Seidl, who has taken credit for the team’s improvements on track since he joined in 2019.
      Seidl will take over the CEO position held by Vasseur at the Sauber Group, which run as the Alfa Romeo team in F1.
      However, he will not hold the role of Team Principal, with a new appointment to be announced in due course.
      Seidl said: “It is great to join the Sauber Group from January: this is a team with a rich history in Formula One and an organisation I know really well from my time working and living in Hinwil for four years.
      “I can’t wait to join the team and work with all the colleagues at the Sauber Group on the ambitious goals we have set together.”
      And McLaren boss Zak Brown says replacing Seidl by promoting Stella was a natural choice.
      He said: “Andrea is a highly talented, experienced and respected member of our team with a strong track record of leadership and success in Formula One.
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      “His move into this role is a great example of the strength in depth we have in our team, and I’m excited to be working more closely with him with a joint focus on moving up the grid and winning races.”
      The triple signings come a day after Williams parted company with their team boss Jost Capito, with no replacement yet announced. More

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      Tanner Foust desperate for McLaren to stay in ‘rallycross on steroids’ Extreme E championship for at least another year

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      TANNER FOUST is hoping McLaren commit to another season in Extreme E – the championship he says is like “rallycross on steroids”.US racer Foust has driven everything from the General Lee in the Dukes of Hazzard films to monster trucks.
      Tanner Foust hopes to see McLaren continue racing in Extreme ECredit: Getty
      But he has been overwhelmed by the all-electric off-road car, called the Odyssey, he drives in the championship.
      He said: “I’ve been fortunate to race in a lot of different stuff in random types of motorsport, but I always underestimate the Odyssey and how quickly it covers ground.
      “It’s a big machine and when you do a track walk here you are trying to estimate where you’re braking and how fast you’ll be going through corners, I’m always completely wrong.
      “The racing format has also kind of gone away from adventure racing in difficult terrain to rallycross on steroids.
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      “You have these machines that can handle way more jumps and damage than a rallycross car.
      “I keep asking anybody who has a McLaren logo on their shirt whether we are committed for next year or not.
      “I have not heard any announcement but Emma Gilmour and I both really hope to be.
      “We’ve really enjoyed this season and feel like we’ve gained some momentum. So hopefully an announcement will come soon.”
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      Foust was speaking ahead of the final race of the season in Punta del Este in Uruguay where part of Extreme E’s plan is to run legacy programmes to help the environment.
      One such project involved marine conservation and him spending some time in the ocean.
      He added: “I’m a biology major and I have not talked about that or done anything with it except try to remember things to teach my daughter.
      “So it’s fascinating to hang out with the scientists and each of these locations. Out here in Uruguay, we went swimming with sea lions, which where I live they’re not the friendliest animals.
      “On this side of the planet they’re quite friendly, inquisitive and fun to swim with strangely, they still smell the same!” More