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      George Russell apologises and fights back tears after blowing F1 pole as Max Verstappen wins wet Canadian Grand Prix

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      GEORGE RUSSELL apologised to his Mercedes team for an “ugly race” as he scuppered pole position to Max Verstappen.It was a tough day in the office for the British 26-year-old who fought back tears after the race as he had to settle for third place.George Russell fought back tears after blowing pole positionCredit: GettyIt was a wet race in CanadaCredit: GettyMeanwhile Verstappen overcame chaos and rain to toast his third consecutive win in Canada ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in second.Russell, who claimed his first podium of the year. said: “It was an ugly race on my behalf. Sorry for that. I’m very sorry for that.”It felt like a missed opportunity. We were really quick on the inters at the beginning, then Lando came through.”Then we jumped back on the slicks. I made a couple of mistakes out there, pushing the limits and paid the price for it.READ MORE ON F1″Nevertheless, first podium of the year. We truly had a fast car this weekend and to be in the mix fighting for victory was really fun.”The race was jam-packed with action fresh off the back of Monaco which Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton slammed for being a snooze fest after there had been no overtakes from the top ten drivers.Verstappen said: “It was a pretty crazy race. I love it. That was a lot of fun. Those kinds of races, you need those once in a while.”Russell crawled off the line in his Mercedes at the start but just stayed in front of Max Verstappen by a whisker.Most read in MotorsportVerstappen praised the ‘crazy race’Credit: RexEURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSDrama erupted from lap 17 when Verstappen was thrown into the clutches of Norris after running wide at Turn One to hand Russell some valuable breathing space.The McLaren driver had set his sights on overtaking the Red Bull on the long straight and breezed past him to nab P2.Cost of an F1 carBut Norris wasn’t done there as he overtook Russell on the straight before Max Verstappen swiped the Mercedes driver’s place, leaving him in third.On lap 25 the first safety car was called into action as Logan Sargeant spun into the barrier on his way out of Turn Four in his Williams.24-year-old Norris stayed out while everyone else pitted, leaving him trailing behind Verstappen and Russell in third.Verstappen’s engineer Gianpiero Lambiase aimed a sly dig at Norris’ Miami Grand Prix win in a nod to the safety car incident by saying “What goes around comes around. That’s Miami back”.Verstappen, Norris and Russell continued to squabble for first, second and third throughout.More drama erupted as Sergio Perez wrapped up a dismal weekend by spinning out at Turn Six into the barrier and out of the race.Cue the safety car again as more chaos saw Alex Albon come off worse with a tussle with Carlos Sainz – leaving both drivers out of the race.It was a miserable afternoon for Ferrari in general who had earlier retired his car after suffering problems with the engine.Piastri and Russell tussled on lap 63 at Turn 10, making contact before the British driver lost his spot to his teammate Lewis Hamilton.Hamilton sniffed the podium and used his DRS to ease past Piastri, onto the tail of Norris but Russell edged back into third with one lap to go.READ MORE SUN STORIESNorris said: “It was chaos. It was eventful. To be honest, I felt like I drove a good race the whole time from start to finish. The first two stints were very strong.“I had amazing pace. But then the Safety Car had me over, just like it helped me in Miami, it’s now had me back over.” More

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      F1 teen Ollie Bearman to join Haas in 2025 after epic breakthrough – but will earn pittance compared to Lewis Hamilton

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      BRITISH wonderkid Ollie Bearman will reportedly join Haas in 2025 but will earn a smidgen of Lewis Hamilton’s wages.Bearman, 19, stole the show in his F1 debut in the Saudi Grand Prix after finishing a respectable seventh on a difficult course.Oliver Bearman will join Haas next seasonCredit: YouTube / Sky Sports F1After impressing for Ferrari in the Saudi Grand Prix two months agoCredit: AFPThe then 18-year-old caught the public’s imagination after stepping in for Ferrari driver Carlos Saniz, who needed surgery for appendicitis in March.And now Bearman will become the fourth British driver on the grid, alongside Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris, according to The Mail.However he will earn significantly less than his compatriots. While Hamilton is paid £50million-plus by Mercedes, Bearman is expected to sign for between £250,000 and £300,000 at Haas.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSBearman currently competes in the FIA Formula Two and is a Formula One reserve and test driver for Ferrari and Haas.The Ferrari Driver Academy is paid nothing for competing in Formula Two, though the Italian team cover the cost of competition.His promotion to a full-time F1 seat was helped by his brilliant performance in Saudi Arabia, and departure of Nico Hulkenberg for Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.Bearman showed a solid display in qualifying, narrowly missing out on a place in Q3 to Hamilton as he earned 11th on the grid.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSBearman, however, would more crucially get the better of Hamilton in one race day in Jeddah.He managed to hold off the charge of two of Britain’s biggest stars in Norris and Hamilton in the closing stages to finish seventh in his maiden F1 race.Sergio Pérez thanks fans as he looks forward to Montreal race After the race, former world champion Damon Hill said: “A star is born.”Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu, who was alerted to Bearman’s quality by his performance in Saudi, has given the Chelmsford-born star eight practice sessions in their car this season.Bearman became the youngest British F1 driver in history and the third youngest overall.Three-time world champion Max Verstappen, who also earns £50m a year, is the youngest driver to ever start a race at just 17 years and 165 days.Lance Stroll is the second youngest driver to receive a call up at just 18 years and four months old, when he started for Williams in 2017. More

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      Red Bull make shock Sergio Perez decision days after F1 star suffered horror crash at Monaco Grand Prix

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      RED BULL have made a stunning U-turn by agreeing a new contract with Sergio Perez.The Mexican driver, 34, had an uncertain future at the Bulls due to his relative under performance to three-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen.Sergio Perez has signed a new Red Bull deal until 2026Credit: RexHowever, just one week after suffering a horror crash at the Monaco Grand Prix that cost the team “two or three million”, Perez – also known as Checo – has signed a new deal with the team to keep his seat until 2026.A statement on the team’s website said: “Oracle Red Bull Racing is pleased to announce that Checo has committed his future to the Team with a two-year extension to his existing contract.”The likes of Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz had been linked with taking the seat to partner Verstappen from 2025.But it seems Red Bull team bosses wanted a steady pair of hands as they navigate new waters from the 2026 regulation change.READ MORE IN F1Perez has won five races with the team and has 29 podium finishes with three pole positions, including the first by a Mexican F1 driver, and currently sits fifth in the driver standings this year.Team Principal and Red Bull CEO Christian Horner said on the move: “Now is an important time to confirm our line-up for 2025 and we are very pleased to continue working together with Checo. “Continuity and stability are important for the Team and both Checo and Max are a successful and robust partnership, securing our first ever one-two finish for the Team in the Championship last year. “Checo has had a strong start to 2024 with second places in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan and then his podium in China. Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”The past few races have been tough, there is convergence on the grid, but we are confident in Checo and look forward to his return to proven form and performance, that we so often see. “Last year was a unicorn season and we will need to work hard to retain our titles, but we are assured in our line up and with the Team as a whole, which is imperative in what is shaping up to be a close fought Championship this year.”Sergio Pérez thanks fans as he looks forward to Montreal race Perez added: “I am really happy to commit my future to this great Team, it is a challenge like no other racing for Oracle Red Bull Racing, both on track and off track. “I am delighted to be staying here to continue our journey together and contribute to this Team’s great history for two more years. “Being part of the Team is an immense challenge, and one I love. We have a great challenge this year and I have full trust in the whole Team that the future is bright here and I am excited to be part of it. “I want to thank everyone for all the trust they are putting in me, it is a lot and I want to pay it back with excellent results on track, and off track. Why do F1 cars come apart so dramatically in a crash?F1 safety has come a long way in it’s 74 year history.
      Indeed, a massive tell of this is the safety features of the cars in the modern era.
      One feature of this is the way the cars break apart in a high-speed crash much like crumple zones seen in road cars.
      F1 cars now break apart during severe collisions as a means of dissipating the kinetic energy away from the driver taken during the incident.
      The cars themselves are built around a monocoque – also known as a “survival cell” – with 2018 seeing the introduction of the halo prominently on top around the drivers head to boost this further.
      This safety cell is made from 6millimetre of exceedingly strong carbon fibre composite with a layer of kevlar, which is penetration resistant and can absorb a huge amount of energy in a crash.
      Meanwhile, the halo was a large reason as to why Romain Grosjean survived his horror crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020.

      “I think we have a lot of work to do, we have a lot more Championships to win together.”Checo’s new deal means half of the available seats for the 2025 season have now been filled.While there were no driver changes between this season and last season, next year has already threw up a number of major driver transfers.Lewis Hamilton stunned the world of motorsport by announcing he was leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari and partner Monaco race winner Charles Leclerc next year.Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg announced he was leaving Haas last week to join Sauber, which may pave the way for Brit teen Ollie Bearman to come into F1.Asides from Red Bull, McLaren are the only team to have already confirmed they are sticking with the same driver line up in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.Hamilton is replacing Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, and the Spaniard has been linked with a number of vacant seats on the grid, including Williams.Meanwhile, a separate incident at the Monaco GP saw Esteban Ocon lambasted by bosses at Alpine and has since led to the announcement that he will not carry on with the team next year.READ MORE SUN STORIESGeorge Russell (Mercedes), Alex Albon (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) are the only other drivers to have confirmed seats in F1 for 2025.The next race for F1 will get underway in Montreal, Canada – where Hamilton celebrated the first of his record-breaking 103 F1 race wins 17 years ago – on June 9.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:
      Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
      Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
      Mercedes: George Russell and TBC
      McLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
      Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and TBC
      Williams: Alex Albon and TBC
      Sauber: Nico Hulkenberg and TBC
      Alpine: TBC x2
      RB: TBC x2
      Haas: TBC x2 More

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      World’s sexiest tennis star ‘sings Lewis Hamilton a sad pop song’ as she stuns in elegant outfit after F1 Monaco GP

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      MARIA SHARAPOVA stunned in an elegant outfit while she “sang a sad pop song” with Lewis Hamilton.The world’s sexiest tennis ace and the F1 star were pictured together speaking on a panel at the Monaco GP.Maria Sharapova joked that she had been pictured ‘singing Lewis Hamilton a sad pop song’Credit: https://www.instagram.com/mariasharapova/Sharapova was in Monaco for the iconic Grand PrixCredit: https://www.instagram.com/mariasharapova/She was dubbed the world’s sexiest tennis player throughout her careerCredit: https://www.instagram.com/mariasharapova/Sharapova, 37, shared the picture on her Instagram account along with a few more snaps of her trip.In the pictures she was wearing an stunning red dress made by Stella McCartney.On the snap of the two of them together, she joked that it looked like they were signing a “sad pop song”.She captioned the post: “A few more from Monaco…🏁READ MORE F1 NEWS”Just singing a sad pop song with Lewis Hamilton.”And a hot red @stellamccartney number.”Sharapova is a huge F1 fan and has been a long-time friend of the future Ferrari driver.Her 4.6million followers loved the snaps as they flooded the comment section.Most read in MotorsportOne posted: “Gorgeous in red.”A second commented: “Meeting of the GOATs of their respective sports.”Lewis Hamilton grimaces as he ‘eats a dog biscuit’ in NFL schedule release video for team F1 star part ownsA third wrote: “So much talent in this picture!”A fourth said: “Queen. I would love to hear you sing, though.”Another added: “Maria is definitely singing a Kylie Minogue ballad to Lewis.”The 37-year-old retired in 2020 after claiming over £30million in career prize money.She had even been dubbed the “world’s sexiest tennis star” during her career.Sharapova has since regularly shown off her bold outfit choices on social media to the delight of her 4.6million Instagram followers.READ MORE SUN STORIESShe wowed fans earlier this month with a “fairy tale” dress at the Met Gala in New York.Meanwhile, Sharapova also rocked another bold outfit on a recent awards show red carpet as she turned heads at the event.Sharapova is a big F1 fanCredit: SplashAnd she loves to spend time on the catwalkCredit: RexShe has built up a huge online followingCredit: SplashThe tennis star has 4.6million followers on InstagramCredit: Rex🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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      Max Verstappen seals Emilia-Romagna GP pole in gripping qualifying but Lando Norris and McLaren team run F1 champ close

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      LANDO NORRIS and his McLaren team kept the pressure on Max Verstappen after a thrilling qualifier at Imola.World champion, Verstappen, took pole but he was pressed to the wire by Oscar Piastri who was just 0.074 seconds slower than the Dutchman.Max Verstappen has secured pole for the Emilia-Romagna GPCredit: AFPMcLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris kept the pressure on Red BullCredit: EPANorris, fresh off his win in Miami, will start the race in third as McLaren continued their epic revival with both cars a fraction off pole position.The 24-year-old said: “P3 is not a bad job at all. Within a tenth both of us for P1. Tiny margins but for us as a team we have had a great weekend.”Oscar did a great job and so did Max. Exciting. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”We are getting closer. To be ahead of Ferrari is also a nice result for us. It’s going to be close, it’s going to be a good race tomorrow.READ MORE IN F1″Hopefully it’s an exciting one. Tough, especially when the lap times are so tight. A lot of it is down to Lap One, strategy and the pit stops. It’s going to be a tough race.”Verstappen added: “It has been a difficult weekend so far, even this morning. Incredibly happy to be on pole here. I didn’t expect that.”We made some final changes before Qualifying and they seemed to make it feel better. I could push harder.”This track is unbelievable. To be on the limit here in Qualifying, close to the gravel, I touched the gravel in the last corner. The adrenaline is very, very high.”Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSIt was another miserable run for Mercedes, who saw George Russell finish in sixth and Lewis Hamilton in eighth as they were eclipsed by their engine customer McLaren.Sergio Perez’s nightmare continued as he slumped out of Q2, again failing to come close to his Red Bull oppo Max Verstappen.Lando Norris sheepishly admits he has ‘many girlfriends’ during lie detector test amid links to glam Portuguese modelTo rub salt in the wound, Red Bull’s B-team drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda from Racing Bull both made it into the top ten.Meanwhile Fernando Alonso suffered a woeful day as he went off track at the Tamburello leaving him eliminated in Q1 and could only qualify in last place in his Aston Martin.TYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK LIVE: ALL THE LATEST FROM HUGE UNDISPUTED WORLD TITLE FIGHT More

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      Lewis Hamilton grimaces as he ‘eats a DOG biscuit’ in NFL schedule release video for team F1 star part owns

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      LEWIS HAMILTON was left grimacing after eating a “DOG TREAT” that “not even Roscoe would like”.Formula One star Hamilton was appearing in a promotional video with the Denver Broncos that was revealing their NFL schedule for next season.Lewis Hamilton was not impressed by some of the food on offer while filming a video for the Denver BroncosCredit: Denver BroncosOne of the dishes saw Hamilton eating a ‘dog treat’Credit: Denver BroncosIt came as part of the Broncos way of revealing their schedule to fansCredit: Denver BroncosHamilton, 39, became a part owner of the Broncos in 2022.While he has only managed to visit games infrequently, due to his own busy schedule in F1, the viral megastar was doing his part to promote the team to new fans – including the 37 million followers he has on Instagram.The video kicked off with a snippet of Hamilton saying “that one’s definitely the worst one” as he ate one dish before he introduced his purpose in the video.His first taste test saw him tucking into some ranch and carrot sticks from Indiana representing the Indianapolis Colts, with Hamilton describing the meal as “banging”. READ MORE IN F1Next up was a potato pierogi, or a “Yinzer”, representing the Pittsburgh Steelers. And the Brit was again impressed, saying: “This is so good.”His third item was a Creole Gumbo representing the New Orleans Saints.However, Hamilton was not a fan of this dish, and started off his review by saying: “It smells and it tastes a little bit like something Roscoe (his dog) would eat.”Next up was a Peach Cobbler from Atlanta representing the Atlanta Falcons. Again Hamilton was not impressed, savagely remarking: “This is not good. This is southern food? This is southern’s finest?”Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHamilton then got his hands on some southern grits representing the Carolina Panthers.The seven time world champion could be seen visibly and audibly gagging as he tried to eat the food before saying: “That one’s definitely the worst one. Inside Lewis Hamilton’s birthday celebrations for beloved dog Roscoe with special cake and chilling out with movie”The texture is so slimy. It looks like something you would see in the Matrix,” Hamilton then began doing a stirring motion with his hand.He concluded: “It’s like what you would imagine they have in prison. That’s prison food. That one really offended me.”Next up was something vegan Hamilton was more familiar with, avocado toast, representing the Los Angeles Chargers. Hamilton really appeared to enjoy it, describing it as “bomb”.The next plate sensationally revealed a “dog treat” from the Cleveland Browns.And while the treat actually consisted of peanut butter, pumpkin, oat flour and flaxseed, Hamilton gagged and said: “Nah I’ll leave that to Roscoe. I don’t even think Roscoe is going to like that to be honest.”Inside track on Hamilton’s lifeLEWIS HAMILTON has driven his way into pole position as Formula One’s most prolific winner.
      Next up was some KC style pulled jackfruit and barbeque sauce representing the Kansas City Chiefs.Hamilton was mixed about it, saying: “That’s damn good barbeque sauce. [But] Is it supposed to be spicy? It’s not really spicy.”Then came a Cincinnati chilli representing the Cincinnati Bengals, which Hamilton impressed. He said: “I actually like it. I get the hype.”Some of the outtakes from the video were played at the end, including one clip of Hamilton asking whether it was “real dog biscuit”.READ MORE SUN STORIESHamilton reportedly has a net worth of £300million.He will be back in action on the F1 grid this weekend at the Imola Grand Prix.Hamilton said even his dog Roscoe would have a tough time with some of the foodCredit: Instagram @lewishamilton🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s acting debut set to be one of the most expensive films EVER with £240MILLION budget

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S acting debut has become a £240million Money Pitt.The Formula 1 legend will feature in Brad Pitt’s much-delayed movie – with the budget now equal TWELTH in the all-time list for films.Lewis Hamilton is set to add to his colourful career with a movie roleCredit: GettyHuge motorsport fan Brad Pitt is going ahead with his costly filmCredit: SplashHamilton said missing out a role in Top Gun: Maverick “broke my heart”.But he will still go from Silverstone to the silver screen – and with the same director, Joseph Kosinski, as in Tom Cruise’s 2022 Top Gun sequel.Hollywood great Pitt, 58, plays a veteran driver who comes out of retirement to mentor a young prodigy.Established actors like James Bond villain Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies and Sarah Niles are also in the cast.READ MORE TOP STORIESBritain’s seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton has been itching to act.After two decades squeezing behind the wheel of a sportscar, the 39-year-old hopes to get other bums on seats  – those of movie-lovers in cinemas.But although production for Pitt’s film has continued this year, the release date is uncertain, as is the title, although “Apex” is the hot speculation.Puck’s Matthew Belloni reckons the budget has burst past $300m (£240m) – due to Covid but also the use of real actors in genuine race cars.Most read in MotorsportTHE MOST EXPENSIVE MOVIES OF ALL TIMEHere’s how the costliest movies in history rank – with Star Wars and super heroes dominating.

      Lewis Hamilton’s upcoming effort is on course to make the top 12 – meaning his first film would match the Last Jedi.
      1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 2015 – $447m (£357m)
      2 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, 2018 – $432m (£345m)
      3 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, 2019 – $416m (£332m)
      4 Fast X, 2023 – $379m (£303m)
      5 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, 2011 – $379m (£303m)
      6 Avengers: Age of Ultron, 2015 – $364m (£291m)
      7 Avengers: Endgame, 2019 – $356m (£284m)
      8 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, 2022 – $351m (£280m)
      9 Avatar: The Way of Water, 2022 – $350m (£279m)
      10 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, 2023 – $326m (£260m)
      11 Avengers: Infinity War, 2018 – $325m (£260m)
      JOINT 12TH:
      Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, 2007 – $300m (£240m)Justice League, 2017Star Wars: The Last Jedi, 2017APEX???
      15 Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, 2023 – $291m (£232m)
      16 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, 2023 – $276m (£220n)
      17 Solo: A Star Wars Story, 2018 – $271m (£216m)
      18 Jurassic World Dominion, 2022 – $265m (£212m)
      19 John Carter, 2012 – $264m (£211m)
      20 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 2016 – $263m (£210m)

      Hamilton is keen to appear on the silver screenCredit: GettyBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHamilton himself and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment are the producers, along with Jerry Bruckheimer – whose CV includes Top Dog and Cruise’s 1990 NASCAR action movie Days of Thunder.Mercedes star Hamilton, who is switching to Ferrari next year, has previously revealed his desperation to appear in any role on TG2.Watch Lewis Hamilton ‘arrive like a BULL’ and ‘ruin’ F1 rivals’ race as he immediately causes chaos at Miami GPPitt, seen at the British GP, will play fictional F1 driver Sonny HayesCredit: SplashHe told GQ Magazine how approached Cruise: “‘I said, “Dude, if you ever do Top Gun 2, I will even be a janitor. Just let me be in it.”However, Hamilton got twitchy – partly due to his hectic racing schedule.And after deciding he’d have to press the ejector seat on his TG2 dream, he added: “I remember having to tell Joe (Kosinski) and Tom – and it broke my heart.”Now it could be only the delay over Pitt’s move that is giving him the big-screen blues.Kerry Condon is is also featuring in the motorsport movieCredit: Not known, clear with picture deskPitt has also done the pit walk at the Las Vegas GPCredit: Rex More

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      Charles Leclerc warned not to ‘sign his own death warrant’ with huge Lewis Hamilton decision when he joins Ferrari

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      CHARLES LECLERC has been warned against signing his “own death warrant” at Ferrari if he allows Lewis Hamilton to be the number one driver.Ferrari announced the shock transfer of the 39-year-old from Mercedes to the Scuderia for the 2025 Formula One season.Charles Leclerc has been warned to not let Lewis Hamilton be the main man at FerrariCredit: RexHamilton is joining the Scuderia from next seasonCredit: APFormer McLaren mechanic and Wheeler Dealers star Marc Priestley, right, spoke about their possible driver dynamicCredit: AlamyBut former McLaren mechanic and Wheeler Dealers star Marc “Elvis” Priestley has warned Ferrari favourite Leclerc, 26, to stand his ground when the seven-time world champion joins the team next year.Speaking to OLBG, Priestley said: “Leclerc can’t afford to let Hamilton come in and be the main man at Ferrari. “Leclerc is reasonably experienced now, he has a few years under his belt and is not a rookie. “If a driver accepts they’re going to be the second driver of the team, you sign your own death warrant and lose performance from that. READ MORE IN F1″Leclerc needs to come into the team next year, thinking he’ll be better than Hamilton.” Priestly, who was part of McLaren’s pit crew between 2000 and 2009 – meaning he saw Hamilton’s and Fernando Alonso’s less than ideal dynamic in 2007 – also explored how their relationship could develop over the season.He said: “F1 is a sport in which a huge part is technical with that car, but a huge part is the driver’s confidence in his own ability.”My experience from driving pairing, particularly new ones, is they will be best of friends in the beginning and have massive respect for each other. Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”But that can all change if Hamilton and Leclerc are competing for a title against each other.”Hamilton saw a title battle with best friend Nico Rosberg morph into a bitter and toxic exchange across three years together at the Silver Arrows between 2014 and 2016.Lewis Hamilton forced to apologise live on TV for huge blunder after causing mayhem at Miami Grand PrixPriestley admitted the Hamilton and Leclerc rivalry could end up being something similar. He added: “Could Charles Leclerc be the next Nico Rosberg when Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari? You never know. “A good example of that was the ‘duel in the desert’ in 2014, they battled and swapped positions multiple times.Inside track on Hamilton’s lifeLEWIS HAMILTON has driven his way into pole position as Formula One’s most prolific winner.
      “They got out of their cars and joked about it, high-fived each other and said how great of a race it was. “But that didn’t continue for very long because there was a championship at stake, the guy who you’re hugging early in the season becomes your enemy.”Rosberg and Hamilton had great respect towards each other until they became rivals in a championship, and the same could happen with Leclerc.”Leclerc finished third at last weekend’s Miami GP as Lando Norris held off Max Verstappen for his first ever race win in F1.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe next race at Imola is the first of two Ferrari home races in Italy.Ferrari academy driver Oliver Bearman will be driving a Haas that weekend in Free Practice One.Leclerc vs Hamilton F1 career statsHere is how Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton compare in their F1 careers:
      Leclerc
      Race entries: 131 (129 starts)
      Wins: 5
      Podiums: 33
      Fastest laps: 9
      World Championships: 0
      Hamilton
      Race entries: 338 (all starts)
      Wins: 103 – F1 record
      Podiums: 197 – F1 record
      Fastest laps: 65 – 2nd in all time rankings
      World Championships: 7 – joint record More