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      Calls for Verstappen to be DISQUALIFIED after ramming Russell in ‘Mario Kart move’ as Piastri wins Spanish Grand Prix

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN reignited his old feud with George Russell as he appeared to RAM into the Mercedes driver late on.Former world champion Nico Rosberg called for the black flag to be brought out and disqualification for Verstappen after the stunning incident on lap 64. Oscar Piastri took the race win at the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of team-mate Lando NorrisCredit: PABut late on Max Verstappen appeared to RAM his car into George Russell after being told to let him passCredit: Sky SportsVerstappen was told to let the Brit pass him on track before smashing into himCredit: Sky SportsFormer world champion Nico Rosberg called for the Dutchman to be disqualifiedCredit: GettyVerstappen was hit with a ten second time penalty in the end after colliding with Russell as he was told to let the Brit driver through. Watching in the cool-down room after the race, runner-up Lando Norris compared it to something he has done before in “Mario Kart”.The chaos began after the restart from the safety car which was prompted by Kimi Anontelli veering into the gravel. Verstappen nearly spun and Charles Leclerc overtook and then Russell nearly went into the back of the Dutchman who had to veer off track onto the escape road and was told by his team to give the place back to the Brit. READ MORE IN F1The Mercedes man thought he was doing so but the Dutchman appeared to intentionally ram into the side of him. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri pulled off a blinder to win the race ahead of his teammate Lando Norris who is hot on his tails in the push towards the driver’s title. The time penalty for Verstappen meant Leclerc finished third ahead of fourth-place Russell, but it was misery for Lewis Hamilton who was overtaken by Nico Hulkenburg for fifth. At the start, Australian driver Piastri got off perfectly while Verstappen picked out Norris for second. Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKRussell produced a horrific start which left him for dust by both Ferraris as Hamilton went into fourth and Lecerc into fifth. Flustered Russell was fuming saying: “These ***** are moving under braking today. What is going one!?”One of F1’s most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him foreverToto Wolff hit back with: “George, concentrate.”Ferrari’s swap conundrum was back again on lap 9 with Leclerc right up Hamilton’s jacksie as the seven-time world champion struggled with his grip on the car. He was finally told “swap positions with Leclerc” and he waved his teammate past. Norris was all over Verstappen and the McLaren one-two was restored on lap 13 as the Brit eased past the Red Bull driver who didn’t even bother to defend. Now the race was on between Norris and Piastri as they went toe-to-toe on lap times. Verstappen took the lead in his Red Bull on lap 23 after the two McLaren’s had pitted after his own stop. But the Dutchman was struggling and pitted again on lap 30 and the two Papaya cars shimmied into the lead. Just over half-way and Norris was closing in on Piastri with blistering lap times and was the quickest driver on the track. Red Bull were still in the mix though and Christian Horner came on the blower to Verstappen to say: “McLaren are receiving the threat. They realise they have to push on. It’s a long way to go from there.” Piastri played Norris like a fiddle though, allowing him to get close before charging clear of his teammate with the gap over five seconds with 20 laps to go. Norris and Verstappen got caught up in a fierce battle between Ollie Bearman and Liam Lawson. The four-time world champion slammed the “f****** idiots!” on his team radio as he angrily waved at Bearman when he passed him. Drama erupted when the safety car came out after Anontelli’s Mercedes veered into the gravel while England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham watched on from the garage. Read More on The SunThere was chaos on the restart for Verstappen which took the attention away from Piastri eventually soaring over the line with another perfect performance.The dramatic events saw Piastri move ten points ahead of Norris at the top of the World Drivers Championship, with Verstappen tumbling 49 points behind the leader.Kimi Antonelli’s caused the late safety car to spark the chaosCredit: GettyLewis Hamilton finished P6 after being passed at the end by Nico Hulkenberg and then bumped up one spot by the Verstappen penaltyCredit: Alamy More

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      England stars enjoy day at F1 Spanish Grand Prix as Thomas Tuchel takes squad on team-bonding trip

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      THOMAS TUCHEL has taken his England stars to a team bonding session at the Formula One Spanish Grand PrixThe Three Lions manager, the players and backroom staff arrived in Barcelona on Sunday morning before heading straight to the F1.Thomas Tuchel took the England team for a day out at the Spanish F1 GPCredit: GettyThe team posed for a photo alongside F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, middleCredit: GettyThe likes of Harry Kane were seen touring the Red Bull garageCredit: GettyStars were given special access to be in the paddock for the tripCredit: PACole Palmer still seemed too cold as he wore a jumper in the Spanish sunCredit: PAEngland will remain in a training camp in Spain after the raceCredit: GettyArsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly were also seen on the gridwalkCredit: PAThe vast majority of the 26-man squad have not been to the F1 before, and after the race, they will go to nearby Girona for a training camp.As they arrived many of the stars were seen posing for pictures with fans.Most stars wore shades and loose-fitting shirts for the occasion, although Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer seemed to still be too cold in the Spanish sun as he took the paddock wearing a jumper.Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Myles Lewis-Skelly joined their team-mate with zipper jackets, though the teenager later removed it.READ MORE IN F1Meanwhile, Tuchel was all-smiles seen as he was pictured at the track wearing a cap.The squad posed for a picture alongside F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali as he welcomed the footballers into the mad world of motorsport.Many of them were also invited into team garage’s before the race.Skipper Harry Kane was among the stars seen being given a tour of Red Bull’s garage as he posed for snaps alongside team mechanics, while the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Dan Burn and Ollie Watkins posed for a picture next to the car.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKChelsea’s Conference League winning trio Reece James, Noni Madueke and Trevoh Chalobah were seen at the Mercedes garage, while James was also part of a group including Jude Bellingham and Eberechi Eze who took in some hospitality with McLaren.The Papaya constructor later shared a post of Kane taking a selfie with their car, which they no doubt hope will give them some more good luck after drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris scored P1 and P2 in Saturday qualifying.Fernando Alonso overheard taking sarcastic swipe at old rival Lewis Hamilton after blunder ahead of Spanish Grand PrixEngland will remain in Girona until next Saturday when they return to Espanyol’s ground in Barcelona for a World Cup qualifier against Andorra.Tuchel, who has handed a first senior call-up to Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, decided to avoid St George Park’s next week and instead, spend the whole time in Spain. This is to get used to the heat ahead of next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.The temperature in Barcelona and Girona is expected to be around 26C, although that is still not as warm as many of the World Cup host cities at this time of year.Next weekend’s game was supposed to be in Andorra but the tiny nation’s new stadium is not yet ready.After the match, new boss Tuchel and the squad will fly to the midlands to prepare for a friendly with Senegal at Villa Park in Birmingham on June 10.Under Tuchel, England won their first two qualifiers against Albania and Latvia. More

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      ‘Just magic’ – One of F1’s most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him forever

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      CHARLES LECLERC and Lewis Hamilton won arguably the two most iconic Formula One races of the 2024 season.Leclerc made history as he won his home race at the Monaco Grand Prix with “tears” in his eyes, while Hamilton defied the odds to take the chequered flag at the British Grand Prix in his final home race with Mercedes.Charles Leclerc won an emotional 2024 Monaco Grand PrixCredit: RexLewis Hamilton then made history at the British Grand Prix later onCredit: ReutersBoth races were made iconic by the man behind the microphone for F1TV and Channel 4, Alex JacquesCredit: X @C4F1Both races have already gone down in the annals of F1 history for their huge significance in the modern era of the sport.But for many fans, that experience was elevated to even greater heights by the man behind the microphone, Alex Jacques.Jacques is the lead commentator of F1TV and Channel 4, and the voice of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, while he has also featured in the Netflix series Drive To Survive.His voice has become synonymous with formula racing, given he also spent a decade as the commentator of F2 before leaving the role to spend more time with family at the start of this year.READ MORE IN F1Following his work at both Monaco and Silverstone last year, fans showed their love by featuring him in numerous social media clips, often edited with emotive background music, of the races.And Jacques has not been blind to the outpouring of love fans have given him for his work.Speaking exclusively to SunSport at a launch event of the EA Sports F1 25 video game, Jacques explained his thought process in the moment and gave his thoughts on the fan reaction to it.He said: “You’re trying to tell their stories and both of those examples that you used, so for Charles Leclerc, my overarching, and it links back to the previous question, so it’s amazing to see all of those edits. Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”As a commentator, you want to do justice to the moment. If you’re watching the Monaco GP and you’re watching Charles Leclerc, you might be an F1 fan and you might not know that backstory.”That’s my job as the commentator, to tell you that this guy from Monaco, oh, it’s just a rich kid winning the Monaco GP. Nothing of the sort. This guy’s been through heartbreak on multiple occasions and it’s his life’s purpose to win that race. Lewis Hamilton sent ‘flying’ after hitting huge bump as Ferrari endure Monaco Grand Prix nightmare”On that last lap, I tried to distil quite a complex story into quite a short amount of time. He’s such a well-supported driver that that lap has, as you say, been subject to so many edits on social media.”He continued: “With Lewis Hamilton, this is a driver that we got used to winning week in, week out. Suddenly, goes through a winning drought. “That was one of the best Grand Prix of all time in the entire history of the 75 years. To see him come out on top when it could have been five drivers. “So rarely do you get a Grand Prix where five drivers could win it. For him to come out on top, top three was three British drivers at the British GP. He ends his winless drought.”If you can’t do justice to those moments, that’s when you have to step forward as a commentator and hopefully provide the words that match the pictures. Both of those occasions were just magic Formula One moments.”Jacques’ infectious love for motorsport means it was “tough” for him to step away from working on F2.What was is like working on the EA Sports F1 25 game?Alex Jacques:”It’s a really long time recording the commentary for the game but it’s a wonderful experience because these are the games that I played growing up, right? So maybe it wasn’t the case with commentators from a previous generation but for me I used to love the F1 game coming out and then to be part of it and to get to record the lines. “So I’m very happy to spend a week of my life in a very dark room effectively reading and in fifth place and in sixth place and so on and so forth. “You also get to do loads of creative stuff as well and they’ll bring in other people for you to commentate with so it’s a long process but when you hear your own commentary in the game it’s well worth it.Anything in particular for fans to look out for?”Yeah, there’s new tracks all the time, there’s new storylines all the time. One of the cool things that we got to do this year is they were introducing the cars and the characters from the F1 movie. so that’s a part of the game as well and it was great to be able to, it’s very weird when you’re finding yourself talking about Brad Pitt’s character in the game. but yeah and a lot of fun. “There’s always something new, they’re always coming up with new things for the game as well. The accuracy of the tracks this year is ridiculously good and you’re like, hold on, I’ve been there, there is a hot dog stand at that point, how have they got that in the game? So yeah, loads of fun stuff like that to enjoy.”However, “he has no complaints” about stepping back to spend more time with his family after becoming a father for the first time just before this season’s Imola Grand Prix, although he jokes it has led to his favourite drink being a “strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am”.He said: “It’s been a strange one because I got the job in F2 first and then got opportunities in F1. F2 has always felt a little bit like the home team, if you like. “F1 is the big international call-up, if you want to put it in a football metaphor. It was tough saying goodbye because very rarely you have to leave that paddock behind. “The nice thing about whether you’re telling the story of George Russell or Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc, these are all drivers that I’ve known from when they were very young because of commentating on F3 and F2 and watching their journey all the way through. But eventually it’s time. “Eventually, you just cannot commentate on everything as much as I would love to. It was sad to say goodbye, but I have the best job in the world, so I have no complaints. “I think to get 10 years commentating on any championship in any sport is a privilege and I thoroughly enjoyed it…Thoughts on 2026 possibly being last year at Imola? Alex Jacques:”I’m not entirely sure what the situation is for Imola, but I will say that it is a historic place to go racing. “It’s very, very fortunate. Anytime you’re covering motor racing in Italy, you’re having a great week of your life. Right?”That’s the nature of it. It’s obviously the circuit closest to Ferrari’s factory, and also you’ve got the Racing Bulls factory close around there. “But it’s the nature of gravel traps, narrow circuit, tight walls, thrilling undulations. Those are the things that drivers, not just at Imola, but those are the things across the calendar that the drivers respond to.”It’s important to have that balance between the old school tracks that we love and to have the amazing locations that we go to around the world. “And we’ll see. But I certainly adore going to that racetrack every time we do.””Eventually, my wife was like, it would be nice if we could hang out at some point rather than you travel the world all the time. “I got that F2 job when I was 25, so eventually you have to make more time for the people that support you when you’re away for ages and have to do the day-to-day moments. “So, yeah, very, very fortunate to be the dad of a lovely baby girl and I have a very supportive wife and it’s nice to have a bit more of a balance even though there’s still a fair bit of travel involved.”Despite his new responsibilities away from the track, Jacques does still make time to keep an eye on F1’s feeder series and earmarked Irish racer Alex Dunne as one star to keep an eye on, even before he scored a maiden pole position at Monaco last weekend.Jacques said: “I’ve been impressed with Alex Dunne, Irish driver, making that step up. There are some drivers that I think you take them from a F3 car, you put them with a little bit more power, a little bit more grip, and they seem to come alive.”He seems to fall in that category. So, he’s an exciting prospect. but there are loads of really, really talented drivers. You’ve got to be consistent. Thoughts on Ipswich Town’s season?Alex Jacques:”Was there a season this year? I don’t know. You skipped over.”Well, it’s worth saying that we are having this chat underneath Tottenham’s stadium. And the one thing I would say about Ipswich’s season is that, okay, it didn’t go to plan. “And I think there was an expectation around the club that we would be more competitive than we turned out to be. But we got some away days at grounds that we hadn’t visited before.”We got away days at, you know, and the combination of being able, I watched Ipswich win their first Premier League game in 22 years with my dad upstairs at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That’s a memory I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. “What Kieran McKenna gave Ipswich Town fans was not only amazing football in League One, in the Championship, but also when we got to the Premier League, away days and experiences that other clubs take for granted. And Ipswich hadn’t had for two decades.”Hadn’t had a trip to Old Trafford. That was amazing. Taking the lead there. You’ve got to see it as glass half full.”Okay. Lost a lot of points from winning positions this year. But hold on, last year we gained 30 points from losing positions. So you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth.”Did we get promoted a little bit too early? Clearly on the evidence, yeah, we probably did. But have we bought? well?”I think so. I think we’ve got a great squad for the Championship next year. Take nothing for granted with like, oh, bounce back immediately. You have to win so many games.”We’ve seen this with Burnley. Seen this with Leeds. You’ve got to win an awful lot of games. I think the club is a little bit exhausted.”It will catch its breath over the summer. I think when you go from League One, when Kieran McKenna took over at Ipswich Town, Ipswich Town were below Accrington Stanley in the table. “I don’t think anyone could be moaning about the fact that it didn’t go to plan in the Premier League. I’ll take whatever timeline this is and he can stay for as long as he likes.”We need to build a statue of him for what he did. Not all seasons are going to go to plan, but I still enjoyed all the away days in the Premier League I was able to get to. “And I’ve got full confidence that if he’s still behind the wheel next year and he hasn’t been poached by a Premier League club, we’ll bounce straight back. “”But ultimately, I think all the drivers that eventually make it to F1, there are defining days in F3, in F2, where you watch what they do.”Thinking about Kimi Antonelli, the new Mercedes driver, at Silverstone last year, one second a lap faster than everyone else in the field. And that includes three F1 drivers who also graduated with him.”That is the type of performance that if you put in in F2, you can make a name for yourself. And everyone’s watching, everyone’s watching in the F1 paddock. “So, great start for Alex Dunne, lots of talented names in that championship this year, but you need to see a standout performance, whether it be an overtaking performance through the field. Get yourself on the radar. A standout head-bind drive is the best way to do it.”However, Jacques’ position on the “ludicrous” three-way 2025 F1 title race is far less clear as the 36-year-old can’t pick between McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris or reigning world champion Max Verstappen, but is certain it is “the best type of season” with the field being so close.He added: “I really loved it because you’ve got three drivers at totally different stages of their careers. You’ve also got Lando Norris, [who] came in as the pre-season favourite.”Can he deal with the expectation on his shoulders? And Oscar Piastri, exceeding expectations for where he is. You’ve got the McLaren drivers trying to win their first championships.”You’ve got Max trying to make history and emulate the great Michael Schumacher. And he’d only be two behind the all-time record if he gets five with a lot of his career still to go. It’s a wonderful dynamic. The qualifying sessions have been so tight.Read More on The Sun”We’ve not had a gap between first and second. that’s been over a tenth. That is ludicrous. We used to have gaps between first and second of a second back in the early 90s. F1 is ultra-competitive, we’re having a great season.”EA SPORTS has launched their new F1 25 game, with the iconic Edition out now and the Standard Edition launching May 30th. Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC.Quickfire questions: Alex JacquesBuild your dream driver:Racecraft: Fernando AlonsoQualifying Pace: Charles LeclercTalent: Max VerstappenAwareness: Lewis Hamilton all dayDefence: Fernando AlonsoTyre management: Ooh, tyre management. Probably be one of the McLaren boys at the moment because they seem to have that on lock, don’t they? Yeah, we’ll give Lando tyre management.Quickfire round: Favourite drink: Favourite drink? Wow, I didn’t expect that. Probably a strong black coffee, given how sleep deprived I am on the boat.Favourite food or snack during comms: You’ve got to have a bag of Haribo to get you through, especially if you’re doing an overnight one.Guilty pleasure: Guilty pleasure. Yeah, watching Ipswich Town win this year because it’s not been a regular occurrence.Favourite racetrack: Monza. Favourite car: Favourite car? Of all cars. F1 or… F1 or what? The 1998 McLaren. That’s the first season I watch, so that’s always my favourite F1 car. Favourite driver of all time: Favourite driver of all time? Similar answer. Mikka Hakkinen, champion the first year that he won and my childhood hero. And yeah, still get starstruck by him in the paddock. He’s a lovely chap. More

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      George Russell warns Mercedes ‘nothing is out of the question’ with F1 future up in the air

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      GEORGE RUSSELL revealed he’s happy to partner up with ANYONE on the grid as his Mercedes future remains up in the air.The Brit’s current deal expires at the end of the 2025 season and he expects to know about any extension “before the summer”.Mercedes’ George Russell has ruled out nothing with regards to his futureCredit: Shutterstock EditorialRussell opened up to reporters, including SunSport inside the Mercedes motorhome at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, about his preferences for 2026.The 27-year-old, whose last contract extension came in August 2023, said: “I want to be at Mercedes next year. That’s where I want to be.”But things have to be right. It’s all got to make sense. But I can’t see why it won’t happen.”I’ve always said I’d be happy to be team-mates with any driver on this grid.READ MORE F1 NEWS”So I don’t think anything is out of the question for next year, in terms of any movement on the whole grid.”Russell, who sits fourth in the Championship standings after a P3 finish in Miami, also opened up the happier atmosphere around the Silver Arrows crew this season.He said: “There’s been more calm in the team. It’s a good place for us right now.”We’ve made almost no mistakes this year. We’ve been better in high pressure moments on the radio to give the strategists more time to think.”Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSMeanwhile, the entire F1 driver market, including Russell, hinges on the plans of four-time world champion Max Verstappen.The Dutchman, 27, may choose to invoke a performance-based exit clause in his contract should he remain unhappy with Red Bull’s output and the loss of key personnel such as Adrian Newey.Verstappen’s clause reportedly becomes active during the summer break in August – and rival teams like Mercedes are waiting for him to firm up his future before finalising their own line-ups.Lewis Hamilton in awkward car journey with George Russell and Carlos Sainz after Las Vegas GP More

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      Lewis Hamilton’s private handwritten note which ‘fulfilled the heart’ revealed by Mercedes F1 successor Kimi Antonelli

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      LEWIS HAMILTON penned a “heart fulfilling” private note to his Mercedes replacement Kimi Antonelli.The Italian prodigy, 18, reacted to Hamilton’s personal message for the first time ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend.Lewis Hamilton wrote a handwritten letter to Kimi AntonelliCredit: ReutersAntonelli took over from Hamilton after the Brit announced he was ending his 12-year stint under Toto Wolff to fulfil his dream of racing for Ferrari.And as Mercedes use the same motorhome for European races only, Antonelli only got to read the letter when he arrived on Thursday.Opening up about it, the young Italian, who was born down the road in Bologna – which is a 30 minutes drive away from the Imola circuit – said the note was “motivational”.Antonelli said: “It says a lot about how Lewis is as a person. I could see a lot of the human side of Lewis, not only the driver.READ MORE IN F1″Reading the message, it fulfilled my heart to receive it from such a figure in the sport.”He has done so much and he’s still right there giving his best. He’s one of the best in history.”It was amazing. It also contained some advice, and I will use it as motivation to go out there and do my best — because it doesn’t happen every day.”Quizzed on if he’ll keep the letter, Antonelli added: “Yeah, it’s actually on my wall. I’ll keep it there.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”The message is so nice that I just want to leave it there. Every time I enter the room, I can see it. It’s a really good reminder.”Antonelli has hit the big time in F1 and is now keen to bring his school pals along for the ride.Lewis Hamilton fumes ‘have a tea break while you’re at it’ at Ferrari staff and refuses to apologise in Miami GP bust-upOn media day, he rolled out the red carpet for his family and classmates to get an exclusive taste of the trackside action at Imola.He even joined in the festivities in his hometown on Wednesday evening as its football team clinched their first silverware in over half a century.Antonelli has dreams of bettering his record-breaking Sprint pole achieved last time out in Miami, and sits just above Hamilton in sixth in the drivers standings. More

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      ‘Won’t say thank you any time soon’ – George Russell reacts as hated F1 rule is overturned

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      GEORGE RUSSELL “won’t be saying thank you” anytime soon after blasting Formula One’s swearing rules as too “ridiculous” in the first place.The Mercedes star, who sits fourth in the Championship standings, showed no gratitude to F1’s governing body after labelling the walk-back on rules as “suspect” ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix.George Russell has criticised the FIA’s stance on swearing and criticising officialsCredit: GettyFIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem dramatically reduced the fines after receiving backlashCredit: AFPOn Wednesday, the FIA climbed down on its previous stance of drivers facing potential bans and point deductions for swearing or criticising officials, and dramatically reduced the possible fines that can be issued.Crucially, the stewards are now able to differentiate between ‘controlled’ and ‘non-controlled’ environments, meaning drivers are highly unlikely to be punished for swearing while competing, but will still face action for using offensive language in press conferences.But Russell, was unmoved by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem cutting the first time fines from £33,700 down to £4,200.The 27-year-old said: “I didn’t really have any reaction to the announcement because it was so ridiculous in the first place that we are just basically reverting on that.READ MORE ON F1″At the end of the day we’re not going to be saying thank you for something that was so crazy in the first place.”We’ve just gone back to something that is slightly more in the name of common sense”But we should never have moved away from that in the first place. You know, we shouldn’t even be having this conversation.”Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, also revealed that he “wonders if the change was strategic timing” given that Ben Sulayem is up for re-election at the end of the season.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBen Sulayem said when the rule change was announced that he had “led an extensive and collaborative review with contributions from across the seven FIA World Championships”.But, Russell has refused that claim, saying: “We’ve still had no correspondence with anyone from the senior level at the FIA. So yeah, it’s all a bit suspect.”Lewis Hamilton fumes ‘have a tea break while you’re at it’ at Ferrari staff and refuses to apologise in Miami GP bust-upFerrari driver Lewis Hamilton, 40, also agreed that the situation was “ridiculous”.The seven-time champion said: “It seems a bit of a mess there at the moment. There are lots of changes that are needed, for sure.”Red Bull’s Max Verstappen – who last year was the first driver to be punished for saying his car was “f***ed” with a form of community service – said the change was “a bit better and it’s a start”.Incredibly, Russell and Verstappen both backed the potential bid of Carlos Sainz Sr, the father of Williams driver Sainz, in this December’s FIA presidential election.When asked if Sainz would be a better president, the world champion Red Bull star bluntly replied: “You can fill that in yourself.”He’s very well respected in the world here and in the rally world as a former rally driver.”Of course people always say it’s conflicting with his son but I think he’s professional enough to keep that separated from each other.”I think it would be a great addition to run for president.”Russell also dismissed the idea there could be a conflict of interest because of Sainz’s son, who is also a GPDA director.Read More on The SunThe Brit said: “You’re so far removed from a technical standpoint. It’s down to the technical people within the FIA to be the rule makers.”The president in years gone by has probably been far less involved than what we’ve seen recently and far less visible.”THE new Formula One season is well underway – and one team appear to be running away with it.A massive summer of change saw Lewis Hamilton move on from Mercedes and join Ferrari, while the McLaren pair of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have a big chance to end Max Verstappen’s recent dominance.The Red Bull ace is aiming for a record-equalling FIFTH consecutive world title.INFORMATIONLATEST NEWSSEASON SO FAR More

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      Ferrari star forced to pull out of media duties through illness as F1 team confirm he ‘will not be coming to the track’

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      CHARLES LECLERC has pulled out of media duties due to illness ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.The race on the famous Imola circuit in Italy is scheduled for Sunday and will be the home debut for Lewis Hamilton since switching to Ferrari.Charles Leclerc has pulled out of media duties ahead of the Emilia Romagna GPCredit: AFPHis team-mate Lewis Hamilton will have to represent FerrariCredit: GettyBut the Englishman will not be joined by his team-mate for media duties.Ferrari confirmed that the Monegasque driver will not be heading to the track due to sickness.The F1 team insisted that he would be expected in the car for practice ahead of qualifying on Saturday.A statement read: “Charles is feeling unwell and will not be coming to the track today.READ MORE ON F1″He will rest and focus on recovering and we expect him to be in the car tomorrow.”Leclerc is currently 5th in the Driver’s Standings with 58 points but he is yet to win a race this season.He finished on the podium in 3rd in the Saudi Arabian GP back in April.Hamilton, however, is currently 7th in the driver’s standings with only 41 points and is yet to finish in the top three.Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis performance has left Ferrari well off the pace in the constructor’s standings with only 94 points.They trail Red Bull Racing, Mercedes and leaders McLaren.Lewis Hamilton and Charles LeClerc arrive on red carpet at F1 02 car launch in styleMeanwhile, the Emilia-Romagna GP is at risk of being axed from the F1 calendar.F1 president Stefano Domenicali has admitted that it is difficult for two races to be based in Italy.He told RAI radio: “Italy has always been and will be an important part of Formula 1.”It will be increasingly difficult to have two races in the same country because interest in F1 is growing and it’s a situation we will have to deal with in the coming months.”It’s hard for this situation with Imola and Monza to continue together on the calendar for long.” More

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      ‘He hasn’t finished’ – F1 team boss and former Lewis Hamilton colleague gives verdict on Brit’s Ferrari struggles

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has been backed to get back to winning ways by Formula One boss James Vowles.Vowles, now team principal of the Williams Racing F1 team, worked alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for over ten years as the team achieved unprecedented success.Lewis Hamilton has been backed to get back to winning ways by former Mercedes chief James VowlesCredit: GettyHamilton has struggled to produce results since joining Ferrari at the start of the seasonCredit: GettyVowles has led a huge resurgence of Williams Racing since becoming team principalCredit: AFPHe departed his position as strategy director for the Silver Arrows in January 2023 to become the team principal of Williams Racing with Hamilton then following suit by announcing his exit to Ferrari a year later.However, despite a Sprint Race win during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton has struggled to get the best out of his new drive in 2025.Indeed, the seven-time world champion is yet to finish above P5 during a Sunday race.But Vowles – who helped Hamilton to win six of his seven F1 drivers’ titles – reckons his old colleague has more to give.READ MORE IN F1Speaking to SunSport during an event at the Williams base this week, the 45-year-old said: “I haven’t chatted to him much, but the same adaption you’ve seen Carlos [Sainz] have to do into our car.”It’s hard to explain, but all of us are going, even though the cars are in the temperature of each other, we are quite different in terms of the philosophies that we’re adapting to, where the weight is, where the air balances, how much drag performance, and the front tyres are weaker this year.”And I think when you merge that all together, it takes a little bit of time for drivers to be able to get up to speed.”I’d probably say give him time, because he hasn’t finished. Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”I think people are reflecting on more than anything else on his qualifying position, but in the racing, he’s still there challenging Charles [Leclerc] all the way through. “So I’m not seeing that he’s particularly off the pace, it’s just bits that he has to fix on the way.”Lewis Hamilton fumes ‘have a tea break while you’re at it’ at Ferrari staff and refuses to apologise in Miami GP bust-upAfter six races of the season, Hamilton has out-qualified Monegasque team-mate Charles Leclerc just once.Although Leclerc’s own underwhelming race results this season mean they are separated by 12 points with Ferrari down in fourth place in the Constructors’ World Championship standings.During the last race week in Miami, Hamilton had a last-lap collision with the man he replaced at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, as the Spaniard attempted to overtake him to score more points for Williams.The iconic team had finished last in the 2022 F1 season before Vowles’ arrival but are now running top of the midfield with almost double the points of the team in sixth, Haas.Williams improvementVowles sang the praises of the team at the factory and their “world-class” driver combination of Sainz and Alex Albon.The pair had been involved in an untelevised radio spat in Miami after Albon overtook Sainz despite having a reliability issue, with Sainz complaining over an alleged team orders break.But the issue was sorted within two minutes after the race, with Vowles saying the gaffe was down to the pit wall and revealing Sainz had spent 45 minutes offering solutions on how to fix it in the debrief.He explained how the duo have been instrumental in extracting the best out of the car and believes the gap to the cars in front of them are “only a couple of tenths”.However, Vowles declared he was “not interested” in potentially lucking into a podium and said the team would have to “dig deep” to have a chance to scoring their first top three finish since George Russell in 2021, or Lance Stroll in 2017 for a full race.He said: “In my world, there’s two different types of podiums. One where we’ve almost lucked into it, and I’m not interested, I mean that can happen this year, but I’m not overly interested in that. “There’s one where we earn it, because we’ve actually built a car. And that’s what made Miami special.”We were there fighting, not because six other cars in front of us disappeared, but we were there fighting on their end. “You can see what the gaps are, it’s actually just a matter of a couple of tenths now is what we’re missing in order for that to happen, and a track rarities and expose our vices.”So the difficulty will be this, it’s a relative gain, in fact most of the teams you’re already hearing are bringing up base in the last race, Red Bull Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, there are definitely three other teams, so the interest is to see what the next movement will be.Read More on The Sun”It’s a couple of tenths, I’m just not sure we have the ability to find that within this year without focusing on next year. We’re obviously going to dig deep and see what we can find in it.”The Imola Grand Prix is up next this weekend but follows reports the iconic circuit could drop off the F1 calendar.Vowles sung the praises of Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex AlbonCredit: Getty More