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      Inside ‘bizarre’ Las Vegas Grand Prix hit by crippling strikes, fans wanting refunds and it could be coldest in history

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      FORMULA ONE will take over Las Vegas for the first time in over four decades next week.Over half a billion dollars has already been spent in a bid to make it the most attractive race on the calendar.
      The Las Vegas Grand Prix is set to take place later this monthCredit: Getty
      Over half a billion dollars has already been spent on the eventCredit: PA
      However, the past few weeks and months have presented conflict and controversy.
      With a crippling strike threatened and many unhappy fans already requesting refunds, the event has been thrown into chaos.
      Even the drivers aren’t entirely enthused by the prospect of racing through the streets of Sin City.
      While the Las Vegas GP has the potential to be the most glamorous race of the year, there is a huge risk that fans could leave disappointed and out of pocket.
      Read More on F1
      And that may leave F1 in a whole heap of trouble.
      Strikes threatened
      Tens of thousands of hospitality workers in Vegas are said to be prepared to strike ahead of the race weekend.
      The Culinary and Bartenders Union have announced that 35,000 of its members across 18 local properties will initiate a strike if an adequate agreement is not reached with the casinos, hotels, and restaurants that employ them.
      The proposed strike by the state’s largest labour union would mark the first time in 10 years hospitality workers have gone on strike in Las Vegas.
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      Some hospitality workers are threatening to strikeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It could also become the largest hospitality strike in the history of the US.
      According to the Associated Press, a union spokesperson has said that workers currently have health insurance and earn $26 per hour, but didn’t specify their desired pay increase.
      Between 40,000 and 60,000 employee contracts have expired, but they are still working while negotiations continue.
      Although the union has been negotiating with MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts for the past seven months, a deal is yet to be agreed.
      Furious fans
      Some F1 fans are said to be “disgruntled” after analysis revealed huge reductions in Las Vegas hotel prices ahead of the Grand Prix.
      Research by Oversteer48 looked at the 22 biggest hotels on the iconic Vegas strip – where the race is set to take place – and compared recent prices to those from last year when the event was announced.
      Some hotels have dramatically dropped in priceCredit: Getty
      While one hotel has stuck with the same rates, the other 21 have reduced them by an average of 58 per cent.
      Contrary to the expectations of F1 chiefs, tickets for the weekend are yet to sell out which is why hotel prices have been slashed.
      Oversteer48’s Alex Gassman also reports that some fans have managed to secure compensation or have rebooked hotels.
      However, others have been left stuck with non-refundable bookings.
      Schedule issues
      The scheduling of the Las Vegas GP has also come into question.
      For the first time since 1985, the race will take place on Saturday evening as opposed to the standard Sunday format.
      Qualifying is set to start at 12am local timeCredit: Getty
      However, due to the time difference fans in the UK will be able to watch on Sunday morning.
      Qualifying for the Las Vegas GP will take place from 12am until 1am local time on Saturday November 18, while the race will start at 10pm.
      That means in the UK qualifying will start at 8am on Saturday morning, with lights out at the early time of 6am the following day.
      Some fans on social media have branded the timings as “bizarre”.
      The coldest race ever?
      Traditionally, F1 races take place in warm climates – but that certainly won’t be the case in Vegas.
      Due to the season and the late start times, it is set to be one of the coldest races in F1 history.
      Tires could prove to be an issue for all teamsCredit: Reuters
      The temperature will likely drop to between five and 10º C which could present several issues – especially with tires.
      F1 tires are designed to offer optimum grip at high temperatures.
      That means low temperatures will lead to a lack of grip on track, which could see some minor individual errors punished.
      That could prove very costly on a tight street track.
      Mixed opinions
      Not everyone is overly thrilled about the prospect of driving in Las Vegas – especially in November.
      Discussing the race, reigning world champion Max Verstappen said: “A lot colder. Street circuit, new for everyone. I think it will be full of surprises for sure.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Meanwhile, former driver Bernie Ecclestone has heavily criticised the event.
      He said: “I’m not really looking forward to it. It has nothing to do with Formula One.”
      Max Verstappen isn’t too pleased about racing at night in VegasCredit: Getty More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals he’s quit booze and ‘may never drink again’ as struggling F1 legend slams peer pressure

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he’s given up alcohol as he looks to transform his fortunes in Formula One.The seven-time world champion has criticised the peer pressure involved with booze despite his vast world experience.
      Lewis Hamilton has revealed he’s quit alcohol for goodCredit: Getty
      The seven-time world champion declared there’s too much pressure involvedCredit: Getty
      Hamilton recently launched a new non-alcoholic tequila drink, with the Brit expanding his empire off the track.
      The 38-year-old has now revealed he’s gone sober as he looks to get back to his best following Red Bull’s dominance over the past two seasons.
      Hamilton admitted he’s seeking “that extra one per cent”, as he continues to perform at the top level of the sport.
      The British legend told Vogue: “I don’t know if I’m going to drink again.
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      “Since I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity.
      “There is pressure to drink within a social setting. You have one shot and feel like ‘Damn, why did I do that?’ when you get home.
      “I was like, wow, that’s kind of crazy how I’m feeling pressured.
      “And I realised, how can I be feeling pressure at 38? Imagine young 18 year olds.”
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      Hamilton has endured another frustrating season with Mercedes, with the British star lying third in the World Championship standings.
      The Silver Arrows’ torrid time was epitomised at the Brazil GP last week, after Hamilton finished eighth and George Russell retired on lap 58 of 71.
      Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has cruised to the world title with the Dutchman leading on 524 points following 17 race wins.
      The penultimate race of the season will see Las Vegas’ debut in the sport on November 18, with the Abu Dhabi hosting the 2023 finale on November 26.
      Mercedes and Hamilton suffered another devastating weekend in Sao Paulo More

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      Lewis Hamilton makes bleak F1 prediction for 2024 season as Mercedes’ struggles go from bad to worse

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has made a bleak Formula One prediction for the 2024 season – as Mercedes struggles go from bad to worse.The seven-time world champion claimed that Red Bull will continue their dominance over the “next couple of years.”
      Lewis Hamilton makes bleak F1 prediction for the 2024 seasonCredit: Splash
      Since the 2022 regulations for F1 cars were introduced Mercedes have deeply struggled to fight for the top position.
      While the Silver Arrows have attempted to close their gap to rivals Red Bull they have only won a single race in the last two seasons.
      Meanwhile, Red Bull has dominated the leaderboards in record-breaking style as leading driver Max Verstappen has achieved the highest win percentage of any driver in a single season.
      With Verstappen’s victories not coming to an end any time soon, Hamilton gave his call on how the next few seasons will turn out.
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      He said: “The Red Bull, I think, is so far away. I think they’re probably going to be very clear for the next couple of years.”
      Verstappen so far this year has 17 victories from 20 races while accumulating three straight drivers’ titles.
      The Belgian’s victory in Sao Paulo at the weekend was a sharp contrast to the dismal performance of Mercedes.
      Mercedes suffered one of their lowest moments in recent history at the Interlagos.
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      The British racing team have had issues with their cars for a while now but this weekend was a horror show for Toto Wolff’s side.
      Hamilton ended up miles off the podium and finished eighth after being overtaken by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in the final laps.
      While fellow Brit and team-mate George Russell was forced to retire the car on lap 58 of 71.
      But before the race had even begun the 103-time race-winner sensed trouble looming.
      Hamilton continued: “I knew that we would have a difficult day. Nothing changed in the car from yesterday to today, so I knew it would be tough.
      “The tyres were overheating, the car was slow on the straights, no grip in corners. Ultimately, all I can do is try and remain optimistic.”
      Mercedes team-mate George Russell was forced to retire his car at the Brazillian Grand PrixCredit: Splash More

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      Toto Wolff may not be joking about shock Man Utd move as F1 boss struggles to show appetite for Mercedes rebuild

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      TOTO WOLFF has a massive job on his hands – and one that will ultimately determine his F1 legacy.The Austrian was unapologetic in his condemnation of this season’s Mercedes car following Lewis Hamilton’s eighth-place finish in Sao Paulo while George Russell retired from the race.
      Toto Wolff has made positive noises about joining Sir Jim Ratcliff at Manchester UnitedCredit: Splash
      After all, this was the race the team had won last year and was supposed to signal their upward development curve after decent performances in Austin and Mexico City.
      There was no sugarcoating this miserable performance and Wolff was left sounding like a broken record as he again said “We’ve got to develop that better for next year”.
      He added: “There is something fundamentally wrong mechanically. It’s not a rear wing and it’s not the car being slightly too high. Because we are talking a millimetre or two.
      “That is performance but it is not the explanation for a total off-weekend.”
      Read More on Formula 1
      The problem is however, we don’t know if he is capable of leading the team’s resurrection so that they can again challenge for championships.
      If we look back when Wolff joined Mercedes from Williams, he did so alongside Niki Lauda, the three-time F1 world champion who commanded so much respect.
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      It is also worth noting that Wolff also inherited the bulk of the team from Ross Brawn – who had turned his £1 purchase from Honda to world champions in 2009.
      It is all very well being praised for your management skills during the good times and the periods of domination, as Wolff was, but it requires another skill set to turn things around when they go bad.
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      That’s something Brawn had done, and too Christian Horner at Red Bull, who after the success of Mercedes, has overseen his team become the dominant force once again.
      Under Wolff’s watch, Mercedes have lost several key personnel, such as engine chief Andy Cowell, who have not been sufficiently replaced.
      They have lurched from bad design to bad design and while it is not Wolff in the aerodynamics department, he is ultimately the boss and the buck stops with him.
      Ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, he was quizzed about Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s takeover at Manchester United, with Wolff making positive noises about joining him.
      I just wonder whether that could be the Austrian’s next play?Rumour has it he was in Brazil only by virtue of missing two races earlier after undergoing a knee operation and felt that he needed to attend to show face.
      He has already spoken about reducing his attendance at races for next season, which will see a record 24 races.
      It all makes me wonder if he has the appetite – and the ability – to turn the slump around. More

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      Brutal Lewis Hamilton ‘counting down the days’ until he can ditch 2023 Mercedes after Brazil sprint race horror show

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      LEWIS HAMILTON is ready to move on from what has been a disastrous season for himself and Mercedes. The British Formula One driver admitted he is “counting down the days” until the season is over and done with.
      Lewis Hamilton has said he is ‘counting down the days’ until the end of the F1 seasonCredit: Splash
      Hamilton was once again off the pace when he finished in seventh place in yesterday’s sprint race in Sao Paulo.
      Max Verstappen bagged a fourth sprint victory with Hamilton over 34 seconds behind his rival.
      The Silver Arrows star is currently trying to chase down second place in the overall F1 standings after Verstappen secured a third consecutive world title last month.
      And despite progress for Mercedes, Hamilton is growing frustrated with his team’s inconsistency and is ready to start fresh.
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      He said: “The last couple of races we have been excited that we have been progressing, and it has been positive to see,
      “But then you come to another track and I have the worst tyre degradation I have had for ages, so you just don’t know what to expect.
      “It was a very tough race. We got a good start and then I tried to get the right balance. But I had a lot of understeer, snap oversteer, and the rear tyres dropped off.
      “There are only a couple of more races with this car and then it is done, so I will be happy. I am just counting down the days.”
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      The 38-year-old looked closer to his usual standards in Austin when he finished in second place.
      But had the smile wiped from his face after he was disqualified following a post-race scrutineering check on the Mercedes car.
      The seven time world champion doesn’t have too much longer to wait until he can see the back of what has been a winless season so far.
      Today’s race in Sao Paulo will be followed by the Las Vegas GP before the season reaches its climax in Abu Dhabi at the end of the month. More

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      Brazil GP qualifying ABANDONED early after freak storm engulfs Sao Paulo as Verstappen beats ‘insane’ rain to grab pole

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN beat the “insane” rain to snatch pole position for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix – just before the heavens opened.The Red Bull man set the quickest time before the rain clouds and lightning engulfed the Interlagos circuit and the session was stopped early.
      Brazil’s F1 qualifying session was abandoned early due to freak rainCredit: AP
      A number of drivers were caught out by the sudden changeCredit: Getty
      Max Verstappen took pole with Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll in second and thirdCredit: Splash
      It was Max Verstappen’s 11th pole of the season while Charles Leclerc will start Sunday’s race in second place.
      Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso locked out the second row while it was an all-Mercedes third row with Lewis Hamilton lining up fifth and George Russell sixth.
      Hamilton said: “It’s fifth, and fifth is never that great. I did the best I could and hopefully we will have a better race.
      “The car was showing signs of decent performance but generally we are a couple of tenths off the top guys.
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      “But the conditions at the end have us a little bit further back on the grid, but it is difficult to say.”
      Russell added: “It was absolutely crazy. I have never seen a change in weather as drastic as that.
      “The target is still the podium. Aston Martin seem to have found their form but I am hoping our race pace is better than theirs.
      “It will be a difficult fight with Max, but I expect it to be a two of three-stop race, so it is all to play for.”
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      Verstappen, who is again the favourite, said: “We didn’t know when the rain would hit in qualifying, we thought it would hit but this is insane weather.
      “It was all quite hectic in the last lap. It seems that it’s all very close. Last year we didn’t get that right but I think we are a bit better this year.”
      Ferrari’s Leclerc, who had been on pole in the previous two races, added: “In my whole career I have never experienced something like that.
      “From Turn 4 onwards there was no rain. But the car was extremely difficult to drive, no grip.
      “I was thinking about coming in at the end of the lap but I finished it and it was P2. So a really good surprise. A very weird one for everyone at the track.”
      The result was hard on McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who had looked quick enough to fight for pole position.
      But they were caught out by the rain and did not get out on track with enough dry running to set a lap time.
      Norris said: “The car was amazing. Easily quick enough to be quickest and on pole. So I am pretty gutted for that to end the way we did.
      Read More on The Sun
      “Obviously delivering the lap and putting it together in Q3 and everything is a different job, but easily quick enough.
      “So another disappointing Saturday, but not a lot we could have done.”
      McLaren had looked quick enough for pole but were caught out by the weatherCredit: Getty
      Lewis Hamilton could only muster a P5 resultCredit: Alamy
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      F1 fans ask ‘is he single’ as Lewis Hamilton rocks up at Brazilian Grand Prix in ‘goated’ outfit

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      FORMULA ONE fans asked “is he single” as Lewis Hamilton rocked up at the Brazilian Grand Prix in a classic outfit.The Mercedes driver strutted through the Grande Premio de Sao Paulo circuit in a 90s Brazil national football team tracksuit – ahead of this weekend’s Brazil Grand Prix.
      Lewis Hamilton rocks up to Brazillian Grand Prix in the 90’s national team tracksuitCredit: Getty
      Hamilton is set to race in to Brazil Grand Prix in Sao Paulo this weekendCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton, 38, turned heads as he impressed fans with his tribute to the Samba Boys.
      One fan was mesmerised by the Brits look and asked: “Is he single?”
      While another put: “Goated 🐐❤️.”
      A third fan humorously added: “He got better style than runway models.”
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      A fourth then said: “Lewis Hamilton’s fashion statement: A mix of speed and vintage vibes🥰.”
      The British racing driver is in South America ahead of the Brazil Grand Prix which is taking place in Sao Paulo this weekend.
      Hamilton has just THREE races left to leapfrog Red Bull racer Sergio Perez on the F1 leaderboards.
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      Perez, 33, has occupied the second spot behind his championship-winning teammate Max Verstappen for most of the campaign.
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      But Hamilton closed the gap to just 20 points after his P2 finish in Mexico.
      Furthermore, the Brit legend is no stranger to winning in Brazil, having done so in 2016 and 2018.
      However, Hamilton’s last first-place finish came way back in December 2021. More

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      I bought an F1 team for £1 and it sold for £150m after winning the world championship in our first and only season

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      IF you ask any Formula One expert what the biggest upset in the sport’s history is, the chances are they will say Brawn GP.The constructor came into being after being brought out for just £1 in 2008 following Honda’s withdrawal from F1 due to the global financial crisis.
      Ross Brawn brought Brawn GP for just £1 before it was sold for £150mCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      British driver Jenson Button spearheaded to team to one of the biggest shocks in F1 historyCredit: PA:Press Association
      Brawn GP raced for just one seasonCredit: Reuters
      The man behind that single pound was Ross Brawn, who was previously the technical director for Ferrari and Benetton – overseeing Michael Schumacher to all seven of his F1 titles.
      At the start of the 2009 season, Honda Racing F1 officially changed their name to Brawn GP.
      The team’s driver lineup consisted of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, backed up with Mercedes engine power in the BGP 001.
      Given the tumultuous past of the team, no one imagined they would be able to go and challenge at the front of the field.
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      But not only did Brawn do that, they went on to win both the drivers and constructors’ F1 world championships.
      Brawn won a staggering eight races from a possible 17 that season, with Button winning six of the first seven races.

      Writing for Sky Sports in 2019, Button recalled the first race of the season in Melbourne, Australia, when he picked up a shock pole position before winning the race.
      He said: “I still remember my qualifying lap in Melbourne, it’s crazy.
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      “But that’s the one that probably stands out the most just because it was such a shock to the system to take this car that had tested at the Stowe circuit at Silverstone just a couple of weeks before – to Melbourne, the first GP of the year, and put it on pole position.
      “I remember everything about that lap which I can’t say for many laps I’ve done. So it all ran really smoothly.
      “The race start was great, the car pulled away well, which again was a surprise, and in terms of our tyre strategy that was fantastic as well, putting the tyres on at the right time.
      “The team hadn’t lost it at all even though we’d had such a tough winter. We crossed that finish line first and second and it was a relief I think for everyone that we’d completed that first race.
      “We were on the top step as a privateer, the first time that’s been done for decades in their first GP.”
      However, from the British GP onwards, results started to turn against them as Red Bull caught up, threatening to undo the brilliant start to the season Brawn GP had made.
      Button won the F1 drivers championship in 2009 at the Brazil Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Fortunately for Brawn GP and Button, the Brazil GP – the penultimate race of the season – would see them lift both titles.
      And with 2009 being the only season the team officially competed in, it makes them the only team in F1 history to have a 100 per cent championship success rate.
      Following the season, engine supplier Mercedes purchased a 75.1 per cent stake in the team reportedly worth £110million.
      Brawn kept a 25 per cent stake in the team in partnership with CEO Nick Fry before that was also sold off in 2011, giving the pair an estimated sale value of £150m.
      He would stay on as team principal until 2013 when a certain Toto Wolff took over the reins.
      Not a bad turnaround off a £1 investment.
      The amazing story of that season is now being retold in Disney+ show, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story.
      Read More on The Sun
      Actor Keanu Reeves narrates the show, featuring interviews with Brawn, Button, Red Bull chief Christian Horner, former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo and ex-F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
      The four-part series starts streaming on November 15.
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More