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    Fans convinced Valtteri Bottas has new job as Lewis Hamilton’s former F1 team-mate posts cryptic social media updates

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    George Russell’s X-rated message after Canada pole sets up another battle with Max Verstappen

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    F1 steward SUSPENDED from Canadian GP over ‘unauthorised media comments’ after remarks about Hamilton and Verstappen

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    F1 star ROBBED ahead of Canada GP with ‘passports, computer and everything’ stolen from car by opportunistic thieves

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    Lewis Hamilton responds to retirement question after Mercedes struggles and ‘worst F1 race he’d ever experienced’

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    ‘He’s going to call it a day’ – Ex-Red Bull mechanic claims Max Verstappen will quit F1 THIS YEAR

    MAX VERSTAPPEN has been sensationally tipped to QUIT Red Bull at the end of the season by a former team mechanic.The Dutchman has won four drivers’ titles in a row and is hunting for a fifth this year – which would see him match a feat only achieved by Michael Schumacher in Formula One history.Max Verstappen has been tipped to win a fifth F1 title and then call it quitsCredit: Shutterstock EditorialThe call comes from ex-Red Bull mechanic Calum NicholasCredit: GettyHowever, Verstappen has fallen 49 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri amid huge performance struggles with the Red Bull machinery this season.Verstappen has continued winning races despite the issues and even the power struggle which hit the team last year.He has been linked with an exit from the Racing Bulls, with a team transfer to the likes of Mercedes or Aston Martin.But ex-Red Bull mechanic Calum Nicholas believes Verstappen – who became a dad for the first time last month – could QUIT F1 entirely, if he wins a fifth World Drivers Championship.READ MORE IN F1Speaking on Lucas Stewart’s YouTube channel as he played a round of golf, Nicholas was asked how many titles Verstappen would win in his career. He gave his answer before revealing what he thought lay ahead for the 27-year-old.Nicolas said: “Five. I think Max is going to win the Drivers’ this year, and then I think he’s going to call it a day.”Despite his answer, the mechanic insisted he didn’t “know anything” extra about Verstappen’s career plans.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKNicholas added: “To not back Max is just like lunacy, I think. The guy is just really really good.”Not in terms of just his technical skill and his talent, but I’ve watched Max grow into this guy that can do everything. Lewis Hamilton hit with grid penalty at Monaco Grand Prix after blunder saw him forced to apologise to Verstappen”He does everything well now.”Verstappen’s last race win this season came at the Imola Grand Prix on May 18.He finished fourth at the Monaco Grand Prix a week later before inexplicably ramming his car into George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix.That earned him a 10-second penalty – demoting him from P5 to P10 – and three penalty points on his licence to put him on the brink of a race ban.Verstappen has 11 out of 12 points needed to earn a race ban across the 12-month rolling system for the penalty points.He will need to be on his best behaviour at the Canadian and Austrian Grand Prix to avoid a ban in the following race before he sees two penalty points expire on June 30. Read More on The SunSunSport looked at five potential replacements for Verstappen if he is banned from competing for one weekend.Names include impressive F1 rookie Isack Hadjar, Red Bull flop Liam Lawson and F2 prodigy Arvid Lindblad, who recently raced against Leeds United stars on the Elland Road pitch. More

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    ‘It’s not nice to see’ – Lewis Hamilton warned he’s suffering from same issue as Michael Schumacher after Ferrari switch

    LEWIS HAMILTON is “lost” and suffering the same problem that fellow Formula One icon Michael Schumacher did.Hamilton, 40, has struggled to extract top performance from his Ferrari machinery since joining the team over the winter.Lewis Hamilton has been warned he is suffering the same issue as Michael Schumacher isCredit: GettyMichael Schumacher won seven world titles like Hamilton, but had a break and never won a race againCredit: GettyThe Brit has achieved one Sprint Race win in China but has otherwise failed to achieve a podium for the Scuderia.Former F1 star and Sky Sports F1 pundit Johnny Herbert believes Hamilton is suffering the same issues as Schumacher, 56, did when he came back to the motorsport after a break.That being the “raw pace just isn’t there anymore”, a thought which Herbert says is “not nice to see”.Schumacher – whose ex-F1 boss gave an insight into his health battle – retired from F1 in 2006 before returning with Mercedes in 2010, but only achieved one podium in three seasons with the Silver Arrows.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSpeaking to InstantWithdrawalBettingSites, Herbert, 60, said: “It just looks like Lewis Hamilton is lost, really lost. “I don’t know if the raw pace that he’s always had throughout his career is there anymore. “I thought, with the pure racing skill Hamilton had, he’d be able to drive around any problems with the car but he seems stuck in a hole. It’s not nice to see. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen it in the sport, though. Nigel Mansell won his championship in 1992, went to America in 1993, came back in 1994 and it didn’t work anymore for him.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”It happened with Michael Schumacher too, when he had his break and came back, then he wasn’t the same Schumacher as before.”You’re always going to have your peak and an end of your peak. It’s not nice to see.”F1 stars’ pets including driver with thirteen cats, Leclerc’s yacht-loving pooch and Hamilton’s dog Roscoe with own car Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc has raised his own complaints about the car and race engineers, but has managed to eke out better results with three podium finishes, including back-to-back in Monaco and Spain.Herbert added: “I know Charles Leclerc is not happy with the car either, but at least he’s getting podium finishes consistently. “There have been a couple of poor decisions in Ferrari’s strategy and poor communication over the radio, Hamilton doesn’t have the synergy with his engineer that he needs. “He hasn’t found his comfort zone since the sprint win in China.”Sometimes you don’t realise when it’s not as easy as it was before, but when you look across the garage and your team-mate is outperforming you, then it may click. “The greats of the sport, at their peak, get the best out of their car. Max Verstappen is doing it right now. Hamilton just can’t seem to get the extra he needs anymore. “He won’t understand why he can’t, because he’ll feel like he should be able to. But, Leclerc is outperforming you in the same car. Leclerc is only going to grow and is in control of Ferrari’s future. “He’s the guy they can rely on, Ferrari can’t rely on Lewis Hamilton at this point. It’s horrible to say but it’s the truth.”Former Mercedes and McLaren star Hamilton appeared close to tears following the Spanish Grand Prix where he finished P6, even after a penalty for old rival Max Verstappen bumped him up the order. Johnny Herbert suggested Ferrari ‘can’t rely on’ HamiltonCredit: GettyHamilton later apologised to Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes after his blunt response to a question, where he snapped: “Well what do you want me to say? I had a really bad day and I’ve got nothing to say.“It was a difficult day, I’ve got nothing else to add to it. There’s no point explaining it.”Hamilton will now have next weekend off to help him collect his thoughts before getting back behind the wheel for the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15.McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris lead the World Drivers Championship, with the Aussie leading by 10 points after claiming victory in Barcelona last weekend.He has opened up a huge 49-point gap to reigning four-time world champion Verstappen after the Dutchman lost his head and crashed into Mercedes’ George Russell when asked to yield his position.Despite calls to be disqualified, the incident saw the Red Bull driver being given a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from P5 to P10, and slapped with three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence.That decision has placed him on the brink of a race ban after collecting 11 out of a maximum of 12 penalty points.The system works on a 12-month rolling timer, but the next time the 27-year-old will see any points taken off his record will be June 30.Races are due to commence in Montreal and Spielberg before that date, meaning he will have to be on his best behaviour to avoid a ban.Read More on The SunPicking up another point in Canada will mean a ban for his team’s home race at the Red Bull Ring, meanwhile, a point in Austria would see him banned for the British Grand Prix on July 6.Hamilton himself sits P6 in the standings, while his team have squeezed their way into P2. 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    ‘What do you want me to say?’ – Lewis Hamilton looks close to tears in live TV interview after ‘terrible’ race

    LEWIS HAMILTON looked as though he might burst into tears as he gave blunt answers in his post-race interview in Barcelona.The seven-time world champion tugged on heartstrings as he blamed himself for a “terrible” performance at the Spanish Grand Prix.Lewis Hamilton was damming in his post-race interview after the Spanish GPHamilton finished the race outside the podium in P6Credit: AlamyThe seven-time world champion has endured a bedding in period at the Italian team in his debut seasonCredit: Shutterstock EditorialThings were looking up for Hamilton after qualifying on Saturday, where he secured fifth – his joint best result.But soon into the race his teammate Charles Leclerc was snapping at his heels and he was told to give his place up to the Monegasque driver after just nine laps.It was a suckerpunch moment for the Brit who finished in sixth after Max Verstappen’s 10-second time penalty.He had been overtaken by his old Mercedes teammate George Russell and, to rub more salt in the wounds, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.READ MORE IN F1He said after the race: “Well what do you want me to say? I’ve had a really bad day and have nothing to say. It was a difficult day,“There’s nothing else to add to it. It was terrible. There’s no point explaining it. It’s not your fault. I just don’t know what to say.”When told whether the team can find some answers, he added: “I’m sure they won’t – it was probably just me.”Hamilton’s former teammate Nico Rosberg said: “it’s hard to watch” the Ferrari driver struggle.Most read in MotorsportHe added: “Sunday was a horrible day for him because he was just slow out there, which is very unusual,”Yes, sometimes he’s off in qualifying but in races he’s usually really awesome and the race was shockingly bad.”He doesn’t have answers either. Was there damage on the floor? These floors are so sensitive and there can always be a bit there and you lose a lot of time.”When you don’t have any answers, it’s really tough as a driver then you see your team-mate race on their way to third place on the podium. In light of the whole season he’s had so far, it’s a very dark situation.” More