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      Lewis Hamilton fears bored F1 fans will switch off TVs as Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez dominate

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      LEWIS HAMILTON fears fans could start switching off F1 if it becomes too boring.Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have dominated this season’s opening four races with the last Grand Prix in Azerbaijan a dull procession.
      Lewis Hamilton could only qualify in 13th for the Miami Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      He revealed fears F1 fans could switch off as Red Bull continue to dominateCredit: Reuters
      The sport arrived in Miami facing accusations that it has lost some of its appeal due to predictable winners.
      And Hamilton – who qualified 13th in Miami – says he has sympathy with TV viewers and insists teams need to adapt to the new rules or warns that it could take YEARS before someone else wins the title.
      He said: “It is not my job to convince people to watch a sport. I’m not watching so it’s not boring for me.
      “I’m challenged every single day to get back to the front so it’s definitely not boring from my perspective.
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      “But as a racing fan watching, I can understand because there’s not as much competition as there perhaps is in the NFL or the NBA at the moment.
      “That’s not my doing. As a sport they have already tried to bring the teams closer but it never seems to work.
      “All I can say is that we’re working as hard as we can to close up and get back and give them more of a fight.
      “It’s good that we’re trying new things. It’s important we continue to move forward and evolve.
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      “It is just unfortunate that we still see the same sort of gaps between the teams.
      “I don’t know what the solution is for the future. But we are going to have to adapt to these regulations.
      “Otherwise it could be the same as it is now for years.”
      Meanwhile, Hamilton says he supports F1’s decision to keep racing in new venues but believes it must not come at the cost of historic race tracks.
      The F1 calendar is currently limited to 24 races and there will be a new GP in Las Vegas later in the year.
      Grands Prix in South Africa, South Korea and a second race in Saudi Arabia are all in the pipeline and Hamilton says a balance is key to achieving a successful championship.
      He added: “I like the direction that F1 is going. I have been here a long time.
      “I like the change that we’re seeing and it’s exciting coming to different parts of the world.
      “We’ve been going to all the other continents so I’m hoping we get to go to Africa soon. And that will be an amazing experience.
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      “But I love all the older tracks, they are always going to be the ones I prefer.
      “It’s important that we continue to have those in the DNA — so a balance between the two.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton doesn’t know if he’s invited to King Charles Coronation as he says ‘I haven’t seen my mail for years’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he has “no idea” if he received an invitation to King Charles’ Coronation. Brits will watch the crowning of a new monarch for the first time since 1953 tomorrow following the Queen’s passing last year.
      Lewis Hamilton has one podium from the opening four races of the season so farCredit: Splash
      King Charles, 74, will be officially crowned tomorrowCredit: EPA
      But Hamilton will be juggling other responsibilities as he looks to get Mercedes’ season back on track at the Miami Grand Prix.
      The seven times world champions said he will try to tune in from the garage tomorrow, but is not sure if he received an invite.
      Sky Sports F1 reporter Ted Kravitz asked the star, who was knighted in 2021 by King Charles, if had been invited to attend the ceremony.
      Hamilton said: “I have no idea. I have no idea. I don’t see my mail. I’ve not seen my mail in years.”
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      Kravitz responded: “You probably did get an invitation, you know…”
      Hamilton added: “Kind of neat if I did, if I didn’t it’s okay. Amazing I’m going to hopefully have it live while I’m engineering.”

      The 38-year-old has met the new King on multiple occasions previously.
      Even before he was knighted in 2021, Hamilton met the monarch in 1997 when the future F1 star was just a 12-year-old karting prodigy.
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      The driver previously told Vanity Fair: “When I had signed into 1997 and then I went to McLaren, Prince Charles came to open up the factory. And that day I remember having my go-kart and I was sitting there, and Prince Charles knelt down next to me and spoke to me. 
      “I was like, ‘Hey, I’m Lewis Hamilton. One day, I want to be a Formula 1 champion. When I stood up [after being knighted in 2021], he’s like, ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. You’ve come a long way.
      “And I’m like, ‘Yes, honoured to see you, your Highness. Thank you so much for having me and my family, this gesture,’ just telling him how grateful I am for this moment.” More

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      George Russell blasts back at ‘pathetic’ F1 rival Verstappen for ‘spitting his dummy out’ with ‘d***head’ blast

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      GEORGE RUSSELL says Max Verstappen “spat his dummy out” with his “pathetic” blast in Baku.Angry Verstappen labelled Russell “a d***head” after they made contact during the Azerbaijan GP Sprint race.
      George Russell has defended his overtaking move after taking a chunk out of Max Verstappen’s Red BullCredit: Splash
      Live TV cameras caught Verstappen criticising Russell after the sprintCredit: Splash
      The Dutchman confronted the Mercedes man at the end of the race to remonstrate.
      Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Miami GP, Russell said: “It was all a little bit pathetic.
      “I think something you learn as a kid is if you’re going to give something you’ve got to be willing to take it as well.
      “He’s had his fair share of giving moves like that and being tough and hard at racing and it’s a little bit poor to see how he sort of spat his dummy out when it was the first time he probably got something back in the same regard.
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      “From my side there was nothing really to say. I thought it was good racing, exciting racing and that’s the only thing that happened that weekend.
      “We’re both drivers, we’ve both been in the sport a long time now and we have plenty of experience. 
      “We’ll have a chat, everything is fine, move on and I guess we’ll laugh about it one day.”
      Russell and Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel from the very first corner in the revamped sprint before making contact.
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      The Brit had gone down the inside of the two-times world champion on the tight and twisty Baku streets and left Verstappen with missing bodywork after they touched.
      With Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc getting both poles in the qualifying sessions and Sergio Perez winning both the sprint and the Grand Prix, it was Verstappen’s least convincing weekend of the season.
      Some fans have defended Russell’s move and pointed out that Verstappen is known for his own fearless overtakes and uncompromising racing.
      The young drivers could meet on track again this weekend if Mercedes can keep up with Red Bull, something they have failed to do for most of the season. More

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      Toto Wolff insists Mercedes are ‘100 per cent committed’ to keeping F1 legend Lewis Hamilton

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      MERCEDES team principal Toto Wolff has said the team are “100 per cent committed” to keeping Lewis Hamilton.Wolff also expects to see the former world champion chase a record eighth Formula One title next year.
      Lewis Hamilton is currently enjoying some down time before the Miami GP this weekendCredit: Getty
      Toto Wolff wants Hamilton to stay beyond this year
      This confirmation of commitment to Hamilton comes as rumours are flying around the F1 paddock.
      There are even some suggestions that Hamilton could perhaps walk away from the sport altogether.
      However, these have been denied by the Brit.
      There has also been speculation that Mercedes will make a move to steal Charles Leclerc from Ferrari.
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      Indeed, gossip emerged that Leclerc and Hamilton could swap places next year.
      However, these have also been put to bed.
      Ferrari are currently in a better place than Mercedes car wise, and so Leclerc will remain “fully committed” to the Italian team.
      The Ferrari poster-boy took his first pole of the season with an impressive performance in the new qualifying format at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix  last weekend.
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      When asked about Leclerc, Wolff said: “I think he’s 100 per cent committed and loyal to Ferrari and it’s his contract.
      “And in the same way we are 100 per cent committed to putting pen to paper with Lewis.”
      Wolff added that no conversations had taken place between Mercedes and Ferrari.
      When pressed on the subject, the Austrian executive responded that the press ‘want that headline’.
      Hamilton will be 39 next year and has not won a race since the December 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
      His team have since fallen behind the dominant Red Bull.
      The seven-time world champion’s contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season, but Wolff has now indirectly declared that the team will offer him an extension.
      Discussions about next year will likely come down to Mercedes’ ability to provide Hamilton with a car capable of truly challenging the Red Bull drivers.
      The Mercedes boss added to formula1.com: “That is what it looks like at the moment, and we just need to give him a car that can do that.
      “And hopefully we can get our package to a winning package this season and have something that can bring him his eighth title, and no doubt he is motivated to achieve this.

      “That’s something he wants to do, that’s his ability, we have a great relationship personally.
      “And with the team he’s been a strong pillar over the last 10 years, so we are in a really good place”. More

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      F1 fans brand Red Bull’s one-off livery for Miami GP ‘meh’ – and they also fear it could end in disaster on track

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      RED BULL have revealed a colourful one-off livery for the Miami Grand Prix – but some fans are fearing they could be hit by an F1 curse. The championship leaders have enjoyed a comfortable start to the season with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez clocking up two wins each from the four races.
      Red Bull’s usual livery – as seen in last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix – is set to undergo some changesCredit: AP
      Fans have not been left particularly excited by the blue and pink stripes added along the sideCredit: Twitter@FastestPitStop
      Verstappen is looking to make it three driver’s championships in a row as Ferrari and Mercedes continue to flounder.
      Up next for the team is the second running of the Miami Grand Prix which the Dutchman won last year.
      And Red Bull will be running a special livery to mark the American race.
      The paintwork of the car has not seen sweeping changes but has seen colourful stripes added along the side.

      A light blue strip now runs along the length of the car while a pink strip runs alongside the front.
      It is only a tinker to the livery and fans have been left underwhelmed by the minor changes.
      One fan said: “Are those two stripes the only thing that changed?”
      Another said: “That’s it???”
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      While one simply declared: “Meh.”
      And an even more disapproving fan simply said: “Ugh.”
      F1 watchers have already picked up on Red Bull’s unwillingness to venture too far from their famous colour scheme.
      The only time in recent memory when Red Bull have done something completely different was in the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.
      In a tribute to outgoing engine partner Honda, the team unveiled a stunning all-white livery.
      Verstappen and Perez finished second and third in the wet-dry race that day, avoiding the F1 curse that has afflicted some teams who run different designs.
      Red Bull’s last one-off special livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix was far more eye-catchingCredit: Reuters
      The most famous example is the 2019 German Grand Prix when a dominant Mercedes team had a nightmare.
      Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed in the infamous wet race, with Hamilton also having to endure a 50-second long pit stop after chaos and confusion reigned in the Mercedes garage.
      Daniel Ricciardo was also lapped by his own teammate at the Monaco race in 2021 when McLaren had a new paintjob, while Sebastian Vettel finished 3rd-last in the chaotic Tuscan Grand Prix of 2020 when Ferrari employed a darker red livery.
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      Referencing the curse, one fan said of Red Bull’s new design: “As usual, ‘special livery’ means DNFs [race retirements].” More

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      Sir Lewis Hamilton swaps sports as F1 star shows off skills with actors James Marsden and Simu Liu in Miami

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      SIR LEWIS HAMILTON proved his talents do not lay just on the race track as he showed off some basketball skills in Miami. Hamilton is in Florida for the weekend’s Miami Grand Prix and enjoyed a day on the court during an event sponsored by watch company IWC.
      Sir Lewis Hamilton during the IWC Chrono ChallengeCredit: Getty
      Jagger Eaton, Simu Liu, Brandon Okpalobi, Lewis Hamilton, James Marsden and Antrel RolleCredit: Getty
      Lewis Hamilton showed off his basketball skillsCredit: Getty
      The Formula One legend was seen shooting hoops with other IWC-sponsored celebrities – including Hollywood’s James Marsden and Simu Liu.
      Hamilton, 38, is in his 17th successive F1 season and currently trails way behind Max Verstappen in the points leaderboard.
      The Mercedes driver went the entire year without claiming a Grand Prix victory for the first time since his debut way back in 2007.
      But after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, he admitted that he still has “that drive” to race.
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      His contract with Merc is set to expire at the end of the season, with discussions over an extension ongoing.
      He said: “I am focused on being better every day, and to be honest I am focused on the long term.
      “I am going to be here for some time, longer than one year.
      “Still got that drive, still got that push and still want to do and I love what I do.”
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      Hamilton finished 6th in Baku and is currently 4th in the Driver Standings with 48 points, 45 behind leader Verstappen.
      Former world champion, Jenson Button believes that Hamilton will keep on going as he is still “hungry to win”.
      He told Sky Sports:  “I don’t think Lewis is going to walk away from the sport.
      “As a racing driver, if you’ve been winning for so long and then you’re suddenly not, you want to fight back to winning – so you’re not going to retire.
      “Or, to come at it another way, if you’re in a bad car for many years, you want to retire – because it just gets you down.
      “But Lewis is not in a bad car, he’s just in a car that is not as good as what he is used to.
      “He knows the strength of the team, he knows how quick he is still and they’re going to work together to get back to fighting with Red Bull. And I think they will.
      “It probably won’t be this year. But in 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He’s still hungry to win another world championship.”
      Lewis Hamilton is set to return to the track at the Miami GPCredit: Getty More

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      Lewis Hamilton opens up on future as he reveals his plans after Mercedes contract expires

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed that he is planning on staying with Mercedes.The F1 star had previously hinted at retiring from the motorsport but is still determined to win his eighth world title.
      There had been rumours that Lewis Hamilton would retire from F1Credit: Splash
      But Hamilton has now hinted at extending his F1 career
      The Mercedes driver, 38, is in his 17th successive Formula 1 season and is way behind Max Verstappen in the points leaderboard.
      The Brit went the entire year without claiming a Grand Prix victory for the first time since his debut way back in 2007.
      But after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, he admitted that he still has “that drive” to race.
      His contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season, with discussions over an extension ongoing.
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      He said: “I am focused on being better every day, and to be honest I am focused on the long term.
      “I am going to be here for some time, longer than one year.
      “Still got that drive, still got that push and still want to do and I love what I do.”
      Hamilton finished 6th in Baku and is currently 4th in the Driver Standings with 48 points, 45 behind leader Verstappen.
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      Former world champion, Jenson Button believes that Hamilton will keep on going as he is still “hungry to win”.
      He told Sky Sports:  “I don’t think Lewis is going to walk away from the sport.
      “As a racing driver, if you’ve been winning for so long and then you’re suddenly not, you want to fight back to winning – so you’re not going to retire.
      “Or, to come at it another way, if you’re in a bad car for many years, you want to retire – because it just gets you down.
      “But Lewis is not in a bad car, he’s just in a car that is not as good as what he is used to.
      “He knows the strength of the team, he knows how quick he is still and they’re going to work together to get back to fighting with Red Bull. And I think they will.
      “It probably won’t be this year. But in 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He’s still hungry to win another world championship.” More

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      Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff announces surprise career move amid team’s struggles and Lewis Hamilton frustration

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      TOTO WOLFF has announced a shock career move amid Mercedes’ struggles on the track.For the last two-and-half years, Mercedes have played second fiddle to Red Bull and Dutch phenom Max Verstappen.
      Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have struggled to deliver Mercedes success as of lateCredit: Rex
      Team Principal Wolff has taken up a teaching role with Havard UniversityCredit: REX
      Wolff and the rest of the Mercedes team, however, have been hard at work trying to end Verstappen’s recent dominance.
      But the Austrian has also had one eye on educating university students in America.
      It was announced this week that Wolff will teach an MBA course at Harvard’s prestigious Business School.
      Wolff – who recently became a billionaire – has now become an Executive Fellow and guest lecturer at the Ivy League school.
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      A proud-as-punch Wolff said: “I feel very honoured and privileged to continue working with the incredibly bright young minds at Harvard.
      “Whenever I step on campus, I am inspired by the students’ curiosity and ambition, and I leave energised by the special learning environment they create together with the brilliant faculty.”
      Professor Anita Elberse – who will teach the course in along with Wolff – said: “We very much look forward to welcoming Toto back to campus.
      “I have seen first-hand how much our students benefit from learning about Toto’s leadership journey and from his deep knowledge of what it takes to run a highly successful sports team.
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      “With Toto on board, I am confident that we can make a profound positive difference in the development of the leaders of tomorrow.”
      Chair of the Practice Faculty Len Schlesinger said: “HBS is fortunate to be able to benefit from this dynamic partnership of Anita and Toto.
      “I am confident it will be a spectacular experience for the students.”
      The F1 season resumes action on Sunday evening with the eagerly-anticipated Miami Grand Prix. More