Mercedes-Benz

FORMULA ONE star George Russell has been cheekily offered a career change by his hometown football club.The Mercedes driver and his team-mate Lewis Hamilton both recently recorded podium finishes in the Spanish Grand Prix.
George Russell has been offered a cheeky chance to change careerCredit: Alamy
The F1 star says he would love to play for hometown club King’s Lynn FCCredit: TWITTER
The 25-year-old is now looking to continue that good form in this weekend’s Canada GP.
However, if he ever feels that life on the F1 race track is proving to be too much then he could always pull on his football boots.
The former Williams driver recently took part in a Q&A that has now circulated online.
Russell was asked: “If you were a football player, the place you start your career at would be?”
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The pedal-to-the-metal star instantly replied with: “If I was a football player, the place I’d start my career at would be King’s Lynn FC.”
The clip soon went viral on Twitter, and it did not go unnoticed by the National League North football club.
And replying to it, they even tagged in the British racing ace as they offered him an unlikely career change.
Along with a winking emoji, they wrote: “You are more than welcome to come down and try out, @GeorgeRussell63 #UpTheLynn.”
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Russell’s only Formula One victory came last year at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, King’s Lynn suffered relegation from the National League back in the 2021-22 campaign.
They were then left heartbroken in their attempts last season to bounce straight back with promotion.
Despite finishing as runners-up in the National League North, they were thrashed 4-1 by Kidderminster Harriers in the play-off semi-finals.
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LEWIS HAMILTON enjoyed dinner with Robert De Niro in New York City last night.The Formula 1 driver chatted to the iconic actor at a Chanel event in the Big Apple.
Lewis Hamilton enjoyed dinner with Robert De NiroCredit: Getty
Hamilton, 38, looked engrossed as he listened to the veteran Hollywood star, 79.
The two have met before, and appeared to get on famously at French restaurant Balthazar in New York.
Recounting their previous meeting two years ago, Sir Lewis gushed: “I met Robert De Niro the other day and I remember calling my dad afterwards.
“‘Dad, I just met Robert De Niro!’”
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Hamilton also chatted to De Niro’s son Julian, 27, at the bash.
Earlier in the day, the seven-time world champion had attended the 2023 Forbes Iconoclast Summit at Pier 60.
Hamilton was joined at the event by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, as he nears a contract extension with the Silver Arrows.
The pair have remained relaxed about the situation this season, despite Hamilton’s current deal expiring at the end of the year.
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The Formula 1 superstar also chatted with De Niro’s son Julian, rightCredit: Getty
Hamilton is expected to pen a £50million deal to stay at Mercedes beyond his 40th birthday, snubbing interest from Ferrari in the process.
But SunSport understands he is not expected to put pen to paper for another few weeks, as the deal passes through the lawyers.
Mercedes’ fortunes appear to be on an upward trajectory in recent weeks, following upgrades introduced for the Monaco GP.
Hamilton managed to grab second place a week later at the Spanish GP, with team-mate George Russell a place behind him in third.
The race marked just Hamilton’s second podium of the season, after a third-place finish in Australia.
Hamilton, 38, attended a Forbes event alongside Toto WolffCredit: Getty
Sir Lewis smiles while appearing on the panelCredit: Getty More

LEWIS HAMILTON is set to sign a bumper new £50million deal “in days”, says Mercedes chief Toto Wolff.The legendary seven-time world champion only has six months left on his current contract, which is thought to be worth around £40m a year, with the Formula One team.
Lewis Hamilton is set to sign his bumper new Mercedes contractCredit: PA
Merc chief Toto Wolff says it will be done ‘in days’Credit: Getty
Ferrari were reportedly interested in snapping up the 38-year-old before that interest seemed to cool.
Now it seems that Hamilton will commit his future to Mercedes before this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
Speaking on the likelihood of the Brit staying, Merc team principal Wolff said: “It is going to happen soon, and we are talking more days than weeks.
“We are trying hard. I will see him today and maybe we will talk about it.
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“We have such a good relationship that we dread the moment that we need to talk about money.”
However, Sun Sport understands that team insiders say the deal is yet to pass through the lawyers.
Mercedes are confident that the deal will be struck, but they are loathed to say when, as the negotiations still require some ironing out.
SunSport understands that the sticking point had been that Merc were only offering a one-year extension to his contract, which expires in December.
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However, that matter has now been resolved in the form of a new multi-year deal, thought to be worth around £50 million a year to Hamilton, who turns 39 in January.
These latest negotiations follow Mercedes’ upturn in fortunes at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton finished second while his compatriot and team-mate George Russell claimed third.
Wolff, who was speaking to CNBC’s Squawk on the Street programme, continued: “Lewis is the most important personality in the sport.
“He is so multi-faceted, not only with the racing, but also off track, so we need to keep him in the sport for as long as possible.
“From a team’s perspective, Lewis and Mercedes have gone back a long time. He has never raced for any other brand than Mercedes.
“We both joined the team in 2013 together, and from a professional relationship, we now have a friendship. It has been a wonderful time.”
Hamilton, who is desperate for a record-breaking eighth world title, was famously pipped by Max Verstappen in the final race of the 2021 campaign.
He has not recorded a victory since with his car suffering a number of issues and is currently 83 points off the pace this term.
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Wolff added: “The result in Spain was a well-deserved reward for everyone’s efforts at Brackley and Brixworth. It provides a baseline to work from, but we must also manage our expectations. It was a circuit that suited our car, and expect our direct competitors to be stronger in the next races.
“The gap to Red Bull is large and it will take lots of hard work to close that down. Nevertheless, we’re up for the challenge.”
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JENSON BUTTON has insisted that Lewis Hamilton is a more “complete human” now compared to when they were team-mates.The two Brits raced together while at McLaren Mercedes’ F1 team between 2010 and 2012.
Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were team-mates at McLaren MercedesCredit: AFP
However they do not talk away from media dutiesCredit: AFP or licensors
During their time as team-mates, Hamilton and Button were close competitors.
Hamilton, 38, picked up ten wins and 22 podiums, whereas Button, 43, won eight races and earned 27 other podium finishes.
Despite Hamilton’s legacy in the sport, in this period he scored 657 points while his team-mate was able to earn even more with 672.
The pair had many memorable wheel-to-wheel duals as well as a public fallout when Hamilton tweeted a picture of Button’s top-secret telemetry during the 2012 Belgian GP.
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According to The Times, the pair do not talk away from media duties, but Button has claimed that Hamilton has grown as a human.
The retired racer also praised the standard to which his former team-mate is still driving at.
He told The Times: “I think he’s in a good place, which is great.
“The difficult years make you as a driver, and he’s not had so many of them.
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“But he’s still performing unbelievably well, and he seems a more complete human being than he probably was back then.”
Button is instead closer to Hamilton’s current team-mate George Russell.
The 2009 Formula One World Championship winner has also praised veteran racer Fernando Alonso but insisted the Spaniard’s longevity has not made him regret getting out of the F1 driver’s seat.
He added: “I had different ideas. I started a family and I don’t want to miss them all the time and them feel like their dad isn’t around.
“Motor racing can be very stressful.
“That’s why I retired from F1 because I felt like I had nothing new to learn.
“I wanted to do things that I enjoyed. That’s why I’m at Le Mans.” More

LEWIS HAMILTON’s positivity about his upgraded car is a “good sign”, says F1 legend Damon Hill.The Silver Arrows demonstrated their best car performance in the Spanish Grand Prix, with both Hamilton and George Russell finishing on the podium.
Hamilton finished second in the Spanish GPCredit: Alamy
F1 Champion Damon Hill spotted a good sign for HamiltonCredit: Getty
Hamilton, 38, finished second behind only Max Verstappen, as Red Bull showed there is still some way to go before they can be caught. 
Mercedes brought its first major upgrade package of the season, including a new bodywork, revised floor and front suspension configuration.
The seven-time world champion revealed it was the best he’d felt in the car for 15 months.
F1 legend Damon Hill said: “it is a good sign” that Hamilton is positive about his car again after his public criticism of his Mercedes team this season.

Hill said: “To hear Lewis say ‘I’m enjoying driving the car’. That’s a good sign.
“They have gone and done what he has been pleading with them to do and they have seen some progress, so well done Lewis.”
He added: “Mercedes showed in the race they’ve leapfrogged the threat from Aston Martin and Ferrari on a circuit.
“I think there are encouraging signs there for Mercedes definitely”.
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There is renewed optimism that the Silver Arrows’ revised car design can help deliver them a much needed boost in the form of a victory.
Both Hamilton and team-mate Russell managed to hold off Sergio Perez, who started 11th on the grid.
Rivals Ferrari continued to struggle for pace, and Aston Martin were not as competitive as they have been at other circuits this season.
This comes as Hamilton made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction with the lack of progress made from last season.
Speaking to the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast in March, he said: “Last year, I told them the issues related to the car.
“Like, I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need.”
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The double-podium finish at the Spanish GP will be encouraging for the 38-year-old.
Mercedes can continue to improve for next season, where they hope to challenge for the title – which would be a record eighth for Hamilton.
It comes after Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff confidently insisted he will keep leading the team until Hamilton gets his historic eighth championship.
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The British icon has achieved 2 podium finishes so far this season and is fourth in driver standings, 83 points behind leader Verstappen.
And he will look to get on the podium again at the Canadian GP next week on June 18.
Hamilton achieved their first double podium of the season at the Spanish GPCredit: Rex More

LEWIS HAMILTON reserved special praise for Mick Schumacher after Mercedes secured their first double podium of the season.Following upgrades brought in prior to the Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton and team-mate George Russell were able to show off what their newly-improved car can do in Barcelona yesterday.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both secured a place on the podium in BarcelonaCredit: Rex
Mick Schumacher has drawn praise for his contributions as reserve driverCredit: Rex
Hamilton, 38, rolled back the years to secure second place, while Russell finished third.
After standing on the podium with Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Hamilton made sure to give Mercedes reserve driver Schumacher a mention.
Sir Lewis said of the German: “He did a very good job in the simulator.
“That played a part in the fact that we were able to perform like this today.”
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Prior to arriving in Barcelona on Saturday, Schumacher was back at base in Brackley working in the simulator.
According to Bild, Mercedes have been very pleased with the 24-year-old’s contributions as reserve driver this season.
Schumacher, son of F1 icon Michael, was let go by Haas after two seasons at the end of last year but is hoping to return to the grid in 2024.
He endured a difficult start to life In Formula 1, with Haas possessing an uncompetitive car in his first season – before a series of unfortunate incidents in his second.
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Haas elected to replace him with veteran Nico Hulkenberg this term, with team principal Guenther Steiner complaining at the cost of damages caused by Schumacher’s crashes.
The Italian revealed in his book that Schumacher’s various smashes had cost the team £1.7million, before adding: “We lose a car after five minutes and now have to build another.
“I cannot have a driver who I am not confident can take a car around safely on a slow lap. It’s just f***ing ridiculous.”
Bristling at one particular crash that cost £550k to repair, he added: “How many people could we employ with $700,000 (£550,000)?
“And I have to now find that money.”
There’s no love lost between Schumacher and Guenther SteinerCredit: AFP More

LEWIS HAMILTON will meet Mercedes boss Toto Wolff tomorrow to thrash out terms over a new deal.SunSport understands that Mercedes have only offered Hamilton, 38, a one-year extension, taking him to the end of the 2024 season.
Hamilton is set to hold contract talks with Mercedes on MondayCredit: Getty
The Brit finished second in the Spanish GP on SundayCredit: Getty
However, the seven-time world champion is eyeing up at least a two-year contract, worth around £100 million.
Hamilton was quizzed about his future after he finished second in the Spanish GP and said: “I haven’t signed anything yet. But we’re meeting with Toto on Monday, so hopefully we can get something done.”
When pressed by SunSport on the details of the meeting, Hamilton added: “It wasn’t a subtle hint, we’ve had so many meetings.
“It’s just another one of the meetings we’ve been having. You can see today my result, my performance isn’t affected by that.”
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Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 in a shock move from McLaren but he has won six of his seven titles with the Silver Arrows.
Hamilton has struck up a solid relationship with boss Wolff, who is now one part in a three-way ownership of the Mercedes F1 team.
The two both currently live in Monaco and have made it clear that they intend to commit to extending their partnership.
There had been concerns about Hamilton’s desire to remain in F1 as he has been hamstrung in his fight for wins by Mercedes’ poor car.
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However, he maintains that he has never lost his fight – but does admit that getting a deal signed will give him an added boost.
He said: “It is always something at the back of mind, so once it [the contract] is done you can focus on the future.
“But I am working as hard as I can with this team and I can see so much strength.
“The podium was special to see the excitement with all the people I have worked with for such a long time.
“There will be some great energy in the office but soon after that people will be back to the books and thinking about how to win the next race.
“My hunger has never shifted. I am in a great place in my life and really happy with the team I have around me.
“I have all my ducks in a row. All the guys are doing a fantastic job. I feel fit and healthy and that was a solid race.
“I want to keep going but I want to be where Max is and I am super focused on getting to that point. There is a long way to go but there is still time.”

SunSport asked Mercedes if the hold up on the deal was due to the length of the deal.
A spokesperson said: “There are no stumbling blocks.” More