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      Inside jetset life of F1’s hottest new racer Jessica Hawkins – from TV star girlfriend to ‘nearly killing’ James Blunt

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      BRITISH racing driver Jessica Hawkins is quite literally living life in the fast lane after becoming the first woman in five years to test a Formula One car.The 28-year-old Aston Martin ambassador made history last week when she drove 26 laps of the Hungaroring in Budapest in the AMR21.
      Jessica Hawkins became the first female in almost five years to drive a modern Formula One car during a recent test in BudapestCredit: PA
      The 28-year-old is an Aston Martin ambassadorCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      As Jessica breaks down barriers, we take a look at her jetset life on and off the track – from a James Bond role to the time she “nearly killed” James Blunt…
      The former karting champion made her professional motorsport debut in British Formula Ford at Silverstone in 2014 in a one-off event, claiming two top 10 finishes.
      She joined the Aston Martin F1 team in an ambassadorial role in 2021, and is a regular face around the paddock.
      Prior to that she worked as a stunt driver, spending much of 2017 on Fast and Furious Live –  a global live-action show based on the film franchise, featuring super cars and acrobatic stunts from the movies – all performed live.
      READ MORE F1 STORIES
      Jessica landed a plum role as a stunt driver in James Bond movie No Time to Die in 2021.
      Sharing a string of behind-the-scenes snaps on Instagram, where she was seen driving a classic Aston Martin, she wrote: “The best experience with the best people in the world. An unforgettable experience!”
      Her stunt driver career happened by chance, after a friend tagged her in a Facebook post advertising for a female driver with “good car control”.
      “I stopped racing a good few years before W Series purely because I’d run out of budget to continue on my motorsport journey,” Jessica told the Mirror.
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      Jessica on the red carpet at the No Time to Die premiereCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Jessica driving the James Bond car in the No Time to Die movieCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
      “Bond was actually my first movie. There was quite a lot of pressure, but I was confident in my ability and I had an incredible team around me.
      “I’m super proud of what I’ve done.”
      Rubbing shoulders with famous faces
      Last year Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua.
      In a clip the professional boxer was seen behind the wheel as Jessica sat in the passenger seat.
      As part of the launch, Jessica completed a dramatic world-first climb up a flooded dam in Iceland in the motor.
      She said: “Driving into it, knowing that a 90-metre drop was waiting for me at the bottom of the slope if things went wrong, made this the most challenging drive I’ve ever undertaken.”
      Jessica also featured in James Blunt’s music video for his 2021 single Love Under Pressure, starring as a driver attempting to kill the singer.
      Posting a picture with the musician, she joked: “Not every day you find yourself trying to kill @jamesblunt for his new music video!”
      Jessica was also part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant, behind the wheel of a Land Rover to drive down the Mall.
      Jessica took part in a test drive for the new Range Rover Sport with Anthony Joshua last yearCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      She featured in a James Blunt music video in 2021Credit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Jessica captioned this snap of her driving at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations ‘a special car for a special event’Credit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram
      Glam TV star girlfriend
      Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driver.
      Abbie is also a TV star, having starred as the test driver for the second and third series of Amazon’s The Grand Tour.
      James May revealed that “she was the fastest and the best” driver that had been tested.
      In 2015 she appeared on ITV’s Drive, coaching rapper Professor Green in a string of racing car challenges.
      Jessica and Abbie, who both race in the W Series, have been together for over three-and-a-half years after meeting through the sport.
      Abbie, 31, said: “I met Jess before the W Series. Motorsport is a small world, especially for the female drivers.
      “I remember crossing paths with her at Goodwood and seeing what she was up to but when I came to W Series we got to know each other a bit more.”
      When it comes to competition between them both, Abbie explained: “We’re always competitive – we’d be rubbish racing drivers if we weren’t.
      “But if one of us is having a difficult time or our confidence is tested, we’re always there to support each other.
      “Ultimately, we both want each other to do well. The dream is to be at the front together.”
      Jessica’s girlfriend Abbie is also a TV starCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Jessica is in a relationship with Abbie Eaton, who is also a British racing driverCredit: instagram/1jessicahawkins
      Lavish trips
      Jessica’s career has taken her around the world – and she often documents her work trips on Instagram.
      Over the past few years she’s jetted off to the likes of Miami, Iceland, Mexico and Saudi Arabia.
      She was also photographed at the Monaco GP earlier this year, posing with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff.
      Jessica enjoys travelling during her time off, too. Last summer, she spent some time on the Greek island of Rhodes with Abbie.
      The couple also made a trip to Wembley last summer to cheer on England’s Lionesses as they beat Norway 8-0 during the Euros.
      Jessica with fellow racer and Sky Sports F1 presenter Naomi Schiff at the Monaco GPCredit: naomischiff/instagram
      Jessica and Abbie cheered on England’s Ladies in the EurosCredit: abbieeaton44/instagram
      Jessica often documents her work trips on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      ‘Wild journey’
      Jessica got into motorsport from a young age, telling Glamour that she “begged” her dad to let her have a go at karting after spotting a kart track while playing golf.
      She explained: “Luckily for him, I was too small at the time. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea of me going karting.
      “But then we went back a few months later, and they’d moved the height restriction down, much to my dad’s despair. I had a go and absolutely fell in love with it.”
      She continued: “And I’ve never, ever intended, or it was never supposed to happen, that I’d still be here 20 years later having made or making a career from it.
      “I’m not quite where I want to be just yet, but I’m very proud of where I have come.
      “And a highlight of my career was obviously signing for Aston Martin Formula One team a couple of years ago. So yeah, it’s been a wild journey.”
      Jessica with Aston Martin F1 driver Fernando Alonso
      Jessica, pictured with Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, is a regular sight around the F1 paddock
      Jessica’s performance at Silverstone in 2014 saw her picked up by Falcon Motorsport to compete in the 2015 MSA Formula Championship.
      In 2016 she moved into single-make racing and competed in the Volkswagen Racing Cup series.
      Jessica crossed over to the Mini Challenge in 2017 before returning to the VW Cup in 2018.
      She moved to the W Series in 2019 and a year later, she made her debut in the 2020 British Touring Car Championship.  
      This week Jessica followed in the footsteps of Colombia’s Tatiana Calderon, who drove with with Sauber – now Alfa Romeo – in Mexico City in 2018, by taking the Aston Martin AMR21 for a spin.
      Susie Wolff, the wife of Mercedes team principal Toto, was the last woman to compete in a practice session in 2015 – however a female driver has not started an F1 race since Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Jessica admitted that it’s taken “blood, sweat and tears to get here”, but that it has been a “dream come true”.
      She added: “I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”
      Jessica got into the sport from a young ageCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      She enjoyed a holiday to Greece last yearCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Jessica living it up in MexicoCredit: 1jessicahawkins/instagram More

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      Lewis Hamilton earned No1 spot at Mercedes – George Russell is very ‘polite’ but inside car he’ll be ‘fuming & steaming’

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      PUNDIT Anthony Davidson believes George Russell is inwardly raging as Lewis Hamilton is the main man at Mercedes.In the recent Singapore and Japan Grand Prixs, the British drivers both battled hard on the tracks.
      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have been involved in on-track battles in recent racesCredit: Getty
      They nearly collided in Japan at the weekendCredit: Splash
      Russell sustained tyre damage and spun off in Singapore as he raced Hamilton for thirdCredit: Twitter @SkySportsF1
      At the Marina Bay circuit, Russell pushed Hamilton for the last spot on the podium during the final lap.
      But the seven-time world champion held off pressure before his understudy crashed.
      And Sunday’s race at Suzuka saw similar when both fought hard on lap six and nearly collided.
      Again, Hamilton came out on top to finish in fifth with his team-mate two places behind.
      READ MORE ON F1
      According to Davidson, the veteran has earned his spot as No1 at the Silver Arrows but it must be angering Russell.
      He explained on Sky Sports’ F1 podcast: “There’s definitely a hierarchy in that team.
      “You know, Lewis has earned that status in that team as a seven-time world champion and George can’t argue against that.
      “George is still the understudy and he’s doing a very good job on those occasions where he’s got the speed over Lewis to really take the fight to him.
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      “But he’s doing it in such a George Russell polite way, which is quite humorous to watch, because I know inside the car, he’ll be fuming and steaming.
      And that’s why we see the near misses, the drivers coming, almost to blows, almost to contact, but then he’s a good boy on the radio, he’s very British about it.
      “And there are layers to him, to the annoyance, I think. It always comes over as, ‘I’m okay with this, but if you could please, very thankfully, let me through with the next couple of opportunities, it’d be much appreciated.’
      “And we’d hear maybe a bit more vocal if things were different. But I think for now, I think he knows where he is in the team.”
      Russell outscored Hamilton in his debut season at Mercedes last year.
      But this term it is the 38-year-old who is ahead by 75 points with six races to go. More

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      Meet Aston Martin’s Jessica Hawkins who’s the first woman to test a F1 car in five years and was James Bond stunt driver

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      MOTORSPORT ace Jessica Hawkins is no stranger to breaking down social barriers. Hawkins, 28, is a former British karting champion and was a stunt driver in James Bond movie No Time To Die.
      Jessica Hawkins drove Aston Martin’s 2021 F1 car last ThursdayCredit: PA
      Hawkins became the first woman to test an F1 car since 2018Credit: PA
      She used to drive in the W SeriesCredit: Getty
      Hawkins said the drive made all the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ worth itCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      She joined Aston Martin in an ambassadorial role in 2021Credit: PA
      But last week she battered down another door by becoming the first woman to test an F1 car in half a decade.
      Aston Martin revealed Hawkins had been given the chance to get behind the wheel of their 2021 F1 car at the Hungaroring, the venue of F1’s Hungarian Grand Prix, last Thursday.
      Hawkins alternated the driving with Felipe Drugovich, the reserve driver of Aston Martin and McLaren and the 2022 F2 champion.
      The Brit raced for 26 laps in the F1 car, and was lost for words after her drive.
      READ MORE IN F1
      On the opportunity, Hawkins said: “I want to say a big thank you to everyone at AMF1 Team for having the trust in me, believing in me, and for giving me this opportunity.
      “It’s taken me every bit of blood, sweat and tears to get here. When I first heard it might be a possibility, I could hardly believe it.
      “I’ve had to keep it secret for months now – which was pretty hard!
      “It’s been absolutely worth it and it’s given me really valuable insight.
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      Hawkins, pictured here alongside Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, is a regular sight around the F1 paddockCredit: Hugo Boss via Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins is a British karting championCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins said ‘nothing will compare’ to her experience driving an F1 carCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins dazzled at an awards ceremonyCredit: Alamy
      “Nothing will compare to the acceleration and braking of a Formula 1 car and, having looked at the data, I’m really proud of my performance.
      “Getting to drive the AMR21 has been a dream come true for me and one I’ve been ready to fulfil for a long time.
      “I’ll keep pushing for more and, in the process, I want to inspire other women and let them know they should follow their dream no matter what it is.”
      Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack was also pleased with how Hawkins had done.
      He said: “We were really impressed by Jessica’s preparation for the test – she worked incredibly hard with our simulator team and that made it an easy decision to put her in the AMR21.
      “Jessica approached the opportunity with great maturity; she was up to speed quickly and found a nice rhythm.”
      Lack of Woman in F1
      The last woman to be handed the opportunity to drive an F1 car was Colombian Tatiana Calderon with Sauber – now Alfa Romeo – back in October 2018 at the Hermanos Rodriguez track in Mexico City.
      Susie Wolff – the wife of Mercedes team principal Toto – was the last woman to compete in an F1 practice session, doing so in 2015.
      However, the last time a female driver started an F1 race was back in 1976, when Italian Lella Lombardi drove for RAM Racing.
      Barriers are being broken down, however, albeit slowly.
      German driver Sophia Floersch currently competes in F3 and became the first woman to score points in the series at the Belgian feature race.
      Before her opportunity in the AMR21, Hawkins had been practising in the simulator at their base in Silverstone.
      She joined the Aston F1 team in an ambassadorial role in 2021 and has often been seen around the paddock over the course of race weekends.
      James Bond stunt driver
      But it has not been all fun and games, and one of the most extreme opportunities for her arose from a Facebook post she was tagged in.
      Hawkins had fallen victim to the most common killer of motorsport careers, a lack of funds.
      However, when she was notified about a role as a stunt driver it allowed her to raise funds before becoming a W Series driver, and it even landed her a part in James Bond movie No Time To Die.
      On her stunt driver career, she told the Mirror: “I stopped racing a good few years before W Series purely because I’d run out of budget to continue on my motorsport journey.
      “A friend then tagged me on a Facebook post which said they were looking for a female driver with good car control.
      “At the time, it didn’t say what it was for, but I just thought ‘I’ll send them my CV and see what happens’.
      “It turns out that it was for a show called Fast and Furious Live. All of the stunts that were in the movie, we performed live.”
      She continued: “Bond was actually my first movie.
      “There was quite a lot of pressure, but I was confident in my ability and I had an incredible team around me.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I’m super proud of what I’ve done.”
      Hawkins was seen in behind-the-scenes footage driving a Range Rover for the film, describing it as “so fun”.
      Hawkins was also a stunt driver for James Bond film No Time To DieCredit: PA
      The 28-year-old did 26 laps at the test in HungaryCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins
      Hawkins has 138,000 Instagram followersCredit: Instagram / @1jessicahawkins More

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      Lewis Hamilton SLAMS Mercedes for tactical blunder which ‘made no sense’ during F1’s Japanese GP

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has slammed Mercedes for a strategy call at the Japanese Grand Prix which almost derailed his race.Hamilton managed a P5 finish while team-mate George Russell finished P7 at the Suzuka circuit.
      Lewis Hamilton slammed a Mercedes strategy decisionCredit: AP
      Mercedes asked Hamilton to help George Russell defend from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by slowing down to give him a speed boost with DRSCredit: Rex
      Hamilton finished P5 in the raceCredit: AP
      But it was a call in the later stages of the race involving Russell which Hamilton was less than pleased about.
      Having pitted onto a set of new hard compound tyres, Hamilton was trying to chase down Charles Leclerc, while Russell had opted to gamble on a safety car and stay on his older set of hards.
      However, upon coming up the back of Russell with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz breathing down his neck, Russell wanted to use Hamilton as protection from Sainz by giving him DRS (drag reduction system).
      Russell did eventually invert positions with Hamilton, but asked Hamilton to help by slowing down and giving DRS, with the Mercedes pitwall asking Hamilton to help his team-mate out.
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      Regardless, Sainz overtook Russell on the next lap, leaving Hamilton precariously close to the Spaniard in the dying laps of the race.
      After the Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen, Hamilton was confused by the strategy and was critical of the decision.
      He said: “When they suggested it to me, I knew that they obviously thought of it from the last race but it made no sense.
      “I needed to get as far clear as possible. I was on my way, around two seconds ahead and they asked me to give George DRS and I had to come off the gas down the straight.
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      “Then he got overtaken by Sainz. He then got past George and he was right on my tail which was not ideal.”
      The seven-time world champion did manage to hold off the Singapore Grand Prix winner but in less comfortable circumstances than he would have liked.
      Hamilton remains in the hunt for a first race win since 2021.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen can clinch his third driver’s title in a row in the Qatar sprint shootout on October 7.
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Grossly offensive Michael Schumacher ‘joke’ made on live TV leaves F1 fans fuming as pundit forced to apologise

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      A FORMULA One pundit has been forced to apologise after making a grossly offensive joke about Michael Schumacher on live TV.Schumacher’s name was bought up during a post-race discussion on Spanish TV after the Japanese Grand Prix by pundit Antonio Lobato.
      Michael Schumacher was mentioned on a post-race show having his poor health mocked.Credit: Getty
      Pundit Antonio Lobato made the grossly insensitive comment on a DAZN show and left fans furiousCredit: Getty
      The insensitive comment was quickly spread online and sparked outrage among fans by making light of the F1 legend’s poor health.
      A fellow pundit said: “Let Adrian Newey (Red Bull engineer) be shaking because Antonio Lobato is coming.”
      Lobato responded with: “Let Michael be shaking! Well… not Michael, he cannot shake.”
      The pundit then goes on to laugh with his fellow broadcasters- Noemi de Miguel, Pedro de la Rosa and Toni Cuquerella after the joke.
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      The viral clip can be found here.
      It had many demanding Lobato apologise to Michael’s family and some even suggesting he should be sacked by DAZN.
      “An apology would be the minimum, a sign of decency,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
      “You don’t disrespect ANYONE that way, especially when thousands of people are watching you. Journalism in Spain has a very bright present and future with people like this,” they added.
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      A third commented: “Using someone’s medical condition as the punchline of a joke is unacceptable and abhorrent.
      “Michael is beloved and respected in this sport and (Lobato) doesn’t deserve the platform he is given.”
      Since then Lobato has come out with an apology video on X.
      The five minute long video explained the “accident” as Lobato tried to justify what happened.
      He said: “I made a mistake without any bad intentions.
      ”It was simply a mistake of pure clumsiness, of pure inability to express myself correctly, maybe because of too many hours up, jetlag in Madrid, or whatever – which is not an excuse for those of you who didn’t see it.
      “What happened is that I went too far and made an expression that is not good, it is not accurate, it is not fine.
      “I didn’t mean to make a joke.
      “I didn’t mean to make fun of Michael Schumacher, no.
      “I think that everyone who knows me and knows what I’m like knows perfectly well that I would never make a joke about something like that.
      “Never, but I was clumsy.”
      He went on to say: “For the record, the first one who was f**ked up when I said that sentence was me.
      “I said how can you say that, man, it’s going to be misinterpreted.
      “That’s not what you meant.
      “You meant to say something else and it didn’t come out right.
      “So the only thing I have to do, I think it’s fundamental, is to apologise to all those who felt offended by that phrase yesterday.
      “I really, really mean it.
      “It was not my intention to say it to laugh, nor to make any kind of joke with Michael, whom I knew, whom I admire, and whom I think is a reference and who I think was quite unlucky.”
      Fans were split on the apology with many feeling that the incident has been taken out of context and overblown.
      Many comments felt like Lobato wasn’t laughing at his joke but at something different.
      Schumacher, considered by many to be the greatest driver in Formula One history, hasn’t been seen in public since his life-changing skiing accident nearly a decade ago.
      The seven time Formula One champion suffered a horrific ski accident while with his son Mick, on the slopes above Méribel in the French Alps in 2013.
      He fell and hit his head on a rock while crossing an off-piste area – suffering a serious head injury despite wearing a ski helmet.
      Doctors said he would most likely have died had he not been wearing the safety gear.
      The world champ was airlifted to Grenoble Hospital and went through two major operations.
      He was put into a medically induced coma until June 2014 when he was sent home to rehabilitate in Switzerland.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Michael has not been seen in public ever since – with any information about his condition tightly controlled by his privacy-focused family led by wife Corinna.
      His ex-team mate, Johnny Herbert has even said recently that his friends are often left in the dark about his condition and health.
      The Spanish pundit has since apologised on X in a five minute videoCredit: Getty
      Michael and his wife Corinna on a skiing trip before the drivers unfortunate accidentCredit: AFP More

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      Christian Horner turns barman as his Red Bull team sing Wonderwall to celebrate F1 Constructors’ Championship

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      RED BULL celebrated winning the Constructors’ Championship by putting Christian Horner behind the bar.Max Verstappen clinched victory at the Japan Grand Prix on Sunday, meaning he can win his third world title in a row in two weeks time.
      Christian Horner switched the paddock for the bar as Red Bull celebrated in styleCredit: Instagram
      A member of the Red Bull team got out a guitar to lead the songCredit: Instagram
      The party began on the track at SuzukaCredit: Splash
      It’s Red Bull’s sixth titleCredit: Splash
      But before turning their attention to the race in Qatar, the Red Bull team celebrated winning back-to-back Constructors’ Championships.
      The crew partied in Tokyo as Horner jumped behind the bar to pour pints.
      All involved then belted out Oasis classic Wonderwall as the booze flowed throughout the night.
      Earlier in the day, Verstappen praised the team over the radio as he passed the chequered flag.
      READ MORE ON F1
      He said: “You can all be very proud. Everyone here and back in the factory, what a rocketship we’ve built.”
      Meanwhile, Horner added: “It’s a testimony to the men and women in the team, the partners.
      “It’s a collection of everyone doing their bit to help the team.
      “Max is on another level at the moment, today was an incredible performance.”
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      He also wrote on Instagram: “This kind of season would be impossible without the hard work that goes on behind the scenes from all the different departments both back at Milton Keynes and here at track.
      “From the crazy hours that they work through to the relentless pursuit for better, it is a true team effort and one to be immensely proud of.
      “We’ll celebrate tonight and then turn our focus to Qatar.”
      Red Bull sit top of the standings with 623 points with six races to go.
      Nearest challengers Mercedes have less than half their total on 305.
      It is the team’s sixth Constructors’ Championship title. More

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      I used to play Gran Turismo on PlayStation thanks to footballer dad but now I’m pro GT racer with movie about my life

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      WHEN Jann Mardenborough picked up his PlayStation controller for the first time, he never dreamed it would end like this.He was just eight years old and had been introduced to the classic racing game Gran Turismo at a friend’s house.
      Jann Mardenborough played Gran Turismo as a kid before becoming a pro GT racerCredit: Getty
      Dad Steve was a pro-footballer and although immensely proud of his old man, kicking a ball about for a living wasn’t for him.
      “My dad always said to me from a very young age to do something in life which you’re passionate about,” Mardenborough told SunSport.
      “When you are eight years-old you don’t really understand what that means but those words were very powerful.”
      His dream was to become a racing driver – and his skills were honed in his bedroom.
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      Little did he know that, fast forward 24 years, and blockbuster film Gran Turismo, starring the likes of A-lister Orlando Bloom, would let the world know about the one of craziest sporting journeys of all-time.
      The racing game Gran Turismo became everything for the youngster – super-competitive race offs with his pals were a daily occurance – and by the time the technology improved and online racing came into the equation, Mardenborough was on fire.
      He had built his own racing set up in his bedroom – steering wheel, pedal and a homemade racing frame –  after getting money from his parents for some good grades.
      So when GT Academy was created, a chance to realise his dreams came zooming into view.
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      Winners of the online tournament were given an unreal chance of joining the real-life Nissan racing team.
      With hours of PlayStation experience in the bag, Mardenborough, then 19 and living in Cardiff after dropping out of university and working part-time in a clothes store, entered the competition and raced to victory.
      Next up? A spot in the Dubai 24-hour race.  
      “I thought I was good, but not the best,” he admitted. “That was the first time-trial I had ever entered.”
      A place on the Nissan team was in the bag but despite all those hours in front of the box, Mardenborough had never stepped foot on a racetrack.
      Did playing on the PlayStation help in any way?
      “The cars act in the same way so subconsciously just logging things and going ‘Okay, that’s the same, that’s the same.’ 
      “I didn’t think about it too deeply, so it felt normal to me.”
      Mardenborough has even had a movie made about his lifeCredit: Getty
      What happened next was anything but normal, however.
      Mardenborough effortlessly moved through the gears, impressing on the track and travelling the world racing.
      He  has enjoyed a remarkable rise from bedroom racer to pro speedster to helping with the Hollywood production of his own story.
      He did many of the stunts himself and played a key role in helping ensure the film was as realistic as possible.
      It’s a remarkable tale – although one of its darkest moments was tough to process.
      In 2015 during a race in Germany, Mardenborough was involved in a smash which killed a spectator.
      The Brit escaped with minor injuries but reliving the nightmare was tough.
      “Anyone who has done something successful has periods of darkness,” he admitted. “It was challenging to go back and open all that back up.”
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      The film – which has former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell playing his mum – has been well-received and now the project is over, Mardenborough, who spent four years racing in Japan between 2016 and 2020, is keen to keep on racing in the United States.
      “This chapter is complete,” he said. “Now it’s on to the future.” More

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      Max Verstappen on verge of F1 title after Japanese GP win as he celebrates with special ‘kiss’ trophy

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN celebrated his win at the Japanese Grand Prix with a special “kiss” trophy as he put one hand on his THIRD world title.The victory also gave Red Bull back-to-back Constructors’ Championships.
      Max Verstappen celebrated his win at the Japanese Grand Prix with a ‘kiss’ trophyCredit: Reuters
      The trophy lit up with the colours of the Dutch national flag after he kissed itCredit: Getty
      It was Verstappen’s 13th race win of the seasonCredit: AP
      Verstappen can clinch the drivers title as early as the sprint shootout in Qatar on October 7, the day before the Sunday’s full Grand Prix.
      The F1 star’s triumph in Japan marked a return to winning ways having finished fifth last time out at the Singapore GP as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz picked up his first win of the year.
      When standing on the podium the Dutchman was presented with a unique “kiss me” trophy designed by race title sponsor Lenovo.
      After being handed with the award, Verstappen planted a kiss on it which saw it light up with the colours of the Dutch national flag.
      Verstappen, 25, had a tough start to the race as he fought off both McLarens in his Red Bull car and claimed his 13th win this season.
      The rival team also had a successful race, finishing in the remaining podium places.
      Brit Lando Norris claimed the second spot while team-mate Oscar Piastri finished in third.
      It was a less successful race for the Mercedes’ British drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
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      Verstappen can win his third title in the Qatar sprint shootoutCredit: Getty
      The win handed Red Bull and Christian Horner the Constructor’s championshipCredit: Getty
      The pair finished back in fifth and seventh, although they did advance a couple of spots from their starting grid places.
      Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took fourth.
      Verstappen could be heard praising the Red Bull team for building a “rocketship” on the team radio as he passed the chequered flag.
      He said: “You can all be very proud. Everyone here and back in the factory, what a rocketship we’ve built”
      After finishing, Verstappen was thrilled and claimed that the race was “straightforward”.
      He said: “It’s been an unbelievable weekend. To win here was great here, the car was working well on every compound.
      “Also to win the constructors is great, I’m proud of everyone, we’re having an incredible year, very proud of everyone.
      Red Bull team principal Christian Horner hailed Verstappen’s title claim.
      He said: “It’s been the most amazing race and year for us.
      “It’s a testimony to the men and women in the team, the partners. It’s a collection of everyone doing their bit to help the team.
      “Max is on another level at the moment, today was an incredible performance.”
      Second-placed Norris did suggest that McLaren are closing the gap to Red Bull.
      After finishing, he said on the team radio: “We’re coming for Red Bull!”
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      There were five drivers that failed to finish the race in Japan, such as Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll, Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon.
      In a stunning twist of events, Perez ended up retiring his Red Bull from the race TWICE after he went back on track to serve a five-second penalty to avoid carrying it over to the next race.
      Red Bull won the title with six races to spareCredit: Getty
      Verstappen’s victory marked a return to winning ways after SingaporeCredit: Reuters
      Verstappen did have to fend off two McLarensCredit: AFP More