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      F1 tragedy as Las Vegas Grand Prix construction worker killed while setting up for inaugural Nevada race

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      A CONSTRUCTION worker has died working on the Formula 1 track in Las Vegas.The man was working at the Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip on Saturday.
      A Las Vegas Grand Prix construction worker has been killed while setting up for the inaugural Nevada raceCredit: Splash News
      The worked reportedly suffered a “major laceration to the neck” and was pronounced dead at a local hospitalCredit: Splash
      Metro Police say they were called to the scene at 11.30am after a worker had suffered a “major laceration to the neck,” as per the local CBS affiliate.
      After being transported to a local hospital, the man was pronounced dead.
      The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will reportedly be in charge of the ensuing investigation.
      Further details surrounding the incident have yet to be made public.

      The US Sun has contacted Metro Police and Formula 1 for a comment.
      The Vegas Grand Prix circuit is set to wind its way through downtown, passing all the major landmarks.
      These will include the likes of Caesars Palace, the Bellagio, the Venetian, and The Sphere, as per F1.
      The 3.8mile track will feature fourteen corners and is set to cost around $560million to construct, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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      A multi-story paddock building is being constructed off of the Strip, at a cost of $480million.
      Three football fields in length, the building will include team garages, suites, and on the roof, a 28,000-square-foot screen.
      The race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 19.
      It will be only the third time the city has hosted a Grand Prix, with downtown also having played host to F1 in 1981 and 1982.
      The circuit will be 3.8 miles long and wind through downtownCredit: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) More

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      F1 Japanese Grand Prix LIVE RESULTS: Latest updates as Verstappen starts on pole while Hamilton begins seventh on grid

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN claimed pole position in qualifying on Saturday morning as he looks to get back to winning ways.Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz ended the Dutchman’s 10-race winning streak last weekend after a thrilling race in Singapore.
      Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton claimed a podium finish and will be looking to do the same in Japan despite starting seventh on the grid.

      Race start time: 6am BST
      TV channel: Sky Sports F1
      Live stream: NOW
      Grid: 1. Verstappen 2. Piastri 3. Norris 4. Leclerc 5. Perez 6. Sainz 7. Hamilton 8. Russell 9. Tsunoda 10. Alonso 11. Lawson 12. Gasly 13. Albon 14. Ocon 15. Magnussen 16. Bottas 17. Stroll 18. Hulkenberg 19. Guanyu 20. Sargeant

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      Follow our live blog below…
      How can I watch the Japanese GP?

      The Japanese Grand Prix will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports F1.
      Subscription members of Sky Sports can stream the entire action on the Sky Go app or Sky Sports website.
      The race will also be available to NOW TV users via all mobile devices and tablets.
      Alternatively, SunSport will have lap-by-lap coverage of the whole race including podium reaction.

      Current driver standings

      Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing / 374
      Sergio Perez / Red Bull Racing / 223
      Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / 180
      Fernando Alonso / Aston Martin / 170
      Carlos Sainz / Ferrari / 142
      Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 123
      George Russell / Mercedes / 109
      Lando Norris / McLaren / 97
      Lance Stroll / Aston Martin / 47
      Pierre Gasly / Alpine / 45
      Oscar Piastri / McLaren / 42
      Esteban Ocon / Alpine / 36
      Alexander Albon / Williams / 21
      Nico Hulkenberg / Haas / 9
      Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo / 6
      Zhou Guanyu / Alfa Romeo / 4
      Yuki Tsounda / Alphatauri / 3
      Kevin Magnussen / Haas / 3
      Liam Lawson / Alphatauri / 2
      Logan Sargeant / Williams / 0
      Daniel Ricciardo / Alphatauri / 0
      Nyck De Vries / Alphatauri / 0 OUT

      Credit: Rex
      Red Bull boss Horner on Verstappen’s performance in qualifying
      Max Verstappen was back to his best after blitzing pole in Suzuka.
      The Dutchman was over half a second clear of McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in what was one of the stand-out laps all time.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “What we have witnessed is something very special.
      “That last lap, the first sector was absolutely mighty. Gianpiero Lambiase [Verstappen’s race engineer] started winding him up before his last run ‘let’s see a 28 [a lap of 1m.28s.] in there’ and I said to GP ‘I would like to see four wheels on the car at the end of it’.
      “That first run looked good enough to get the job done but then he went quicker again.
      “All his laps have been stunning today. An absolutely mind-blowing performance.”
      Credit: Reuters
      Qualifying in full
      1. Max Verstappen
      2. Oscar Piastri
      3. Lando Norris
      4. Charles Leclerc
      5. Sergio Perez
      6. Carlos Sainz
      7. Lewis Hamilton
      8. George Russell
      9. Yuki Tsunoda
      10. Fernando Alonso
      11. Liam Lawson
      12. Pierre Gasly
      13. Alex Albon
      14. Esteban Ocon
      15. Kevin Magnussen
      16. Valtteri Bottas
      17. Lance Stroll
      18. Nico Hulkenberg
      19. Zhou Guanyu
      20. Logan Sargeant
      Hello and welcome to SunSport’s live blog of the Japanese Grand Prix!
      Max Verstappen will start on pole after a stunning qualifying session on Saturday morning.
      The Dutchman made no mistake after last week’s shock Q2 exit in Singapore.
      The McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will line up behind Verstappen in second and third respectively. 
      Lewis Hamilton will start seventh on the grid, with Mercedes teammate George Russell beginning just behind in eighth.
      Max Verstappen will be hoping he can get back to winning ways after Carlos Sainz ended his 10-race winning streak last time out in Singapore.
      Today’s race is set to get underway at 6am BST, stay with SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the antics from Japan.
      Load more entries… More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals bespoke helmet for Japanese Grand Prix – and fans are convinced it’s ‘inspired by Daft Punk’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed a stunning helmet design for the Japanese Grand Prix.The seven-time F1 champion is no stranger to striking helmet designs, and fans have also been left impressed with his latest head piece.

      Lewis Hamilton unveiled a stunning all-chrome helmet designCredit: EPA
      Fans are convinced the helmet design is inspired by Daft PunkCredit: Getty
      Hamilton, 38, has gone for an all-chrome look in a week where he was also spotted wearing a red and white polka-dot Super Mario hat during a trip to Universal Studios Super Nintendo World in Osaka.
      The dazzling design saw fans draw comparisons with French house music duo Daft Punk, with their signature look being chromed-out helmets.
      Reacting to pictures of the helmet, one fan said: “The Daft Punk helmet.”
      A second wrote: “This must be Daft Punk inspired, mega!”
      READ MORE ON LEWIS HAMILTON
      “So daft punk is a trio now,” commented a third.
      A fourth remarked: “Daft Hamilton or Lewis Punk?”
      Another typed: “Absolutely astonishing 🔥looks fire.”
      A sixth joked: “Lewis HamilTRON.”
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      While another added: “Lewis with that swag, always.”
      However, while Hamilton may win the award for best helmet, he was far off the pace of a resurgent Max Verstappen in qualifying.
      Verstappen’s record-breaking 10-race winning streak came to an end in Singapore last weekend, but he looks to be back to his best after claiming pole at the Suzuka circuit.
      Meanwhile, Hamilton was only seventh-quickest, with his lap time over a second slower than championship leader Verstappen.
      Hamilton played down any chance of winning this weekend’s race following a “bad day” during Friday’s two practice sessions.
      He said: “It was a really bad day, to be honest. A real struggle out there.
      “[We were] a long way off, two seconds off in the first session and over a second off in the second. We’re working away at just trying to fix the car’s balance.
      “We’ll work on it overnight and turn it around for tomorrow, but we definitely won’t be winning this weekend!
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “If I in particular can move further up the order so I can at least back up George, who did a not-such-a-bad lap… yeah, tough one.”
      The Brit’s former team, McLaren, put in impressive P2 and P3 results in qualifying, with rookie Oscar Piastri planting his car on the front row on his first time at the track with Lando Norris coming in third.
      Daft Punk’s signature look is their chromed out helmetsCredit: Getty
      Hamilton is no stranger to striking helmet designsCredit: Rex
      Hamilton laboured to P7 in Japanese Grand Prix qualifyingCredit: Splash
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      Frustrated Hamilton only makes seventh as Verstappen produces one of best laps in F1 history to take pole at Japanese GP

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN produced one of the best laps in F1 history to take pole for the Japanese GP while Lewis Hamilton was left criticising his Mercedes after only making seventh.Verstappen had seen his 10-race winning run come to a halt in Singapore but was back to his best after blitzing pole in Suzuka.
      Max Verstappen secured yet another pole as he seeks a 13th win of the seasonCredit: Splash
      Lewis Hamilton was left frustrated after only managing seventh in qualifyingCredit: Rex
      Verstappen was over half a second clear of McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in what was one of the stand-out laps all time.
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “What we have witnessed is something very special.
      “That last lap, the first sector was absolutely mighty. Gianpiero Lambiase [Verstappen’s race engineer] started winding him up before his last run ‘let’s see a 28 [a lap of 1m.28s.] in there’ and I said to GP ‘I would like to see four wheels on the car at the end of it’.
      “That first run looked good enough to get the job done but then he went quicker again.
      READ MORE IN F1
      “All his laps have been stunning today. An absolutely mind-blowing performance.”
      Verstappen’s lap was impeccable and former F1 driver Karun Chandhok said: “I’m still breathless watching that. I think that was one of the great qualifying laps in F1 history.
      “He thought about every metre [of the lap] and for me that’s a driver who’s ahead of the car.”
      McLaren continued their impressive resurgence with both drivers turning in mighty laps to start in second and third.
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      But Hamilton was dismayed by Mercedes’ after he was only good enough for seventh while George Russell was eighth-quickest – both drivers were over a second slower than Verstappen.
      Hamilton said: “We as a team really need to when we go back and do the debrief – I hope the team already realise – but a second gap is huge. And it is real.
      “To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year.
      “We have a very peaky car. It is like trying to balance a knife on its tip.
      “It is never perfectly balanced, it is one way or the other. You try and get it as close as you can to the middle but it is very hard to do each weekend.”
      Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda will continue to drive for AlphaTauri next season.
      Liam Lawson, who has filled in for Ricciardo who broke his hand in Zandvoort, will be reserve and simulator driver for both of Red Bull’s F1 teams.
      Ricciardo, who could be back at the US GP in Austin, said: “I’m stoked to be driving with Yuki again next year and continuing the journey with Scuderia AlphaTauri.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “Following the progress we have already made and the plans for the future, it’s an exciting time for the team.
      “We are building and it is a great feeling. There is a lot of work to do, but we are heading in the right direction and there is a lot to look forward to.” More

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      F1 star Alex Albon demands HUGE change to race weekends but fears it will never happen due to ‘TV money’

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      WILLIAMS F1 driver Alex Albon has demanded a huge change to race weekends but fears it will never happen due to “TV money”.The 27-year-old has suggested that F1 should turn to a two-day race weekend to help teams manage the ever-increasing race calendar.
      Alex Albon has demanded changes need to be made to the F1 race weekendsCredit: Getty
      Albon told the Express: “I would love to see a two-day race weekend.
      “Practice and qualifying on a Saturday and then a race on a Sunday. I don’t think that will ever happen as TV money is important.”
      The Thai driver sits 13th in the driver standings and will be competing in the biggest F1 race of 2023 in Las Vegas.
      But Albon has revealed the drivers won’t be able to enjoy it to the fullest due to the packed calendar.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      The race’s inclusion was set to push F1’s race calendar up to 24 races before the Chinese Grand Prix’s exclusion due to Covid-19.
      Albon continued: “I’m excited for Vegas. I think for us as drivers we don’t get to see that much.
      “We’re kind of… hotel, circuit, and then airport. Vegas is not the last race of the season, unfortunately, so I don’t think we can celebrate it quite like the fans.
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      “But I’m sure that we can still take in the atmosphere.”
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      F1 will take over Vegas in November, but lights out is set for Sunday 19th at 6am UK time.
      Albon says F1’s current amount of races is manageable but adds that compromises need to be made to ease the workload.
      He added: “I think at the current state it’s fine. But at the minute there’s been no compromise about it.
      “If we think about all the races we have been doing, the workload is still the same. The teams have to leave on a Wednesday more or less, sometimes a Tuesday.
      “Work Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and then be back in the office on a Monday and then start again on Tuesday.
      “Even in terms of drivers, to begin with, on Thursdays, drivers getting more free time went away quite quickly.
      “For example, this weekend we went from Singapore to Suzuka. And on paper, it’s not much of a difference in time zone but we’ve just gone from a night race to a day race.”
      “So, we’re moving nine or ten hours in terms of difference in the middle of a season and it takes a toll on everyone.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “As a team, we’re doing quite a good job; we’re on a rotation basis for most of the people who work here, which has helped.
      “But still, it’s on the limit, let’s say that.” More

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      Gutted Lewis Hamilton admits he ‘definitely won’t be winning’ Japan GP after ‘really bad day’

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      GUTTED Lewis Hamilton admitted he “definitely won’t be winning” the Japanese Grand Prix.The Mercedes driver, 38, finished third in Singapore last time out.
      Lewis Hamilton bemoaned a difficult practice day at SuzukaCredit: Alamy
      But after two dismal practice sessions in Suzuka today to finish P16 and P14, he has ruled himself out of finishing on top of the podium on Sunday evening.
      A dejected Hamilton – who is still looking for his first chequered flag since December 2021 – said: “It was a really bad day, to be honest. A real struggle out there.
      “[We were] a long way off, two seconds off in the first session and over a second off in the second. We’re working away at just trying to fix the car’s balance.
      “We’ll work on it overnight and turn it around for tomorrow, but we definitely won’t be winning this weekend!
      READ MORE ON SPORT
      “If I in particular can move further up the order so I can at least back up George, who did a not-such-a-bad lap… yeah, tough one.”
      Hamilton added: “It’s figuring out what is wrong. We were much closer in the last race but we didn’t have many high-speed corners, only one, but not as high-speed as the corners here.
      “Our car has, more often than not, been a bit weaker in the high-speed corners, so if you look at places like at Silverstone, for example, Copse is one of our weaker corners.
      “It’s an area that we need to work on and get the car in more of a sweet spot where we’re not overheating our tyres as much.”
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      Then asked whether his improved FP2 time gave any reason for optimism, the seven-time world champ currently third in the 2023 standings fired back: “Nope! It was a really bad day, to be honest.”
      Despite his frustrations on the track in Japan, Hamilton is making sure he is keeping himself entertained off it this week.
      The F1 superstar popped into the Universal Studios Super Nintendo World in Osaka – and sported a personalised white and red polka-dot hat like Mario character Toad.
      He took on fellow driver Esteban Ocon by racing their remote-controlled cars around the paddock.
      And Hamilton was also seen supporting Sebastian Vettel as he built 11 “insect hotels” at the Suzuka circuit and painted Turn Two with black and yellow paint.
      Hamilton whizzed around the paddock on his scooterCredit: Reuters
      He has not won an F1 race since December 2021Credit: Getty More

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      F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023: Start time, stream, TV channel, full schedule as Verstappen looks to get back on track

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      IT was all smiles for Max Verstappen when last raced at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix – but the same cannot be said for Singapore.The Dutchman saw his incredible winning run come to an end when Carlos Sainz took pole on the podium last weekend.
      Carlos Sainz ended Max Verstappen’s winning run at the Singapore GPCredit: Rex
      But Verstappen still holds a staggering 151-point lead over his Red Bull teammate.
      Meanwhile, a first-place finish continues to elude Lewis Hamilton who could only finish in third on the Marina Bay Circuit.
      However, the British icon will be hoping to roll back the years having won FIVE times at the Japanese GP.
      When is the F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023?

      The F1 Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 24.
      It is expected to get underway at an early time of 6am BST.
      Suzuka Circuit in Japan will be the allocated track for this race and it can host a whopping 155,000 supporters.
      Max Verstappen clinched the title by winning the Japanese 2022 edition

      Read more on F1
      What TV channel is the F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2023 on and can it be live streamed?

      The Japanese Grand Prix will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports F1.
      Subscription members of Sky Sports can stream the entire action on the Sky Go app or Sky Sports website.
      The race will also be available to NOW TV users via all mobile devices and tablets.
      Alternatively, SunSport will have lap-by-lap coverage of the whole race including podium reaction.

      FULL schedule
      Friday, September 22

      Practice One – 3:30am BST
      Practice Two – 7am BST

      Saturday, September 23
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      Practice Three – 3:30am BST
      Qualifying – 7am BST

      Sunday, September 24

      Grand Prix – 6am BST

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year

      Driver standings
      Here are the current F1 Driver standings:

      Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing / 374
      Sergio Perez / Red Bull Racing / 223
      Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes / 180
      Fernando Alonso / Aston Martin / 170
      Carlos Sainz / Ferrari / 142
      Charles Leclerc / Ferrari / 123
      George Russell / Mercedes / 109
      Lando Norris / McLaren / 97
      Lance Stroll / Aston Martin / 47
      Pierre Gasly / Alpine / 45
      Oscar Piastri / McLaren / 42
      Esteban Ocon / Alpine / 36
      Alexander Albon / Williams / 21
      Nico Hulkenberg / Haas / 9
      Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo / 6
      Zhou Guanyu / Alfa Romeo / 4
      Yuki Tsounda / Alphatauri / 3
      Kevin Magnussen / Haas / 3
      Liam Lawson / Alpha Tauri / 2
      Logan Sargeant / Williams / 0
      Nyck De Vries / Alphatauri / 0
      Daniel Ricciardo / Alphatauri / 0 More

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      Red Bull boss Horner fires dig at Wolff over ‘Wikipedia’ comment as he closes in on sixth F1 constructors’ championship

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      RED BULL boss Christian Horner has taunted Toto Wolff as his team stands on the brink of winning the F1 constructors’ championship for a sixth time.Merc boss Wolff quipped that Max Verstappen’s record of 10 straight victories after the Italian GP was “irrelevant” and something “for Wikipedia”.
      Red Bull chief Christian Horner has hit back at Mercedes boss Toto WolffCredit: Getty
      Wolff claimed Max Verstappen’s recent success was “irrelevant” and something “for Wikipedia”Credit: Getty
      The disingenuous remark drew criticism and Horner could not resist poking fun at his opposite number as Red Bull edge closer to winning the title in Japan this weekend.
      Reflecting on Red Bull’s rise since the team was formed in 2004, Horner said: “When I first came in it was clear that [Red Bull owner] Dietrich [Mateschitz] had come into F1 because he wanted to compete and had bought what was the Jaguar F1 team which had been a sort of perennial seventh place finisher.
      “It was about then constructing a team and I don’t think anyone of us could have envisaged what lay ahead of us.
      “Within 19 seasons we’ve achieved what we have and it’s been a phenomenal journey so far.
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      “But it’s never a question of looking back, it’s always a question of looking forward.
      “If we can close out these championships in the coming races that again, well nobody looks at Wikipedia these days, but that again is a huge statistic that everybody will be immensely proud of. 
      “I think for us, it then becomes about next year, the year after and, of course, the next chapter for Red Bull, which is with the relationship with Ford in 2026 with producing our own powertrain.
      “Going from zero with a startup company effectively and building a facility. That is the next challenge.
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      “But it’s been quite a journey, and hopefully, there are a few more chapters to go.”
      Verstappen looks on course to resume his place on the top step of the podium after dominating the two practice sessions in Suzuka.
      The Dutchman led the way in FP1 and FP2 as he put his struggles in Singapore behind him.
      He said: “It felt really good today. From lap one the car was enjoyable to drive again.
      “It seems like we had a strong day, on short runs, long runs… There’s a lot of degradation on this track, so it will be quite tough on tyres in the race. But so far we had a good start to the weekend.”
      Meanwhile, Lando Norris has laughed off George Russell’s prediction that the McLaren man is one of the favourites for the victory this weekend.
      Norris, who was third-quickest in both practice sessions, joked: “Has he seen the rest of the season at all? Has he been watching the races?” More