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      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s incredible build-up to Japanese GP including Nintendo disguise and remote control car fun

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      LEWIS HAMILTON squeezed in some childhood fun ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.Many Formula One drivers would have spent the week in build-up to the race in the simulator trying to shave off edges to their lap times.
      Lewis spotted at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka on Wednesday水曜日にユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパンにて[📸：🐙章鱼小姐 – 小红书] pic.twitter.com/gt4HIbIoq1— #TeamLH Japan (@TeamLH44JAPAN) September 20, 2023

      Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Ocon enjoyed some remote control car funCredit: Getty
      The unusual prep came ahead of the Japanese Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      Hamilton explained he and Ocon had planned it ages agoCredit: Getty
      However, the Suzuka circuit has a special place in F1, and consequently many drivers take the time to enjoy the attractions Japan has to offer away from track.
      This novelty is not lost on Hamilton, who is a massive fan of Japanese gaming company Nintendo.
      The company, worth an estimated £44billion, has its own Universal Studios Super Nintendo World in Osaka.
      And Hamilton, 38, made the 75-mile trip to the city in order to pay a visit.
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      While there the seven-time F1 champ was pictured wearing a white and red polka-dot hat in a clear reference to Super Mario character Toad – who starred in the recent film adaption starring Chris Pratt.
      If the hat was not enough to give the F1 superstar away, then wearing a T-shirt of his own “44” branding may not have helped.
      His visit came one year after Hamilton paid a visit to a Nintendo shop in Montreal, Canada, in order to buy a Mario Kart game.
      But he failed to get the game, instead opting for a Sega Genesis – also known as a Mega Drive.
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      Following his visit to Japan’s Universal Studios, Hamilton was then spotted taking his Mario Kart passion into real life with fellow driver Esteban Ocon.
      The duo were spotted in the Suzuka paddock playing around with a remote control car.
      Asked about the activity, he told reporters: “Yeah, so Esteban and I had planned a while ago, that while we’re here, we’ll get our remote control cars together and have a bit of a race in the pit lane.
      “For me, it was very reminiscent of when I was a kid on Blue Peter, and it was really cool, because we all share, more in common than we probably think, other than the fact that we’re pure racers.”
      He added: “But it’s very rare that we all get to do things like that, so it was it was fun.
      “But that’s what our race was when I was a kid. I raced electric and petrol and it was Kyosho.
      “It’s basically an evolution of the car that you’ll see, like Senna had and I had the same car as Senna when I was younger. And he’s mega at it.”
      Hamilton managed a podium finish at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, his fifth of the season, to put him on 196 throughout his F1 career.
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      He remains in the search for an elusive win since the new era of ground-effect F1 cars came in, but last weekend’s strong display should provide a positive bounce to the season run-in.
      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 said it reminded him of when it was a kidCredit: Getty
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      F1 driver wages for 2023 with Lewis Hamilton miles off No1 and Max Verstappen earning FIVE TIMES his team-mate’s salary

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN is the highest-earning F1 driver – beating Lewis Hamilton by a staggering £17million.The Red Bull driver is the dominant force in F1 after winning ten consecutive races, and his salary reflects that.
      Max Verstappen is the highest earning driver by a significant marginCredit: Rex
      Lewis Hamilton earns £17million less than his rivalCredit: Getty
      Charles Leclerc is the third-highest earning F1 driverCredit: Getty
      Four drivers earn more than £10m a year
      Verstappen, 25, is on course to claim his third successive championship and he is now one of the highest-earning sportsmen in the world.
      He is paid an eye-watering annual salary of £45m by Red Bull.
      Hamilton is the next highest-paid F1 star but comes in quite far behind at £28m-a-year.
      Verstappen is paid more than five times that of his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez.
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      Hamilton also earns significantly than his partner, George Russell, who is the eighth on the list of top salaries.
      The Brit collects around £6.5m a year from Mercedes but could pick up a more lucrative deal when it comes to renewing after impressing since his 2022 arrival.
      Rounding off the top three is Charles Leclerc at £20m-a-year.
      Ferrari’s No1 has been linked to Red Bull with both him and Perez out of contract at the end of the year.
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      Lando Norris takes home a cool £16mCredit: Rex
      Carlos Sainz is the fifth-highest earning driver in F1Credit: Getty
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      Red Bull are believed to be keen but he could prove to be quite an expensive option, with their other target Lando Norris possibly available for a lower salary.
      Norris has an annual wage of £16m, and is one of only four drivers to break the £10m barrier.
      Perez and Russell are joined in the next band of drivers to make £5m or more which also includes Carlos Sainz, Valterri Bottas and Esteban Ocon.
      Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly fall just short at £4m, while Yuki Tsunoda and Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo earn less than £1m, as does Williams’ Logan Sergeant.
      Verstappen earns more than five times that of his team-mate Sergio PerezCredit: AFP
      Valterri Bottas rounds off the top ten high earnersCredit: Getty More

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      Sebastian Vettel’s bizarre new hobby as F1 legend spotted building ‘insect hotels’ at Suzuka for Japanese GP

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      SEBASTIAN VETTEL has found himself a bizarre new hobby of building “insect hotels” at the Suzuka Circuit ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. The former Formula One driver has helped build 11 of the insect hotels on Turn Two at Suzuka as part of a campaign to raise awareness for biodiversity.
      Sebastian Vettel has been building “insect hotels” at Suzuka CircuitCredit: Getty
      He is doing it as part of a new campaign for biodiversityCredit: Getty
      The structures offer a place for insects such as bees to take refugeCredit: Getty
      The campaign, named Buzzin’ Corner, hasn’t just seen the construction of the hotels where insects can seek refuge, but has also given the track a new look.
      The kerbs on the inside of the corner on Turn Two have been painted in black and yellow stripes to look like a bee.
      The bug-filled hub was also the meeting place for a special launch event where Vettel invited drivers and bosses from different F1 teams to see the work that had been carried out.
      The four-time world champion explained the exciting project in a video on his Instagram.
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      He said: “I am very very excited. We are launching a new project and It’s called Buzzin’ Corner.
      “There’s one special thing about this corner this weekend, the kerbs are painted in yellow and black,
      “That’s unique because all the other kerbs, for example at the entrance of the corner, are painted in white and red.”
      He went on to explain what the project represents, saying: “I want to with this project create awareness around the importance of and the subject of biodiversity.”
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      Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in Japan GP boost as Mercedes claim there’s ‘more to come’ after Singapore heroics

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      GEORGE RUSSELL has claimed there is “more to come” from Mercedes this season.He and team-mate Lewis Hamilton put in fine performances at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
      Lewis Hamilton finished third at the Singapore Grand PrixCredit: Rex
      Although Russell crashed out late on, Hamilton was able to pick up a third place finish and a spot on the podium at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.
      With just seven races remaining in 2023, Russell has explained that their are plans for more success at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday.
      Mercedes are looking to secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship and Russell is expecting upgrades to be in place for Suzuka.
      He explained: “In all honesty, there’ll be a few more little things to come towards the end of the season. Which will aid our learning into next season.”
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      Despite not winning a race yet this year, Mercedes still hold a narrow lead of Ferrari in the standings.
      However, Scuderia cut that advantage with Carlos Sainz’s victory in Singapore.
      Russell is hopeful he and Hamilton can build on last weekend, though, adding that their struggles across the last two years can help going forward.
      His win in Brazil last year, part of a 1-2 with Hamilton, is Mercedes’ only race victory since he signed with the team for the start of the 2022 season.
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      George Russell claims there is ‘more to come’ from MercedesCredit: Getty
      “Yeah, I think we’ve made some good gains this season,” Russell continued.
      “I think it’s clear that we made some mistakes ahead of the 2022 season, and again over this winter, but I’m definitely confident that these mistakes are going to aid us and help us a lot for the future.
      “And, you know, you need those setbacks, and you need those errors to set you on the right path. And I think, as a team, we’re incredibly motivated to get back to the top.
      “And as I said, I think the lessons we’ve learned over these two years will only help us in the years to come.” More

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      Mercedes boss Wolff fears F1 will be plunged into ‘disarray’ if Massa wins case to get Hamilton’s 2008 title overturned

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      TOTO WOLFF reckons F1 would be plunged into “disarray” if Felipe Massa wins his case to get Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 title overturned.The Brazilian is seeking to have Hamilton stripped of his first championship due to the Singapore GP of the same year, where Nelson Piquet Jr. deliberately crashed to help his teammate, Fernando Alonso win the race.
      Toto Wolff doubts that Felipe Massa will win his caseCredit: Splash
      Massa is seeking to have Hamilton stripped of his first championshipCredit: Reuters
      Massa reckons that F1 and the FIA did not act in time to overturn the outcome of the result, which in turn cost him the title, which he lost to Hamilton by a point.
      At the Singapore GP last week, Wolff said Mercedes were monitoring the former Ferrari man’s legal action with a view to taking action to the controversial outcome of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP – where Hamilton lost the title to Max Verstappen.
      However, speaking after last Sunday’s race, Wolff is doubtful of Massa being successful.
      He said: “I don’t think he has a case, to be honest. We are signing up to sporting regulations. They’re very clear, and you commit as a licence holder.
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      “If everybody were to open up situations then the sport would be in disarray, and especially when you look at the full championships.
      “There are so many things that have an influence whether you win or lose that I don’t see the case to be honest.
      “On the civil case side, I don’t know, let’s evaluate whether there’s some damages that could be claimed.
      “This is like watching a soap opera playing out in front of me.”
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      Meanwhile, Max Verstappen says he is “absolutely fine” his 10-race winning run ended last Sunday in Singapore.
      And he is now looking forward to getting back on the podium this week at the Japanese GP.
      The Red Bull ace said: “I knew that the day would come so for me it is absolutely fine.
      “Everything needs to be perfect. Everyone is always saying, ‘Ah look how dominant they are and look how easy it is’.
      “But it is never easy, and a lot of details that we need to get right and this weekend clearly we didn’t get a few things right and then you are on the back foot.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton was ‘perfect fit’ for FERRARI as F1 legend bemoans decision to sign £50m contract at Mercedes

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has tied his future to Mercedes, but one Formula One legend thinks he should have gone elsewhere. Hamilton has recently penned a MEGA two-year contract with Mercedes that will see him earn £50m per year.
      Lewis Hamilton has committed his future to Mercedes with a two-year contractCredit: Rex
      Johnny Herbert thinks he should have made the switch to Ferrari insteadCredit: Getty
      But former F1 star Johnny Herbert thinks that the seven-time world champion should’ve made the switch to Ferrari rather than staying put.
      There had been rumours and reports suggesting that Ferrari were interested in poaching Hamilton if he didn’t sign a new deal with the Silver Arrows.
      But the 38-year-old has committed himself to Mercedes rather than making the move which he described as a “dream position” back in 2021.
      And Herbert thinks that not only would the move have helped Hamilton complete that dream, but he would also have been a “perfect fit” for the Prancing Horse.
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      Speaking to The Mirror, he said: “He may be aware of what may be happening in the future with Mercedes and has been satisfied that is where his future is.
      “Still, I would have liked to have seen the final part of his career in a Ferrari. I honestly think he was the right character and the perfect fit for them.
      “If he is happy where he is, for him, that is the best mental place for him to be. You have got to have belief in where you are at and Lewis does, which is why he re-signed.”
      And it would seem Hamilton believes he is in the right place as he chases after that elusive eighth World Championship.
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      However Herbert isn’t convinced he will find it with Mercedes.
      He added: “Based on the last couple of years, I don’t see Lewis getting an eighth title.
      “The car has got better since they changed from the original concept, but they are only as good as the gap behind Red Bull.
      “They are not ahead of the game. Can they turn it around? I don’t know. I haven’t seen those positive signs. They have gone forward but not very far. The car is not a race winner.”
      Herbert thinks Hamilton and Mercedes are too far behind Max Verstappen and Red Bull for him to be winning an eighth World Championship any time soonCredit: Getty More

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      F1 star Max Verstappen’s gorgeous girlfriend Kelly Piquet puts on leggy display in bold outfit while ‘up to no good’

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN’S girlfriend Kelly Piquet put on a leggy display while food shopping in New York City.She looked stunning in a dress and cowboy boots as she bought a drink at a local store.
      Kelly Piquet wowed in a black dressCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      She used a local shop in New York as the backdrop for her mini photoshootCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      The model enjoyed a packet of HariboCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Fans loved Kelly’s leggy displayCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      The Brazilian often treats her followers to stunning photosCredit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Kelly and Verstappen have been dating since 2020Credit: Getty
      Kelly accessorised her look with black gloves and a brightly coloured purse, which was just the right size for the Haribo she bought.
      She even posed with the sweets in one snap she shared on Instagram alongside the caption: “Up to no good.”
      Fans were blown away by Kelly’s look and piled into the comments section.
      One wrote: “Beautiful powerwoman 😍”
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      Another added: “u hot thingggg !!!!!”
      A third said: “She is so fine🙌”
      And another commented: “Literal perfection 🖤”
      Kelly stunned fans earlier this month with another daring outfit on the streets of New York City.
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      The model is no stranger to flaunting her good looks and she has built up a big social media following as a result.
      She knows how to unwind too and enjoyed a relaxing summer getaway in the Mediterranean with Verstappen during the F1 season break.
      The pair spent time in Corsica and Sardinia, enjoying romantic dinners and relaxing by the beach. More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals Red Bull theory as he gets podium and F1 rival Verstappen fails to win for first time in 11 races

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      SO that’s what happens when Max Verstappen doesn’t win.Formula One fans were treated to one of the most exciting finishes in ages as Verstappen’s winning run came to a shuddering halt in Singapore.
      Russell’s late crash allowed Lewis Hamilton to take thirdCredit: Rex
      It was a rare tough race for Red Bull as Max Verstappen finished in fifthCredit: Alamy
      Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, George Russell AND Lewis Hamilton all slugged it out for the win and were separated by less than two seconds.
      Ferrari’s Sainz took the victory while Russell was left choking back the tears after crashing into the barriers on the final lap, so Norris and Hamilton completed the podium.
      The exciting climax was exactly the stuff F1 bosses had been hoping for as this season had been dominated by the impressive Red Bull team, who had won all the previous 14 races.
      But Hamilton does not expect this shock result to signal the end of their reign at the top, but more of a reflection that they have already downed tools on this year’s car in preparation for next year’s model.
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      He said: “I don’t know why they are far off pace wise, but it is great to see others up there. It is probably a possibility that they have not been developing.
      “Others have brought upgrades and they are working on next year’s car because they are so far ahead and we are still developing this one.”
      Verstappen finished in fifth after starting down in 11th after an unusually poor weekend, but he still managed to increase his lead in the championship over his teammate Sergio Perez, who was eighth.
      However, despite his 151-point lead, it is unlikely he will retain his title next Sunday in the Japanese GP and is more-certain to do so two weeks later in Qatar.
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      And he sent a warning to his rivals that he reckons will be back on the pace in Japan, saying: “I think we will be quick in Suzuka. It’s not my problem, it’s their worries!”
      This race came alive in the final stages as four drivers competed for the victory in the gruelling Singapore heat.
      Smart Sainz kept Norris at arms length – but sticking within a second of the McLaren man to allow him to receive the DRS boost to fend off the threat of Russell and Hamilton, effectively keeping him as a buffer.
      The race went down to the wire and just as Russell tried one last bold attempt to squeeze past Norris, he clipped a wall and ended up in the barriers at turn 10.
      It put him out of the race on the final lap, promoting Hamilton to third behind Norris and Sainz.
      Russell was noticeably upset and said afterwards: “A millimetre lapse of concentration and game over. So just sorry to the whole team.
      “You make a small mistake and you are bitten for it. It’s heart-breaking after such a great weekend. I feel like I let myself and the team down.”
      Hamilton added: “We are all trying to be millimetre perfect and it is easy to make mistakes.
      “George had been driving phenomenally well all weekend and it was unfortunate on the last lap to end that way, but he will continue to grow and improve and if I can help that – I will be here for the next few years.
      “It is about keeping your head down, but I made a mistake last year and crashed into the wall. It can happen to any of us.”
      Meanwhile, Norris was delighted with his second-placed finish after some help from his old McLaren team-mate Sainz – despite hitting the same wall as Russell on the last lap.
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      He said: “Carlos played it smart, there was no reason for me to attack him. George pressured me a lot and then Carlos backed off and gave me DRS, which was helpful. We played it in a smart way to keep the Mercs behind us.
      “I did also hit the wall and damaged the steering so that it was off centre, but nothing more than that.” More