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    Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen slammed by F1 rival as he says ‘they haven’t built anything’

    FERNANDO ALONSO has slammed Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen as they “haven’t built anything”.The Spaniard has suggested that the two F1 stars have benefitted from being on the strongest teams during their careers.
    Fernando Alonso has hit out at Lewis Hamilton and Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
    Alonso has claimed the duo have not ‘built anything’Credit: Splash
    Alonso, 42, is currently at Aston Martin and has helped the team to fourth place in the constructors’ standings.
    He is currently third after picking up seven podium finishes this season.
    Hamilton and Verstappen’s teams Mercedes and Red Bull Racing are currently second and first in the constructors’ table.
    Verstappen is miles ahead in the drivers’ standings, having won 14 races, while Hamilton is still considered one of the best drivers on the grid after his illustrious career.
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    However, Alonso has claimed that the duo are benefitting from their teams and that when Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013, the team improved due to a change in regulations.
    He told Marca: “When Hamilton went to Mercedes [2013 season], he didn’t build anything to be champion.
    “It was only a change in regulations [hybrid engines] that changed everything on the grid and boosted Mercedes.
    “I think the same with Max [Verstappen], when he joined Toro Rosso and Red Bull, Hamilton continued to win everything.
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    “Red Bull is not a winning team thanks to him, simply another regulation change in 2021 has caused them to now win all the races.”
    Alonso has argued that he does not understand when drivers say they have “built” teams.
    He believes that more of the success comes from behind-the-scenes factors rather than the drivers.
    He added: “When we say that we can ‘build’ teams around us, I don’t understand it.
    “It is a sport in which technical decisions, regulations or the inspiration of the design office make more of a difference than your input, your comments, your personality or your way of driving.” More

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    Lewis Hamilton’s ex-F1 team-mate LEAKS news Lando Norris will ‘switch’ teams as Max Verstappen breaks silence on rumour

    NICO ROSBERG has claimed Lando Norris could switch teams amid rumours he is heading to Red Bull.Norris is under contract at McLaren until 2025 but that has not stopped speculation about his future.
    Nico Rosberg has claimed Lando Norris is set to switch teamsCredit: Getty
    Red Bull like Norris, who gets on well with Max VerstappenCredit: Splash
    He is well liked by Red Bull and is close to superstar Max Verstappen, while Sergio Perez’s contract with the team expires next year.
    Norris has been linked with replacing him and now Rosberg has hinted he could be on the move.
    The former team-mate of Lewis Hamilton told Sky Sports: “Where’s he [Norris] going? Next year already, I hear there’s a switch coming.”
    Red Bull chief Helmut Marko has hinted at replacing Perez with Norris, with the “inconsistent” Mexican seemingly destined to leave.
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    While Verstappen revealed he has discussed a potential move with Norris, saying: “We talk about it. But he’s contracted to McLaren for a long time. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
    Marko has previously stated it is “unfortunate” Norris’ contract is so long – hinting he is keen to add the Brit to the team.
    He has also labelled Norris “by far the strongest of the young drivers” and suggested his style would suit Red Bull.
    While he also believes the 23-year-old would be the perfect partner for Verstappen, particularly for the fans.
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    Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc have reportedly held talks over signing for Red Bull.
    And Leclerc could be the leading candidate to join as his deal expires at the same time as Perez.
    Yuki Tsunoda is also understood to be an option for Red Bull after impressing at sister team AlphaTauri this year. More

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    Tragic Michael Schumacher health update as stricken F1 legend’s close friend reveals ‘lost hope’ for star

    ONE of Michael Schumacher’s closest friends has dealt a fresh blow to his devoted fans in a tragic update on his ten-year health battle.The Formula One legend, 54, has been kept out of the public eye since his horror skiing crash, and his family maintains strict privacy around his condition.
    A tragic update has been provided on the health of Formula One legend Michael SchumacherCredit: Getty
    F1 journalist and close friend Roger Benoit has called the 54-year-old “a case without hope”Credit: PA
    The seven-time world champion was air-lifted to hospital after tripping on the snow and hitting his head on a rock in 2013.
    But no-one besides his close family have seen Schumacher since, nor have any photos of the German been released.
    However, Formula 1 journalist Roger Benoit has provided a saddening update on the health of one of his closest friends.
    When asked by Swiss newspaper Blick to provide a specific update on Schumacher, he refused and said: “No.
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    “There is only one answer to this question and that is what his son Mick gave in one of his rare interviews in 2022: “I would give anything to talk to dad”.
    “This sentence says everything about how his father has been doing for over 3,500 days. A case without hope.”
    The harrowing confession on the 54-year-old offers an insight into the pain that his closest friends and family have had to deal with.
    Following that skiing accident in the French Alps in 2013, Schumacher spent 250 days in a medically-induced coma in hospital.
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    Even since he was eventually permitted to return home, few have seen or visited him, and reports of the German’s condition are extremely rare.
    Some friends and even family members have been kept in the dark by those closest to him in an effort to prevent leaks to the press.
    Schumacher’s son, Mick, continued the family’s legacy of F1 drivers when competing for Haas in 2021 and 2022.
    He is now a reserve driver for Mercedes and McLaren but one thing remains on his mind.
    “I think dad and me, we would understand each other in a different way now,” he said last year.
    “We would have had much more to talk about and that is where my head is most of the time, thinking that would be so cool.
    “I would give up everything just for that.
    “These moments that I believe many people have with their parents are no longer present, or to a lesser extent.”
    Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, offered a small but powerful update on her husband’s health during the 2021 Netflix documentary about the German.
    An emotional Corinna said: “Michael is here. Different, but he’s here, and that gives us strength, I find.
    “We’re together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable.
    “And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.
    “We’re trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.
    “I have never blamed God for what happened. It was just really bad luck – all the bad luck anyone can have in life.
    “It’s always terrible when you say, “Why is this happening to Michael or us?” But then why does it happen to other people?”
    The 54-year-old has been so determined to prevent leaks of her husband’s condition that she has even prevented their closest friends from visiting.
    That includes F1 icon Eddie Jordan, who was told by Corinna he could not see Michael.
    He told OLBG in March: “This was the most horrific situation for Mick and Corinna.
    “It’s been nearly 10 years now and Corinna has not been able to go to a party, to lunch or this or that.
    “She’s like a prisoner because everyone would want to talk to her about Michael when she doesn’t need reminding of it every minute.
    “I know her very well and a long time before Michael Schumacher.
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    “She’s a lovely girl and I knew her when she married Michael so there is a long history of good relations.
    “I made an effort to go see Michael in the early days and Corinna refused, and rightfully so because too many people wanted to go see him.”
    The German Ferrari driver wa a world champions on seven occasionsCredit: AFP
    A tragic skiing incident in 2013 left Schumacher in a medically-induced coma with lifelong brain injuriesCredit: AFP More

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    F1 star hilariously puts himself forward to represent his nation at next year’s Eurovision in two-word tweet

    CHARLES LECLERC has hilariously put himself forward to represent Monaco at next year’s Eurovision.The Ferrari star is better known for his skills on the Formula 1 track rather than his singing ability.
    Monaco is eligible for the Eurovision Song Contest againCredit: Getty
    Charles Leclerc has put his name forwardCredit: Getty
    Monaco will be eligible to compete in Eurovision for the first time since 2021.
    The last time that the country competed in the song contest was in 2006.
    After that competition, the country withdrew from the 2007 edition due to poor results and three failures to qualify.
    Now, Monaco could be back for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest due to the launch of TV Monaco and its membership with the European Broadcasting Union.
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    Leclerc, 25, reacted to the news on social media as he joked with two words that he would be willing to step up and perform.
    On Twitter, he wrote: “I’m ready 🎤.”
    And Leclerc’s fans loved his suggestion to take to the stage in Malmo, Sweden.
    One fan commented: “Omg Charles Leclerc Eurovision debut 🤩.”
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    A second wrote: “Don’t worry Charles, I got your entry covered!”
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    A third said: “Let’s goooo.”
    A fourth added: “Manifesting this into reality 🙏.”

    Many fans also shared clips of the F1 star singing in which shows he might need to work on his vocals if he hopes to qualify.
    One clip shows Leclerc having a go at singing Harry Styles’ Adore You and Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do.
    The Monegasque driver is currently 8th in the 2023 drivers standings, while Ferrari sits third. More

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    Lewis Hamilton may never win another world championship because Mercedes star ‘no longer has the hunger’ says F1 legend

    LEWIS HAMILTON “no longer has the hunger” and will probably miss out on a record eighth world title, claims F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart.Hamilton, 38, has just signed a two-year extension with Mercedes worth £50million but last won the crown in 2020.
    Scottish F1 icon Jackie Stewart believes the fire has stopped burning inside seven-time F1 world champion Lewis HamiltonCredit: Rex
    Hamilton already knows he has no chance of winning this year’s titleCredit: Reuters
    But Stewart fears “serious problems” are hampering his fellow Brit’s chances of being a serious contender again.
    Max Verstappen is heading for a third straight title with his dominant Red Bull team.
    And three-time world champ Stewart, 84, told Bild: “First of all, Lewis is one of the best to ever drive in Formula 1. 
    “But the truth is that in the last decade he competed with Mercedes for a team that was virtually out of competition. 
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    “During this time, Lewis only had one real competitor: his respective teammate. 
    “Lewis no longer has that hunger. Because of that – and because the car is no longer quite as powerful – he has serious problems.”
    Stewart reckons a better car is vital for Hamilton’s hopes of passing Michael Schumacher’s haul of seven titles with one more crown.
    He said: “That also depends on Mercedes. It’s not impossible, but I still don’t think he’ll be able to do it. 
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    “And I don’t think – despite the rumours about Ferrari – that he will change teams again.”
    Hamilton has achieved four podium finishes this season – in Australia, Spain, Canada and Britain.
    But he has yet to win a Grand Prix this year and his total of 164 points leaves him a distant fourth, with leader Verstappen on 364. More

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    Mark Flaherty dead – Four-time UK champion rally driver found dead aged 59 in ‘catastrophic’ tragedy

    A CHAMPION rally car driver was found dead after a battle with depression, an inquest heard.Mark Flaherty, 59, a four-time British champion in the 90s, died in “catastrophic” circumstances on New Year’s Day, a coroner said.
    Rally car driver Mark Flaherty, pictured in 2020 at Lydden Hill Circuit, was found dead on New Year’s DayCredit: Rex
    The 59-year-old, seen here before a test drive in 2021, was a four-time British championCredit: Rex
    The ace had driven his black Land Rover defender to the Oracle shopping centre car park in Reading on January 1.
    Cops later found the motor “neatly and properly parked” with its interior “neat and in good condition”, the coroner said yesterday.
    Detective Constable Nicole Jury said Mr Flaherty parked up and took a lift to the seventh floor of the town centre building.
    The rally legend visited a spot but appeared to change his mind, before heading to a nearby All Bar One for a whiskey and water.
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    He then sat in the outdoor seating area to finish the drinks and smoked a few cigarettes, Reading Coroners’ Court heard.
    Mr Flaherty of Ascot, Berks., returned to the top of the car park and was later found dead by “highly distressed” members of the public.
    Ian Wade KC, Assistant Coroner for Berkshire, said: “There was, of course, nothing anyone could have done.”
    RALLY TRAGEDY
    Mr Flaherty was recorded as having depression in 2000 and diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder in 2008, the court heard.
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    At a mental health assessment on January 17 last year, Mr Flaherty had “expressed regret over wrong decisions in life, described himself as being horrible and narcissistic, spoke of his plans to live in Spain, expressed desire to have therapy to address his various problems and his feelings of guilt.”
    He had a history of suicidal thoughts and alcohol problems, mental health nurse Godfrey Karambakuwa said.
    Mr Flaherty discharged himself from the Wokingham mental health services on February 2 last year.
    Mr Karambakuwa added: “At the time of discharge, he was going through a divorce that he reported finding stressful, though he decided that he no longer needed support.”
    The coroner concluded that Mr Flaherty had died from suicide and said what he did was “carefully thought out and deliberate”.
    He added: “There is evidence to suggest Mark was struggling with his mental health and had been for many years.
    “This action of projecting himself over the top floor of a very tall building, knowing that he would descend rapidly and calamitously, striking a hard, immovable object – there was only one outcome that was either likely or contemplated.”
    Mr Flaherty started rally racing at the age of 18 before moving into rallycross three years later.
    He made a name for himself in the 90s racing a rear-wheel drive, two-litre MKII Escort before stepping up to Supercar with the iconic Group B MG Metro 6R4.
    Mr Flaherty won two Lydden Hill Championships in 1991 and 1992, and a British Rallycross Driver of the Year award in the latter.
    These accolades were followed by two British Championship event wins the following year.
    Mr Flaherty went on to become British Rallycross Drivers Association (BDRA) champion twice.
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    He returned to racing in the 2010s after a hiatus.
    The racer will be remembered as a legend by fans after his passing, with one writing: “Thank you for the passion of rally.”
    You’re Not AloneEVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
    It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
    It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
    And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
    Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
    That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
    The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
    Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
    If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

    CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
    Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
    Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
    Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
    Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123
    Movember, www.uk.movember.com
    Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm More

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    Michael Schumacher update as F1 pal reveals his heartbreak over legend’s health – and says ‘we lost a mega star’

    FORMULA 1 legend Johnny Herbert said everyone has “lost out” on the absence of “mega star” Michael Schumacher since his tragic skiing accident 10 years ago.The seven-time world champion has been hidden away from the public eye ever since, as his family maintains strict privacy around his condition.
    Michael Schumacher has not been seen since his tragic accident 10 years agoCredit: AP
    Johnny Herbert says F1 lost a “mega star” in Michael Schumacher following his 2013 accidentCredit: Getty
    The 54-year-old was airlifted to hospital during a skiing trip with his son, Mick, to the French Alps in December 2013.
    But very rare updates on his health have been given in the nearly ten years that have followed.
    Speaking to CasinoSite.nl, Herbert explained the impacts of Schumacher’s absence around the track.
    He said: “We have lost a mega star of our sport who gave so much enjoyment to a lot of people.
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    “It was very sad that Mick couldn’t have his Dad around and it is sad that we as an F1 community don’t have him around the paddock.
    “It is a shame. Everyone loses out on learning about the Michael Schumacher we never saw when he was in the cockpit.”
    It is understood that even Schumacher’s close friends and family have often been left in the dark about his condition.
    But his wife, Corinna, did at least offer a rare update during his Netflix documentary in 2021.
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    As he continues to undergo rehabilitation for his life-changing injuries, Corinna revealed that Schumacher is “different, but here”.
    His son, Mick, has helped to take some of the spotlight away from his father since making his F1 World Championship debut in 2021.
    Driving for the Haas F1 Team, the then 22-year-old finished 19th overall after 22 races.
    The following year, he secured an improved 16th place finish, picking up 12 points, but is yet to compete since.
    When asked whether Mick could drive again, Herbert said: “I think Mick Schumacher is in one of those horrible F1 situations that he probably did not impress enough when he was at Haas.
    “And because of that he is damaged. And no-one is going to talk about him.”
    However, alongside his mother in the family’s Netflix documentary, an emotional Mick gave an insight into his relationship with Michael.
    He said: “I think dad and me, we would understand each other in a different way now.
    “Simply because we speak a similar language – the language of motorsport.
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    “We would have had much more to talk about and that is where my head is most of the time, thinking that would be so cool.
    “That would be it. I would give up everything just for that. Yes.”
    Very few updates have been given on Michael’s health over the past decadeCredit: Getty
    Schumacher celebrates with the trophy after winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 2004Credit: PA:Press Association More

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    MotoGP champ’s girlfriend breaks down in tears and is consoled after boyfriend is run over by TWO rivals in horror crash

    THE girlfriend of a MotoGP rider who was run over by two rivals was left in tears.Reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia was leading the Catalan GP before being thrown from his bike.
    Domizia Castagnini was consoled by a member DucatiCredit: Twitter
    Francesco Bagnaia’s long-term girlfriend was in tearsCredit: Twitter
    Bagnaia was thrown from his bike at the Catalan GP
    The 26-year-old was inadvertently run over
    In frightening scenes, Bagnaia was then inadvertently run over by two of his rivals while lying on the track.
    The 26-year-old initially tried to get to his feet, before collapsing to the ground as medics rushed on to help him.
    As the scary scene unfolded, Bagnaia’s girlfriend Domizia Castagnini was in floods of tears.
    The fashion buyer and social media star was consoled by a member of Bagnaia’s team, Ducati.
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    Bagnaia and Domizia are claimed to have been together for around seven years.
    After initially receiving treatment on site, Bagnaia was taken to hospital.
    On Bagnaia’s condition, MotoGP Medical Director Dr. Angel Charte told DAZN: “Pecco has had severe polytrauma, a motorbike ran over him in the femoral and tibial area.
    “We have taken x-rays of this area and have detected a small injury that we don’t know if it is current or old.
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    “We need to do an urgent CAT scan and that is why we have sent him to the general hospital.
    “At cranial, thoracic and abdominal levels, he has been normal at all times. He was conscious and oriented.
    “The image we have seen is from conventional radiology, so it is difficult to be sure that there is no fracture. It is necessary to do a CAT scan.”
    Bagnaia yesterday shared a picture of himself from hospital, sat on a bed with a thumb up.
    He captioned it: “Today I can only say thanks.”
    The Moto GP star received plenty of nice comments.
    Fabio Quartararo wrote: “Forzaaaa.”
    And Luca Salvadori commented: “Now we have doubts that you have the bones of Adamantio like Wolverine!”
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    Moto GP themselves responded: “So glad to you’re relatively OK, Pecco! Get well soon, Champ!”
    Marc Marquez added prayer and bicep emojis.
    Bagnaia received treatment before being rushed to hospitalCredit: Getty
    Bagnaia thanked fans from hospital for their supportCredit: INSTAGRAM / @pecco63 More