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      Lewis Hamilton opens up on future as he reveals his plans after Mercedes contract expires

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed that he is planning on staying with Mercedes.The F1 star had previously hinted at retiring from the motorsport but is still determined to win his eighth world title.
      There had been rumours that Lewis Hamilton would retire from F1Credit: Splash
      But Hamilton has now hinted at extending his F1 career
      The Mercedes driver, 38, is in his 17th successive Formula 1 season and is way behind Max Verstappen in the points leaderboard.
      The Brit went the entire year without claiming a Grand Prix victory for the first time since his debut way back in 2007.
      But after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on April 30, he admitted that he still has “that drive” to race.
      His contract with Mercedes is set to expire at the end of the season, with discussions over an extension ongoing.
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      He said: “I am focused on being better every day, and to be honest I am focused on the long term.
      “I am going to be here for some time, longer than one year.
      “Still got that drive, still got that push and still want to do and I love what I do.”
      Hamilton finished 6th in Baku and is currently 4th in the Driver Standings with 48 points, 45 behind leader Verstappen.
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      Former world champion, Jenson Button believes that Hamilton will keep on going as he is still “hungry to win”.
      He told Sky Sports:  “I don’t think Lewis is going to walk away from the sport.
      “As a racing driver, if you’ve been winning for so long and then you’re suddenly not, you want to fight back to winning – so you’re not going to retire.
      “Or, to come at it another way, if you’re in a bad car for many years, you want to retire – because it just gets you down.
      “But Lewis is not in a bad car, he’s just in a car that is not as good as what he is used to.
      “He knows the strength of the team, he knows how quick he is still and they’re going to work together to get back to fighting with Red Bull. And I think they will.
      “It probably won’t be this year. But in 2024, I think we see Lewis on the grid. He’s still hungry to win another world championship.” More

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      Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff announces surprise career move amid team’s struggles and Lewis Hamilton frustration

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      TOTO WOLFF has announced a shock career move amid Mercedes’ struggles on the track.For the last two-and-half years, Mercedes have played second fiddle to Red Bull and Dutch phenom Max Verstappen.
      Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff have struggled to deliver Mercedes success as of lateCredit: Rex
      Team Principal Wolff has taken up a teaching role with Havard UniversityCredit: REX
      Wolff and the rest of the Mercedes team, however, have been hard at work trying to end Verstappen’s recent dominance.
      But the Austrian has also had one eye on educating university students in America.
      It was announced this week that Wolff will teach an MBA course at Harvard’s prestigious Business School.
      Wolff – who recently became a billionaire – has now become an Executive Fellow and guest lecturer at the Ivy League school.
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      A proud-as-punch Wolff said: “I feel very honoured and privileged to continue working with the incredibly bright young minds at Harvard.
      “Whenever I step on campus, I am inspired by the students’ curiosity and ambition, and I leave energised by the special learning environment they create together with the brilliant faculty.”
      Professor Anita Elberse – who will teach the course in along with Wolff – said: “We very much look forward to welcoming Toto back to campus.
      “I have seen first-hand how much our students benefit from learning about Toto’s leadership journey and from his deep knowledge of what it takes to run a highly successful sports team.
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      “With Toto on board, I am confident that we can make a profound positive difference in the development of the leaders of tomorrow.”
      Chair of the Practice Faculty Len Schlesinger said: “HBS is fortunate to be able to benefit from this dynamic partnership of Anita and Toto.
      “I am confident it will be a spectacular experience for the students.”
      The F1 season resumes action on Sunday evening with the eagerly-anticipated Miami Grand Prix. More

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      How Miami Grand Prix was blasted as ‘the Fyre Festival of F1’ with fans raging at fake marina as it returns for year two

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      RACING fans are set to enjoy the spectacle that is the second Miami Grand Prix this weekend.But just a year ago it was being blasted as the “Fyre Festival of F1” after an underwhelming debut.
      The Miami GP is returning for its second year this weekendCredit: Reuters
      Max Verstappen won the first event, which was blasted by some fansCredit: EPA
      A fake marina saw some call the Miami GP the ‘Fyre Festival of F1’Credit: Rex
      Lewis Hamilton and Co will descend upon the glamorous Floridian city for the fifth race of the season.
      Max Verstappen won comfortably in 2022 despite a late charge from Charles Leclerc.
      And race fans are set to enjoy scorching weather after torrential rain last month caused mass flooding on the track.
      However, some were left raging at last year’s inaugural event.
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      Day tickets started at a whopping $800, with a place in the Paddock going for over $11,000.
      But a number of those in attendance claimed there was a lot left to be desired.
      A fake marina – complete with fake water – was created to pay homage to Miami’s blue sea.
      Fans also complained about a bizarre layout that resulted in lengthy walks from the car park to the track in sweltering temperatures.
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      The bizarre area left fans completely bemusedCredit: Getty
      There were also complaints about walking distances in the scorching heatCredit: Splash
      And many were left bemused by flocks of influencers crowding out “beach clubs” who appeared to be there for selfies rather than the racing.
      Indeed, some fans even compared the event to 2017’s infamous Fyre Festival.
      Tickets costing up to a mind-boggling $100k were flogged with the promise of an epic party in paradise, replete with luxury villas and decadent dishes.
      Punters were instead met with cheese sandwiches and emergency tents.
      And organiser Billy McFarland was eventually sentenced to six years in prison.
      Plenty of celebs like David Beckham turned upCredit: Getty
      Hollywood legend Michael Douglas was also in attendanceCredit: Getty
      While there were stars like the Williams sisters, there were also plenty of posing influencersCredit: Splash
      However, this year’s Miami GP is already gearing up to be better than the last.
      Bosses have done away with the controversial fake harbour.
      And they have instead created a new “Sunset Cabana” package featuring real water for boats to sit on.

      The VIP area can accommodate 15 people – costing a whopping $67k.
      And other lessons are sure to have been learned from the first go.
      The fake marina has been overhauled with real water this yearCredit: Getty
      Tickets for the luxurious space cost up to $67,000Credit: Getty More

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      F1 Miami Grand Prix 2023: Date, UK start time, stream, TV channel and full schedule for HUGE Autodrome race

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      START your engines Formula One fans as the racers make a fast and furious return for the Miami Grand Prix – and Red Bull are looking to make it five wins from five.Sergio Perez pipped teammate Max Verstappen to a thrilling victory at the Azerbaijan GP.
      Sergio Perez secured P1 in BakuCredit: Getty
      And as a result, the Spaniard has reignited the title fight having won in the Sprint Shooutout 24 hours earlier.
      As for Lewis Hamilton, the British icon struggled to keep up with the pace once again which led to him securing a fourth-place finish in Baku.
      But Hamilton has enjoyed success in Miami over the years so he’ll be determined to achieve his first victory of the campaign.
      When is the Miami Grand Prix?

      The mouthwatering Miami Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, May 7.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 8:30pm BST – 3:30pm local time.
      Max Verstappen beat Charles Leclerc to the chequered flag in the 2022 Miami GP.

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      What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      All the action for the Miami GP will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports F1
      Coverage is expected to commence from 7:30pm BST – a whole hour before the race starts.
      Subscription members of NOW TV can stream the entire race through the NOW TV app or website.
      Alternatively, SunSport will have lap-by-lap coverage of the huge event including build-up and post-race reaction.

      Miami Grand Prix FULL schedule
      Friday, May 5

      Practice 1 – 7pm BST
      Practice 2 – 10:30pm BST

      Saturday, May 6
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      Practice 3 – 5:30pm BST
      Qualifying – 9pm BST

      Sunday, May 7

      Miami GP – 8pm BST More

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      Toto Wolff offers Lewis Hamilton a bleak assessment of 2023 F1 season as he says upgrades WON’T help catch Red Bull

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      TOTO WOLFF has given a bleak prediction over Lewis Hamilton’s title prospects even after Mercedes bring in major upgrades. The struggling team have earmarked the race at Imola at the end of May to bring in developments.
      Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff is planning big upgrades to make Mercedes more competitiveCredit: Reuters
      Team principal Wolff is hoping to cut the gap to the dominant Red Bull team who have won all four races this season at a canter.
      But the Austrian boss has warned fans that improvements will not automatically make Hamilton and teammate George Russell title contenders.
      Hamilton’s podium at the chaotic Australian Grand Prix is the sole top three finish the team can boast this season.
      And following this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Wolff said: “The target [for the upgrade] is Imola but I need to manage everybody’s expectations.
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      “We are talking so much about the upgrade but we are not going to put it down on the track and drive circles around Red Bull.”
      He added that the result’s from the Baku race has demonstrated the gap between Red Bull and the rest of the field, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finishing 21 seconds behind winner Sergio Perez.
      The 51-year-old said: “Over 40 racing laps – that’s half a second a lap. At least we saw that they [Red Bull] were pushing today, but half-a-second is quite a long way to go.
      “We basically have two cars that are sailing off into the sunset on merit. We either have to do a better job, all of us together, to catch them up, or change the regulations.”
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      “And I don’t think we should be doing the second. We have to win on merit and that means being more clever.”
      The now famous 2021 season saw Hamilton and Max Verstappen go head-to-head in machinery of a similar level, while the 2022 campaign saw Ferrari and Mercedes occasionally able to challenge Red Bull on pace.

      This campaign appears altogether different with Red Bull so far ahead of the field.
      Perez and Verstappen have two race wins each while Perez also won the revamped sprint in Azerbaijan. More

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      F1 legend Fernando Alonso cheekily fuels rumours he’s dating Taylor Swift with another cryptic TikTok post

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      FERNANDO ALONSO has added fuel to rumours he is dating pop star Taylor Swift with another mysterious TikTok. The F1 legend is coming off the back of the latest Grand Prix weekend in Azerbaijan after finishing an impressive fourth place.
      Fernando Alonso has been competing closer to the front of the grid after improvements to his Aston Martin carCredit: Splash
      Popular singer Taylor Swift is currently on tourCredit: Getty
      And ahead of next week’s trip to Miami, he has decided to have some fun with fans as he dropped more hints about his personal life.
      Rumours have been spreading in recent weeks that he is dating Swift – with Alonso repeatedly refusing to shut down the gossip.
      In fact the Aston Martin driver is engaging in the Love Story with his latest Tiktok video.
      The 41-year-old can be seen lifting weights while listening to Swift’s ’22’ song.
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      Alonso then turns to the camera and gives it a cheeky wink.
      The video is similar to last week when the Spaniard posted a clip of himself listening to another Swift song before again winking at the camera.
      The speculation continued into last week’s race at Baku with one reporter even daring to ask Alonso about it.
      They said: “I have to ask this one or I would be leaving a Blank Space but and I know it is potentially your Love Story and nobody else’s..”
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      But a grinning Alonso interrupted and said: “Obviously, no I have nothing to say. I answered already.
      “I have nothing to say. It is so complicated, the Baku format already, I am sure you have a lot of questions.”
      Alonso announced his split from girlfriend Andrea Schlager last month at a similar time that Swift, 33, separated from long-term partner Joe Alwyn.
      The experienced racer has enjoyed a strong start to the season and stood on the podium in the opening three races in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
      He has 60 points so far in the drivers championship, behind only the Red Bull pair of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez More

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      Hollywood star Anne Hathaway stuns ex-F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo with comment at Met Gala

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      DANIEL RICCIARDO’S visit to the Met Gala sparked a frenzy among Formula One fans after a conversation he had with Anne Hathaway. The Hollywood star was pictured conversing with the former F1 driver during Monday’s event in New York, United States.
      Anne Hathaway was spotted in conversation with Daniel Ricciardo
      Before leaving fans in a frenzy with her comment to Ricciardo
      Ricciardo was in attendance at the Met Gala in New York, United StatesCredit: EPA
      A fabulous-looking Hathaway could be seen shaking hands with the Australian in a viral video.
      In the clip, she could be heard saying: “Wow. I’m a huge fan of F1,” all the while having a beaming smile.
      Ricciardo’s charisma off the track has helped cultivate an endearing fanbase including eight million Instagram followers.
      The pair’s meeting comes following rumours linking Fernando Alonso with Taylor Swift, prompting jokes from Sky Sports commentators across the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.
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      Reacting to the video, one fan on Twitter wrote: “The crossover I never thought I would see in my life.”
      A second wrote: “First it’s Fernando and Taylor Swift. Now Anne Hathaway and Daniel Ricciardo. F1 is where the action is.”
      “Danny Ric, I approve,” declared a third.
      A fourth commented: “OH GAWD TWO WORLDS COLLIDING.”
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      While a fifth added: “MY QUEEN AND KING 😭.”
      Ricciardo’s post of him attending the Met Gala has already got over 670,000 likes on Instagram.

      The 33-year-old is awaiting his return to F1 after being unceremonially axed by McLaren last season.
      Reports have suggested he may be in line for a return to the grid in 2024 with the likes of Haas.

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

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      Annoyed Lewis Hamilton admits Azerbaijan GP was ‘a kick in the teeth’ but insists ‘hunger is there’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has admitted his Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a frustrating one, but insisted his recovery showed his “hunger” remains. Hamilton, 38, was running in the top five before a safety car caused him to lose places due to him pitting in green flag conditions shortly before.
      Lewis Hamilton finished P6 in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand PrixCredit: Getty
      And Hamilton admitted his weekend was frustratingCredit: Rex
      The seven-time champion saw himself sent back to 10th place as rivals took advantage of the cheap pit stop offered by the safety car.
      The Brit managed to fight back up to P6 and finish within a second of Carlos Sainz in fifth.
      He was clearly left annoyed by the unlucky timing of the safety car but opted to focus on the positives from his drive.
      Speaking after the race, Hamilton said: “So much work goes into the weekend and then yesterday (Saturday) was a difficult day where you went backwards, and then today (Sunday) I was hoping for a better day and I lost so many places, that’s definitely a kick in the teeth.
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      “But then I was like, ‘well, it is what it is’. I think today shows that the hunger is there.
      “And once I get that confidence in that car, the pace will come out.
      “I couldn’t get bogged down in that frustration and [thinking] ‘I’ve lost all those positions’. I just had to keep my head down and get focused on attacking, and that’s what I did.
      “I got my head down and got right back in the race. Yeah, I really enjoyed those battles. Really continuously proud of my team for just keeping their head down.
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      “We didn’t have the pace that we had in the last race, which is obviously not the greatest. But there’s no lack of motivation in this team.
      “We’re all super hungry, we’re just working towards getting those upgrades. So I think this is the beginning of something hopefully better in the next coming races.”
      Hamilton’s future beyond the end of the season was cast into further doubt after Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted Charles Leclerc was on their “radar” as a possible replacement.
      However, Wolff also insisted the team was committed to penning a new deal with Hamilton.
      Sergio Perez collected wins in both the Sprint Race and full race on Sunday to move him to within six points of championship leader Max Verstappen.
      Like Hamilton, Verstappen was another unfortunate victim of the safety car’s timing on Sunday, and had seen his weekend get spicy after a coming together with George Russell during the Sprint.

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