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    Four-time British motorcycling champion Keith Farmer died aged 35 after injuries forced him to retire

    A FOUR-time British motorcycling champion has died after his injuries forced him to retire, an inquest has heard. Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last year following the tough decision to give up racing and the breakdown of his relationship.
    Keith Farmer, 35, was found dead in November last yearCredit: Pacemaker
    The racer left the sport following two big crashesCredit: Pacemaker
    The dad-of-three was forced to leave the sport after two big crashes – but struggled with the new way of life and felt “lost”, the court heard.
    The racer left partner Sam Ritchie’s house on November 4 and told her he “wouldn’t be here” in the morning after they argued.
    A few hours later, he was found in the garage of his home where he was given CPR.
    He was admitted to intensive care shortly after and put on life support.
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    However, on November 10 he sadly passed away after it was agreed to withdraw the support.
    A post-mortem revealed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of his death.
    Coroner Dr Nicholas Shaw recorded Keith’s death as suicide after it was revealed he suffered a severe brain injury in the incident.
    Dr Shaw said: “This has been a very sad inquest to go through.
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    “He left a note indicating that was his plan.
    “He said goodbye and went and did that before taking time to consider what the consequences might be.”
    Keith’s family has described him as “hard-working, conscientious and very competitive”.
    Sister Wendy Forsyth said the are “completely devastated” and their “lives would never be the same again”.
    The Northern Irish racer won the National Superstock 600 title in 2011 and National Superstock 1000cc successes followed in 2012 and 2018.
    He also won the British Supersport title in 2017. More

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    Lewis Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff tells Mercedes to ‘trust the process’ as they try to catch Red Bull

    TOTO WOLFF has promised to “trust the process” as his Mercedes team try to turn their fortunes around.Mercedes have watched Red Bull dominate the start to the Formula One season with Wolff admitting the team have again made mistakes with this year’s car design.
    Toto Wolff (R) hopes to pull a struggling Mercedes team back to the top of the gridCredit: Rex
    Wolff’s top driver Lewis Hamilton has been vocal about this year’s car and its lack of performanceCredit: AFP
    He has since promised to send the team back to the drawing board with a view to getting back to the top-step of the podium.
    Wolff said: “It’s been difficult so far. With the way we developed the car, we were hopeful of sorting out our issues from last year.
    “We realised we weren’t coming out of the blocks where we expected to be. Having said that, we don’t feel any sense of entitlement.
    “This is the toughest competition in the world, and it wouldn’t be such a fantastic challenge if it was easy.
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    “Three races into the season, we saw that one team is setting the benchmark now.
    “But I believe 100 per cent in our organisation, because our perspective is not always on a single race weekend, not even a single season.
    “It’s trying to build our capability so we are successful over multiple years, while recognising the fact you are never going to win every single season, because no sports team has ever done it.
    “We need to have a steeper development curve than Red Bull and fundamentally, we want to compete for race wins.
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    The team managed to close some of the gap to Red Bull in AustraliaCredit: Getty
    Red Bull and Aston Martin are currently above Mercedes in the constructors’ standingsCredit: AFP
    “They are setting the benchmark now. We trust in the process and in the people, and there will be setbacks.
    “But if the trajectory is up, that’s where we want to be heading.”
    With the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next weekend, Mercedes sit third in the constructors’ standings, behind Red Bull and Aston Martin.
    The weekend will include the first sprint race of the season, with lights out at 2:30pm on Saturday 29th.

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

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    Michael Schumacher AI ‘interview’ is incredibly dangerous and shows how ‘poisoned’ bots can be weaponised, warns expert

    A SHAMELESS AI-generated Michael Schumacher “interview” shows how “poisoned” bots can be weaponised, an expert has warned.German magazine Die Aktuelle was slammed after claiming to feature the F1 legend’s “first exclusive interview” since his horrific ski crash.
    An AI expert has warned that the ‘poisoned’ bots can be weaponised following the AI generated Michael Schumacher interviewCredit: PA:Press Association
    Die Aktuelle touted the article as a ‘world first interview’
    But the article was not all it seemed as it was revealed the article spewed ghoulish claims about Schumacer’s health – after being generated by an artificial intelligence-driven chatbot.
    The magazine was branded “tasteless” for publishing the phony interview and the iconic racer’s family are now reportedly considering legal action against the company.
    Lisa Palmer, an AI analyst and expert, told The Sun Online just how dangerous the digital bots can be in these situations – and how they could be used in increasingly scary and dangerous ways.
    She warned content like fake AI generated interviews will only become more and more common as the technology developments and is misused by “rotten” actors.
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    And while the “interview” with Schuey is ghoulish – AI could be weaponised by in even more dangerous ways, such as faking chats with politicians.
    She added that with people already misusing AI, future versions of the systems will become “poisoned” through their machine learning.
    Palmer told The Sun Online: “Some of these fakes are such high quality that only a computer can tell the difference between what is fake and what is real.”
    The expert explained the pending lawsuit by Schumacher’s family is the latest round of AI-centred litigation – something which is also going to become increasingly common.
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    “Lawsuits are already pending for defamation due to ‘lies’ being perpetuated by generative AI tools like ChatGPT,” she told The Sun Online.
    Asked if it’s something we will be seeing more in the future she replied: “Yes, fakes in every form – written, voice, and video – are all exploding.”
    The fake “world exclusive” saw an AI-created version of seven-time F1 champion Schumacher “open up” on his life since suffering a catastrophic brain injury during a family holiday in the French Alps in December 2013.
    In the piece, which the magazine claims “sounded deceptively real”, Schuey is purported to say: “My life has changed completely since [the accident].
    “That was a horrible time for my wife, my children and the whole family.”
    Palmer warned that following this shocking publication, bad actors who are seeking to grab viewership are going to be tempted to use the AI interview method more.
    She even related the nightmare situation to the severity of a chef selling rotten food to their customers.
    “A chef who serves rotten food is unethical and puts their customers’ health at risk,” she said.
    “Rotten food leads to personal illness. Rotten reporting leads to societal illness.”
    After it was revealed that the piece was thrown together using an AI chatbot, readers were left stunned about how much detail it went into about Schumacher’s supposed recovery.
    Asked how “he” feels today, the AI says: “Much better than years ago. With the help of my team, I can even stand on my own again and even walk a few steps slowly.”
    The article only revealed at the end of the shambolic “interview” that the entire thing had been created using an AI.
    This is the worst possible combination of powerful technology in the hands of unethical people.Lisa Palmer
    Palmer said: “Imagine if a major news outlets ran a fabricated political story that caused an uprising among citizens? This type of unethical reporting is incredibly dangerous.
    “This is the worst possible combination of powerful technology in the hands of unethical people.
    “Now, imagine that these fake stories become training data for AI systems.
    “Newer versions of AI are now ‘poisoned’ with lies.”
    Dr Tim Stevens, a cyber security expert from Kings College London also pointed out the challenges posed by AI highlighted by the Schumacher “interview” .
    “It will be interesting to see the case for legal action,” he told The Sun Online.
    He told The Sun Online: “You have to wonder what Die Aktuelle was thinking.”
    Dr Stevens went on: “Even granting that this might have been some kind of experiment in content production, the readers of Die Aktuelle would not have known this until they had read to the end of the article.
    “This is deceitful behaviour by the magazine, which instead plastered the story across it front cover.
    “The magazine’s readers should feel aggrieved, although obviously not as much as Schumacher and his family. 
    “Schumacher’s status as a sporting superstar does not excuse the magazine’s actions. He is a vulnerable person and should have been accorded the dignity he deserves.”
    He added: “In terms of the wider implications, this should give publishers pause for thought.
    “Publishing fallacious material on persons living or dead is terrible practice, regardless of how it is produced.”

    Even though Die Aktuelle admitted to not actually speaking to Michael or his family, the story concluded with the anonymous writer saying if they had managed to speak to Michael himself it would have been a “real miracle.”
    Michael has been in a medically induced coma since 2013 and little has been known about his health ever since.
    The four-time F1 champion hasn’t been seen in public since his 2013 skiing injuryCredit: AFP More

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    Dan Ticktum slams ‘pathetic and childish’ Formula E rival Jake Dennis after smashing him out of the Sao Paulo E-Prix

    DAN TICKTUM has reignited his bitter feud with fellow Formula E star Jake Dennis after smashing him out of the Sao Paulo E-Prix.Dennis, 27, branded Ticktum a “plonker” for causing the shunt and the two had a fallout on Instagram.
    Dan Ticktum has taken aim at rival Jake Dennis following their Sao Paulo bust-upCredit: Splash
    Jake Dennis and Dan Ticktum have been locked in a war of wordsCredit: Getty
    Now Ticktum, 23, has had another pop by blasting Dennis as “pathetic and childish” ahead of this weekend’s Berlin E-Prix.
    The Formula E whiz said: “It was an honest mistake.
    “I made the effort to go and see various members of the team and apologise.
    “I do feel bad when I make a mistake like that.
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    “But the thing that he put on Instagram and the amount of time he took to edit it and make a deal of it was just a bit pathetic.”
    Ticktum continued: “I don’t know if he’s got a personal issue with me.
    “He can be a likeable guy but I don’t understand why he blew that so out of proportion.
    “I don’t know if he sees me as a threat but I don’t see any other drivers posting crappy stuff on Instagram like that.
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    “If he wants to continue to be immature and childish about it and ignore me, fine.
    “I ain’t gonna lose any sleep over it at all.
    “It just winds me up when people don’t know the full picture.”
    *Watch the 2023 SABIC Berlin E-Prix live on terrestrial television on Channel 4 at 14:00 BST on Saturday 22 April and Sunday 23 April More

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    Lewis Hamilton reveals his best F1 race ever after fighting back from heartbreak to clinch win

    LEWIS HAMILTON has picked the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix as his “best race ever”.The seven-time world champion defied the odds when he charged from P10 to overhaul championship leader Max Verstappen for the win.
    Lewis Hamilton overcame many challenges to clinch victory in the Brazil GPCredit: Getty
    The win brought him within touching distance of Verstappen in the 2021 championship standingsCredit: Splash
    Hamilton has since been granted Brazilian citizenshipCredit: EPA
    The race was a brilliant back-to-the-wall tale as Hamilton overcame disqualification, sanctions, near crashes with Verstappen, and even a post-race investigation into him removing his seat-belt on his slowdown lap.
    A technical infringement on his Mercedes, whereby the rear wing opened 0.02mm too far, saw Hamilton relegated to the back of the grid for the sprint after he had qualified on pole.
    And while he recovered to fifth, a further five-place drop saw him start the race from 10th.
    The race kick-started his comeback run in during the final races of the 2021 season, which went down to the controversial final race in Abu Dhabi.
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    While looking back at his sensational ten-year career with Mercedes, Hamilton picked up a picture of himself on the podium at Interlagos, and explained why that weekend meant so much to him.
    The Brit legend said: “I think for sure that’s my best race ever, and probably the most special race of my career.
    “I was so proud to hold this flag on the podium because I had watched the news through the pandemic.”
    He added: “Growing up I always loved Ayrton Senna so I’d watch him when he was carrying that flag”.
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    This is a rather fitting choice, as Hamilton has a long-held affection for Brazil that started with his childhood idolisation of the late Senna.
    His name was chanted alongside Senna’s as he took the podium following his extraordinary victory that weekend.
    Since then, the Brit was formally made an honorary citizen of Brazil. More

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    I won the F1 title then immediately quit aged 31 because I was scared – unlike other drivers, I’m no daredevil

    NICO ROSBERG has revealed his retirement from F1 came partly due to him being “afraid” in the car.The German-Finn, 37, won the nailbiting 2016 drivers’ championship with Mercedes, pipping Lewis Hamilton by five points on the last race of the season.
    Nico Rosberg beat Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton to the 2016 titleCredit: EPA
    Rosberg opened up to Men’s Health about his decision to retireCredit: Men’s Health
    That second place finish in Abu Dhabi behind Lewis proved to be his final race in the sport as he left F1 after a decade on the grid.
    Many were surprised by Rosberg’s decision to walk away when he had just reached the top.
    But he is well aware, particularly when looking at the racing now, that he made the right move.
    Speaking to Men’s Health, the son of 1982 F1 world champion Keke, said: “Sometimes, looking at the circuits, I think it’s good that I no longer compete. For example, in Baku you can reach 360km/h between walls.
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    Rosberg flew over the top of Narain Karthikeyan in Abu Dhabi in 2012Credit: YouTube
    “Yes, there were moments in which I was afraid, because, unlike other pilots, I am not a daredevil.”
    He added: “I was afraid that I wouldn’t be fast enough if I kept going. And that at some point there wouldn’t be any team left that wanted me.”

    Rosberg suffered a huge crash in Abu Dhabi in 2012 when he collided with Narain Karthikeyan.
    He came away unscathed from the incident, but reflecting on moments such as these make him all the more pleased he stopped when he did.
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    He said: “It’s better to stop too soon than too late, I wanted to be able to decide for myself.”
    Rosberg is now a regular pundit for Sky Sports’ F1 coverage as he travels around the world following the sport.
    The ex-Mercedes man went on to add: “I always lived from one career to the next and never asked myself if I had more than my passions.
    “As a world champion and driver I was at the top, while in new projects you start from the bottom. That’s interesting and instructive.”
    Meanwhile, ex-team-mate Hamilton, 38, claimed four F1 titles in a row after Rosberg’s departure from the sport.
    But he faces a huge battle to clinch a record-breaking eighth championship as Red Bull and Max Verstappen have emerged as the dominant force in the paddock. More

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    Michael Schumacher’s family set to sue after German magazine’s shock ‘first interview with F1 star’ using AI chatbot

    MICHAEL Schumacher’s family are reportedly considering legal action against a magazine after it ran an AI-generated “interview” with the Formula One legend.The German publication Die Aktuelle portrayed the “interview” on its front page as the first-ever chat with the 54-year-old since he suffered a horror skiing accident almost a decade ago.
    Michael Schumacher’s family are considering legal action against a German magazineCredit: PA:Press Association
    Die Aktuelle touted the article as a ‘world first interview’Credit: Die Aktuelle
    Schuey’s wife Corinna has carefully guarded his privacy since his accidentCredit: Rex Features
    It promises not “half-sentences from friends” but “the incredible interview” with the F1 star including “redeeming answers to the most burning questions that the whole world has been asking for so long”.
    But only at the end of the piece does it reveal that the article was actually generated by an AI chatbot.
    The “world exclusive” sees the seven-time F1 champion Schumacher “open up” on his life since suffering a catastrophic brain injury during a family holiday in the French Alps in December 2013.
    In the piece, which the magazine claims “sounded deceptively real,” Schuey is purported to say: “My life has changed completely since [the accident]. That was a horrible time for my wife, my children and the whole family.”
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    The article continues: “I was so badly injured that I lay for months in a kind of artificial coma because otherwise, my body couldn’t have dealt with it all.”
    In the ghoulish piece, the AI chatbot even goes into the racer’s supposed recovery.
    Asked how he feels today, the AI says: “Much better than years ago. With the help of my team, I can even stand on my own again and even walk a few steps slowly.
    “My family and children have been a blessing to me and without them, I would not have been in business.
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    “Of course, they are very sad about how everything went, but unfortunately, that’s life and I just have to endure the fact that things sometimes go badly.
    “They support me and stand fast at my side.”
    Schumacher has not been seen in public since his accident, and his family have carefully guarded his privacy at his home in Switzerland.

    Die Aktuelle shared the “interview” on its front cover featuring a picture of a smiling Schuey and the headline: “Michael Schumacher, the first interview.”
    The tagline reads: “It sounded deceptively real.”
    The interview with Schumacher is an exclusive nonsenseBoris RosencrantzGerman blogger
    At the end of the article, it is revealed that the quotes were all produced by an AI chatbot.
    The piece has sparked a furious reaction from Schumacher’s family.
    A family spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that they are taking legal action against the publication.
    Many others have slammed the piece as distasteful and insensitive.
    German blogger Boris Rosencrantz, who writes for news site Ubermedien, hit out at the Funke media group which owns Die Aktuelle.
    He wrote: “The Funke media group actually wants the rubbish it dumps into the world to be understood as a journalistic product.
    “Die Aktuelle delivers ‘exciting and, above all, serious reports about stars, VIPs and the nobility,’ writes the publisher.
    “But how you type something like that on a website without it immediately seeing red is unclear.”
    The four-time F1 champion hasn’t been seen in public since his 2013 skiing injuryCredit: AFP
    He went on: “There are ‘sentimental reports without sensationalism’ and ‘exclusive photos and interviews’ in the magazine, writes Funke media group.
    “The latter is true insofar as photos in Die Aktuelle are sometimes exclusively manipulated and the interview with Schumacher is an exclusive nonsense.”
    This is not the first time that Die Aktuelle has got into hot water with the Schumachers.
    In 2014, the magazine posted a photo of Michael and his wife Corinna on his front cover with the headline “Awake”.
    But the article was in fact about other people who have awoken from comas in the past.
    The following year, the magazine ran a front cover saying that Corinna had a “new love”, only for the piece to actually be about the couple’s daughter, Gina.
    Die Aktuelle later won a legal case against the Schumachers over the piece.
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    Corinna told a 2021 Netflix documentary how important it was that her husband’s privacy was protected at all times.
    “Private is private,” she said. “Michael always protected us, and now we are protecting Michael.” More

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    Michael Schumacher ‘interview’ cooked up by mag using AI makes ghoulish claims on star’s health as fans slam sick stunt

    AN AI generated version of Michael Schumacher has been used by a German magazine to create ghoulish claims about his health in a fake interview. German magazine Die Aktuelle has been slammed for its latest front cover which claimed to feature the F1 legend’s “first exclusive interview.”
    The front cover claimed to have an exclusive interview with Michael Schumacher
    The twisted interview was supposed to be the first one since his accidentCredit: AFP
    The magazine mocked up Michael’s answers using an AI computer program
    The twisted magazine featured a smiling Schumacher on the cover and claimed to contain a “world exclusive” interview – his first since his horrific ski accident in 2013.
    The magazine has been branded “tasteless” after it revealed that the entire interview was the work of an artificial intelligence programme.
    Die Aktuelle did not say the interview was AI generated in the article – and it is only made clear in the body text on the double page spread.
    The disturbing article, titled “My life has completely changed,” starts: “The chance to talk to him once. To ask him how he’s really doing.”
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    It promises it is not a story based on “half-sentences from friends” but it’s “the incredible interview” with the F1 star with “redeeming answers to the most burning questions that the whole world has been asking for so long.”
    The rest of the article is written in Q&A form, with the AI making up the answers supposedly Michael would give.
    The AI spoke about Michael’s physical condition, his family and his future.
    Asked about his life following the crash, the AI replied: “My life changed completely after that.
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    “It was a horrible time for my wife, children and the entire family.
    “I myself was injured so badly that I was in an artificial coma for months because my body couldn’t have endured it all anymore .”
    The AI then responded to the question about the present and how the F1 star feels today to which it said “Much better than years ago.”
    “With the help of my team, I can even stand on my own again and even walk a few steps slowly…
    “My family and children have been a blessing to me and without them I would not have been in business.
    “Of course they are very sad about how everything went, but unfortunately, that’s life and I just have to endure the fact that things sometimes go badly.
    “They support me and stand fast at my side”.
    The AI proceeded to respond to questions about Michael’s children and said that of course he follows their careers and is very proud of both.
    It said: “My daughter has turned her hobby into a career and my son has followed in my footsteps with a lot of ability.
    “They make me and the whole family really proud.”
    And about a possible appearance in the future: “I have to be very careful because I don’t want people to think too much and, above all, anything wrong about me.”
    Even though they admit not actually speaking to Michael or his family, they note that the answers “sound deceptively real.”
    The story concludes with the anonymous writer saying if they had managed to speak to Michael himself it would have been a “real miracle.”
    The article was not well-received as the driver’s fans described it “tasteless” and “stupid.”
    Michael has been in a medically induced coma since 2013 and little has been known about his health ever since.
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    The seven-time-world champion remains at his home in Geneva, Switzerland.
    His close circle remain tight-lipped about his condition, with his wife Corinna reportedly imposing a “family only” rule on visits.
    Little is known about Schumacher’s health after the accidentCredit: Getty Images – Getty More