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      F1 Australian Grand Prix 2023: Date, UK start time, TV channel and stream as Red Bull look to continue their domination

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      RED BULL drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are both comfortably leading the drivers standings ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.Perez finished top of the podium at the more recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
      Red Bull’s Sergio Perez celebrates with a trophy on the podium after winning the Saudi Arabian Grand PrixCredit: REUTERS

      And Max Verstappen won the opening Grand Prix of the Formula 1 season in Bahrain.
      Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso has finished third on the podium at both races and also sits third in the standings.
      While Lewis Hamilton has finished 5th in both Grand Prix so far and feels that his Mercedes car can’t compete with the drivers from Red Bull.
      When is the Australian Grand Prix?

      The Australian Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday, April 2.
      The race is expected to begin at 6:00am UK time.
      The race will take place at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.

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      When is practice and qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix?

      Practice 1: Friday, March 31 at 2:30am – 3:30am UK time.
      Practice 2: Friday, March 31 at 6:00am – 7:00am UK time.
      Practice 3: Saturday, April 1 at 2:30am – 3:30am UK time.
      Qualifying: Saturday, April 1 at 6:00am – 7:00am UK time.

      What channel is the Australian Grand Prix on and can it be live streamed?

      The Australian Grand Prix will be shown live on Sky Sports F1 from 4:30am UK time.
      Sky Sports customers can live stream the race via the NOW app, which is available to download for free onto your mobile or tablet device.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to stay up to date with all the action. More

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      Christian Horner breaks silence on Lewis Hamilton to Red Bull rumours as Brit chases record eighth world title

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      CHRISTIAN HORNER has ruled out a Red Bull move for Lewis Hamilton.The legendary Brit is attempting to win a record eighth world title.
      Red Bull are not interested in making a move for Lewis HamiltonCredit: Rex
      Christian Horner reckons Mercedes are on the verge of a comebackCredit: Reuters
      Hamilton, 38, saw his last Formula One triumph come in 2020.
      The Mercedes ace was hoping to make a fast start in the new season after seeing rival Max Verstappen scoop the last two trophies.
      But Hamilton’s car remains an issue and has resulted in him taking successive fifth-place finishes.
      There are now question marks over the ace’s future at Mercedes, with teammate Lando Norris also struggling to impress.
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      And some reports claim Hamilton could make a stunning move to race alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.
      Merc team boss Toto Wolff has even given his blessing for the switch after struggling to agree a new contract with Hamilton.
      But Red Bull counterpart Horner has dismissed talk of a swoop by hailing Verstappen’s partnership with Sergio Perez.
      Horner said: “What Lewis has achieved in Formula One is second to none, but we’re very happy with the drivers that we have.
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      “They are committed as a pair not only this season but the next season as well. So I can’t see where we would be able to accommodate Lewis.
      “I’m sure they [Mercedes] are going to sort their issues out – we’re certainly not writing him off yet.
      “We’re hearing about big Mercedes upgrades, I’m sure Ferrari aren’t happy with their current position either. So we’re fully expecting things to converge quickly.
      “Some of the racing has been fantastic and we saw a great race again [in Saudi Arabia] between our two drivers.
      “If you have two dominant cars who are racing each other then I think that does create a spectacle in itself.
      “But I have no doubt that the opposition will be coming back quickly especially as we come back into the European season when updates start to come through.” More

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      ‘This guy should be banned’ – Watch shocking moment MotoGP rider completely wipes out rival as fans fume he’s a ‘danger’

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      MOTO GP has seen another shocking collision on its opening weekend as six-times world champion Marc Marquez wiped out home hero Miguel Oliveira. The pair were among the frontrunners in the first feature race of the season in Portugal.
      This was the moment Marquez collected Oliveira in a shocking shunt at turn threeCredit: Reuters
      Portuguese rider Oliveira was running in second but was left on the ground after the crashCredit: Reuters
      Marquez rushed to the aid of his fellow driver who had been thrown from his bike with terrifying forceCredit: Reuters

      But both would end up out of the race within the opening laps after an ill-judged lunge by Marquez.
      The Spaniard, 30, had taken a shock pole on his unfancied Honda bike yesterday.
      But he dropped back to fourth after a dodgy start.
      In a desperate attempt to make up positions, he flung himself down the inside his rivals as they approached one turn three.
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      But he hit second-placed Oliveira, who was competing in his home race.
      The heart-stopping crash saw both riders wiped out with Oliveira, 28, immediately falling off his bike before tumbling across the track.
      Both drivers reportedly picked up injuries from the clash.
      Fans were left fuming with Marquez’s risky move.
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      One said on Twitter: “He should be banned for at least one race… It’s unbelievable.”
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      Another said: “Let’s see if there’s a penalty….he need reigning in! So many times before he’s caused issues! He’s a liability.”
      Another unimpressed fan added: “That’s beyond amateurish” while a different motorsport viewer said: “M Marquez is becoming a liability and an clear and present danger on an MotoGP bike.”
      But one had praise for Marquez’s conduct after the accident.
      They said: “All class by MM. Immediately went to see if MO was okay. Didn’t even consider getting back on the bike. Cared about his fellow rider.”
      It was just the latest shunt in an error-strewn weekend for the MotoGP grid with two drivers ruled out of Sunday’s race after earlier incidents.
      Pol Espargaro suffered several serious injuries after he lost control of his KTM bike and was flung into the barriers.
      While Enea Bastianini sustained a fracture to his right shoulder blade after a crash with Luca Marini during Saturday’s sprint race.
      Both the sprint and the race were won by last year’s champion Francesco Bagnaia, as he looks to become the first man to retain his crown since Marquez in 2019. More

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      ‘Might want to put that out’ – Watch Nascar winner’s car burst into FLAMES after celebratory burnout leaves fans baffled

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      A NASCAR winner’s car burst into flames when his celebrations turned into a nightmare.Zane Smith, 23, secured a repeat victory at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
      Smith had the car up against the barrier to do the burnoutsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Thick smoke billowed out of the carCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The mudflaps burst into red-hot flamesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      It took 40 seconds for the firefighters to arriveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      And he was clearly delighted to get one over rival Kyle Busch that he attempted some burnouts on the track.
      A burnout is where the driver deliberately burns through the tyres after a race – either by keeping the car still and forcing serious wheel spin or doing doughnuts to heat the wheels and create a lot of smoke.
      But Smith’s efforts went very wrong.
      The Californian racing driver had completed his burnouts and got out of the vehicle to receive congratulatory hugs from his team and crew.
      READ MORE ON SPORT
      But the rear wheels were billowing out thick, dark smoke and then suddenly two fires broke out around the mudflaps.
      Incredibly, nobody seemed remotely bothered as Smith carried on celebrating amid whistles and camera operators capturing the NASCAR drama.
      And eventually after 40 seconds of burning, two firefighters got to work with their fire extinguishers to put them out.
      But the damage was already done and the car had to be towed away.
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      Smith, cheered on by his girlfriend McCall Gaulding, told FOX Sports: “Besides catching on fire in victory, that was a first for me.
      “Man, that’s a bummer right there… that’s easily the most hectic victory lane celebration I have ever had and I apologize for catching the truck on fire in victory lane.”
      But fans on Twitter were left baffled by the lack of urgency from those on the track.
      One said: “Yo why did it take them so long to get there with the extinguishers.”
      Another added: “Looks like some fire extinguisher training might be in order.”
      A third wrote: “I don’t like when they pull up to a wall and do those kind of burnouts, I had just told my husband how stupid I think these are when it burst into flames. I’d rather see the looping burnouts, the wall ones seem kinda cheap.”
      And a final user joked: “Really quick response with the fire extinguishers there!”
      Smith celebrated his win with girlfriend McCall GauldingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Smith seemed pretty unfazed by the whole incidentCredit: Alamy
      The damaged car needed to be towed awayCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      I died four times after horror car crash, says miracle speedway star

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      COURAGEOUS Lee Complin once died FOUR TIMES and now feels he is reborn again as a speedway rider.The gritty Yorkshireman, 38, admits that he is lucky to still be alive after a horrific car crash in May 2008.
      Lee Complin nearly died after a horror car crashCredit: Taylor Lanning
      Lee Complin (left)in action for Peterborough PanthersCredit: Alamy
      Complin flipped and rolled his Subaru Impreza on the A629 near Cullingworth, Bradford.
      Medics arrived at the scene and pronounced him dead — but he was resuscitated and rushed into an ambulance.
      He died three more times on the way to hospital and was saved each time.
      After a month on a life support machine, he somehow walked out of hospital.
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      Nearly 15 years later, he has made a remarkable fightback to fitness and starts a new speedway season for Glasgow and Mildenhall over the next fortnight.
      On the crash, Complin revealed: “I was in my Subaru Impreza in bad weather and can’t remember a thing. I must have hit a kerb, flipped and rolled.
      “I was pronounced dead at the scene, I’d snapped my neck clean in half.
      “They resuscitated me and then I died three times again on the way to the hospital in the ambulance.
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      “The doctors got my parents in to say goodbye to me.
      “I was on a life support machine and in intensive care for a month. I wasn’t getting better.
      “I wasn’t breathing for myself and every time they turned the machine off, I was going to die again.
      “They gave my parents an ultimatum to either keep my machine on or turn it off.
      “My mum was like, ‘No, you’re not turning it off’. My dad was, ‘Just turn it off’, as I wasn’t going to be able to function, walk, talk or eat even if I survived.
      “They had to drill through my skull three times to take the pressure off my brain.
      “But I made it through the night and, two weeks later, I had managed to become stable.
      “They cleared an infection on my chest, I started breathing for myself and eventually I came round. They said it wasn’t possible.
      “I was told I’d have to stay in hospital for a year and I had to rebuild myself.
      “But just a month later, I returned back home on the train. I walked out of the intensive care unit and the doctors and nurses couldn’t believe it — they said it was a miracle.
      “Doctors said the only reason I survived, defying all science, was because I was so fit.
      “I didn’t drink or smoke and my neck was that muscly that when it snapped, my shoulders stopped it moving.
      “Nothing scares me now because I believe everything happens for a reason. If I want something I’m going to do it as I shouldn’t really be here.”
      Complin says some of his determination comes from  his anger at being picked on at school and how that made him eventually turn to building up his body.
      He added: “I don’t like bullying but I was bullied at school and it wasn’t nice. Maybe it was because I was small at school and there were hard lads.
      “There were like the rugby lads or football lads. I was football and  because I didn’t play rugby, I was called a pansy. We had this banter and then it got a bit tense.
      “These rugby players were having a go and one time I just said, ‘Go on then’, and took them on.
      “Obviously I lost because there were four of them. But then I did training for about five or six months, went back to school and they were doing it again to me.
      “So again I told them, ‘Come on then’, and I did all four of them.”
      Complin now knows he has one last chance at speedway after missing over a decade — and he clearly wants to make it work.
      He added: “I had 11 years out from 2011 to 2022. I quit because I had family issues with my ex-partner. We had a child and it was difficult financially.
      “The bodybuilding came after I had to finish speedway in 2011.
      “I needed something to keep me busy and focused and I  started winning competitions.
      “It’s about dedication and you have to bulk up to 16 stone and then you go into competitions at 11 or 12 stone.
      “I had to eat 7,500 calories a day and in one sitting I’d have eight fried eggs and brown bread. I had to eat until I could not eat anymore.
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      “But now I’m over the moon to be back racing and those 11 years out was the time I needed to find my path.
      “I’m covered in tattoos and got one on my back after my car crash. It says, ‘What doesn’t kill me only makes me stronger’.”
      Lee Complin fought back from near death to race againCredit: Taylor Lanning
      Complin’s car was wrecked, but thankfully he survivedCredit: Supplied More

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      Biker in horrific crash as he’s flung into barrier and suffers fractured jaw and broken back in shocking Moto GP footage

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      MOTOGP rider Pol Espargaro suffered several serious injuries, including back and chest trauma, in a horrific crash at the Portuguese Grand Prix on Friday.The 31-year-old was flicked from his KTM bike in the closing stages of FP2 after losing control on the straight before turn 10.
      Espargaro suffered serious injuries in a horrific crash on FridayCredit: EPA
      The rider lost control on the straightCredit: Fox Sports
      He was then violently flicked from his bikeCredit: Fox Sports
      He then slid across the track at high speed before violently bouncing through the gravel trap and crashing into the barrier.
      Following the shocking scenes, the practice session was immediately red-flagged and Espargaro was tended to by trackside medics.
      After almost 30 minutes of treatment, the GasGas Factory rider was loaded into the back of an ambulance before being airlifted to a local hospital in Faro.
      MotoGP later confirmed that Espargaro had suffered a pulmonary contusion, jaw fracture and a fractured dorsal vertebra.
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      He slid at high speed across the track alongside his bikeCredit: Fox Sports
      Espargaro then bounced through the gravel trap before crashing into the barrierCredit: Fox Sports
      A doctor also revealed that despite the horrific nature of his injuries, Espargaro did not lose consciousness at any stage.
      Dr Angel Charte said: “He has had a high-energy fall with a large polytraumatic contusion at the level of the entire dorsal, lumbar and sacral spine.
      “We’ll have to see what the extent is once tests are done at the hospital in Faro.
      “Cervically, he is perfectly fine. Neurologically, he is fine, he has not lost consciousness at any time.
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      The Spaniard was taken to a local hospital in FaroCredit: Getty
      “We have not had to intubate him at any time and he has saturated well, but it is true that he has a strong pulmonary contusion.
      “He is conscious and oriented, a little sedated, but the neurological examination is perfectly normal.”
      Some MotoGP riders have since called for action to be taken in order to protect those involved in the sport.
      VR46 Ducati rider Luca Marini said: “Sincerely, the crash was very particular.
      “But in the conditions of today, it was possible. Because also myself, I felt it.
      “If you use too much rear brake on the uphill, you feel the rear slide, because there is no grip on track.
      “But every year is the same. In this track we need another [type of] gravel. But the track doesn’t change it.” More

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      Nelson Piquet fined £780,000 for racist and homophobic slurs at Lewis Hamilton by court in Brazil

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      NELSON PIQUET must pay £780,000 for racist and homophobic comments made against Sir Lewis Hamilton, a Brazilian court ruled on Friday.Piquet used a racial slur referring to the Brit F1 icon in a November 2021 interview.
      Nelson Piquet has been ordered to pay £780,000 in damages for comments he made about Lewis HamiltonCredit: AFP
      Piquet issues a grovelling apology to Hamilton after his comments surfacedCredit: Getty
      Video footage surfaced of Piquet making the vile slurCredit: Metropoles
      Piquet was commenting on Hamilton’s British Grand Prix crash with Max Verstappen, who is dating Piquet’s daughter, Kelly.
      Hamilton called for action to change “archaic mindsets” after footage of the interview surfaced on social media last June.
      The Brit legend wrote on Twitter at the time: “It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport.
      “I’ve been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”
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      Piquet then issued a grovelling apology to Hamilton.
      He said that his comments had been mistranslated.
      In another clip which surfaced later, Piquet used racist and homophobic language against Hamilton in a podcast interview when describing how Hamilton missed out on the 2016 championship to Nico Rosberg.
      And a Brazilian court has ruled Piquet must pay over three quarters of a million pounds in moral damages.
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      Hamilton, who was awarded honorary Brazilian citizenship last June, is F1’s only Black driver.
      The charges were brought by four human rights groups, including Brazil’s National LGBT+ Alliance, which wanted Piquet to pay £1.6million for alleged moral damages.
      In his decision, Judge Pedro Matos de Arrudo said the amount of compensation was given “in the sense that one should not only appreciate the reparative function of civil liability but also (and perhaps mainly) the punitive function so that, as a society, we can someday be free from the pernicious acts that are racism and homophobia”.
      Piquet himself is a three-time F1 world champion. More

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      Iconic F1 racetrack could be REPLACED with a brand new circuit being built in a different city

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      FORMULA ONE could replace one of it’s most iconic racetracks.Barcelona has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991, with the track seeing legends such as Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton win there multiple times.
      The circuit may no longer see wins from the likes of Lewis Hamilton after 2026Credit: AP
      The Barcelona track has competition from another venue in SpainCredit: Getty
      Last year the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya saw two-time World Champion Max Verstappen storm to victory and overtake Charles Leclerc in the Drivers’ standings on his wat to the title.
      But it could be replaced with a brand new track in another city when its contract to host expires in 2026.
      Madrid has reportedly made a bid to host the Spanish Grand Prix, publicly releasing a letter to F1 chief Stefano Domenicali.
      The letter, written by regional minister Enrique Lopez, asked Domenicali to help “bring Formula 1 to Madrid” and confirmed his “willingness to sign the appropriate agreements”.
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      The F1 boss gave his thoughts about the potential new venue at the recent launch of the F1 Exhibition in Madrid.
      He said: “They are working to bring a race here and F1 is delighted to have so many contenders, because this way we become more and more popular.”
      The closest the city has come to hosting was in 1981, when the Spanish GP was held in Jarama, 20 miles north of Madrid.
      It is unlikely Spain will hold more than one race on the calendar as the sport looks to increase its global presence.
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      However, Italy currently hosts two Grand Prix, at Imola and Monza.
      There will also be three races in the US this year after Las Vegas was added to the calendar alongside Austin and Miami.
      Domenicali admitted that having “two races in Spain is very complicated”, as meetings going over proposals for layouts around the Spanish capital continue to take place.
      The offer from Madrid also comes after the Spanish Grand Prix organisers drew criticism over their poor organisation during last year’s event at Barcelona.
      The 2022 race sold out, but organisers failed to prepare the venue for the number of fans, with traffic grinding to a halt outside the circuit as fans struggled to find parking.
      F1 released a statement calling the congestion issues “not acceptable”, and ordered the organisers to create a plan to avoid a similar disaster at this year’s race in June. More