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    Mercedes unveil Lewis Hamilton’s incredible new car with six upgrades costing £1m to help him challenge Max Verstappen

    LEWIS HAMILTON’S Mercedes team have unveiled the car they hope will allow him to fight Max Verstappen.Since scrapping this year’s design after the first 60-minute practice session in Bahrain, Merc chiefs have shuffled their design team and come up with a whole new package.
    Lewis Hamilton’s new car will hopefully be able to compete with Red BullCredit: PA
    Mercedes have spent £1m on the upgrades
    The radical changes have cost over £1million in parts alone – with the factory operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to get them ready in time.
    Verstappen’s Red Bull team have dominated this season winning all five of the opening races.
    Here, SunSport takes a look at the changes Mercedes have made in the hope of tackling the Dutchman.
    1. Sidepods
    The most obvious design change to Hamilton’s car. Perhaps almost smugly, Merc had thought they had come up with a revolutionary zero-side pod design in 2022.
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    They were the only team to do it – and blindly stuck with it for 15 months. Finally, they realised they were chasing a lost cause and reintroduced the bulbous parts of bodywork.
    The extra surface area will increase downforce and the new design meant the team had to redesign the car’s radiators that sit under the bodywork.
    It does mean the car is now slightly heavier by around 500 grams but it means that the new Silver Arrow looks more like their rivals.
    2. Front Suspension
    The second big change is the top of the wishbone suspension has moved inward and upwards.
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    The higher suspension has a number of benefits. Firstly, the improved airflow increases downforce but Merc also believe the change will improve the stability of the car under braking.
    That will increase their drivers’ confidence when stamping late on the brake pedal that the car will not skip out of line.
    A final benefit will result in the air running over the suspension into the sidepod and into the radiator to help with cooling.
    3. A New Floor
    In the past, F1 cars have relied on downforce, wind rushing over bodywork to press the car into the ground allowing the drivers to take corners quicker.
    This new generation of cars work in a different way where the primary aerodynamic principle is to suck the car to the ground.
    As a result, the front and rear wings are less intricate, but the underside of the car’s floor has become extremely crucial.
    It means that Merc have redesigned the underside of the car to accommodate the wider bodywork, without causing the return of porpoising – the dreaded bouncing we saw last year.
    4. Engine Cover
    With the redesigned floor and sidepods, the team have also reshaped the engine cover.
    This improves the downforce of air over the top of it, but also helps channel the air into the rear wing for more downforce.
    5. Rear Wing
    With the new volume of air passing over the car, the rear wing has been tweaked accordingly to take the increase.
    Like the other, larger body panels, the larger surface area will help to create more downforce, ultimately allowing the cars to tackle corners faster.
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    6. Rear Brakes
    The final big change sees the redevelopment of the brakes. The cylindrical shape – known as a cake tin – has been redesigned to work with the new airflow directions.
    The winglets channel air into the brake ducts to help with cooling them down and preserving brake wear. More

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    Lewis Hamilton’s former sporting director forced to deny claims Mercedes star is a ‘dirty’ driver

    LEWIS HAMILTON’S former sporting director has denied claims that the Mercedes star is a “dirty” driver.The seven-time Formula One world champion is currently enduring a miserable campaign following last season’s disappointment.
    Lewis Hamilton’s former chief has denied the Brit is a ‘dirty’ driverCredit: Getty
    However, before those troubles, the 38-year-old was involved in regular battles and incidents with rival Max Verstappen.
    Those reached a boiling point in 2021 before the Brit missed out on a record-breaking eighth in the heartbreaking Abu Dhabi 2021 finale.
    Hamilton and his foe, who is currently topping this year’s championship, had a number of crashes as the likes of Silverstone, Monza and Saudi Arabia.
    Both drivers did not hide their anger towards the other’s antics and with many labelling their actions “reckless” and “dirty”.
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     But Sam Michael, who has held senior positions with F1 constructors Williams and McLaren told the Beyond the Grid podcast: “Some people need the confidence to say that there’s some other reason why they didn’t perform.
    “They want to process it so that they’re the best and I get that their ego and confidence requires them to say something else must have happened for me not to win that race or for me to do this or that.
    “Having said that, I don’t think Lewis was like that from my experience of working with Lewis at McLaren.
    “Because there’s a downside to being like that which is that you may not properly process your weaknesses and I’d have to say Lewis is very good at that.”
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    Michael added: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do something that you think ‘that was dirty’.
    “Even looking at the recent stuff with him and Max, he goes out of his way to not do stuff.
    “So he [Verstappen] might do things where [he’s] putting the car into a position where it’s like ‘you do this and we crash.’ You don’t see Lewis do that to you.”
    Hamilton will be hoping to bounce back from his disappointing start to this season at this weekend’s Monaco GP. More

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    Lewis Hamilton edging closer to signing £50MILLION contract as he looks to end wild speculation over his future

    LEWIS HAMILTON wants to have his new Mercedes deal tied up within the next few weeks to end wild speculation about his future.Hamilton says he has enlisted his management team to handle negotiations with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff after telling them his demands, believed to include wages of around £50million per season.
    Lewis Hamilton has been linked with a shock move away from MercedesCredit: AFP
    The 38-year-old, who has always maintained it is his intention to commit to a new deal, also says his decision will not be influenced by the team’s winless run.
    He said: “When you are in contract negotiations there is always going to be speculation. And unless you hear it from me, that’s all it is.
    “My team is working closely behind the scenes with Toto and we are almost at the point of having the contract ready.
    “I’m having the team focused on that so I can just do my job. It’s a much better position than I used to be in before, because I used to do the negotiations on my own and it was very stressful. I don’t have to do that anymore.
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    “I have a great team doing all the work. I say what I want and that is what we are working towards. Hopefully [it will be signed] in the coming weeks.”
    After ruling out any advances from rival teams, Hamilton said Mercedes’ current predicament will not alter his feelings.
    And he says there is renewed hope they will be able to turn their hopes around after bringing a whole host of new parts to improve performance at this week’s Monaco GP.
    Hamilton, who walked into the paddock with gold “grillz” across his teeth, added: “No, it doesn’t have a bearing.
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    “We are still a championship winning team, it’s just we’ve had the wrong car and made some decisions over the past few years that have not been ideal.
    “We are working through that and all the energy is going towards the new upgrade this weekend.
    “The team has worked incredibly hard to bring this upgrade and we already decided after Bahrain it was what we are going to do.
    “I was a little bit gutted when the last race got cancelled because I was excited to try this new package, and while here is not the best platform track wise to really see those come to fruition, we will hopefully experience that more next week.”
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    Hamilton is set to sign a new £50million deal with Mercedes and end speculationCredit: Getty
    Meanwhile, Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell has confirmed he has swapped London for living in Monaco.
    He said: “I’ve been here for over five or six months now really, really enjoying it to be honest. It exceeded my expectations.
    “Being a kid from the country, growing up in a field and looking at grey skies and nothing other than a Labrador, to being here…
    “It’s a great community – got some good friends, jumping in the sea every single day and training in the sunshine.
    “It’s probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my life to be honest, so I am very glad to have moved here.” More

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    F1 star Charles Leclerc drops major Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari hint as he’s asked what he looks for in a team-mate

    CHARLES LECLERC has dropped a major hint about Lewis Hamilton’s future.The Mercedes driver is facing an uncertain future at his current F1 team with his contract winding down.

    Charles Leclerc looked to Lewis Hamilton after being asked what qualities he wants in a team-mateCredit: Splash
    Leclerc’s response prompted a smiling response from the BritCredit: Splash
    The seven-time world champion sees his contract at Mercedes expire at the end of this season.
    And track rivals Ferrari are reportedly keen to make a move for the Brit and are readying a £40million offer.
    And potential future team-mate Leclerc has hinted that Hamilton could be on his way to the Italian team in a press conference.
    When asked what he looks for in a team-mate, he looked at the Brit and chuckled as he said: “Hello Lewis.”
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    The moment was enjoyed by Hamilton as he could be seen with a big grin on his face in response.
    Reports from Forbes suggest that Verstappen has overtaken Hamilton as the highest-earner in F1.
    Bonuses saw him take home £49.4million last year while Hamilton pocketed £45.3million.
    The bid from Ferrari could be upped or include huge bonuses that would take his wage back above Verstappen’s.
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    However, Silver Arrows chief Toto Wolff insists Hamilton wants to commit to the team.
    Hamilton himself has outlined his intention to remain with the Silver Arrows.
    At the Azerbaijan GP, he did admit: “I’d be lying if I said I’d never thought about ending my career anywhere else.”
    It is believed Hamilton will decide his future based on which team gives him the greatest chance of winning an eighth title.
    New Mercedes upgrades will be introduced at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend including a new floor, front suspension and sidepod.
    Should the modifications prove a success, Hamilton may have faith he can rival Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez next season. More

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    Former F1 world champion looks unrecognisable without iconic hairstyle as he continues racing career at 52

    A FORMER F1 champion is unrecognisable as he continues his racing career at 52.The Canadian driver won the F1 World Championship back in 1997.
    A former F1 world championship winner is unrecognisableCredit: Splash
    He was one of the two drivers for the Williams F1 team, when he beat racing legend Michael Schumacher to the title.
    He was the first driver from Canada ever to win the World Championship.
    The driver left Williams in 1999 as he switched teams to British American Racing for the next four years.
    He finished his F1 career with a two-year stint at Renault and Sauber between 2004 and 2006.
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    After leaving F1, the Canadian entered NASCAR in the US, winning two races from 23 starts.
    Throughout his career, he has also written lyrics for songs, and in 2005 he rented a professional recording studio in Paris to hear his music better.
    The same year he released the song Accepterais-tu, and in 2007 he released the acoustic rock album, Private Paradise.
    However, 16 years later, he is now unrecognisable without his iconic bleached blonde hairstyle.
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    And the driver is, of course…Jacques Villeneuve.
    He looks very different from his prime with his now balding head.
    He has continued to race up until now as he often competes in the European NASCAR series.
    Villeneuve was expected to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours next month.
    Jacques Villeneuve looks very different now from when he was competing in F1Credit: EPA
    However, his team, Floyd Vanwall Racing, have benched him in favour of IMSA SportsCar Championship race winner Tristan Vautier.
    Villeneuve’s deal with Vanwall is believed to run for the rest of the current season, though it is not certain he will return to the track after Le Mans. More

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    I’m OnlyFans’ sexiest F1 influencer – footballers slide into my DMs but none have managed to woo me yet

    IESHA PIRITO is making a name for herself as F1’s sexiest influencer.The OnlyFans star has accumulated over 40k followers on Instagram, with many loving her content.
    Iesha Pirito is one of the most popular OnlyFans stars and F1 influencersCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    Ferrari is her favourite F1 teamCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    She appears to be a Chelsea – and Mason Mount – fan tooCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    Iesha, 23, describes herself as a “lil F1 spice” and is a massive Ferrari fan.
    And her raunchy pictures have seen her climb into the top 0.13 per cent of content creators on the adult website.
    She has also gained a huge following on TikTok and is aiming to break into the top much targetted 0.00 per cent.
    The Brit has also revealed that her content has attracted interest from some stars from motorsport and football.
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    She told the Daily Star: “I’ve had a few individuals involved in motorsport in my DMs.
    “And a few footballers, but none of them have managed to ‘woo’ me just yet…”
    Despite being one of the most popular creators, Iesha still aims to hit “new goals” that she has set for herself.
    She added: “Honestly, I still don’t feel like it’s ‘taken off’.
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    She has over 40,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    Iesha also has 239k followers on TiktokCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    “It’s so surreal some days, I just can’t fathom how far OnlyFans has allowed me to come.
    “It’s hard to judge from the inside if your account has really taken off, especially when you’re like me.
    “I always just look forward, look at what else I can achieve, and what new goals I can set myself.
    “I think I could become the top creator in the world, and I still wouldn’t feel like my account has taken off.”
    Iesha will not be attending the Monaco GP this weekend but will be entertaining fans with more content soon.
    She built her following with her raunchy picturesCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_
    Her pics send her growing army of fans wildCredit: Instagram / @ieshapirito_ More

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    Lewis Hamilton shows off gold teeth as Mercedes star rocks up at Monaco GP sporting new look

    LEWIS HAMILTON is going for gold in this weekend’s Monaco GP – after sporting some new gnashers.The Mercedes ace arrived in the paddock and flashed photographers his new gold teeth.
    Lewis Hamilton could be seen rocking the veneers in the paddockCredit: Alamy

    But they are not permanent – with Hamilton later placing them in his pocket as he revealed they were just veneers.
    However, he did claim he has thought about getting them done.
    The 38-year-old is closing in on discussions over a new deal with Mercedes worth around £50million a year.
    And he clearly upped the bling ahead of this week’s race in Monte Carlo.
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    Hamilton in Monaco ahead of this weekend’s Grand PrixCredit: Splash
    The Brit sits fourth in the drivers’ standings after five racesCredit: Splash
    Hamilton, who has landed in trouble with the FIA for his nose piercings in the past, is likely to escape another ticking off as the rules do not account for dentistry.
    Earlier this week, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff reaffirmed his desire to tie seven-time world champion down to a new long-term deal.
    Hamilton, who sits fourth in the drivers’ standings, has insisted he will not retire until he secures a record-breaking eighth championship.
    But he has been linked with a £40million move to Ferrari.
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    In response, Wolff said: “These rumours come up every two years when we have to sign a new contract.
    “But none of this is true. We discuss normally, without any time pressure.
    “It’s just uncomfortable that two friends, two blood brothers who have been through thick and thin for ten years, suddenly have to discuss money.
    “I’m firmly convinced that we’ll find each other, there’s not a millimetre of doubt for me.
    “I can’t imagine anything else. If we give Lewis a competitive car, he will win for a long time. Look at Tom Brady and what he was still capable of in his 40s.” More

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    OnlyFans racing star Renee Gracie stuns fans in barely-there bikini as fans say she’s got ‘too many curves to count’

    ONLYFANS racing star Renee Gracie has stunned fans by wearing a barely-there bikini.The 28-year-old former Supercar driver has turned to adult entertainment in recent years.
    Renee Gracie has amassed a huge following on social mediaCredit: Instagram @onlyfansreneegracie
    The racing star’s curves sent the fans wild in this latest snapCredit: Instagram @onlyfansreneegracie
    She has also accumulated more than 200,000 followers on Instagram – where she regularly shares revealing snaps.
    And Gracie’s latest bikini shot, which was a tiny blue number, sent her followers into meltdown as she captioned it with: “How many curves can you see?”
    “You have too many curves to count,” declared one fan.
    Another replied: “Only as much as a man can handle. How the f*** did you squeeze all of them in that race suit . You’re so little in person.”
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    While another commented: “You have curves like no one have in this world.”
    Gracie walked away from racing in 2017 after driving in the Carrera Cup and Super2 events.
    She made the decision after not making enough money to continue her passion and instead changed her career to make the most of her good looks.
    But Gracie took to the wheel of her eye-catching OnlyFans branded car in the GT World Challenge Australia Series last month.
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    However, her first day back behind the wheel did not go exactly according to plan.
    She was second-slowest in practice in her Audi R8 LMS Ultra on a nightmare comeback.
    Gracie was over three seconds behind the quickest team in the second practice session – but she was not disheartened by her return to the track.
    She uploaded a snap to her Instagram story sitting on the bonnet of her car with the caption: “Great first day back on the track after 6 years!”
    Gracie has previously competed in the Bathurst 1000, one of Australia’s biggest races, on two occasions.
    Gracie quit being a aupercar driver and turned to adult entertainmentCredit: Instagram
    The star endured a nightmare return to racing last monthCredit: Instagram @onlyfansreneegracie More