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      F1 stars should not be treated like school kids and FIA need to rethink controversial new rules, says Lando Norris

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      LANDO NORRIS says F1 stars should not be made to feel like school kids as he calls on the FIA to rethink plans to punish drivers who make social and political comments.Norris has added his weight to a growing list of drivers and team bosses who want the FIA to overturn their controversial new rules.
      Brit Lando Norris fears the rule change will impede drivers giving adviceCredit: AFP
      F1’s governing body rewrote the rulebook to give them permission to impose penalties on drivers who make gestures without prior approval.
      It has led drivers to claim the FIA are trying to control them and Norris wants them to rethink their barmy plan.
      Speaking at the launch of this season’s car at McLaren’s HQ in Woking, he said: “It is very important that it is made clear that as drivers, we can still voice our opinions.
      “F1 should go in the direction of limiting what we can do and say and influence the drivers because we’re only wanting to do things for the best.
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      “We’re doing it because we have millions of fans and viewers who we want to influence and guide or to help them personally.
      “We should have freedom of speech. We should be able to say and do what we want. That’s what defines us as people is what makes us human.
      If we find things being blocked off and we cannot talk, then nobody will want to do media [interviews] because we might as well be turned into a robot and just say the same things over and over again.
      “We are only trying to help people in the world and give advice and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do that.”
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      Norris agreed with Williams’ Alex Albon that the threat needs looking at.
      He added: “There’s been quite a bit of pressure and enough said to maybe make a U-turn.
      “We should be able to say what we want and what we believe in. We are not in school and reaching up to ask about everything and say, ‘can we do this? Can we do that?’
      “We are grown up enough to try and make smart decisions. I think there’s enough drivers who have said things now to push back a little bit.”
      Williams’ Alex Albon has also urged F1 bosses to think againCredit: Reuters
      Norris is now going in for his fifth season in F1 and has another new teammate as Australian Oscar Piastri replaces countryman Daniel Ricciardo.
      It means Norris will become the team’s leader, a position he is excited to be stepping into.
      However, he knows he may not yet be in position to fight for regular wins as the team continues to develop.
      He said: “I definitely have more responsibility simply because I’m the one with more experience, both in Formula One but also with McLaren as a team.
      “I can use that a lot more than what Oscar would be able to and therefore my responsibility is to use that to our advantage.
      “I have the understanding that we don’t have everything we need at this current time to win races or to compete against the best teams in the world.
      “But if we can build a team over the last few years and do what we can this year to perform in every area, when we have those extra few things coming our way, then we can take that step with absolute performance.
      “I’m probably not the most patient guy in life, but it’s something you need to learn to have when you get to Formula One.
      “Until then, I’m just doing my job of trying to achieve everything I can one weekend at a time.”
      McLaren boss Zak Brown was also cautious about the team’s chances this season as they have set the goal of being the fourth-quickest team behind Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari.
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      He said: “Lando signed up for the long term because he knows the journey we’re on and this feels like family to him.
      “So long as we continue to progress, but we’re all we’re all impatient and there with him in our desire but we have to recognise it’s going to take a little bit more time.” More

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      Ex-F1 star Pascal Wehrlein taken to hospital after suffering horror crash in Formula E practice

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      PASCAL WEHRLEIN has been taken to hospital after being involved in a terrifying crash.The former Formula 1 driver now competes for Porsche in Formula E.
      Pascal Wehrlein lost control of his Porsche
      The car terrifyingly collided with the wall
      Wehrlein clambers out of his carCredit: Splash
      The scary incident occurred during a practice session ahead of the Hyderabad E-Prix.
      Wehrlein, 28, went into the weekend top of the leaderboard after the first three races of the season.
      But he suffered a huge blow earlier today, when he lost control of his Porsche on the track’s final corner.
      Wehrlein’s car spun out of control before producing a major thud as it hit the wall.
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      The horrendous smash caused huge damage to the car, and also prompted audible gasps from commentators Jack Nicholls and Karun Chandhok.
      Wehrlein thankfully came out of the crash unharmed, radioing his team to tell them that his car’s throttle had “got stuck” – causing the smash.
      He climbed out of his car without requiring assistance, but was taken to hospital anyway for precautionary checks.
      Examining how the crash came about, Chandhok said: “That doesn’t seem like driver error.”
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      Nicholls then added: “He said the throttle got stuck and, yeah, you can see the wheels are still spinning as he is having the rotation.”
      In order to further investigate the cause of the crash without putting their other drivers at risk, Porsche opted not to send them out until more tests were run.
      Wehrlein competed for Manor and Sauber in Formula 1 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
      He entered 40 races, picking up six points.
      Wehrlein’s car took huge damageCredit: Rex
      The German competes for Porsche in Formula ECredit: Rex More

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      Lewis Hamilton looks shredded ahead of new F1 season as Mercedes star trains to battle it out with Max Verstappen again

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      LEWIS HAMILTON showed off his ripped abs ahead of the new Formula One season. The seven-time world champion was back in the gym as he trains to try and challenge reigning champ Max Verstappen.
      Lewis Hamilton was back in the gym ahead of the new seasonCredit: https://www.instagram.com/stories/lewishamilton/3035020265306393661/?hl=en
      The 38-year-old’s fans refer to his topless pics as “thirst traps”Credit: Instagram / @lewishamilton
      But the seven-time champ has his focus squarely on clinching his eighth titleCredit: Alamy
      Hamilton’s most recent snap – shared to his Instagram story – saw him posing topless in the gym, and fans online were convinced they know what is coming next.
      A strange “curse” has befallen F1 whenever Hamilton posts what some fans refer to as a “thirst trap”.
      The curse in question refers to the departure drivers or staff surrounding the F1 grid.
      Last season, fellow drivers Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Nicholas Latifi all saw their F1 seats taken away within days of Hamilton posting a gym pic.
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      Former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto also saw his removal as team prinicipal coincide with one of Hamilton’s topless pics.
      Taking to Twitter, one fan said: “Who’s getting fired this time 👀.”

      A second said: “Someone’s getting fired 😁.”
      While a third commented: “Lewis Hamilton posted a thirst trap again, someone’s losing their job today i’m afraid.”
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      However, he is looking ahead to the new season with Mercedes set to reveal their W14 challenger for 2023 season on February 15.
      Hamilton spent his off-season travelling the Antarctic alongside A-list celebrities.
      It comes after he produced his worst-ever season in 2022 as he failed to win a single race.
      Meanwhile, Verstappen has won the last two F1 titles.
      The first being at the controversial expense of Hamilton’s would-be record eighth title, while strolling to the second in record-breaking dominance last year. More

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      Who is Sky Sports F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz?

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      FANS are gearing up for the 2023 Formula One season – and once again renowned pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz is set to accumulate a lot of screen time.Max Verstappen made all the headlines last season having run away with the title.
      Ted Kravitz on duty in the paddock for Sky Sports.Credit: Rex
      Ted Kravitz with F1 Show co-host Natalie Pinkham.Credit: Getty
      But someone who F1 lovers will see a lot on the track is Ted Kravitz.
      Who is Ted Kravitz?
      Born on March 21, 1974, Ted Kravitz was raised in Hammersmith, London.
      Kravitz, 48, has become synonymous with Formula One coverage due to his unique style and knack for finding himself in awkward situations.
      The F1 reporter is very popular amongst the drivers who enjoy his humorous approach and light-hearted demeanor.
      He started out at ITV back in 1997 initially as a producer and then became a pitlane reporter in 2002 before joining the BBC in 2009 as F1 moved its coverage.
      Kravitz left the BBC with Martin Brundle to join Sky Sports as their coverage of F1 began in 2012.
      As part of Sky’s coverage, Kravitz hosts the F1 Show with Natalie Pinkham and has his own segment called Ted’s Notebook.
      What controversy has Ted Kravitz previously been in?
      Kravitz has found himself in difficult situations during his time as a reporter and at the 2022 Austin Grand Prix his comments suggesting Lewis Hamilton was robbed of an eighth title didn’t go down well with Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
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      Verstappen and the entire Red Bull team boycotted Sky over the Mexico Grand Prix weekend due to what they called disrespectful reporting.
      And during his post-qualifying in Singapore, Kravitz was asked to leave the media zone before protesting to officials.
      His 2022 season also ended in an awkward exchange with Nico Hulkenberg as the German driver declaring he didn’t think Kravitz liked him.
      But the F1 reporter quickly shut that down by claiming the driver is in fact one of his favourites. More

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      When does the F1 2023 season start? Bahrain Grand Prix date, start time, stream, TV channel

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      THE 2023 Formula One season get’s underway with the Bahrain Grand Prix next month, with Max Verstappen aiming to become a triple World Champion. Red Bull dominated the 2022 season as they won 17 of 22 races with Verstappen taking a whopping 15 victories and team mate Sergio Perez two.
      Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo at the launch of Red Bulls 2023 car.Credit: AFP
      Charles Leclerc on the podium at last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.Credit: Rex
      The pressure will be on new Ferrari team principle Fred Vasseur to deliver a title winning car as The Scuderia look for their first drivers title since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
      The 2022 car was fast but unreliable with Charles Leclerc taking 3 victories whilst Carlos Sainz took his maiden F1 win at Silverstone.
      Mercedes had a difficult 2022 season with the Brackley outfit only registering a solitary victory courtesy of George Russell at Interlagos.
      Lewis Hamilton failed to win a race for the first time in his Formula One career in 2022 and will be desperate to get back on the top step of the podium in 2023.

      Elsewhere on the grid Fernando Alonso replaced the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, Nico Hulkenburg returned to the sport with Haas, Pierre Gasly joined Alpine, Nyck de Vries joined Alpha Tauri, Oscar Piastri replaced Daniel Ricciardo at Mclaren and Logan Sargeant joined Williams.
      When is the Bahrain Grand Prix?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, March 5.
      The race will begin at 3pm UK time.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      The Bahrain Grand Prix will be live on Sky Sports F1 with highlights on Channel 4.
      You can live stream the race on the Sky Go app which you can download on your tablet or mobile device.

      What are the teams and drivers?

      Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
      Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
      Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
      Alpine: Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly
      Mclaren: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
      Alpha Tauri: Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries
      Alfa Romeo: Valterri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou
      Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
      Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg
      Williams: Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant

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      FIA President Ben Sulayem GIVES UP ‘hands-on control’ of F1 and faces fight to stay in office after controversies

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      FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has given up his hands-on-control of Formula One following several controversies. The 61-year-old now reportedly faces a battle to remain in his position.
      Mohammed Ben Sulayem is giving up with hands-on approach to his presidencyCredit: PA
      Ben Sulayem made the unexpected announcement via a letter he sent to team chiefs earlier this week.
      The Daily Mail claim that he remains in his position as one of the most powerful people in motorsport but he is taking a step back following criticism from allies.
      The former rally champion from the United Arab Emirates always planned to take a backseat as chief.
      However, he was often in the public eye during last season, handing out trophies on the podium and mingling with drivers on the starting grid.
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      Ben Sulayem’s letter read: “My stated objective was to be a non-executive president via the recruitment of a team of professional managers, which has now been largely completed. 
      “Therefore, going forward, your day-to-day contact for all matters on F1 will be with Nikolas [Tombazis, director of single-seater racing] and his team.
      “I will focus on strategic matters with my leadership team.”
      His decision comes after much disapproval and seeing his popularity decrease amongst some in recent weeks.
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      Sexist comments made by him on a website in 2001 have resurfaced where he claimed that “women who think they are smarter than men, for they are not in truth”.
      The FIA jumped to his defence, saying the remarks did not represent his true beliefs.
      There has also been a controversy over a potential sale of the sport to Saudi Arabian investors.
      F1 executives slammed Ben Sulayem for speaking out on the deal, which has supposedly further damaged the wedge between current owners Liberty Media and the FIA.
      And during the off-season, he demanded drivers stay silent on social issues and not “impose their beliefs” on others.
      Lewis Hamilton will refuse to remain quiet. More

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      Who is World Superbike legend Carl Fogarty?

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      CARL FOGARTY is a World Superbike legend who took the sport by form – and he ironically goes by the nickname of “Foggy”.The MBE has earned multiple awards for holding the second highest number of race wins ever.
      Carl Fogarty is World Superbike legendCredit: Jayne Russell – The Sun
      And Carl’s name will once again be on the lips of many as his daughter Claudia is set to enter the Love Island villa in South Africa.
      Find out more about Carl Fogarty below…
      Who is Carl Fogarty?
      Born on July 1, 1965, Carl Fogarty was raised by former World Superbike father George in Blackburn, England.
      Backed by his funding father, Carl enjoyed riding bikes from a young age but his competitive debut did not come until 14.
      Foggy soon progressed on to the international stage before becoming the Formula 1 TT world champions at just 23.
      And his name began to hit the headlines having achieved a double Isle of Man race triumph alongside winning the world cup – something which not even his father had achieved.
      In 1991, Carl got a shot at his first World Superbike Championship representing Honda UK where he finished seventh overall.
      But two years later, Fogarty began his Ducati riding era which led to a famous first 1994 World Superbike Championship win for the Englishman.
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      Fogarty went on to secure a staggering 59 race wins, bagging four world titles and becoming a Member of the Order of the British Empire before retiring in 2000.
      Is Carl Fogarty married and does he have children?
      Carl Fogarty has been married to wife Michaela since 1991 and they live in Lyntham St.Annes, Lancashire.
      The lovebirds have two daughters together – Danielle and Claudia.
      Claudia will be featuring on Love Island 2023.
      What does Carl Fogarty do now?
      Carl founded the Foggy Petronas team in the World Superbike Championship in 2002 – the same year Ducati released a limited edition model in honour of the racing legend.
      Carl Fogarty became King of the Jungle on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!Credit: Jayne Russell – The Sun
      However, the Foggy Petronas was scrapped in 2006 after it was labelled as not competitive.
      But in 2014, Carl’s name was on the lips of many once again as the World Superbike serial winner won the fourteenth series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! More

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      ‘It was exhausting’ – Lewis Hamilton’s rivalry with Valtteri Bottas drove Mercedes star to the edge

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      VALTERRI BOTTAS has opened up about the five seasons he spent as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes. The Finnish driver admitted he found the desperation to beat the seven-time world champion to a title “exhausting”.
      Valterri Bottas has conceded that competing with Lewis Hamilton was toughCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bottas, 33, joined Mercedes for the 2017 season to replace Nico Rosberg, who retired after beating Hamilton a year earlier.
      The driver, now with Alfa Romeo, finished second and third two times each in the F1 standings behind Hamilton.
      He told journalist Maria Veitola it was tough to come to terms with the fact the Brit was better than him.
      Bottas said: “For such a competitive nature, it was hard to accept.
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      “It was only in the last year that I could accept that Lewis Hamilton was a better driver.
      “I always wondered how I could beat him and win the world championship.
      “It was quite an exhausting five years. I wanted to win everything right away, and then when it didn’t happen, it was hard to accept.”
      Mercedes chief Toto Wolff previously said he thought it was correct to let Bottas go at the end of the 2021 season.
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      Wolff said: “I think that it was a good moment for Valtteri to leave the team because the pressure was enormous on him and he didn’t want to be a wingman.
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      “I think having released him from that pressure, now he’s racing with Alfa, it is completely different and he seems also happier rather than this pressure cooker at Mercedes.”
      Bottas also recently opened up about suffering with an eating disorder earlier in his career.
      He was in a slower car last season with the Italian constructors and finished 10th in last term’s standings.
      Hamilton is now partnered by George Russell at Mercedes. More