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      ‘Have you still got it?’ – Lewis Hamilton emotionally reveals he fears he’ll never win another F1 title after tough 2022

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has revealed he often doubts whether he still has what it takes to win another Formula 1 world title.The Brit, 38, sits alongside Michael Schumacher as the most decorated racer in the sport’s history with seven championships to his name.
      Lewis Hamilton endured a winless season in 2022 for the first time in his careerCredit: Reuters
      He came within a whisker of a landmark eighth title in 2021, only to be overtaken by Max Verstappen on the last lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi.
      Then last year, Hamilton endured a difficult season as he finished sixth in the standings behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell and a huge 214 points adrift of champion Verstappen.
      He also failed to win a race in the entire season for the first time in his 15-year F1 career.
      Hamilton will be hoping for improvement in 2023, but admits he does sometimes question his own ability.
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      Speaking on the Jay Shetty podcast, he said: “There are days where I do feel like I’m not enough, there are days where I don’t feel like I’m good enough.
      “People can be like, ‘Yeah, but you’ve won seven world titles’ but still there are days where I question ‘have you still got it, can you still be the best?’
      “I’m having that conversation with myself often. But my dad’s also there. Sometimes I’ll say something that’s maybe not the most positive.
      “And he’ll be the one there just reaffirming ‘you’ve got this, believe in yourself’.
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      “It’s so important for people to have people like that around them. I support myself, I surround myself with other positive people as well.
      “I think it’s all our job to lift everyone up. I want everyone around me to win, and to become the best versions of themselves.”
      The first race of the 2023 season takes place in Bahrain on March 5.
      And Hamilton will be hoping he can make the perfect start to the campaign by adding to his 103 F1 victories.
      The Stevenage-born driver has won more Grands Prix than anyone else, with Schumacher the closest to him on 91.
      Hamilton’s existing deal with Mercedes expires at the end of 2023.
      But the Silver Arrows are confident he will pen an extension to keep him with the team for the foreseeable future. More

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      Lewis Hamilton reveals reason behind splitting from dad as manager as Mercedes star prepares for new F1 season

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has opened up on the reasoning behind his split from his dad as his manager. During the early days of his record-breaking Formula One career, Hamilton was managed by his father Anthony.
      Lewis Hamilton has revealed the reasons behind him splitting with his dad shortly after getting into F1Credit: Reuters
      Anthony Hamilton managed his son until 2010Credit: AP:Associated Press
      The seven-time champion revealed the pressure to succeed had put strain on their personal relationshipCredit: Getty
      This paid dividends early on, with Hamilton winning the 2008 title with McLaren in just his second year in the sport – with his debut season seeing him only narrowly miss out on the title to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
      Consequently, it came as a surprise to many when Hamilton suddenly split from his dad as his manager in 2010.
      Speaking on the On Purpose podcast, Hamilton explained the decision, revealing the pair’s professional relationship from karting and into F1 had put strain on an otherwise strong bond.
      He said: “The thing with my dad was he was my manager all the way. We got to Formula One, and he worked so hard.
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      “His work ethic was inspiring for me, seeing how hard he worked, the time he gets up in the morning, the little sleep that he would have, ending the day in the garage, working on the go-kart, preparing for the weekend, packing up the truck and getting us to where we are.
      “Mechanic-ing and learning to be a better mechanic and still weighing all these different things. It was quite phenomenal to see.
      “But I think it was difficult for him to then show me love.
      “Sometimes you just want a hug from your dad or, when you’re facing these things, you want to be able to be embraced.”
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      Hamilton explained that once he entered the “pit” that is F1, the pressure to succeed caused him and his father to become more distant emotionally.
      He added: “At the time, I didn’t have management other than my dad, and my step-mum booked flights and trips.
      “But I didn’t have PR, I didn’t have anybody to help protect me or prepare me for things.
      “Driving, I was good, I will say. But, in these things, is where a lot of mistakes happened.
      “You’ve got all the media attention, so you’re just learning on the go, which was very difficult for a youngster I think.
      “Also you just want to try and live some sort of normal life, but nothing is normal for you at the time.
      “The thing for me and my dad – we were just really bumping heads at one stage.
      “It was like ‘I really just want you to be my dad, let’s go and have fun, let’s go and have a laugh’. We hadn’t had that for a long, long time.
      “So, eventually, I decided to part ways from my dad and I was like, ‘I’m gonna start making some of the decisions for myself and the mistakes that I’m gonna need to make’.”
      In the end, the decision proved to be inspired as Hamilton went on to win another six world championships after joining Mercedes in 2013.
      Hamilton is congratulated by his dad after winning the title in 2014Credit: Getty

      It also allowed for a cooling-off period between him and his dad, with the 38-year-old admitting it took time to mend their fractured relationship.
      He said: “There was definitely a period of time where we spoke less.
      “But we both have worked so hard to come back together and we have one of the greatest relationships (now) – he’s the first person I want to call when I finish a race.
      “Because I know he knows what it’s like, he was there from day one.”
      Hamilton also added that his dad has been important for him in overcoming recent struggles on the track.
      Those include his Abu Dhabi GP heartbreak in 2021 when Max Verstappen pipped him to the title – which led to the now-famous image of Anthony hugging Lewis in the paddock.
      Hamilton added: “There are days where I do feel like I’m not enough, there are days where I don’t feel like I’m good enough.
      “People can be like, ‘Yeah, but you’ve won seven world titles’ but still there are days where I question ‘have you still got it, can you still be the best?’
      “I’m having that conversation with myself often. But my dad’s also there. Sometimes I’ll say something that’s maybe not the most positive.
      “And he’ll be the one there just reaffirming ‘you’ve got this, believe in yourself’.
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      “It’s so important for people to have people like that around them. I support myself, I surround myself with other positive people as well.
      “I think it’s all our job to lift everyone up. I want everyone around me to win, and to become the best versions of themselves.” More

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      Sky Sports favourite Johnny Herbert leaves F1 coverage after 11yrs alongside Paul di Resta after posting cryptic tweet

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      JOHNNY HERBERT and Paul Di Resta won’t be part of Sky Sports’ Formula One coverage next season.Former Jaguar and Sauber star Herbert recently sparked intense speculation around his future with a cryptic Instagram post of Sky’s presenting team.
      Johnny Herbert has left Sky Sports’ Formula One broadcast teamCredit: THE SUNDAY TIMES
      Former Force India ace Paul Di Resta has also left SkyCredit: GETTY
      His accompanying caption, which raised several eyebrows, read: “Going to miss the team.”
      And his departure has since been confirmed by Sky, with a spokesperson telling The Mirror: “Johnny has been an integral part of our Formula 1 team since the very first season on Sky Sports in 2012.
      “We will miss his humour and big personality and thank him for his energy and enthusiasm over the last 11 years.
      “Everyone wishes him all the best for the future.”
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      Herbert, 58, doesn’t plan to leave the sport of F1, telling Last Lap Lucy: “I’m not with Sky this year, unfortunately.
      “But there are other things I’ll be getting involved with.
      “I’ll be at Silverstone for sure, and the Monaco Grand Prix.
      “I’m hoping to get to Le Mans as well this year, because that’s going to be a big event this time around.
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      “I’m doing a bit of karting – not racing, just testing.
      “My son-in-law wants me to race but I don’t really want to, but you’ll probably see me on a go-kart track near you.
      “I’ve got various things going on.
      “I’m enjoying things on the track and also life off the track as well.”
      Former Force India Di Resta has yet to address his departure from Sky’s F1 broadcast team.
      Jenson Button, Nico Rosberg, Naomi Schiff, Martin Brundle, Damon Hill, Karun Chandhok, Anthony Davidson, Natalie Pinkham, Ted Kravitz, Danica Patrick, Simon Lazenby, David Croft and Rachel Brookes will make up Sky’s F1 team for the upcoming season. More

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      Max Verstappen’s stunning girlfriend Kelly Piquet shows off amazing beach body in £15 PrettyLittleThing swimsuit

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      TWO-TIME Formula One world champion Max Verstappen’s stunning girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, showed off her amazing beach body in a £15 PrettyLittleThing swinsuit. Verstappen, 25, has been dating Kelly, who’s the daughter of F1 legend Nelson Piquet, for just over two years.
      Kelly Piquet showed off her beach body in a swimsuitCredit: Splash
      The daughter of F1 legend, Nelson Piquet, is the girlfriend of two-time champion Max VerstappenCredit: Splash
      The 34-year-old is a mother of one from a previous relationshipCredit: Splash
      Kelly wore a £15 PrettyLittleThing swimsuit on the Miami beachCredit: Splash
      Kelly is a Vogue modelCredit: Splash
      The pair both live in Monaco and share two Bengal cats.
      Kelly, 34, is a mother of one to three-year-old Penelope, whose father is former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
      Following Kvyat’s Red Bull demotion to Toro Rosso in 2016, he was replaced by then teenage hotshot Verstappen.
      But before boyfriend Verstappen starts his campaign to win back-to-back-to-back F1 world championships, Kelly took to the beaches of Miami.
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      The Brazilian beauty soaked up the sun in a £15 PrettyLittleThing swimsuit, showing off her stunning figure.
      Vogue model Kelly will be back in the paddock from March with the 2023 season starting in Bahrain.
      Pre-season testing gets underway next month in the Middle East.
      Dad Nelson most likely won’t be seen after coming under fire for using disgraceful slurs while referencing British F1 hero, Lewis Hamilton, during a podcast appearance in November 2021.
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      His words came to light before last season’s British Grand Prix.
      Brazilian Piquet apologised for his despicable words and has been condemned by F1.
      F1 said his comments are “unacceptable in any form and has no part in society”.
      Kelly and Verstappen started dating in 2020Credit: Splash
      Kelly can regularly be seen in the F1 paddockCredit: Splash
      The F1 season starts in March with pre-season testing taking place next monthCredit: Splash
      Kelly lives in Monaco, as does boyfriend Verstappen, and they share two catsCredit: Splash
      Verstappen is hoping to win a third consecutive world titleCredit: Getty More

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      Lewis Hamilton opens up on school racism hell as F1 legend reveals he had bananas thrown at him and was called ‘n-word’

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      LEWIS HAMILTON said he had bananas thrown at him and was repeatedly called the “n-word” at school.The seven-time Formula One world champion, who was born and educated in Stevenage, detailed the racial abuse in the On Purpose podcast, released on Monday.
      Lewis Hamilton has opened up over the racist abuse he received at schoolCredit: AFP
      The 38-year-old, who is preparing for his 17th season in F1, said: “For me, school was the most traumatising and most difficult part of my life.
      “I was already being bullied at the age of six. At that particular school I was one of three kids of colour and just bigger, stronger, bullying kids were throwing me around a lot of the time.
      “And the constant jabs, the things that are either thrown at you, like bananas, or people that would use the n-word just so relaxed. People calling you ‘half-caste’ and not knowing where you fit in. That for me was difficult.
      “In my (secondary) school there were six or seven black kids out of 1,200 kids and three of us were put outside the headmasters’ office all the time. The headmaster just had it out for us – and particularly me.
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      “I felt the system was up against me and I was swimming against the tide. There were a lot of things I suppressed.
      “I didn’t feel I could go home and tell my parents that these kids kept calling me the n-word, or I got bullied or beaten up at school today, I didn’t want my dad to think I was not strong.”
      Hamilton remains F1’s sole black driver. He has established Mission 44 – which aims to enhance the lives of people from under-represented groups – and Ignite, a joint enterprise with his Mercedes team to improve diversity and inclusion in motor racing.
      Meanwhile, the British driver is entering the final year of his £40million-a-season deal with Mercedes.
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      But it is anticipated that he will stay on the grid beyond his 40th birthday by signing a new multi-year contract.
      Looking ahead to life after F1, Hamilton added in the podcast, which was recorded in November: “It is going to be really, really hard when I stop racing. I have been doing it for 30 years. When you stop, what is going to match that?
      “Nothing is going to match being in a stadium, being at a race, being at the pinnacle of the sport and being at the front of the grid or coming through the grid and that emotion that I get with that.
      “When I do stop there will be a big hole so I am trying to focus and find things that can replace that and be just as rewarding.”
      Hamilton will unveil his new Mercedes car at the team’s launch at Silverstone on February 15 ahead of the first round of the new season in Bahrain on March 5. More

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      Michael Schumacher’s Jordan 191 up for sale with F1 legend’s car set to fetch up to £1.75m at auction

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      THE Formula One car driven by Michael Schumacher on his debut in has gone up for sale. Back in 1991, Schumacher was dropped in to replace Bertrand Gachot at the Belgian Grand Prix.
      Seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher made his debut in 1991Credit: PA:Press Association
      And now the Jordan 191 he drove in is set to be sold at auctionCredit: Getty – Contributor
      The car he drove that day, the Jordan 191, gave him his first taste of F1 before he would eventually go on to claim a record seven World Championship titles.
      And now the 191 has been put up for sale.
      The auction for the car will be held by Bonhams on February 2, with the car set to be sold for anywhere between £1.2million to £1.75m.
      The same car was previously sold for £1.25m by Speedmaster Cars, but has not been driven since son Mick Schumacher took it for a spin around the Silverstone circuit in 2021.
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      The 1991 Belgian race ended up being Schumacher’s one and only appearance for the Jordan race team – instead driving for Benetton for the final five races of the season – making the car unique.
      Auction house Bonham’s have said the car remains in running condition.
      Schumacher’s famous Ferrari F2003 was sold last November for a staggering £10.7m.
      However, this is dwarfed by the £19.6m paid for the 1954 Mercedes W196R.
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      Mick, and fellow German driver Sebastian Vettel, both shared touching tributes to Schumacher Snr last week amid his ongoing health battle.
      The 54-year-old has been on a long road to recovery after a horror skiing accident in 2013. More

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      Mick Schumacher considered by AlphaTauri to become new driver for 2023 F1 season after being axed by Haas

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      ALPHATAURI considered signing Mick Schumacher for the 2023 F1 season after he was axed by Haas.The 23-year-old parted ways with American based team at the end of the last campaign and he will be replaced by veteran Nico Hulkenberg.
      Mick Schumacher was considered by AlphaTauri before becoming Mercedes’ reserve driverCredit: Getty
      Schumacher has now signed for Mercedes, becoming their reserve driver for the 2023 season.
      However, AlphaTauri were keen on giving the son of seven-time world champion Michael, a place on the grid.
      Team principal Franz Tost revealed he was keen on the German but opted for Nyck de Vries instead to come in for the departing Pierre Gasly.
      Tost told RTL: “Schumacher was an issue [of conversation] for me, personally.
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      “I would actually have liked to have Mick in the car. Mick is talented and also has what it takes to drive successfully in F1.”
      But the move for him did not materialise because AlphaTauri is owned by Red Bull.
      Schumacher has strong connections to their rivals Ferrari, via his father and coming through the academy there, making the switch hard.
      Tost cited “political reasons” for why no discussions ever took place.
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      The new F1 season begins with testing on February 23 ahead of the first race taking place on March 5.
      And Tost is hopeful Schumacher will get the chance to drive Mercedes’ new W14 car soon.
      He said he can learn a lot from being in and around one of F1’s strongest teams and he hoped the driver can regain his confidence and make it back to the starting grid in the future. More

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      F1 fans in hysterics after 5ft 3in driver Yuki Tsunoda poses alongside ex-basketball star… who is TWO FEET taller

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      FORMULA ONE fans have been left in hysterics as driver Yuki Tsunoda posed for a photo with ex-basketball star Mamadou N’Diaye.The AlphaTauri driver had the snap with N’Diaye during a party believed to be at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai.
      Fans loved seeing the height difference between Yuki Tsunoda and Mamadou N’DiayeCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      The physical differences between the two sports were clear to see in the picture.
      The Japanese driver was towered over by N’Diaye as there was a near TWO-FOOT height difference between the unlikely friends.
      Tsunoda measures in at 5ft 3in, whereas Senegalese basketball star turned coach is a whopping 7ft.
      And fans could not help but laugh at the picture once it hit social media.
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      One tweeted: “I mean, everyone would look tiny next to a 7ft giant?”
      A second commented: “Yuki literally pocket-sized.”
      A third wrote: “Freaking hell, Yuki looks like a real-life hobbit.”
      A fourth said: “Tears streaming down my face.”
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      A fifth added: “68cm of height difference, like wow, humans are awesome actually.”
      N’Daiye last played for Correcaminos UAT Victoria in the LNBP, the top league in Mexico before moving into coaching.
      During his days with UC Irvine, he was the tallest player in the NCAA Division I. More