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    Daniel Ricciardo reveals stunning girlfriend Heidi Berger ‘eliminates stress’ after F1 contract woes

    FORMULA ONE star Daniel Ricciardo has revealed that his girlfriend is helping with the stress of his contract situation with McLaren.The Aussie has had a disastrous year and he has been dropped by his team for the 2023 season and replaced by Oscar Piastri.
    Daniel Ricciardo is 14th in the F1 standings this seasonCredit: The Mega Agency
    Daniel Ricciardo has admitted he is in love with Heidi BergerCredit: https://www.instagram.com/heidiberger_/?hl=en
    Heidi Berger is the daughter of a former F1 legendCredit: https://www.instagram.com/heidiberger_/?hl=en
    Heidi Berger’s mum is model Ana CorvoCredit: Instagram
    Daniel Ricciardo stunning girlfriend is an aspiring actressCredit: Instagram
    She has attended lots of races to cheer her boyfriend onCredit: Instagram
    Berger has 88.3k followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram
    She has been helping Daniel Ricciardo deal with his contract disappointmentCredit: Instagram
    Daniel Ricciardo pictured with girlfriend Heidi BergerCredit: Instagram
    Ricciardo’s contract is up meaning he could not be on the grid next year.
    The popular 33-year-old has opened up about the situation on the Fitzy & Wippa Podcast and said how his girlfriend Heidi Berger is assisting him.
    Ricciardo was asked if he was in love and he replied: “Yeah mate, I’m in love, I got a good thing going, so yeah. I’ve got a good balance in life right now.”
    “I think love eliminates stress, yeah absolutely.
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    “I honestly don’t know yet. When I say I don’t know, like I don’t have a contract yet for next year. Could it still happen? It could.
    “I’m not getting too caught up in next year, like of course I want to race, I want to be on the grid, I want to be competing.
    “But I’m not seeing next year as all or nothing. I also think 2024 is something I need to be aware of and look at.
    “So that could be a year off but I would still very much be in the mindset of getting back on the grid for 2024.”
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    Ricciardo’s partner Berger is an aspiring actress and daughter of ex-F1 star Gerhard Berger.
    Her father won 10 Grand Prix’s meanwhile Ricciardo has been victorious on eight occasions.
    The Austrian drove for the likes of Ferrari and Ricciardo has admitted he was an idol saying: “When I was young, I mean I’ve followed F1 since I was a kid and I had a Berger hat.
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    “It’s funny, I talk about it with him. He still goes to quite a few races he still has an interest in the sport and he still does some business with it.
    “Any ex-sportsman, anyone who’s been through it — I just love speaking to them and gaining knowledge and insight through their experience there’s so much wisdom.” More

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    Watch MotoGP rider’s bike catch fire MID-RACE as home favourite Takuya Tsuda has lucky escape in Japanese GP

    MOTOGP star Takuyu Tsuda miraculously escaped unhurt after his bike caught fire at the Japanese Grand Prix.The local favourite, 38, was mid-race when the calamity unfolded.
    Team Suzuki Ecstar star Takuya Tsuda looks on as marshals put out the fire on his bikeCredit: Rex
    Tsuda’s bike was left in a sorry state after a fire broke outCredit: Rex

    As the replacement for Joan Mir came through Lap 12 – the sparks broke out within his Team Suzuki Ecstar entry.
    Tsuda quickly pulled off the race track at Turn 5 as the flames grew dangerously near the fuel tank.
    The race marshals were quick on the scene with a fire extinguisher to stop a potential fireball breaking out.
    Luckily, there was no need for a red flag and the race continued.
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    Tsuda only recently returned to MotoGP in September on a wildcard with Team Suzuki Ecstar.
    Jack Miller of Ducati dominated the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, after team mate Francesco Bagnaia crashed on the last lap.
    It was Miller’s first win since last year’s French Grand Prix.
    And once he grabbed a lead on Lap 3, he always seemingly appeared in control.
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    However, the race was a disaster for the three championship challengers – Bagnaia, Fabio Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro.
    Frenchman Quartararo finished all the way down in eighth, while Espargaro recorded a 16th placed finish after he was forced to swap to another Aprilia on the warm-up lap because of a mechanical problem.
    It means Quartararo now has an 18-point lead going into next week’s Thailand GP. More

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    Watch furious driver repeatedly punch rival through the car window as angry row in NASCAR race turns violent

    A FURIOUS NASCAR driver violently attacked a rival with brutal punches in shocking scenes. Andrew Grady unleashed the horrific hits at Davey Callihan following an accident in the first heat at Saturday’s Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
    Andrew Grady went on a shocking attack at Saturday’s NASCAR
    He punched rival driver Davey Calliha who was seated in his car
    Even the efforts of a staff member struggled to contain Grady’s anger
    The driver was picked up and carried off to calm down
    The two rivals had driven into the infield before Grady jumped out of his car and ran over to Callihan, who was still sat inside his vehicle.
    It is said Callihan showed him the middle finger before Grady pulled down the window netting and repeatedly smashed his foe.
    After seven punches, Grady stepped back and booted the door of Callihan’s car.
    Three men tried to calm Grady down but he avoided them and returned to Callihan’s window to try and get at him again before being picked up and carried away.
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    Grady shrugged and told Racing America: “He flipped me off so I started Mike Tyson-ing his head.
    “End of the day, we were really, really good. The car was really fast.
    “But man… you get these dumba**es that come in here and run with us, and they have no business running a late-model [car] much less a lawn mower.
    “I mean… he wasn’t close, he dive-bombed me, he hooked me.
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    “I wanted to talk to him and he flipped me off. So I started Mike Tyson-ing his head.
    “You’re in a big-boy sport. When you wreck a man, you can take a grown-man a** whipping that’s how I feel about it.”
    But Callihan denied swearing at Grady and insisted he was ready to have a grown-up conversation.
    The NASCAR ace said: “It was for a transfer position at Martinsville. From my perspective, I was there. It was close.
    “But you can’t give an inch for the transfer spot when there’s 95 cars and I had to take it.
    “It was just hard racing. I do apologise to Grady but we’re fighting for our life out there so I just did what I had to do.
    “I never flipped anybody off. He just comes starts punching me inside the race car.
    “I understand he’s frustrated, but again it’s for the transfer spot and we were just fighting for our life.” More

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    Model Courtney Renniers stuns in a blue bikini as she takes a dip in a pool

    MODEL and bodybuilder Courtney Renniers shows she’s racy both at work and at play.The South African, 28, is engaged to fellow countryman and MotoGP rider Brad Binder, 27.
    Courtney Renniers is engaged by Moto GP rider Brad BinderCredit: Sean Levitt
    Courtney is a World Fitness Federation bikini pro ­competitorCredit: Instagram @courtneyrenniers_wffpro
    He competes for the KMT factory team and is 7th in the driver standings.
    Courtney — a World Fitness Federation bikini pro ­competitor — announced their engagement online in July.
    She gushed: “You’re the best thing I’ve ever waited for.
    “And of course I said YES”. He’s got her in a spin.
    Courtney and Brad Binder celebrated their engagement in JulyCredit: Courtney Renniers instagram
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    ‘I wish it was about pure quality’ – Lewis Hamilton pleads for more equality in F1 cars as Red Bull and Ferrari dominate

    LEWIS HAMILTON has pleaded for more equal cars in Formula One.That’s after seeing Red Bull and Ferrari dominate Mercedes this season.
    Lewis Hamilton wants cars to be more equal in Formula OneCredit: Alamy
    The Mercedes ace has struggled to keep up with Red Bull and FerrariCredit: The Mega Agency
    Hamilton has struggled to keep up with Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc in 2022.
    The seven-time F1 world champion has failed to win a single race this year.
    And Hamilton is currently sixth in the rankings, 167 points behind leader Verstappen.
    Most of the Brit’s problems stem from his poor Mercedes car, which has let him down on several occasions this term.
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    As for Verstappen, he has encountered hardly any issues in his speedy Red Bull vehicle.
    And Hamilton is desperate for a more even playing field in future F1 terms.
    That will stop certain manufacturers from running away in the title race.
    And it would also allow the individual quality of drivers to shine through.
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    Hamilton said: “While we do worry about things we can’t control, you have to try to learn not to.
    “I do watch other sports and I wish that it was just the pure ability that I have that makes all the difference.
    “So it’s definitely tough. But I don’t like the word ‘tough’ because I’ve just been in Africa and I’ve seen kids that have nothing, so nothing is ever really that tough.
    “I wouldn’t say it hurts. We all know what it could be.
    “We would love to be in that battle fighting, and I wish that all the cars were a lot closer and we were all having a much better battle closer to the front.” More

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    Lewis Hamilton wears £3,000 designer pink outfit before showing off ripped abs ahead of Singapore Grand Prix

    LEWIS HAMILTON showed off a £3,000 designer pink outfit before revealing his ripped abs ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.The seven-time world champion, who performed the school run to collect his niece and nephew earlier this week, is currently enduring a miserable season.
    Lewis Hamilton is the face of Valentino’s new Pink CollectionCredit: Instagram

    The F1 legend then showed off his ribbed abs by posting a selfie on InstagramCredit: Instagram
    He is now in South East Asia for the Singapore Grand Prix aiming to secure his first win of the campaign after a disastrous start.
    However, away from the F1 track, he is enjoying being the face of Valentino’s new Pink Collection.
    And he has shared a number of snaps of himself wearing their designer gear onto Instagram.
    One of them shows the legendary racer crouched down in a £2,233 pink single-breasted wool coat and decked out with £875 Nappa Leather low-top sneakers in the same colour.
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    It is not the first time that the 37-year-old Hamilton has shown his love for pink.
    Last month he turned heads when he wore a pink knitted balaclava at Spa track.
    He then later shared a selfie of himself topless in front of the mirror, revealing his incredible physique, as he continues to get ready for the start of practice today in Singapore.
    However, Hamilton did recently admit that he fears Mercedes will not be able to top the podium this season.
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    Hamilton said: “We have to be realistic. That Red Bull is almost unbeatable.
    “It’s going to take some real doing to beat that car.
    “Performance-wise we have not caught them, and we don’t have upgrades coming to enable us to overtake them.
    “So it’s going to take some fortune going our way to win.
    “It’s not impossible, because we could have beaten them in Budapest.
    “But Max [Verstappen] is generally chilled at the front, so you can never tell their true pace.” More

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    Horner claims Lewis Hamilton has NEVER praised Verstappen… despite seven-time F1 champ calling rival a ‘great talent’

    RED BULL chief Christian Horner claims Sir Lewis Hamilton has never praised Max Verstappen before… despite records showing the opposite.Hamilton and Verstappen were embroiled in a heated rivalry last season, which ended with the Red Bull star picking up a controversial victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to clinch the Formula One title.
    Red Bull chief Christian Horner claims Lewis Hamilton never praised Max VerstappenCredit: Rex
    But Sir Lewis Hamilton has indeed recognised Max Verstappen’s talentCredit: The Mega Agency
    Max Verstappen was embroiled in a heated rivalry with Lewis HamiltonCredit: Getty
    The Brit has been struggling to rediscover his old form this season and that has led the Dutch star fighting it out with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for the top spot.
    Horner believes there is a “mutual respect” between his driver and Leclerc because they have known each other since they were kids.
    The Red Bull team principal claims he cannot recall Hamilton ever recognising Verstappen’s ability.
    Horner told Beyond the Grid: “You know, there’s a difference, there’s perhaps a different respect with Charles.
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    “They raced each other since [being] kids, and there was a mutual respect. I’ve never once ever heard Lewis recognise Max’s ability.
    “And so of course, there was just a bit more needle to it and you could feel that, and you could sense that between those two drivers.”
    However, the record shows that Mercedes driver Hamilton has indeed praised Verstappen’s skills in the past.
    In fact, the British superstar went on record in 2020 as he said the 24-year-old is “such a great talent” that is so hard to beat.
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    Hamilton previously told Sky Sports: “He’s such a great talent, he’s so fast and consistent.
    “So it’s not easy to beat this young up-and-coming champ.” More

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    F1 boss casts doubt on Daniel Ricciardo’s future as he claims sport does not need new teams despite lack of seats

    DANIEL Ricciardo may miss out on his 11th season in Formula 1 after being dropped by McLaren for fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri.The 33 year-old, who was contracted to the team for the 2023 season, has now been left in the dark about his future.
    Oscar Piastri has been brought in to replace RicciardoCredit: Reuters
    He revealed as his exit was confirmed last month: “Following several months of discussions we have decided to terminate my contract with the team early and agree to mutually part ways at the end of this season.”
    Ricciardo, who has eight career race wins, stands 14th with 19 points on the current leaderboard, compared to teammate Lando Norris in 7th with 88 points.
    And silly season is proving to be busy, with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel announcing his retirement, triggering Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin and leaving a space free at Alpine.
    But this isn’t all good for Ricciardo, as the team is reportedly holding private tests this week with ex-F1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi and Formula E champion Nyck De Vries, who recently scored points for Williams Racing in his first ever F1 race.

    As seats become more and more valuable towards the end of the season, teams seem to favour younger, upcoming drivers.
    And in more bad news for Ricciardo, F1 boss Stefan Domenicali is standing strongly by his decision not to add any more teams to the sport.
    He admitted that adding new teams to Formula 1 is “not a priority”.
    Domenicali went on to say it would be “too crowded”, with F1 already having ten teams and 20 drivers.
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    Although in past seasons there have been more teams, most notably 12 in 2012, due to Netflix’s sensation of Drive to Survive, the sport has grown considerably in popularity and demand.
    Domenicali said: “Adding one or two [teams], you may open up some driving seats. But we need to also have the right dimension in what is successful for the sport.”
    Micheal Andretti is keen to bring another US team to the track, but even if the £176m starting fee is paid, the final say comes down to the FIA.
    The F1 boss states his opinion is settled on “having a vision for the future”.
    However, the boss was also sympathetic to Ricciardo, calling him “a great driver” and hoping “he can find his place”. More