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      Fan favourite F1 track ‘could return’ in 2026 after being axed seven years ago as fans say ‘please be true’

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      A FAN favourite Formula One track could be in line for a return to the sport in 2026, according to reports. The Malaysia Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) hosted F1 races between 1999 and 2017.
      F1 could be in line for a return to Malaysia’s Sepang International CircuitCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Petronas are reportedly planning to get the track back on the calendar for 2026Credit: AP:Associated Press
      It was removed from the calendar due to declining ticket sales and rising hosting costs, but never lost popularity among fans around the globe.
      And now the country’s state oil company Petroliam Nasional – or Petronas – are looking to bring F1 races back to the nation in 2026, three sources close to the matter reportedly told Reuters.
      Petronas – a sponsor of the Mercedes F1 team – won naming rights for the SIC, which still hosts motorsport events including MotoGP races, for three years in October 2023.
      The F1 return plan is said to have been revealed during a company townhall led by president and chief executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz on Tuesday.
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      However, the sources did not elaborate on the reasons for the return and did not specifically mention any discussions with F1.
      Although they did describe the 2026 plan as outlined in the company call.
      In response to the report, Petronas said: “There have been no discussions on bringing the sport back to the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.”
      Regardless, fans were excited at the potential of the news.
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      One fan said: “Please be true 🙏.”
      A second said: “Now this is what I’m talking about!”
      A third said: “I like Malaysia. They need to bring it back.”
      Another said: “It was designed in the 1990s but is still one of the few in the world specifically designed for F1, so it absolutely has to be back on the calendar.”
      A fifth added: “We miss Sepang 😭.”
      Max Verstappen won the most recent F1 race at the Sepang circuit.
      F1 recently announced the addition of the Madrid Grand Prix to the calendar from 2026.
      The 2024 F1 season is set to start in Bahrain on March 2.

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      Italian rally champion Giulia Maroni, 37, dies in horror 164ft plunge onto rocks while on hike

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      ITALIAN rally champion Giulia Maroni has died after plummeting 164 foot to her death while on a hike.Maroni, 37, was out walking her dog on the Modena Apennines in Italy on Sunday when she slipped and fell.
      Italian rally champion Giulia Maroni, 37, died in a tragic accident on SundayCredit: Newsflash
      Maroni was an Italian Cross-Country Rally champion in 2021Credit: Newsflash
      According to reports, she was hiking with her partner and dog when she lost balance and slippedCredit: Newsflash
      She was a passionate sportswoman and rally driver who was well known in the off-road world, having won the 2021 Italian Cross-Country Rally.
      Maroni also participated in the Dakar rally as a co-driver and navigator alongside Luciano Carcheri of the Angelo Caffi Corse team.
      According to reports, she was hiking with her partner and dog on Mount Libro Aperto in the Pizzo dei Sassi Bianchi area when she lost her balance, slipping into the gully and falling among trees and rocks.
      Maroni’s partner called the emergency services, who then airlifted her to the Maggiore hospital in Bologna.
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      However, she died in the evening of January 28 from her injuries.
      Mountain rescue station chief Nicolas Barattini told local media: “We saw immediately that the woman’s condition was unfortunately very serious.
      “It was a tragic fatality, the woman placed her foot badly and slipped.”
      The 4X4 Magazine, where she was collaborating as a correspondent and photographer, said: “The week starts with very bad news.
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      “An accident in the mountains took away Giulia Maroni, a passionate sportsman and off-roader, who had also collaborated with our magazine. Rip Giulia.”
      Lina Van De Mars, who placed runner-up alongside Maroni in the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas in 2021, also paid tribute.
      “We were just making new plans for the 2024 season,” she wrote, as reported by The Chequered Red Flag.
      “It’s been an honour to know you. It’s been (a) pleasure to race with you. Still proud of us having become European vice champions in the world of baja and rallyraid racing.
      “I am still in shock. Hoping smiles and sunshine will be with you.”
      Maroni was president of the A-Team 4×4 off-road club of Castel San Pietro Terme in Bologna for many years and participated in the most important off-road races.
      In 2016, she won the extreme all-female “Shemud” race among the forests of Malaysia.
      Born in the city of Faenza in the province of Ravenna, Maroni was a resident in Castel Guelfo for many years.
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      According to local reports, Maroni and her partner were great mountain enthusiasts.
      As well as an animal lover, she was also an adventure and bike enthusiast. More

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      Lewis Hamilton admits he could retire THIS YEAR over ‘love-hate relationship’ with F1

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      LEWIS HAMILTON admits he could retire THIS YEAR over his “love-hate relationship” with Formula One.The Mercedes ace, 39, has won a joint-record seven world titles in the sport.
      Lewis Hamilton admits he could retire from F1 later this yearCredit: Rex
      But his last victory came in 2020.
      And the past three years have seen Red Bull’s Max Verstappen emerge as F1’s dominant force.
      The new season is just around the corner, with the first race in Bahrain taking place on March 2.
      Mercedes hope the return of Hamilton’s former right-hand man Marc Hynes will help the Brit get back on course.
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      But Hamilton, whose contract runs until 2025, admits he could quit F1 altogether at the end of the year.
      The ace previously stated several years ago that he was unlikely to still be racing at the age of 40.
      And when reminded of that statement, Hamilton told Formule1.nl: “That is still possible.
      “I have no set plan for the future – I still feel fit and still enjoy what I do.
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      “I’ve now learned that you should never say never in life.
      “I never thought that, after such a long time in Formula One, I would still feel the same love for the sport.
      “It is a love-hate relationship – at times you love it more than at others.

      “I think there comes a point when you’ve had enough. But the love is still there.”
      Family plans
      Hamilton also lifted the lid on plans to start a family.
      He added: “I don’t have time for that. I enjoy being an uncle. I haven’t decided yet whether I want children.
      “I don’t have time for it at the moment. If I want a family, I should focus less on racing and I don’t want to do that.
      “There is a time and place for everything. Fortunately, I don’t have to make that decision now, maybe some day.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton in major boost before new F1 season as secret weapon returns to Mercedes star’s team

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      LEWIS HAMILTON has received a major boost ahead of the new F1 season by recruiting his former right-hand man Marc Hynes.Hynes, a former British Formula Three champion, has known Hamilton, 39, since they were kids.
      Marc Hynes is back working with Lewis HamiltonCredit: Alamy
      Lewis Hamilton has known him since he was a kidCredit: AFP
      He has previously worked alongside the seven-time world champion at Mercedes, forming part of his inner sanctum, before leaving to run Hamilton’s Project 44 company, overseeing his business interests.
      Hynes left Hamilton’s camp ahead of the 2021 F1 season to run his own business as the F1 driver changed his management team.
      Hamilton joined media talent manager Penni Throw, who runs PR company Copper, and had worked with the star on a number of other projects.
      However, Hamilton’s deal with Copper has now expired and while he will continue to work with Throw on a number of projects, he has returned to Hynes to get him to manage his F1 operations.
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      The 45-year-old’s return will provide Hamilton with a much-needed confidant that has been missing since he split with long-term performance coach Angela Cullen in March last year.
      It comes as Mercedes launch their bid to return to the top step of the podium after seeing Red Bull’s Max Verstappen dominate the sport since he won the title from Hamilton in 2021.
      Hamilton is on a winless run that stretches back to December 2021 – the longest barren spell of his F1 career.
      Mercedes have delivered two dud cars in successive seasons but the Brackley-based team have enlisted the help of design whizz James Allison to produce a car that can now challenge Verstappen.
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      They will launch their car, the W15, on February 14 at Silverstone.
      The new season gets underway in Bahrain on March 2. More

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      My dad is an F1 legend – now I’m the sport’s most famous Wag, modelling for Vogue and selling my own make-up range

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      KELLY PIQUET has been surrounded by Formula One royalty all her life, but now she firmly has her own crown as the sport’s most famous Wag.The Brazilian beauty, 35, has been dating three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen since the end of 2020.
      Kelly Piquet is F1’s most famous WagCredit: Rex
      Kelly often stuns in front of the cameraCredit: Getty
      She is dating Max VerstappenCredit: Getty
      However, thanks to a career in modelling and PR she has risen to have star power in both a financial and influence sense.
      Kelly’s professional career has helped her cultivate a huge following on social media.
      While she is not a driver, motorsport flows through her veins.
      Kelly is the daughter of a disgraced F1 legend and has had previous relationships with former drivers.
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      Start your engines
      Kelly was born in Germany on December 7, 1988 as the second child of Nelson Piquet and Sylvia Tasmsa.
      Brazilian hero Piquet won three F1 titles in the 1980s and continued to be a presence in and around the paddock for years after.
      However, in 2022 Piquet was banned from the F1 paddock and ordered to pay £780,000 in damages after using a derogatory term referring to Lewis Hamilton when speaking about the 2021 Silverstone Grand Prix.
      Kelly has six siblings including ex-F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. who was a key player in the infamous “Crashgate” scandal of 2008.
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      Although Kelly was born in Germany, she spent much of her childhood in France.
      Her studies saw her spend 12 monthsat St Clare’s Oxford in England before heading back to Brazil.
      She eventually found her way to New York, where she graduated in International Relations from the Marymount Manhattan College with a major in Political Science and Economics.
      Kelly is the daughter of disgraced F1 champion Nelson Piquet
      Kelly has six siblingsCredit: Splash
      Previous relationship
      Kelly was previously in a relationship with Russian Daniil Kvyat.
      The pair began dating in January 2017 and had a daughter together, Penelope, months before they split up in December 2019.
      And around a year later, Verstappen entered into a relationship with Kelly, going Instagram official in January 2021.
      Ironically, Verstappen replaced Kvyat at Red Bull in the second half of the 2016 F1 season.
      Verstappen says he gets on well with the three-year old, regularly sharing images with her online.
      But has also firmly stated he has no intention of becoming her father figure.
      Kelly had a three-year relationship and daughter with Daniil KvyatCredit: Getty
      She began dating Verstappen at the end of 2020Credit: Instagram / @kellypiquet
      Speaking to TIME magazine, he said: “I’m not the father, that’s not the aim.
      “It’s always very important that she has a good relationship with her own father, which she has.
      “But I see her every day when I’m at home. We get on very well. She’s very cute.”
      Kelly and Verstappen live together in Monaco, a stone’s throw from a host of other drivers who have made the glamorous country their home.
      Taking a Piq
      When she is not looking after Penelope or seen track-side, Kelly tries her hand at a number of different jobs.
      As well as being a model and PR specialist she is also an F1 columnist.
      Her work in front of a camera has helped her attract a following of more than 1.4 million fans on Instagram.
      Kelly has modelled for the likes of Vogue and has her own make-up range.
      Her exploits have seen her top the rich list of F1 Wags when it comes to Instagram earnings.
      She often stuns both at trackside and while at red carpet events.
      Kelly has revealed that sometimes she has to remind petrol-head Verstappen to get take his mind off the F1 circuit.
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      She said: “There have been times where I’ve been like, ‘OK, time to switch off’.
      “You have to give a gentle reminder that the sun is shining outside and, you know, there are other things to do.”
      Kelly tops the rich list of F1 Wags
      Kelly has more than 1.4 million followers on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/kellypiquet/
      Kelly revealed she sometimes has to remind Verstappen to ‘switch off’Credit: instagram/@kellypiquet/ More

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      ‘World’s sexiest racing driver’ goes braless in revealing cut-out top as fans call her ‘breathtakingly beautiful’

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      LINDSAY BREWER has been called “breathtakingly beautiful” after her latest Instagram post.The racing driver went braless as she posed in a revealing cut-out top in a series of snaps.
      Lindsay Brewer went braless in a revealing cut-out topCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Her fans called her ‘breathtakingly beautiful’ in the commentsCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Lindsay uploaded pictures from a recent getaway with the caption: “Quick trip to Miami.”
      In one snap, she showed off her abs and put on a busty display in a cut-out crop top and jeans.
      She also stunned on a balcony in a black dress before enjoying a night out with friends.
      Her followers were left in awe in the comments section, with one writing: “Beautiful woman.”
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      Another added: “You’re so incredibly breathtakingly beautiful.”
      A third fan simply hailed her as: “Stunning.”
      Meanwhile, one more dubbed Lindsay: “The best.”
      Lindsay competes in IndyNXT for Juncos Hollinger Racing and has built a strong following on social media.
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      Lindsay also posed for the camera in a black dressCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      The 26-year-old enjoyed a trip to Miami with friendsCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Her 2.7million Instagram followers are regularly treated to an inside look at her life.
      Posts include glamorous pictures and behind the scenes footage from her life on the race track.
      Lindsay has even been dubbed the “world’s sexiest racing driver” by her fans in the past.
      She wowed her followers last summer by posing in a white bikini whilst on holiday.
      The 26-year-old relaxed on a yacht as she posed for snaps during a “Euro vacay” in Capri, Italy.
      Inside Lindsay Brewer’s glamorous life…
      Lindsay relaxed on a yacht as she holidayed in Europe last yearCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      She competes in IndyNXT for Juncos Hollinger RacingCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Lindsay also has 2.7million followers on InstagramCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Her fans have dubbed her the ‘world’s sexiest racing driver’Credit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      Lindsay shows off her glamorous lifestyle on social mediaCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer
      She is no stranger to getting behind the wheelCredit: instagram / @lindsaymariebrewer More

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      Michael Schumacher health update as F1 boss says stricken legend is ‘receiving best medical treatment in human history’

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      MICHAEL Schumacher is receiving the best medical treatment in human history, ex-Mercedes boss Nick Fry has said.The F1 legend’s condition has been kept under lock and key over the last decade, leaving fans and motorsport enthusiasts wondering about his health.
      Nick Fry, pictured left, said ‘no human being in history has had the treatment Michael Schumacher has’Credit: Alamy
      The Ex-Mercedes boss hopes the stricken F1 legend has a good quality of lifeCredit: Getty
      Fry said he wouldn’t be surprised if Schuey does sit at dinner table after reports were shared by Michael’s retired pal, Johnny Herbert.
      He backed his certainty by saying no human in history has had better medical treatment like the stricken driver.
      “I haven’t heard anything about Michael Schumacher’s condition, so I’m unable to confirm or deny any of the recent reports about him,” Fry told Online Betting Guide.
      “Michael has the best medical team in the world, and I’m 100% sure that no human being in history has had the treatment Michael has had for his specific injury. The family has the resources. 
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      He continued: “I hope and pray that they’re making progress with him. If the reports about him at the dinner table or in a car are true, then it wouldn’t surprise me at all because I’d imagine that’s the type of thing you’d do to get the brain going again.
      “The only thing I hope for is for Michael’s quality of life to be good.
      “My mother has dementia, so I know what it’s like when someone is alive but not conscious of the world around them.”
      Fry added that if Schumacher makes progress, he will be a role model for people with brain injuries.
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      “Humans are remarkable, and it’s not impossible to hope for things to get back to as close to normal,” he said.
      “I’m sure we’ll hear at some stage and if the medical team have learned something about how to treat people with these sorts of injuries then that will be Michael’s greatest contribution.”
      Despite having a rocky start with Schumacher at Mercedes, the Brit boss said everything changed once they got to know one another.
      “I’d say my experience of working with Michael Schumacher was complicated,” he said.
      “Being a good Brit, I’d never have Michael high on my list of most-loved people as he was the dastardly German who did rotten things to good, honest Brits and others!
      Fry then admitted: “I wasn’t an immediate fan of Schumacher but I had massive respect for what he had accomplished. I hate to say it, but when you meet Michael, you realise how special he is very quickly.
      “The difference was the level of teamwork. Michael really appreciated that everybody in the team needed to contribute if he was going to be successful.”
      December 29 marked a full decade since Michael fell and struck a rock so hard it split his ski helmet in two – leaving him in a coma for 250 days.
      Schuey has since been living alongside his wife Corinna at their Lake Geneva home under the care of a team of 15 doctors.
      Only a few people have been lucky enough to visit the seven-time world champion since his fateful ski accident in Meribel, France.
      That includes Schuey’s ex sister-in-law, who was kicked out of I’m A Celebrity amid fears she would reveal secrets about the F1 legend’s health.
      Cora Schumacher, 47, was married to Michael’s brother Ralf for almost 15 years and was dumped from the German spin-off reality show after only three days in the jungle.
      TV bosses were concerned that the OnlyFans model was too chatty and might reveal the guarded secrets about the stricken driver during a live show, German media reported.
      Any indiscretion would violate an implicit ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ between broadcaster RTL and the racing driver’s family not to pry into the driving champion’s personal life, BILD reports.
      Meanwhile, Schumacher’s ex-Ferrari rival Rubens Barrichello revealed the time he was denied a visit to the F1 legend after his fateful accident.
      Speaking to Flow Podcast in his native Brazil, Barrichello said he tried visiting his former teammate after his accident, but was declined after getting a call from Schuey’s team.
      “With Schumacher, I called once and said I wanted to visit him,” he revealed.
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      “They told me that unfortunately I wouldn’t be helping and that I might be sad.
      “So I understood that at that moment it was not the time to enter [his life]. More

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      Cameron Bartholomew dead at 28: Motorsport champion suddenly dies leaving behind heartbroken fiancee and three children

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      MOTORSPORT champion Cameron Bartholomew has suddenly passed away at the age of just 28.The Australian’s fiancee Chloe O’Carroll, who has three children with Bartholomew, confirmed the news on Thursday.
      Cameron Bartholomew has tragically died at the age of 28Credit: Facebook / ChloeeAnn
      His fiancee Chloe O’Carroll confirmed the horrific newsCredit: Facebook / ChloeeAnn
      She said: “With the heaviest of hearts we announce that heaven gained another angel this morning.
      “Our beloved Cameron Bartholomew has passed away and we are in complete shock.
      “Understandably we are heart broken and are spending this time as a family to support one another during this difficult time.
      “We respectfully ask for privacy whilst we grieve and reminisce the life that we were so lucky to share with Cam.
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      “For those that had the pleasure of knowing and being touched by Cameron’s presence there will be memorial details shared in time.”
      Alongside the touching words, Chloe shared a host of photos of the Hyundai Excel state champion.
      They included him on top of a racing car following a win and pictures of him with his children.
      Bartholomew’s former co-driver Jayden James Peacock said: “Glad I got the opportunity years ago to go Porsche racing with KPH racing crewing with Cameron.
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      “We were both only babies but made some damn good memories. From there we become good mates.
      “Love ya, mate, rest easy. Our thoughts are with Chloe the kids and family.”
      And another driver, Brock Giblin, said: “Cameron Bartholomew was one of the first I messaged 11 years ago when I first started racing cars, to lose him today is just nothing short of shattering,’ he wrote.
      “My deepest condolences and thoughts go out to his family. I’m going to miss you heaps mate. #95Forever.”
      Responding to Chloe’s heartbreaking post, one person said: “He was a true talent behind the wheel and gave me such a pleasure to call his racing.
      “He was also a young mate to many of us in motorsport and we took pleasure in assisting his challenges and helped him make a name for himself.
      “There are so many people today who I’ve spoken with who are devastated beyond belief. He was a son, a husband and a dad who had such an incredible future.”
      And Track Attack Australia shared a tribute to Brisbane driver Bartholomew – who was also known as “Chicken Hawk”.
      They said: “So very sad to hear today that one of the very earliest TAA Excel family passed away suddenly last night.
      “RIP Cameron ‘chicken hawk’ Bartholomew. Taken too early and all of our thoughts are with Chloe, their children, the extended Bartholomew family and close friends.
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      “Cam was a brilliant steerer and fierce competitor but lit up any conversation and always had a smile on his face. 
      “The TAA family would like to pass on its sincere condolences.” More