Red Bull Racing

MAX VERSTAPPEN shot an ominous warning signal to Lewis Hamilton as he set the fastest time during the first session of pre-season.The drivers and teams are out in Bahrain for three days of testing before the opening race of the season next month at the same venue.
Max Verstappen has won the last two driver’s championshipsCredit: Rex
Testing gives engineers and drivers a chance to explore their cars and make tweaks to its framework before racing begins.
The three-day event can occasionally signal a changing of the guard with some cars finding lap time and others dropping off.
But Verstappen has alerted his rivals that he and his Red Bull are still top of the pile by clocking the fastest time over eight hours of running.
The reigning world champion set his fastest lap at 1.32.837 having gone round the circuit 157 times, far more than any of the other drivers.
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Fernando Alonso came second, only 0.029 behind the Red Bull, while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was third-fastest.
Hamilton did 83 laps and set the sixth-fastest time through the session, while teammate George Russell sharing the Mercedes was ninth.
It was a good day for struggling Williams who saw Alex Albon and rookie Logan Sargeant set the seventh and tenth quickest times respectively.
While Felipe Drugovoich, standing in for the injured Lance Stroll, saw his Aston Martin break down early in the session and require work in the garage.
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Major shakeups to the grid order are not expected with the regulations largely unchanged from last year, although car floors have been raised 15mm off the ground.
This is in response to the issue of porpoising last season which appeared to particularly affect Mercedes – but they have reported better results this time round. More

LEWIS HAMILTON took a cheeky peek at Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull car as Formula One’s pre-season testing got underway this morning.The seven-time world champion is looking to wrestle his title back from Verstappen this year to capture a record eighth.
Lewis Hamilton takes a look at Max Verstappen’s Red BullCredit: Rex
Hamilton, 38, peers in for a closer lookCredit: Splash
Red Bull enter the season as the team to beat, having dominated the last campaign on the way to a constructors’ and drivers’ championship double.
With all 10 teams’ new motors on track together for the first time for the Bahrain session, it’s customary for drivers to have a peek at the opposition.
And Lewis, 38, couldn’t help but have a little look at what Verstappen has under the bonnet.
Joined by ex-team-mate Valtteri Bottas, now of Alfa Romeo, and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen – Hamilton checked out the competition.
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While he wanted to get a closer look at Red Bull’s latest effort during testing, Hamilton seems to be happy with Mercedes’ new W14.
Upon its launch, he said: “I have been a part of this team for over a decade and the efforts of everyone never cease to amaze me.
“I find it inspiring how diligently and passionately each person approaches their work.”
Hamilton also denied that his team would ever try and copy Red Bull… despite what others may be doing.
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Hamilton checks out the rest of the gridCredit: Splash
Verstappen later got behind the wheel of his new car for the testing sessionCredit: Getty
He said: “Of course you can see that some of the cars are approaching what a Red Bull might look like, perhaps with the exception of Ferrari.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been a team that copied other people.
“We’ve always had our own mind and have always been a team that’s incredibly creative and innovative and likes to do it our way. And I think that’s worked in the past.”
Hamilton’s boss Toto Wolff said: “Last year was difficult but it came with lots of learnings.
“I hope 2023 will be proof that we have understood how to unravel the problems and improve the package of the car.”
He then continued: “W13 certainly had performance which we never were able to unlock and put all its downforce on the ground.
“Our car performed very well at the end of the season.
“However, we still had the famous bouncing at some circuits and the car never gave the drivers good feedback, which limited them in being able to really push.
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“We have tried to keep all the goodness of the W13 and address its weaknesses.”
Mercedes fans rejoiced during testing this morning, with the W14 not porpoising at all like its predecessor did.
Hamilton is ready for another crack at winning an eighth world championshipCredit: AFP More

MAX VERSTAPPEN topped F1’s pay league last year with a staggering £45million.The two-time world champion maximised his contract with Red Bull in the 2022 season.
Max Verstappen earns £16million more than Lewis Hamilton per year
Max Verstappen earns more than any other driver in F1Credit: Getty
Lewis Hamiltonis reportedly on £29m per yearCredit: AP
His deal included bonuses for winning races, taking podiums and winning both the drivers’ and teams’ championship titles.
Verstappen’s earnings dwarfed that of Lewis Hamilton, who is in the process of negotiating a new deal with his Mercedes team.
Hamilton, who went winless for the first time in his F1 career last season, is understood to have earned around £29million, claim RacingNews365.
He has now had first talks with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff over a new deal with the contract is expected to be a formality.
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Hamilton, 38, is likely to be offered similar terms to his last contract.
However, in the long-term he is seeking an ambassador position with Mercedes for when he eventually does call time on his racing career. 
Both Hamilton and Verstappen have private endorsements too with the Dutchman having just signed a deal with Heineken.
Meanwhile, Jenson Button expects Hamilton to come out of the blocks flying when the season starts next week in Bahrain. 
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However, Button, who was Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren between 2010 and 2012, said when he struggled with an uncompetitive car, it led to him contemplating retirement.
Button said: “It’s something we all go through in our careers. It’s a reason why a lot of people retire, they are not in a winning car anymore. That’s why I left.
“You can deal with the pressure you put yourself under and the calendar, if you are in a winning car. When you are not, you are like ‘I’ve had enough, I want to get out’.
“Mercedes have given him a winning car for so many years. Last year obviously they didn’t but the car did win a race last year [with George Russell], so you would say at the end of the year they were strong.
“I think he’ll start this year flat-out. He’s going to be on it from the word go, so I look forward to seeing that.
“It’s going to put a lot of pressure on George; it’s a good pairing. But Lewis will be on it from the word go and I look forward to that fight.” More

A SUPERCOMPUTER has predicted the outcome of the new Formula One season as Lewis Hamilton looks to end Max Verstappen’s winning run. The Dutchman has claimed the last two Drivers’ Championship crowns with no one getting even close to the dominant Red Bull driver this season.
Max Verstappen is the reigning World Champion after a dominant 2022 campaignCredit: Reuters
Lewis Hamilton is suited and booted as he looks to claim a record-breaking eighth titleCredit: PA
With all ten teams hard at work improving their cars over the winter, it can be difficult to judge the strengths and weakness of the field ahead of next month’s opening race in Bahrain.
But a supercomputer from BonusCodeBets has chewed up all the available information ahead of the new season and expects Verstappen to triumph again.
The 25-year-old was in the form of his life in 2022 and won 15 of the 22 Grand Prix last season.
He wrapped up the title with four races to go and left all of his rivals in his dust.
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Hamilton has been tipped to finish second in this year’s table.
The supercomputer believes the Mercedes man will miss out on a record-breaking eighth world title but improve on his sixth-place from last season.
Meanwhile, the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are predicted to finish 3rd and 5th with Hamilton’s teammate George Russell sandwiched in between them.
Brit racer Lando Norris is expected to be the best of the rest behind the dominant Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari teams.
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A supercomputer is predicting Hamilton to miss out on the title again
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While his new teammate Oscar Piastri has been tipped to have the best season out of all the rookies with a 11th-place finish.
Also new to the grid is Alpha Tauri’s Nyck de Vries, who is expected to come 14th, while fellow newbie Logan Sargeant has been predicted to finish bottom in his Williams.
Pre-season testing gets underway next week before the first race in Bahrain on March 5. More

LEWIS HAMILTON says Mercedes will never copy Red Bull… despite many other Formula 1 teams doing so.The Silver Arrows launched their new W14 car this week.
Hamilton is raring to go ahead of the new F1 seasonCredit: PA
Mercedes launched their new W14 car this weekCredit: PA
Hamilton’s new motor features a return to the sleek black livery sported in the 2020 and 2021 seasons – while focusing on being lighter and more aerodynamic.
Toto Wolff and Co have avoided going down the route of making their car more like Red Bull’s high performing RB18 – with Hamilton proud of Merc’s own creativity and innovation.
Amid the likes of McLaren taking inspiration from Red Bull’s sidepods – Hamilton said: “Of course you can see that some of the cars are approaching what a Red Bull might look like, perhaps with the exception of Ferrari.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been a team that copied other people.
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“We’ve always had our own mind and have always been a team that’s incredibly creative and innovative and likes to do it our way.
“And I think that’s worked in the past.”
After Mercedes’ encouraging finish to last season, fans will be excited to see Hamilton and team-mate George Russell back in action in Bahrain on March 5.
Speaking at the launch of the W14, team principal Wolff said: “Last year was difficult but it came with lots of learnings.
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Many teams have taken inspiration from Max Verstappen’s motorCredit: Getty
“I hope 2023 will be proof that we have understood how to unravel the problems and improve the package of the car.”
He then continued: “W13 certainly had performance which we never were able to unlock and put all its downforce on the ground.
“Our car performed very well at the end of the season.
“However, we still had the famous bouncing at some circuits and the car never gave the drivers good feedback, which limited them in being able to really push.
“We have tried to keep all the goodness of the W13 and address its weaknesses.”
McLaren launched their MCL60 this weekCredit: AFP More