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    I’m a former F1 star turned DJ – I was not happy as a driver but what makes me feel worse is everyone feels sorry for me

    JAIME ALGUERSUARI’S Formula One career lasted just three years when he was released at 21-years-old.Alguersuari raced for Toro Rosso, one of two F1 teams previously owned by Red Bull, becoming the youngest debutant in the sport’s history at the time.
    Alguersuari was brought into Formula 1 while still a teenager, then spat out of the sport at the end of 2011Credit: EPA
    He’s now a successful record producer and DJCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Chcj7piotkH/
    Alguersuari was brought into F1 while still a teenager after winning the 2008 British Formula 3 championship.
    But come 2011 he found himself on the scrap heap, as he was dropped despite a solid campaign, which included multiple points finishes.
    Speaking on his experiences, he told Marca: “I couldn’t heal my wounds with the misfortune that happened”.
    “But I believe that I was not happy when I was a Formula 1 driver.”
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    Comparing his experience to that of fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, who was also cut loose by Toro Rosso before ultimately fighting his way back to his current seat at Ferrari, he added: “Neither Carlos nor I were very loved at Red Bull. It costs us more than the others to be loved or to want to be loved.
    “We weren’t the spearheads, nor were we in any way the proteges.
    “What makes me feel bad is that many people look at me as if they were sorry for what happened”.
    Alguersuari now has his own recording studio in Barcelona, and is well known in Spain as a DJ under the stage name Squire.
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    Asked if he still follows F1, he added: “I haven’t stopped watching the races. I follow more carefully now that we have two Spanish drivers with two good cars”.
    “Currently no driver is at the level of Max Verstappen.
    “I think Max has one more point because he comes from a very different upbringing.
    “There is no such thing as defeat because at home they have taught him that losing is dying.
    What makes me feel bad is that many people look at me as if they were sorry for what happened.Jaime Alguersuari
    “We see a different driver from the one that was known as Mad Max, which always crashed. Now it is something else”.
    And the former driver had a lot to say about the prospects for each team this season, and if Red Bull can continue to dominate ahead of the Monaco GP.
    He stated: “No, no. I think there will be surprises because Red Bull has something that is going to do them a lot of damage.
    “That is the limit of hours in the wind tunnel that can greatly favour Fernando Alonso.
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    “Aston Martin has a better car than Ferrari and they continue to improve the car aerodynamically”.
    This comes as Red Bull were slapped with a £6million fine and a 10 per cent reduction in wind-tunnel development time after being found guilty of overspending on the £114million limit. More

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    F1 legend thinks Lewis Hamilton could join Ferrari due to jealousy of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull salary

    RED BULL chief Helmut Marko thinks Lewis Hamilton could join Ferarri as he is jealous of Max Verstappen’s salary. Marko is an adviser of the team and head of their driver development programme.
    Lewis Hamilton took home less than Max Verstappen in 2022Credit: Getty
    Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko claims Hamilton is not happy at being paid less than his rivalCredit: Reuters
    Reports from Forbes suggest that Verstappen has overtaken Hamilton as the highest-earner in F1.
    Bonuses saw him take home £49.4million last year while Hamilton pocketed £45.3million.
    The seven-time world champion sees his contract at Mercedes expire at the end of this season.
    Ferrari are reportedly keen to make a move for the Brit and are readying a £40million offer.
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    The bid could be upped or include huge bonuses that would take his wage back above Verstappen’s.
    Despite Silver Arrows chief Toto Wolff insisting Hamilton wants to commit to the team, Marko believes he could be tempted by a switch.
    He told F1 Insider: “There are things that really annoy Hamilton. Firstly, that he is no longer world champion and will find it difficult to become one again in the future.
    “He knows there is no place for him at Red Bull. And whether Ferrari will be better for him in terms of sport than Mercedes is not set in stone.
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    “In addition to the sporting perspective, Lewis is anything but happy that he is no longer the highest-earning driver in Formula 1.
    “This is Max Verstappen now. At least that he could change with Ferrari’s help.”
    The Dutch driver looks in line to continue his dominance this season, having won three of five races so far.
    Meanwhile, Hamilton has podiumed just once back in Australia.
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    Star-studded Miami GP crowd bored in new Red Bull procession as Max Verstappen cruises from ninth on grid to win again

    FORMULA ONE needs more than a new theme tune and a paddock full of A-listers to keep the Americans interested in this procession.Max Verstappen cruised to victory as the sport served up another dud with his team-mate Sergio Perez in second.
    Max Verstappen flew from ninth to win the Miami Grand PrixCredit: AP
    Verstappen celebrates with Fernando Alonso on the podiumCredit: AFP
    The Red Bull pair dominated once againCredit: AFP
    A star-studded grid including film stars Tom Cruise and Vin Diesel, plus tennis star Roger Federer, plus countless fame-hungry photo-taking influencers, were all treated to a special driver introduction segment before the race.
    Rapper LL Cool J provided the words and producer will.i.am conducted an orchestra set-up on the grid.
    There is also a toe-curling new song from the latter with rapper Lil Wayne that is hilariously bad, as F1 tries to appeal to a new audience.
    The music will be used at various stages over the F1 weekend and there is a video that is so terrible it could be parody.
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    The lyrics are hilarious with gems such as “you a small fry, need ketchup, fall behind or you can catch up”.
    And “Got ’em braided like Lewis, got a Mercedes like Lewis” plus “your girl my co-captain. Drivin’ like Max Verstappen.”
    The flashy intro saw each driver called out from behind a curtain to plumes of dry ice while they were all given top billing. To his credit LL Cool J at least got all their names right while poor old F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart was caught up in the melee and manhandled by security guards as he tried to drag Federer to speak with Sky’s Martin Brundle.
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    It was a mess and drivers have slammed F1’s latest attempt to appeal to US audiences.
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    Lando Norris, who finished 17th, said: “None of the drivers like it, but it’s not for us at the end of the day. 
    “It’s just, we do a lot of things. Probably the only sport where we’re so close to the fans, we do so much publicity for the fans.
    “As drivers we all just want to sit down and focus on what we need to focus on and not do so much TV and everything.
    “We’ve said it. You can’t just keep putting things in and making us do more and more, you know. There’s not one other sport where you do this.
    “We do so much. There’s a limit to how much we should do. We’re here to focus on doing the job and not just be in front of a camera all day.” 
    Once the stage was cleared, the influencers scraped off the grid and the racing finally got underway it was all too easy for the Dutchman as the rest of the field pulled over and allowed him to make his way up from ninth on the grid to take the chequered flag.
    After an initial slow start, Verstappen started scything his way through the field.
    By the fourth lap he was up to sixth place with a beautiful double overtake of Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen.
    He then pulled off a stunning move with the help of the DRS to pass George Russell to move up a place before hunting down Carlos Sainz, who was in third place.
    Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso started at the front of the gridCredit: Reuters
    Lewis Hamilton battled from 13th to finish sixthCredit: Splash
    Much further back and trundling around in 13th Lewis Hamilton was not happy as he complained over his team’s radio that he did not think he’d make it to the end of the race.
    He was reassured by his race engineer but struggled to get past Alex Albon’s Williams in ninth place before a late surge pulled him up to finishing sixth.
    But Verstappen was having no such problems. He swooped past Sainz unchallenged on lap 14 to go into third.
    A lap later he overtook Fernando Alonso to go into second place and started cutting into Perez’s lead.
    The Mexican was called in for fresh tyres on lap 21 and had a quick 2.2 second pit stop, but the tyre change promoted Verstappen into the lead.
    The world champion set about pumping in quick laps as he tried to open up enough advantage over his team-mate to make his necessary pit-stop.
    Verstappen finally pitted from the lead at the end of lap 45 promoting Perez back into the lead.
    But the Mexican’s advantage lasted just a few laps as Verstappen made up the 1.6 second deficit and passed him with ease on lap 48.
    It means Verstappen has a 14 point lead in the championship after winning three of the first five races this season.
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    If the 90,766 capacity crowd – plus the bumper TV audience – expected the drama and excitement depicted in Netflix’s ‘Drive to Survive’, they didn’t get it.
    And that leaves F1 with a bit of a problem, because this was certainly not the advert they needed to show off their sport to the United States.
    Hamilton rocked up in an amazing purple jumpsuitCredit: Getty
    NFL star Patrick Mahomes poses with a Red Bull carCredit: Getty
    Roger Federer was in attendance to enjoy the Miami Grand PrixCredit: Reuters
    Tom Cruise was flanked by security as he walked around the paddockCredit: AFP
    Ludacris, Venus Williams and Serena Williams enjoy the grid presentationCredit: Getty
    Actor Vin Diesel poses for photos at the Hard Rock StadiumCredit: AP More

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    Lewis Hamilton fears bored F1 fans will switch off TVs as Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez dominate

    LEWIS HAMILTON fears fans could start switching off F1 if it becomes too boring.Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have dominated this season’s opening four races with the last Grand Prix in Azerbaijan a dull procession.
    Lewis Hamilton could only qualify in 13th for the Miami Grand PrixCredit: Getty
    He revealed fears F1 fans could switch off as Red Bull continue to dominateCredit: Reuters
    The sport arrived in Miami facing accusations that it has lost some of its appeal due to predictable winners.
    And Hamilton – who qualified 13th in Miami – says he has sympathy with TV viewers and insists teams need to adapt to the new rules or warns that it could take YEARS before someone else wins the title.
    He said: “It is not my job to convince people to watch a sport. I’m not watching so it’s not boring for me.
    “I’m challenged every single day to get back to the front so it’s definitely not boring from my perspective.
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    “But as a racing fan watching, I can understand because there’s not as much competition as there perhaps is in the NFL or the NBA at the moment.
    “That’s not my doing. As a sport they have already tried to bring the teams closer but it never seems to work.
    “All I can say is that we’re working as hard as we can to close up and get back and give them more of a fight.
    “It’s good that we’re trying new things. It’s important we continue to move forward and evolve.
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    “It is just unfortunate that we still see the same sort of gaps between the teams.
    “I don’t know what the solution is for the future. But we are going to have to adapt to these regulations.
    “Otherwise it could be the same as it is now for years.”
    Meanwhile, Hamilton says he supports F1’s decision to keep racing in new venues but believes it must not come at the cost of historic race tracks.
    The F1 calendar is currently limited to 24 races and there will be a new GP in Las Vegas later in the year.
    Grands Prix in South Africa, South Korea and a second race in Saudi Arabia are all in the pipeline and Hamilton says a balance is key to achieving a successful championship.
    He added: “I like the direction that F1 is going. I have been here a long time.
    “I like the change that we’re seeing and it’s exciting coming to different parts of the world.
    “We’ve been going to all the other continents so I’m hoping we get to go to Africa soon. And that will be an amazing experience.
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    “But I love all the older tracks, they are always going to be the ones I prefer.
    “It’s important that we continue to have those in the DNA — so a balance between the two.” More

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    Elon Musk proposes huge new F1 event as he reveals ‘discussions’ held at Miami Grand Prix

    THE Formula One paddock was greeted by Elon Musk ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.Twitter and Tesla owner Musk was pictured in the Red Bull garage ahead of FP3 as F1 gears up for the first of three races in the United States this season.
    Elon Musk revealed a huge new proposal for an F1 eventCredit: Getty
    Musk also revealed details of a chat with Christian HornerCredit: Getty
    The Twitter and Tesla owner was also joined by his son on the tour of the Red Bull garageCredit: Getty
    Following his visit, Musk revealed details of a discussion he had with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
    Taking to Twitter, Musk said: “Fun discussion of aero & battery technology in F1.”
    However, Musk then proposed a huge new F1 event.
    He added: “I proposed a pure EV (Electric Vehicle) vs gas/hybrid F1 race.”
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    However, some fans were quick to point out that an all-electric version of F1 already exists – Formula E.
    One wrote: “There’s Formula E buddy.”
    A second said: “So, Formula E??”
    “There is already a competition like F1 for electric cars,” remarked a third.
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    A fourth joked: “About to invent the Formula E competition 😉.”
    The sport has seen a number of F1 stars try their hand at the format, such as former Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi.
    Current AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries also won the world championship for it in 2021.
    Formula E was introduced as a completely electric alternative to F1, and has seen F1 constructor McLaren join this year.
    The British team were joined by their own celebrity in the paddock this week, this being Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
    The tempers in the sport are not far off F1 either, with Dan Ticktum slamming Jake Dennis following a collision earlier this season.
    Red Bull unveiled a special livery ahead of the race, which they hope will not impact Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez as they bid to make it five wins from five for Red Bull.
    Meanwhile, Sir Lewis Hamilton swapped sports as he showed off his skills with a basketball.

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    Sergio Perez labelled ‘the tyre whisperer’ with F1 star expected to pile pressure on Verstappen at Miami GP

    SERGIO PEREZ has been tipped to pile the pressure onto Max Verstappen at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix. However, Verstappen still retains the advantage on traditional circuits according to former Red Bull performance engineer Blake Hinsey.
    Sergio Perez has been tipped to challenge Max Verstappen across the seasonCredit: Getty
    But he must overcome a ‘half per cent’ gap on traditional circuitsCredit: AFP
    The Dutchman leads the driver standings over his Red Bull team-mate by six points, with the duo sharing two race wins apiece this season.
    But Perez, who won last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, has been tipped to keep up the pressure on Verstappen across the season thanks to his exceptional tyre management.
    Although ahead of the Miami race, Hinsey has declared Verstappen is equal in this regard to “tyre whisperer” Perez.
    Speaking to Channel 4, he said: “There’s the narrative of him [Perez] being exceptionally good on the tyres.
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    “I think the dangerous thing for all the other teams is both Max and Checo are insanely good on their tyres. They have the conundrum. They can do it, go fast and save tyres.
    “That’s the thing, most drivers, you ask them ‘we need you to increase your pace by two tenths, can you look after the tyre?’ They say ‘no’.
    “Whatever it is about the car and combination with these two guys, I’ve seen Checo do it many times, and I’ve seen Max do it multiple times. They’re both monsters.
    “But what is it exactly that he’s [Perez] good at? Yes, the low speed 90-degree corners, great at it, taking risks when he needs to, leaving just enough margin repeatedly over and over in the way that you need to do to do well in a race and qualifying session around the street circuit.
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    “They both can do it. But he’s traditionally been much closer at the circuits numerically.”
    But Hinsey added that to maintain his title charge, Perez, must make up a “half a per cent” gap on traditional circuits.
    He explained: “Traditional circuits, Max was about half a per cent ahead.
    “So I mean he had a clear gap to him on traditional circuits, half a per cent upwards of a one per cent gap to Checo.
    “On street circuits, there was no gap in the qualifying laps they set.
    “Obviously, the context from that is removed, but the numbers don’t lie. He does tend to go well there, he qualifies well there, and he tends to race well there.
    “So I think it’s a little bit of everything, the killer instinct, the adaptability.”
    Despite both drivers prowess, Bulls team boss Helmut Marko also backed Verstappen as being able to execute plans to the optimal level.
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    Last season he said: “Max has gradually become a tyre whisperer.
    “We give him a certain plan and he executes it optimally.”

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    George Russell blasts back at ‘pathetic’ F1 rival Verstappen for ‘spitting his dummy out’ with ‘d***head’ blast

    GEORGE RUSSELL says Max Verstappen “spat his dummy out” with his “pathetic” blast in Baku.Angry Verstappen labelled Russell “a d***head” after they made contact during the Azerbaijan GP Sprint race.
    George Russell has defended his overtaking move after taking a chunk out of Max Verstappen’s Red BullCredit: Splash
    Live TV cameras caught Verstappen criticising Russell after the sprintCredit: Splash
    The Dutchman confronted the Mercedes man at the end of the race to remonstrate.
    Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Miami GP, Russell said: “It was all a little bit pathetic.
    “I think something you learn as a kid is if you’re going to give something you’ve got to be willing to take it as well.
    “He’s had his fair share of giving moves like that and being tough and hard at racing and it’s a little bit poor to see how he sort of spat his dummy out when it was the first time he probably got something back in the same regard.
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    “From my side there was nothing really to say. I thought it was good racing, exciting racing and that’s the only thing that happened that weekend.
    “We’re both drivers, we’ve both been in the sport a long time now and we have plenty of experience. 
    “We’ll have a chat, everything is fine, move on and I guess we’ll laugh about it one day.”
    Russell and Verstappen went wheel-to-wheel from the very first corner in the revamped sprint before making contact.
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    The Brit had gone down the inside of the two-times world champion on the tight and twisty Baku streets and left Verstappen with missing bodywork after they touched.
    With Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc getting both poles in the qualifying sessions and Sergio Perez winning both the sprint and the Grand Prix, it was Verstappen’s least convincing weekend of the season.
    Some fans have defended Russell’s move and pointed out that Verstappen is known for his own fearless overtakes and uncompromising racing.
    The young drivers could meet on track again this weekend if Mercedes can keep up with Red Bull, something they have failed to do for most of the season. More

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    F1 fans brand Red Bull’s one-off livery for Miami GP ‘meh’ – and they also fear it could end in disaster on track

    RED BULL have revealed a colourful one-off livery for the Miami Grand Prix – but some fans are fearing they could be hit by an F1 curse. The championship leaders have enjoyed a comfortable start to the season with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez clocking up two wins each from the four races.
    Red Bull’s usual livery – as seen in last week’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix – is set to undergo some changesCredit: AP
    Fans have not been left particularly excited by the blue and pink stripes added along the sideCredit: Twitter@FastestPitStop
    Verstappen is looking to make it three driver’s championships in a row as Ferrari and Mercedes continue to flounder.
    Up next for the team is the second running of the Miami Grand Prix which the Dutchman won last year.
    And Red Bull will be running a special livery to mark the American race.
    The paintwork of the car has not seen sweeping changes but has seen colourful stripes added along the side.

    A light blue strip now runs along the length of the car while a pink strip runs alongside the front.
    It is only a tinker to the livery and fans have been left underwhelmed by the minor changes.
    One fan said: “Are those two stripes the only thing that changed?”
    Another said: “That’s it???”
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    While one simply declared: “Meh.”
    And an even more disapproving fan simply said: “Ugh.”
    F1 watchers have already picked up on Red Bull’s unwillingness to venture too far from their famous colour scheme.
    The only time in recent memory when Red Bull have done something completely different was in the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix.
    In a tribute to outgoing engine partner Honda, the team unveiled a stunning all-white livery.
    Verstappen and Perez finished second and third in the wet-dry race that day, avoiding the F1 curse that has afflicted some teams who run different designs.
    Red Bull’s last one-off special livery at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix was far more eye-catchingCredit: Reuters
    The most famous example is the 2019 German Grand Prix when a dominant Mercedes team had a nightmare.
    Both Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas crashed in the infamous wet race, with Hamilton also having to endure a 50-second long pit stop after chaos and confusion reigned in the Mercedes garage.
    Daniel Ricciardo was also lapped by his own teammate at the Monaco race in 2021 when McLaren had a new paintjob, while Sebastian Vettel finished 3rd-last in the chaotic Tuscan Grand Prix of 2020 when Ferrari employed a darker red livery.
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    Referencing the curse, one fan said of Red Bull’s new design: “As usual, ‘special livery’ means DNFs [race retirements].” More