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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      Max Verstappen labelled ‘the Tyson Fury of Formula 1’ for key attribute that drives him to success

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN has been labelled as the Tyson Fury of Formula One due to one key attribute. Verstappen has taken two race wins from a possible four so far on this season’s F1 calendar and even when not winning he has finished in second place.
      Max Verstappen has two race wins from four this seasonCredit: Getty
      And Red Bull boss Christian Horner has compared his ‘killer instinct’ to Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
      Consequently, he leads the championship as he aims for a third title in a row.
      And the Red Bull driver has now been compared to heavyweight boxing champ Tyson Fury by boss Christian Horner.
      Speaking to the Evening Standard, Horner said: “I see a lot of Tyson Fury’s killer instinct in Max.
      “Max had a tough upbringing and he’s got that inner ‘just don’t give up’.
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      “It’s not anger, but that hunger, drive, self-confidence and belief — and also he likes Tyson Fury.”
      Fury has been out of the ring since stopping Derek Chisora in December.
      The 34-year-old was in talks for a heavyweight unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk before negotiations collapsed.
      However, traction is being gained with rumours suggesting the Gypsy King will fight against Andy Ruiz Jr.
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      This fight was supposedly “leaked” by Ruiz himself with the Mexican-American boxer teasing a bout between them on his Instagram story.
      The caption of his post also seemed to confirm a date of July 22nd.
      In Verstappen’s case, he only has to wait a few days before getting back in an F1 car, with the Miami Grand Prix pencilled in for this weekend.
      Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez have been the dominating forces so far this season, with Perez claiming the other two race wins.
      And Horner was full of praise for the Mexican street-circuit king.
      Asked what it is like to be Verstappen’s team-mate, Horner said: “It’s incredibly tough.
      “That’s why I think ‘Checo’ is doing a great job. Mentally, Max can destroy team-mates, younger drivers haven’t had the roundedness to deal with Max Verstappen.
      “‘Checo’ has that experience. He accepts that Max is an exceptional talent but, if he focuses on himself, he can get close to him and challenge him at many venues.
      “Whether he’s able to do that consistently over 23 races, we’ll see.
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      “He knows that’s his biggest challenge. He recognises the talent Max has and he’s completely comfortable with that.
      “He’s had a great start to the season and knows he has a great car, but he needs to beat the other guy on the other side of the garage.”

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      Red Bull continue dominance as Sergio Perez wins ahead of Max Verstappen at Azerbaijan GP with Hamilton down in sixth

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      SERGIO PEREZ cruised to victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen.Charles Leclerc was third to earn Ferrari their first podium of the season, having started on pole.
      Perez won the Azerbaijan Grand PrixCredit: AFP
      The 33-year-old is now just six points behind his team-mate in the drivers standingsCredit: AP
      But in truth this was a dull procession and another crushing performance from Red Bull.
      However, there were chaotic scenes right at the death when team members and photographers were allowed into the pitlane BEFORE Esteban Ocon had made his pitstop.
      Serious safety concerns will be raised as to how it was allowed to happen for it could have had devastating consequences.
      It was the only abnormality in a routine race.
      It took just four laps for Verstappen to catch and pass Leclerc, who had taken pole for the race on Friday.
      It was all too easy for Verstappen’s rampant Red Bull as he powered past the Ferrari man with ease to move into the lead.

      Perez was next past Leclerc just two-laps later as the Mexican made it a Red Bull 1-2 in an ominous sign with the Dutchman out in front.
      However, his hopes of a win were dashed when the safety car was deployed when Nyck de Vries stopped on track.
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      Red Bull finished 1-2Credit: Getty
      Leclerc claimed the final spot on the podiumCredit: AP
      While Verstappen dived into the pits from the lead, Perez stayed out but was given an advantage when the race was neutralised behind the safety car.
      It meant that Perez was able to make his pitstop and maintain the lead he had taken from his team-mate.
      He then set about trying to keep out of Verstappen’s reach by plotting his way around the Baku circuit.
      He looked comfortable, but for a brush with the wall at Turn 15, and crossed the line two seconds ahead of his title rival.
      It means Verstappen’s lead is cut to just six points in the Drivers’ Championship while Leclerc was third.
      It was another disappointing result for Lewis Hamilton in sixth while his team-mate George Russell was in eighth.
      Meanwhile, Landon Norris came home in ninth place and took two points for his effort.
      Hamilton finished the race in sixthCredit: Splash More

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      How the 2024 F1 grid could line up with NO Lewis Hamilton, fresh face at Mercedes and new team-mate for Max Verstappen

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      THE Formula One grid in 2024 could look hugely different to what it does now. There are a number of teams who have drivers with expiring contracts.
      Lewis Hamilton may have retired by the start of the 2024 seasonCredit: Getty
      While Sergio Perez may seal a shock move elsewhereCredit: Getty
      It is also not out of the realms of possibility for a team to pick up a driver from an underperforming team.
      So with that in mind, how might the grid look by the start of the 2024 season?
      Red Bull – Verstappen and Tsunoda
      The first big shock would come at Red Bull, where Max Verstappen could be joined by a surprise new team-mate in Yuki Tsunoda.
      A recent report suggested Christian Horner was considering promoting Tsunoda from sister team AlphaTauri.
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      This would naturally lead to Perez’s departure, despite having a contract running to 2024.
      The current relationship between Verstappen and Perez has grown increasingly tense, with the latest from it seeing Verstappen snatch the fastest lap point away from an unhappy Perez in Saudi Arabia.
      Mercedes – Russell and Norris
      In the event Lewis Hamilton decides he has had enough of F1 and decides to allow his contract to expire at the end of the season, Mercedes will need some very capable hands to take his seat.
      There are fewer drivers more capable than McLaren’s Lando Norris, and with his team’s current underperformance, he may be tempted to try and grab a more competitive seat.
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      Indeed, despite being in an inferior car, Norris was the only driver outside of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari to score a podium in 2022 and break the 100-point mark.
      Despite reports suggesting his contract extension with McLaren could pose difficulties, with Norris the Brackley-based team would keep their all-British line-up as he partners George Russell.
      Ferrari – Leclerc and Sainz
      Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have contracts which run until 2024 and both are performing well despite the team’s performance and reliability issues.
      It is difficult to see any changes coming for the Scuderia before next season.
      Aston Martin – Alonso and Stroll
      In a similar sense to Ferrari, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are unlikely to leave Aston Martin.
      Alonso has scored three back-to-back podiums this season, and Stroll’s dad Lawrence is the owner of the team. And he is desperate to give his son a car capable of winning titles.
      McLaren – Piastri and Perez
      With Norris gone, McLaren chief Zak Brown could bring Perez back to McLaren for a chance at redemption.
      Perez replaced Hamilton in 2013, but flopped as he was slammed by team-mate Jenson Button for his “unnecessary” aggressiveness.
      However, with a more mature mindset and far more experience under his belt, Perez could be brought back to ensure McLaren maintains a competitive edge over the rest of the midfield.
      Perez was always a consistent performer when with midfield teams as well.
      Alpine – Ocon and Gasly
      Despite having a less-than-desirable relationship in the past, both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will likely remain at Alpin for the 2024 season.
      Both have contracts running until 2024, and a French team with two French drivers would be expected to keep the line up barring an exceptional change in stance between now and the season’s end.
      Haas – Hulkenberg and Ricciardo
      Despite rejecting a seat with the team for this year, team principal Guenther Steiner has remained optimistic about potentially landing Daniel Ricciardo.
      He previously said: “Everybody is wanting to speak with Danny after a year off.”
      Ricciardo would be partnering former Renault team-mate Nico Hulkenberg – with the pair shooting to fame on Drive to Survive – as Kevin Magnussen’s replacement.
      The Dane has one year left on his current deal and could be in line for an extension if he performs well, but a big name like Ricciardo may be too tempting to turn down for Haas.

      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year
      Alfa Romeo – Bottas and Pouchaire
      If Alfa Romeo opts to drop out-of-contract Zhou Guanyu at the end of the season then their likely replacement will be Theo Pourchaire.
      The Frenchman was second in the F2 championship last year, and is once again sitting in second in the junior formula this year.
      The 19-year-old would represent the natural next choice given how he is already the team’s current reserve driver.
      Valtteri Bottas has a deal running until 2025, so the Finn is not likely to be moving on anytime soon.
      AlphaTauri – De Vries and Iwasa
      Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa currently leads the F2 championship and is next in line to be given an F1 nod by Red Bull.
      This is likely to see him head to AlphaTauri, where Red Bull send their up-and-coming stars to give them handy experience before potentially making the step up to the main team, as seen with Alex Albon and Gasly.
      Nyck de Vries has a contract running until 2024.
      Therefore, like Bottas he is unlikely to be heading elsewhere before next season.
      Williams – Albon and Schumacher
      Albon could have ANOTHER new team-mate at Williams by the start of 2024 with Mick Schumacher making his return to the F1 grid.
      Schumacher is the current reserve driver at Mercedes, and with Williams using the Mercedes engine it may give them a way to strengthen their relationship further.
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      Schumacher was dropped by Haas after a poor showing in his first two seasons. And in a similar sense the same may happen to rookie Logan Sargeant.
      The American has a one-year contract at the team and unless he performs well he could be cut in favour of Schumacher, who has said it is his “goal” to return to the grid in 2024. More