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    Legendary Mercedes driven by five-time F1 champion sold for £42.7MILLION – more than double previous record

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    AN ICONIC Mercedes Formula One car has made history by doubling the record for the most expensive Grand Prix car ever sold.The striking silver Mercedes W196 R Stromlinienwage, chassis number 00009/54, was sold for a staggering £42.7million (€52.92m) by an unnamed buyer.The Mercedes W196 R has been sold for £42.7m at an auction in GermanyCredit: PAThe car was driven in 1955 by F1 icons Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Stirling MossCredit: Times Newspapers LtdThe striking silver car doubled the record for most expensive grand prix car soldCredit: PAIt is one of only four complete designs builtCredit: PAOne of only four complete versions ever built, it is only one of the most famous racing cars ever made having been driven by five-time F1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio and British icon Sir Stirling Moss.Boasting a top speed of 186mph, the remarkable machine that typifies the “Silver Arrows” nickname claimed victory on its debut in 1955 at the Buenos Aires Grand Prix, but with a cigar shaped open-wheel design.It won five more races that season to win both the driver’s and constructors’ championship.The car was sold by RM Sotheby’s on behalf of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany.READ MORE IN F1The previous record for the most expensive grand prix car sold also belongs to a Fangio-driven Mercedes, the 1954 Mercedes W196 which sold at Goodwood, England for £19.6m ($29.6m) in 2013.However, it pales in comparison to the most expensive sports car ever sold.That title belongs to 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which was sold in May 2022 for £113m ($140m).The W196 R was donated to the IMS by Mercedes in 1965, and was held for almost 60 years before being auctioned off to raise funds for the museum’s restoration efforts.Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSIMS curator, Jason Vansickle, said: “It’s a beautiful car, it’s a very historic car, it’s just a little bit outside our scope window.”We’ve been fortunate to be stewards of this vehicle for nearly 60 years and it has been a great piece in the museum but with this auction and the proceeds raised, it really will allow us… to be better in the future.”Mercedes launch sleek new PureSpeed racer with NO windscreen & 195mph top speedMercedes withdrew from the motorsport in 1955 following a Le Mans 24 Hours disaster which tragically killed 84 people.They eventually returned in 2010, where they have since won eight constructors titles and seven drivers titles – six with Lewis Hamilton and one with Nico Rosberg. More

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      Thibaut Courtois puts injury woes behind him as Real Madrid goalkeeper splashes out on £350,000 custom-built Porsche

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      THIBAUT COURTOIS has put his off-field career into overdrive by splashing £350,000 on a custom-built Porsche.The former Chelsea keeper, 31, is a well-known petrolhead.
      Thibaut Courtois has purchased a custom-built PorscheCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      The car has cost the goalkeeper £350,000Credit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      His signature has been engraved on the vehicleCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      Courtois is a huge petrolheadCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      Belgium international Courtois already owns a fleet of supercars, including a Lamborghini Urus, Ferrari Roma and Mercedes AMG G63.
      The Real Madrid star also set up Formula 4 team TC Racing last year to compete at events in Spain.
      Two-time Premier League winner Courtois has now forked out £342,234 on a Porsche 992 GT3 RS.
      He took delivery earlier this month after waiting TWO YEARS for it to be built to his specification.
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      The “basic” model cost £212,000 – but the keeper spent a further £137,000 on optional extras.
      Courtois impressed his Real Madrid team-mates at training recently after rolling up in the champagne gold-painted beast.
      It has a top speed of 198mph and can go from 0-60mph in 3.14 seconds.
      The keeper had it delivered to his Spanish home from Belgian dealership Porsche Centre Brussels.
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      The motor even has Courtois’ signature painted on a door sill.
      Car website KRN Speed raved: “This is more delicious than Belgian chocolate.
      “Courtois has owned some pretty amazing cars over the years, but never something extraordinary like a specially commissioned 3 RS.”
      Courtois won the FA Cup and League Cup with Chelsea as well as Premier League titles in 2015 and 2017.
      He has won eight trophies since joining Real Madrid for £35millon in 2018, including the Champions League and two La Liga crowns.
      The car is equipped with special sports seatsCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      Courtois paid £137,000 for optional add-onsCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      The 992 GT3 RS has a top speed of 198mphCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      Courtois’ motor has been described as ‘more delicious than Belgian chocolate’Credit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      The Real Madrid star waited two years for it to be builtCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed
      He has time to drive his car as he is out with an ACL injuryCredit: Facebook @KRN Speed More

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      in Motorsport

      Glamorous grid girl rushed to hospital and given ‘lots of morphine’ after freak accident celebrating race win

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      GLAMOROUS grid girl Sophie Wright was rushed to hospital on “lot’s of morphine” after a freak accident while celebrating a race win.Sophie was in attendance at Brands Hatch in Kent for the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) season finale with team West Surrey Racing.
      Sophie Wright is a grid girl in the British Touring Car Championship for West Surrey RacingCredit: Instagram
      Sophie shared snaps of her time at Brands Hatch for the BTCC season finaleCredit: Instagram
      But while celebrating a race win for Jake Hill and podium for Stephen Jelly she suffered a freak accidentCredit: Instagram
      In the third race of the day, team drivers Jake Hill and Stephen Jelley completed a double podium as Hill claimed the chequered flag and Jelley finished P3.
      The achievement triggered huge celebration’s from the trackside team as they climbed up the pitwall to cheer Hill and Jelley home.
      But as Sophie overhung on the wall disaster struck as she fell and landed awkwardly.
      This resulted in her getting a broken femur, her thigh bone.
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      Sophie was whisked off to hospital and given “lots of morphine” to help deal with the pain.
      Taking to Instagram, Sophie shared images of her bed-ridden state while at Princess Royal University Hospital in South London.
      She shared photos of her leg in wrapped in plaster, with later images showing her colleagues visiting her.
      Her post was captioned: “Pole position- changed into trainers – climbed pit wall to celebrate win – fell off pitwall – broken femur- lots of morphine 😩💔.
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      “Most importantly lots of AMAZING medics, mechanics, crew, team members, friends, Marshals and the best people in the world getting me thru it ❤️🙏🏻.”
      In her post, Sophie shared a couple of videos of her situation in the hospital, with her saying in the final vid that she had just had her knee put back into place.
      Race winner Hill replied to the post: “Sending you lots of love Soph! ❤️ so so sorry 😢.”
      Sophie has around 4,000 followers on Instagram.
      As well as being a grid girl, Sophie is also a DJ, presenter and writer.
      F1 banned grid and pit girls ahead of the 2018 season.
      In March the FIA also clamped down on F1 team’s pitwall celebrations by forbidding them from climbing on the fences at any time.
      Sophie revealed she had broken her femur after falling from the pitwallCredit: Instagram
      Sophie is also a writer, DJ and presenterCredit: Instagram
      Sophie has around 4,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram More