Author: quyen1

Devin Haney has broken his silence following reports that Ryan Garcia tested positive for banned PEDs following their fight.

Garcia, 25, secured a majority decision victory over Haney last month in Brooklyn, going into the bout as an underdog but flooring his opponent three times over 12 captivating rounds at Barclays Center.

The win marked Garcia’ biggest victory of his career to date, and came after weeks of bizarre social media posts and rants in the buildup to the bout.

The high of the victory was soon turned into a major low, however, with boxing journalist Dan Rafael reporting on Thursday that the lightweight has returned a positive test for banned substance Ostarine.

The troubled boxer immediately took to social media to deny the claims Wednesday night, branding the reports ‘fake news’, and opponent Haney has now responded.

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Devin Haney has broken his silence after Ryan Garcia (pictured) reportedly tested positive for taking PEDs

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Haney, who lost to Garcia last month, slammed Garcia’s reaction to the reports and demanded an apology to fans

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Garcia secured a shock majority victory over his fellow American after knocking him down three times

Ryan Garcia denies claims that he ‘tested positive for banned PED’

In a statement made to ESPN, Haney said: ‘We learned about this situation not too long ago and it’s unfortunate Ryan cheated and disrespected both the fans and the sport of boxing by fighting dirty and breaking positive not once, but twice.

‘I’ve always been an advocate for clean fighting and this is an example of such. Ryan owes the fans an apology, and by his recent tweet he still thinks this is a joke. We put our lives on the line to entertain people for a living. You don’t play boxing.

‘This puts the fight in a completely different light. Despite the disadvantage, I still fought on my shield and got back up!

‘People die in this sport. This is no laughing matter.’

Haney’s father and trained Bill Haney told Sports Illustrated: ‘You trying to hurt my baby.

‘We played it fair. We didn’t do it like that.

‘F*** boxing, this is some bulls***. I came from the streets.

‘You scared of Devin on a level playing field. I feel f***ed up over this.’

Garcia took to social media to deny the claims and also mocked reports in a series of posts

Garcia will now reportedly have 10 days to request his B-sample be tested, which he must pay for himself.

He reportedly failed for the substance in two urine sample tests taken the day before the fight and also following the fight, with the bout going 12 rounds and securing Garcia the 21st win of his career, with just one loss to his name, though that could now be taken away from him.

A sample also screened positive for 19-norandrosterone but is unconfirmed until further lab analysis, according to ESPN’s Mike Coppinger.

On X, formerly Twitter, he posted a series of messages in the immediate aftermath of the allegations including sharing a video and speaking on a Space.

Other posts included: ‘I need more steroids I’m addicted UGHHH’, and ‘They are trying to take my greatest victory away kinda sad when you think about it I DONT CARE I LOVE GOD AND HE WILL MAKE THIS RIGHT I love you Jesus’.

In the video, he said: ‘I came on here to address this bull-f***ing-s*** claim that I cheated. Everybody knows I don’t cheat.

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He had made a number of bizarre social media posts and gone on several rants in the build-up to the bout

‘What can I say? Why didn’t they come out with this before, if they found it before? Why would they still let me into the ring? I came out with a victory and then they post this.

‘These are people that are trying to attack me for whatever reason. But no weapon against me shall prosper. I’ve never taken a steroid in my life.’

Alex Pereira took down UFC commentator Daniel Cormier during a hallway tussle.

What started off as sparring ended up with security arriving after Cormier jokingly called for them.

Pereira isn’t competing in UFC 301 but he is still in attendance in Brazil for the card.

He bumped into former Olympic wrestler Cormier, which led to a wrestling exchange between the pair.

Pereira eventually managed to secure a takedown before a UFC official intervened.

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Alex Pereira took down UFC commentator Daniel Cormier during a hallway tussle

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What started off as sparring ended up with security arriving after Cormier jokingly called for them.

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Pereira eventually managed to secure a takedown before a UFC official intervened

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Cormier joked to Pereira that he will now have to watch out for retaliation

Cormier stated that Pereira will have to watch out for retaliation.

Cormier said: ‘I’m an old guy now. I find ways to win. One eye poke, kick balls. I’m going to get your ass now. You better look [with eyes in the back of your head].’

It has been a busy time for Pereira, who shared a video of himself signing a fight contract.

After knocking out Jamahal Hill in the first round at UFC 300, Pereira has been linked with a fight against UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

Aspinall has previously claimed that he would be open to fighting Hill.

After signing the contract, Pereira was given a pair of ‘challenger’ shorts rather than champion ones – hinting that he will be facing a champion in Aspinall. 

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Pereira teased huge potential fight news after filming himself signing a contract

Eddie Hearn says Devin Haney has been left ‘absolutely furious’ following the news of Ryan Garcia’s failed drug tests, with the beaten super-lightweight champion calling for an ‘immediate no-contest’.

Garcia picked up the bragging rights in his grudge match with Haney on April 20, knocking his former amateur rival down three times and claiming a majority-decision win – albeit having come in three-and-a-half pounds over the super-lightweight limit.

Nearly two weeks on from that victory, it has now emerged that the 25-year-old tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance that builds muscle mass and enhances rate of fat loss, both the day before and the day of the fight.

Boxing journalist Dan Rafael reported on Wednesday night that Garcia failed for the substance in two urine sample tests for the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, while a sample also screened positive for 19-norandrosterone – another banned substance – but is unconfirmed pending further lab analysis.

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Eddie Hearn says Devin Haney has been left ‘absolutely furious’ following the news of Ryan Garcia ‘s failed drug tests

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Garcia, who defeated Haney on April 20, tested positive for banned substance Ostarine the day before and the day of the fight

Ryan Garcia denies claims that he ‘tested positive for banned PED’

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Haney took to social media to tell Garcia his failed tests are ‘no laughing matter’ on Wednesday

Haney broke his silence on social media after learning of his rival’s failed tests, insisting it puts his first career defeat in ‘a completely different light’ while telling Garcia it is ‘no laughing matter’. The latter, meanwhile, is protesting his innocence on X.

The morning after the bombshell report came to light, Hearn, who co-promoted Haney for the fight with Garcia, claimed the situation has left his man feeling ‘screwed’.

‘I spoke to Devin last night, in his mind he’s absolutely furious,’ the Matchroom chief told The Stomping Ground.

‘The guy came in three-and-a-half pound overweight and had performance-enhancing drugs in his system. He will want the contest to be an immediate no-contest [and] for that to be scrubbed off the card.

‘Regardless of Ryan’s innocence or guilt in this situation, he had performance-enhancing drugs in his system when he fought Devin Haney – and he came in three-and-a-half pounds over.

‘If you’re Devin Haney right now you’re thinking, ‘F*** me, I’ve been screwed.’

Garcia has 10 days to request his B-sample to be tested for the same substance, a test he must pay for himself.

He immediately took to social media to deny the claims Wednesday night, branding them ‘fake news’.

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Hearn, who co-promoted Haney for the fight, says his man will be seeking a no-contest

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Garcia immediately launched into a social-media rant to deny knowingly taking PEDs

‘I came on here to address this bull-f***ing-s**t claim that I cheated,’ Garcia said in a video posted to X. ‘Everybody knows I don’t cheat.

‘What can I say? Why didn’t they come out with this before, if they found it before? Why would they still let me into the ring? I came out with a victory and then they post this.

‘These are people that are trying to attack me for whatever reason. But no weapon against me shall prosper. I’ve never taken a steroid in my life.’

Garcia continued to hit back at the reports in a series of social media rants, suggesting in one post that the news broke as an attack on him because he was pictured with Donald Trump.

‘Hmm I’m seen with trump,’ he wrote. ‘And now I’m positive for steroids. This is a straight attack. Crazy.’

‘I’m find out who paid who to create this lie,’ he added in another. ‘NOW IMA RELEASE EVERYONES S***. TIME TO EXPOSE THE REAL SNAKES.’

Kanye West was mocked by Jimmy Kimmel for planning to enter the adult film industry – less than two years after he opened a Christian school.

In late 2022 Kanye founded the Donda Academy, a religious private educational institution named after his late mother, who died in 2007 aged 58 of heart disease and post-op complications following cosmetic surgery.

Then this week, it emerged that Kanye is in negotiations to launch a Yeezy Porn studio with help from Stormy Daniels’ ex-husband.

Jimmy, 56, took aim at Kanye over the venture during the opening monologue of his late-night talk show Wednesday.

He joked that Yeezy Porn was ‘the next logical step after opening a pre-K through 12th grade Christian private school. You can’t say he doesn’t have range, right?’

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Kanye West was mocked by Jimmy Kimmel for planning to enter the adult film industry – less than two years after he opened a Christian school

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Jimmy joked that Yeezy Porn was ‘the next logical step after opening a pre-K through 12th grade Christian private school,’ adding: ‘You can’t say he doesn’t have range, right?’

Kanye apparently confirmed the reports about his new business endeavor on X, formerly Twitter, where he posted Wednesday: ‘Yeezy Porn is C**ming.’

Jimmy quipped on his show: ‘That’s the kind of business genius is. He said: “You know what the internet could use? Some porn!”‘

It emerged this week that Kanye hopes to launch a Yeezy Porn studio in his latest shock movie -five years after saying he had an ‘addiction’ to lewd material.

Kanye previously expressed regret that he watched pornography so often, even claiming adult entertainment had ‘destroyed my family.’

More recently, however, he is thought to have been behind his wife Bianca Censori‘s jaw-dropping outfits that leave her intimate parts exposed to view.

Now a representative for Kanye has informed TMZ the rap star hopes to add an adult entertainment branch to his Yeezy empire, possibly this summer.

He is said to be communicating with adult film producer Mike Moz, who used to be married to Stormy Daniels, in hopes that Mike will run his studio.

Mike’s history in porn stretches back to at least 2007 when he was an art director on Operation: Desert Stormy, whose star Stormy Daniels he married that year.

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It emerged this week that Kanye hopes to launch a Yeezy Porn studio in his latest shock movie -five years after saying he had an ‘addiction’ to lewd material

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He is said to be communicating with adult film producer Mike Moz, who used to be married to Stormy Daniels (pictured in 2018), in hopes that Mike will run his studio

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Mike’s history in porn stretches back to at least 2007 when he was an art director on Operation: Desert Stormy, whose star he married that year; he and Stormy pictured in 2007

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Mike and Stormy are pictured in 2008, the year after they wed

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Kanye is pictured with his wife Bianca Censori attending Milan Fashion Week this February

Kanye ‘Ye’ West explains ‘punch’ incident at Chateau Marmont

Although Kanye has purportedly been considering entering the porn industry for some time, he is now said to be in serious negotiations to start a studio.

Kanye described himself as a porn addict in 2019, saying that his fixation with adult entertainment began when he was only five years old

‘For me, Playboy was my gateway into full on pornography addiction. My dad had a Playboy left out at age five and it’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life,’ he told Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio.

‘From age five till now, having to kick the habit and it just presents itself in the open like it’s OK and I stand up and say: “No, it’s not OK.”‘

Three years later, during a bitter feud with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian over their children’s schooling, he claimed porn had ‘destroyed’ his family.

The former couple are co-parenting two daughters, North, 10, and Chicago, six, as well as two sons, Saint, eight, and Psalm, four.

Kim wed Kanye in 2014 and filed for divorce in February 2021 after months of speculation that their marriage was on the verge of collapse.

The following year, Kanye claimed to have a porn ‘addiction’ while denouncing his former mother-in-law Kris Jenner, in a furious Instagram caption addressed to Kylie Jenner’s former assistant Victoria Villarroel.

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In 2022, during a bitter feud with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian over their children’s schooling, he claimed porn had ‘destroyed’ his family; he is pictured that October

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Kanye, who is pictured with Kim in 2016 during their marriage, confessed in 2019 that he had suffered from a ‘full on pornography addiction’ brought on by seeing Playboy at age five

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Kanye urged Kylie Jenner’s former assistant Victoria Villarroel: ‘Don’t let Kris make you do playboy like she made Kyle and Kim do’; Kim pictured on the cover of Playboy in 2007

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Kylie is pictured on the cover of Playboy’s Pleasure Issue in the fall of 2019

Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori debuts a bold and braless look

‘Don’t let Kris make you do playboy like she made Kyle and Kim do,’ he urged Victoria: ‘Hollywood is a giant brothel Pornography destroyed my family I deal with the addiction Instagram promotes it Not gonna let it happen to Northy and Chicago.’

Kim starred in a Playboy shoot in 2007, while her younger half-sister Kylie covered the magazine’s Pleasure issue over a decade later in 2019.

In October 2022, Kanye’s career imploded after he launched a string of antisemitic tirades, including a vow to go ‘death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.’

Shortly thereafter, Kanye faced allegations that he had presided over a ‘sexualized’ work environment suffused with pornography at Yeezy.

He was accused of showing staffers nude photos and footage of Kim in a supposed bid to intimidate them, in an exposé published by Rolling Stone.

Kanye West‘s former security guard is suing him over his alleged treatment of black staff at his Donda Academy.

Benjamin Deshon Provo, who is black and Muslim, alleged in a new lawsuit filed in Los Angeles court that the ‘Jesus Walks’ rapper and his management favored white staff and paid them at least $5 more.

Provo said the ‘Jesus Walks’ rapper also would walk around the school grounds and approached staff and students, demanding they all shave their heads, according to the complaint obtained by DailyMail.com.

Provo, who wears dreadlocks because of his religion, said he was often singled out by West and his manager, John Hicks.

‘Notably, Kanye began to become increasingly more aggressive, demanding, ‘Alright y’all, it is time for you to shave your heads. I am not messing around,” according to the suit.

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Kanye, or Ye West, is facing another lawsuit from a former security guard who claims the rapper told him to shave off his dreadlocks or he would be fired

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In the lawsuit, former Donda Academy security guard, Benjamin Deshon Provo, claims the rapper screamed and was more aggressive toward black staff members. He also claimed the school had multiple safety violations

‘However, Plaintiff refused. Thereafter, Hicks approached Plaintiff and stated, ‘Kanye said, ‘Tell the one with the dreads to shave his head or he is fired.’ Plaintiff refused to shave his head, and as a result thereof, his employment was terminated.’

Provo claimed the school’s Simi Valley location was forced to close down because of unsafe conditions, including lack of windows for ventilation, lack of fire hydrants and other safety measures.

Other former Donda Academy staffers made similar allegations in their own lawsuits against West.

The former Donda security guard said the school was moved to another campus in Chatsworth, but the problems there continued.

‘At this location, Plaintiff was assigned additional job duties as a result of a lack of staffing, including providing snacks to children, transportation for children, and teaching students nutrition,’ the complaint said.

Outside of his duties at the academy, Provo said he also served as part of West’s security detail.

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Donda Academy’s Simi Valley location was shuttered and moved to another site after West and the school faced various fines, Provo claimed in his lawsuit

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Several of West’s former Donda Academy employees have filed similar lawsuits against the rapper and Yeezy brand designer. The academy students, shown here, were required to wear black and other monotone clothing designed by West

He claims the rapper ‘required’ him and other guard to ‘snatch cameras from paparazzi, take their sim cards and provide them to Kanye.

‘Notably, this was a practice regularly engaged in by Kanye, who has a documented history of assaulting paparazzi,’ the suit said.

Provo also claimed West was continuously abrasive and demeaning to him and other black employees, while the rapper favored his white staff.

The affidavit includes a picture of West wearing a black hooded sheet resembling the while hoods worn by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Provo claims when he brought up he was being paid less than white employees, Hicks allegedly responded, ‘Don’t  bring up money to Ye. He doesn’t like to talk about money.’

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Benjamin Provo claimed he also served in West’s security detail and was told to handle paparazzi aggressively

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Donda Academy’s Simi Valley location closed abruptly in October 2022 after West lost financial backing from various business partners when he made antisemitic remarks

He claims Hicks also told him his boss could not afford security, so he would be paid $5 less. However, Provo said his white counterparts’ pay were not docked.

Provo is suing West, Donda Academy and others for discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation and violation of various labor codes.

Earlier this month, another former Donda Academy employee – Trevor Phillips – filed a suit against West and claimed the ‘Gold Digger’ rapper once told students he would put a ‘jail’ at the school where they could be locked in cages.

Phillips also claimed West threatened to punch him during a ‘temper tantrum’ and often spewed antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric near students.

Adrian Newey is set to hold discussions with Red Bull over the next 72 hours in a bid to resolve his future, the PA news agency has learned.

Newey’s time at Red Bull has been cast into doubt after it was suggested on Thursday that he has requested to leave the team at the end of year, with Ferrari – ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in 2025 – mooted as his most likely destination.

The Briton, 65, is regarded as one of the most influential car designers in Formula One history, and he has had a major hand in Max Verstappen’s current stranglehold on the sport which places the Dutchman on course to win a fourth consecutive world championship.

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Max Verstappen has won four of the opening five races this year (David Davies/PA)

Newey is understood to be unhappy in his current role at Red Bull – the team he joined from McLaren in 2006 – and reports of his end-of-season departure have sparked the need for immediate talks.

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It is believed that Newey could step back from the day-to-day running of the F1 team’s operation as early as this year, or perhaps at the start of next, and focus on his in-house hypercar, the RB17, which is due to begin production in 2025.

The suggestion of Newey’s desire to end his near two-decade association at Red Bull, which is understood to have come as a surprise to those connected with the grid’s all-conquering team, follows Christian Horner being accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female employee.

Team principal Horner, who was exonerated by Red Bull’s parent company GmbH on the eve of last month’s curtain raiser in Bahrain, has always denied the claims. And those close to the 50-year-old believe Newey’s future is being used as a power-play to further destabilise his position.

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Adrian Newey (left) has worked with Christian Horner at Red Bull since 2006 (David Davies/PA)

But Newey’s next steps are also likely to have an impact on the future of the team’s superstar driver, Verstappen, who has refused on multiple occasions to confirm he will remain with Red Bull beyond this year.

Verstappen, under contract with Red Bull until 2028, said at last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix that he only wanted a “quiet and peaceful environment” when pressed over whether he would remain with the team.

And Mercedes boss Toto Wolff refused to shut down a move for the 26-year-old, who has won four of the five races so far, as a replacement for Hamilton.

A Red Bull spokesperson said: “Adrian is contracted until at least the end of 2025, and we are unaware of him joining any other team.”

Fans should celebrate rather than criticise Max Verstappen’s brilliance, according to ex-Formula One team principal Otmar Szafnauer.

In a wide-ranging interview, the former Alpine boss calls for a fourth race in America and backs Sergio Perez to continue as Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate.

Szafnauer, 59, is currently on gardening leave after being fired last year by buffoons at Alpine’s owners Renault, who have no idea how to run a F1 team. He is currently promoting his high-tech travel and event app, EventR.

Talking over lunch in west London about Verstappen blazing his way to a fourth world title, Szafnauer said: ‘You can’t get rid of Max. The sport has gone through this before. Max will not be champion forever. It will change. We have had Michael (Schumacher) and Lewis (Hamilton).

‘Now you have got the Netflix fans who are just learning and you don’t want to lose them, but if Max is winning all the time, will you lose them? I don’t know the answer to that. But we have to celebrate Max for his brilliance and not chastise him.

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Max Verstappen has won four of five races this season as he targets a fourth straight world title

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Ex-Alpine boss Otmar Szafnauer believes Verstappen should be celebrated for his brilliance

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Szafnauer admitted new Formula One fans might be put off by Verstappen’s dominance

‘Who would you put up against Max? For me, I love Lewis but he is at a different age in his career. I would stick Lando (Norris of McLaren) up against Max.

‘I am not saying Lando should do that, but you are asking me who can beat Max? I have no idea (if Lewis is past his best). It is really hard to know: you have to be in the same equipment. But the thing I respect about Lewis is that he works super hard and he is a great racer. I watched the last race in China, and he was behind one of the Alpines and he said on the radio he couldn’t catch him and I am looking at the lap times, and he was right, the lap times were similar. But where did he finish? In the points.

‘He is a great racer and he doesn’t give up and he is very respectful on the race track, which is something I admire, too.’

The F1 circus travels to Miami this week, and Szafnauer, who grew up in Detroit, believes the American market should be exploited further. There are currently also races staged in Austin and Las Vegas.

‘It is amazing what Netflix and the combination of three races in America has done over there. I have friends from Florida, who are visiting me, and one of my friends’ friend, said his daughter, who is 17, saw a picture of one of my birthdays and said, “Wow you know him?” And that is the Netflix effect. Without Netflix she wouldn’t have known that Formula One existed.

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A fourth race in the United States has been backed by Szafnauer after Las Vegas’ debut

‘But what we have to do is keep those fans interested. Last year, in Canada, the NFL commissioner spoke to all the team principals. He said at some stage in their past, NFL were at the crossroads of getting a bigger fanbase, but how do you keep them and grow it? Maybe a fourth race in America.

‘Make it a destination race. Miami is, Vegas is. Austin is – I love the city. A fourth race in America, if it is New York, or on the West Coast, make it a destination race and it will work.’

As a leading figure at Force India, which he helped turn into a mid-table success story, Szafnauer worked with Perez, the Mexican whose contract is up at the end of the season.

A good driver, ‘Checo’ has at times been blown apart by the Verstappen hurricane – who wouldn’t be? At other times, he has contributed as the perfect No2.

Szafnauer emphasises the latter component, saying: ‘I was in Abu Dhabi two days ago doing this F1 thing and David Coulthard was with me on stage. The question was, ‘If you are Christian Horner, who would you replace Checo with?

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Szafnauer, who previously worked with Sergio Perez, backs the Mexican to remain at Red Bull

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Perez has been blown away at times by Verstappen but has also contributed as the perfect No2

‘And I said, knowing Checo as well as I do, I would replace Checo with Checo. If I were Christian, I would still keep him there for next year.

‘Let’s not forget, that the year Max won his first championship it was partly because of Checo. But don’t look just at the last race (in Abu Dhabi in 2021), look at all the other races that also counted to that win that year. And that was when he earned the nickname in Mexico as the Minister of Defence.

‘He’s had some lows. But from what I can see this year, apart from a couple of races, where I think he should have finished a bit higher, he’s doing it.

‘Checo’s strength has always been race craft. He’s never been a great qualifier. There are not many times where he worked for me and I thought, “Why did you do that in a race?” There’s only one time I can remember, in Singapore, where he got frustrated and hit a Williams, but the rest of the time, he was very, very good at overtaking without making mistakes.’

Adrian Newey is understood to have held talks with Ferrari this week after being released from his Red Bull contract early — a departure that was confirmed by the world championship-winning team on Wednesday.

A move to Italy would bring Formula One’s most successful designer into partnership with Lewis Hamilton, who is joining the Scuderia from Mercedes next year.

The Newey deal has yet to be done, but well-informed contacts suggest Ferrari want the 65-year-old to act as their ‘super consultant’. He currently earns £15million a year and could double his salary.

It is expected he would start in time to have a pivotal hand in the development of the next generation of Ferrari cars ahead of a major revamp of the regulations in 2026.

Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport reported Newey spoke to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in London on Tuesday — a story indicated to be correct to Mail Sport. We can further reveal that several key F1 figures were in London this week, including Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff.

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Red Bull have confirmed the imminent departure of F1’s most successful designer Adrian Newey

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Team chief Christian Horner (pictured with wife Geri Halliwell) will have to do without the mastermind behind Red Bull’s design

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Newey is a legendary F1 designer and could take his services to Ferrari after his departure

Newey’s exit is an evident blow to Red Bull and embattled boss Christian Horner, the team principal who brought Newey from McLaren to Red Bull nearly 20 years ago. They have since won seven drivers’ titles in two stints together, through Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen.

Newey will continue to attend races with Red Bull this season, including in Miami this weekend. He is due to travel there in Horner’s jet today.

Newey will still work on his beloved RB17 supercar project before leaving the company next spring.

Red Bull insist Newey’s departure is not directly linked to the sex scandal that has engulfed the team since allegations of coercive behaviour were made against Horner by a female employee in February, but driven by growing resentment at how he has been less than fully credited for the team’s success. He was on the brink of resigning last year, too, but instead accepted an improved offer.

The scandal — which has seen Horner, 50, cleared in an internal investigation, subject to an ongoing appeal — stirred the pot further.

It is understood Newey felt Horner was grabbing too much of the limelight and that credit for his own input was being unevenly shared with his French design colleague Pierre Wache.

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Horner paid tribute to ‘true legend’ and ‘friend’ Newey as the world champions confirmed his exit

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The Red Bull chief, who has won seven world championships with Newey, paid tribute to the outgoing veteran

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Newey is thought to believe credit is being too unevenly taken by the constructor’s chief engineer of performance engineering Pierre Wache

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Newey could now be set to join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in his bid to win an eighth world title

Newey’s upcoming availability is a massive boost to Hamilton, 39, as he seeks a record eighth title, this time in red.

Newey is the greatest technical guru Formula One has ever known, having triumphed with Williams, starting with Nigel Mansell’s 1992 championship-dominating car, and McLaren, before being poached by Red Bull. In all, the nerdish genius is behind an eye-watering 25 drivers’ and constructors’ titles.

I understand Newey will either join Ferrari — the most likely eventuality — or retire. There is no other team that he would imaginably join.

Adrian Newey, one of the most celebrated designers in Formula One history, will leave Red Bull next year.

Red Bull confirmed that the 65-year-old Briton, considered to be the mastermind behind the team’s unprecedented dominance of the sport, is set to end his two-decade stay in the “first quarter of 2025”.

The news is set to spark a bidding war for Newey’s services, with Ferrari – soon to be joined by Lewis Hamilton – in pole position to sign him.

Adrian Newey to leave role as Red Bull design chief ‘in first quarter of 2025’

Newey’s departure also places further pressure on Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

Horner paid tribute to Newey describing him as a “true legend” and hailing his “vision and brilliance”.

Horner said: “All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller.

“His vision and brilliance have helped us to 13 titles in 20 seasons.

“His exceptional ability to conceptualise beyond F1 and bring wider inspiration to bear on the design of grand prix cars, his remarkable talent for embracing change and finding the most rewarding areas of the rules to focus on, and his relentless will to win have helped Red Bull Racing to become a greater force than I think even the late Dietrich Mateschitz might have imagined.

All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller

Christian Horner on Adrian Newey

“More than that, the past 19 years with Adrian have been enormous fun. For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer. Two decades and 13 Championships later he leaves as a true legend. He is also my friend and someone I will be eternally grateful to for everything he brought to our partnership.”

Newey, who is expected to be in Miami for this weekend’s race, said: “Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a designer of fast cars. My dream was to be an engineer in Formula One, and I’ve been lucky enough to make that dream a reality.

“For almost two decades it has been my great honour to have played a key role in Red Bull Racing’s progress from upstart newcomer to multiple title-winning team.

“However, I feel now is an opportune moment to hand that baton over to others and to seek new challenges for myself. In the interim, the final stages of development of RB17 are upon us, so for the remainder of my time with the team my focus will lie there.”

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Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner alongside chief technical officer Adrian Newey at the Bahrain Grand Prix (David Davies/PA).

As Newey is free to join another team when he leaves Red Bull it paves the way for him to have an impact on the 2026 car for whichever team he joins. The next major change in regulations is due in 2026 and having Newey on board would give his next employers a significant advantage.

McLaren and Mercedes are understood not to be interested in Newey while the PA news agency understands he is unlikely to join Aston Martin leaving Ferrari as the frontrunner

Newey’s departure comes in the wake of Horner being accused of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female employee. He was exonerated by Red Bull’s parent company GmbH on the eve of last month’s curtain raiser in Bahrain and has always denied the claims.

It remains to be seen what effect Newey’s Red Bull exit will have on the team’s superstar driver Max Verstappen. The three-time world champion has refused on multiple occasions to confirm he will remain with the team beyond this year.

Christian Horner has been mocked on Instagram on the back of his tribute to Red Bull mastermind Adrian Newey.

Horner’s Red Bull team were dealt a major blow on Wednesday when they confirmed Newey, the person responsible for their dominant car, will leave the team after 18 years.

The news is the latest development in a series of events that have unfolded since Horner was accused of ‘coercive behaviour towards a female employee’, before being investigated and subsequently cleared.

Red Bull, meanwhile, insist Newey’s departure is not directly linked to the allegations that have engulfed the team since February, but driven by growing resentment at how he has been less than fully credited for the team’s success.

Red Bull boss Horner took to Instagram to pay tribute to ‘friend’ Newey, but was hit by backlash from fans who seem to refuse to move on from the allegations, which have gone to appeal.

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Christian Horner has been mocked on Instagram following his tribute to Red Bull mastermind Adrian Newey

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Horner, husband of Spice Girl Geri Halliwell (left), was previously accused of ‘coercive behaviour towards a female employee’

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He took to Instagram to pay tribute to Newey (left), who will leave Red Bull after 18 years

The tribute, however, backfired, with fans commenting that the Red Bull boss is to blame

‘For me, when Adrian joined Red Bull, he was already a superstar designer,’ Horner wrote in a statement that mirrored the words from his official statement released by Red Bull. ‘Two decades and 13 championships later he leaves as a true legend.

‘He is also my friend and someone I will be eternally grateful to for everything he brought to our partnership.

‘All of our greatest moments from the past 20 years have come with Adrian’s hand on the technical tiller. The legacy he leaves behind will echo through the halls of Milton Keynes and the RB17 Track Car will be a fitting testament and legacy to his time with us.’

One fan posted in response: ‘Look what you have done do the team. Such a shame honestly!’

Another added: ‘Christian can’t really see that the team is falling apart because of him and Max’s dad.’

‘You’re the reason he’s leaving buddy,’ a third wrote.

Before the start of the current Formula 1 season, Red Bull GmbH in Salzburg, the world champion team’s parent company, said in a statement: ‘The independent investigation into the allegations made against Mr Horner is complete, and Red Bull can confirm that the grievance has been dismissed.

‘The complainant has a right of appeal. Red Bull is confident that the investigation has been fair, rigorous and impartial.

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Horner and Newey have won a total of seven world championships together in their time at Red Bull

Fans showed little mercy when suggesting the reason for Newey’s departure from the team

‘The investigation report is confidential and contains the private information of the parties and third parties who assisted in the investigation, and, therefore, we will not be commenting further out of respect for all concerned. Red Bull will continue striving to meet the highest workplace standards.’

READ MORE: Christian Horner breaks his silence on being cleared of ‘coercive behaviour towards female employee’ at Red Bull ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix, where ‘relieved and elated’ wife Geri Halliwell could join him

The exact nature of the complaints remain unknown, but what appeared to be intimate WhatsApp exchanges with a female colleague were sent to Formula One’s most influential figures.

The bombshell email contained 79 documents, including hundreds of messages, many of them apparently of a sexual nature.

The anonymous sender copied in leading people in the sport, such as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, as well as accredited media gathered in Bahrain for the scandal-ridden opening race of the season.

Horner is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, and the pair have remained determined to stay strong since the allegations surfaced.

They have been seen together in public a number of times since, with Halliwell attending races hand-in-hand with her husband.

Newey, meanwhile, may take up a position at Ferrari ahead of the new regulations due for introduction in 2026, which would be a major boost to the team.

A move to Italy would bring F1’s most successful designer into partnership with Lewis Hamilton, who is joining the Scuderia next year.

That deal has yet to be done, but it is understood that Newey, 65, is wanted by Ferrari to act as their ‘super consultant’. He currently earns £15million a year at Red Bull and could double his salary with the potential switch.

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What appeared to be intimate WhatsApp exchanges between Horner and a female colleague were sent to Formula One’s most influential figures earlier this year

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Halliwell and Horner remained strong, however, continuing to appear in public together following the allegations

Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner arrive together at Grand Prix

The images shared by Horner included photos of celebrations involving the pair, who have won seven drivers’ championship titles during their time together.

What was meant to be a heartfelt post didn’t go to plan, however, and comments continued to roll in criticising the Red Bull principal.

‘You are fully aware he probably left because of you?’ one fan wrote, accompanied by a laughing face emoji.

Another posted: ‘He’s leaving the team cuz of you bro,’ while a third wrote: ‘It’s ur fault.’