Author: quyen1

The former heavyweight champion has kept pigeons for many years.

Mike Tyson invited undefeated boxer Nico Ali Walsh – the grandson of Muhammad Ali – to his $100,000 pigeon loft before teaching him to catch and hold his beloved birds.

The 56-year-old former heavyweight champion has been very vocal about his love for pigeons. He had a difficult upbringing surrounded by crime but found great comfort and perspective from looking after the animal.

Tyson believes the birds can teach us the importance of being compassionate. “I always loved pigeons ever since I was a child,” he once said.

Such was his love for the pigeon, Tyson’s first fight was with a bully who decided to mistreat one of his pets.

“The guy ripped the head off my pigeon,” he told CBS. “This was the first thing I ever loved in my life, the pigeon. That was the first time I threw a punch. I have loved pigeons since I was nine. They were my escape.

“I was fat and ugly. Kids teased me all the time. The only joy I had was pigeons.”

Tyson has looked after pigeons since the age of nine and almost 50 years on, the so-called ‘baddest man on the planet’ decided to give Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico a lesson in how to look after the bird.

As you can see in the footage below, Mike hands over one of his feathered friends to the young fighter, who was clearly enjoying such a unique experience.

Tyson has thrown more punches over incidents involving his beloved pigeons.

He once hit a bin man with “a titanic right hand” for throwing away a crate, which had his favourite pigeon’s dead body inside.

“One morning I woke up and found my favourite pigeon, Julius, had died,” he recalled. “I was devastated and was gonna use his crate as my stickball bat to honour him.

“I left the crate on my stoop and went in to get something and I returned to see the sanitation man put the crate into the crusher.

“I rushed him and caught him flush on the temple with a titanic right hand! He was out cold, convulsing on the floor.”

Tyson, meanwhile, has never shied away from showing his respect towards the late Muhammad Ali. In fact, he broke down in tears after opening up on how Ali inspired him to be a boxer.

“This is the thing about Ali; when we were watching him get beat up as an old man—even when I was a young kid—he’s not going to quit, you’ve got to kill him. He won’t quit,” he said on Michael Rapaport’s I Am Rapaport Stereo Podcast,

“He was getting beat up every round, he had the sh*t kicked out of him by Larry Holmes. Is the champ done? No, come on, let me out. They wouldn’t stop. He had to stand up there and take the beating like a man. He wouldn’t quit.

“In that way, I respect the guy so much. I have so much admiration for the guy. So much, but it’s just not right to do that as a human being. Just say, ‘It’s over. I’ll come back another day. It’s over. You got me.’”

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On that fateful night in 1980, as Mike Tyson made the drive from Albany to the Catskill mountains, a journey that usually takes about an hour, it must have felt much longer.

At the age of 14, Tyson accompanied his mentor, Cus D’Amato, to witness the legendary bout between Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on October 2.

Holmes, holding the WBC heavyweight crown and having sparred extensively with Ali, was seen as a formidable opponent. Promoted as ‘The Last Hurrah’ by Don King, the fight proved to be a fitting title.

Despite Ali’s concerning frailties observed during his pre-fight neurological exam, he was permitted to enter the ring. However, Holmes dominated him for ten rounds until trainer Angelo Dundee finally called an end to the proceedings.

Fergie Pacheco, Ali’s former doctor, denounced the fight as “an abomination” and insisted on the arrest of all those involved due to Ali’s evident deterioration.

The one-sided mauling was witnessed by a record two billion people worldwide, with Tyson and D’Amato watching on their small closed circuit set in Albany.

Filled with rage, the teenager’s thirst for immediate retribution grew, and Tyson, in an ESPN interview, vividly recounted how he and his mentor started devising a plan right then and there.

“Cus was desperate for me to defeat him. I was deeply offended by the extent of Ali’s beating,” Tyson revealed.

“As we drove back to Catskill, not a single word was uttered in the car; we were all overwhelmed with disappointment. The next morning, Cus was on the phone with Muhammad Ali, having endured that shellacking from Holmes.

“He said to Ali, ‘I have this young black kid who will become the heavyweight champion someday, and I want you to talk to him.’”

Despite having the opportunity to converse with his idol, one of the most celebrated sports icons in history, Tyson’s mind remained fixated on one thing – vengeance.

“When I reach adulthood, I will confront Holmes and avenge you,” he declared.

The teenager proceeded to embark on one of the most savage and brutal rampages ever witnessed in the heavyweight division. He achieved gold medals in the 1981 and 1982 Junior Olympic Games before making his debut in Albany at the age of 18.

With an impressive record of 26 wins, 24 of which came by way of knockout or technical knockout, Tyson earned a reputation for ending fights within the first three minutes. The world was soon engulfed in ‘Tyson-Mania’ following his victory over Trevor Berbick, which made him the youngest heavyweight champion in boxing history.

Tyson accomplished a remarkable feat in 1988 by becoming the first heavyweight to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles. However, the moment of retribution finally arrived.

In a highly anticipated event dubbed ‘Heavyweight History,’ a 38-year-old Holmes was enticed out of retirement with a $3 million offer from Don King to face the ferocious Tyson.

Muhammad Ali graced the ringside as a guest, parading in front of the crowd, basking in their adulation before assuming a solemn expression and whispering something into Tyson’s ear.

“Remember your words – avenge him through me.”

In a mere four rounds, Tyson demonstrated his superior speed, strength, and lethal prowess against the former heavyweight champion. Holmes found himself knocked down twice before the fight was ultimately halted, marking the first knockout defeat of his extensive 75-fight career.

The determined champion had fulfilled the promise he made eight years earlier, swiftly dismantling Holmes to seek retribution for the relentless punishment inflicted upon his idol, Ali, at Caesars Palace.

This Saturday night, ‘Iron Mike’ will make his highly anticipated return to the ring after a 15-year absence, facing off against Roy Jones Junior at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

While the event may be labeled as an ‘exhibition,’ as Larry Holmes can testify, the New Yorker holds little regard for legacies or records, harboring a profound and ferocious nature within him.

Brooklyn Beckham proudly served up doughnuts at the ChainFEST Food Festival in LA  on Friday, after hitting back at ‘haters’ mocking his cooking videos.

The son of footballer David and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, 24, made an appearance at the the world’s first gourmet chain food festival in the city on its opening day.

It’s a pop-up series created by actor B.J. Novak and chef Tim Hollingsworth, from downtown LA’s restaurant Otium.

But Brooklyn looked pleased with himself as he rustled up an array of doughnuts at the Dunkin Donuts stall at the culinary event.

Brooklyn has used his Instagram platform as a launchpad for a career as an aspiring celebrity chef, however he has frequently been met with mirth from scathing critics about his videos.

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The son of footballer David and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham , 24, made an appearance at the the world’s first gourmet chain food festival in the city on its opening day

His cooking has come under fire in the past as many have slammed either his simple recipes, use of pricey ingredients or bandied around accusations of nepotism.

In an interview with Insider in October, Brooklyn insisted he is not fazed by the criticism as  he knows himself he is ‘working his bum off’ and ‘cooking makes him happy’.

He said: ‘To be honest, I’m used to the hate. It doesn’t really bother me. Cooking makes me happy. I have more important things to worry about than people saying a little bit of rubbish about me… I’m doing my thing and working my bum off.’

Speaking to the publication, Brooklyn said: ‘To be honest, I’m used to the hate. It doesn’t really bother me. Cooking makes me happy. I have more important things to worry about than people saying a little bit of rubbish about me…

‘My message to them is to keep writing whatever they want to write. There are always going to be people out there who try and pull you down.

‘I’m doing my thing and working my bum off. So they can keep writing what they want, but it’s not going to bother me — I’m just going to keep doing my thing’.

The former model – who tied the knot with heiress Nicola Peltz in 2022 – kept casual cool in a black jacket and pants and white tee, and was joined by a male friend at the event.

After serving up the tasty treats, Brooklyn beamed as he packed them into boxes ready for customers.

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Brooklyn was seen cooking up a storm at the Dunkin’ stall at the fast food festival

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After serving up the tasty treats, Brooklyn even packed them into boxes ready for customers

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Brooklyn (left) was joined by an unnamed male friend for the foodie event

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Mindy Kaling was among a number of celebrity guests at the 2023 ChainFEST Food Festival in Los Angeles on Friday

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Also present was John Legend, 44, and wife Chrissy Tiegen, 38, who kept warm for the chilly December night in cozy cardigans, with John wearing a black one and Chrissy a tan one

Brooklyn Beckham shocks fans by using avocado oil to bake a cake

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Brooklyn’s cooking has come under fire in the past as many have slammed either his simple recipes, use of pricey ingredients or bandied around accusations of nepotism

The foodie event was a hotspot for celebrity appearances, with the likes of Mindy Kaling, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen all making their way round the festival.

The Mindy Project star, 44, looked chic in a Matrix style long black leather coat, which she wore over a black dress and paired with cream over-the-knee boots.

The actress – who was recently seen grabbing dinner with B.J. Novak – wore her raven tresses lightly curled and accessorized with a gold chain necklace for the event, where she enjoyed gourmet chain food.

Friday kicked off the first day of the festival, which will end on Sunday, December 3rd.

Visitors can enjoy tastes of famous fast food chains, including the likes of Chili’s Grill and Bar, Dunkin’, Jack in the Box, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, Red Robin, and SONIC Drive-In with drinks supplied by Pepsi.

Tickets to the event cost $75 per person for a three-hour period to enjoy the festival, including the food and various activities.

Some of the participating chains include Jack in the Box, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, Chili’s, Red Robin, Sonic and more.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton will end his 12-year association with Mercedes after the 2024 season concludes and move to Ferrari. Frustrations with Mercedes’ performance and his desire to compete for wins again were reportedly the motivation for Hamilton to complete this switch. According to Alex Brundle, however, there are other “non-sporting” factors.

Hamilton reportedly earned $50 million a season at Mercedes. He extended his contract in 2023, for two more seasons, but just months later, signed a new deal with Ferrari that would reportedly see him get a $100 million annual payment. Brundle feels that it is “human nature” to go after a move like this.

“Offer to double anyone’s money. Whether you’re making 200 quid a day and are offered 400 quid. Or you’re making 50 million and are offered a 100. Doesn’t matter,” said Brundle in The Racing Pilot podcast. “Offer to double someone’s money, it’s clearly an incentive.”

Brundle acknowledged that Mercedes’ underperformance played its part in making Hamilton leave the Silver Arrows. He recalled Mercedes’ frustrating ordeal in Melbourne last month, where Hamilton had to retire before he could even try fighting with a rather uncompetitive car at his disposal.

Incidents like this piling up, in addition to a lucrative offer from Ferrari motivated the Briton to move away from the Brackley-based outfit, per Brundle.

Lewis Hamilton’s woeful start to 2023

Earlier this season, Hamilton admitted that 2024’s start has been the worst of his career so far. In the first four races, his best finish has been P7, which he achieved in Bahrain and Japan. In Jeddah, he finished P9 and that was followed by a DNF in Melbourne.

To add to his woes, George Russell, his teammate seems to be in a much more comfortable position. The 26-year-old is getting in much better results and is 14 points ahead of Hamilton in the championship standings.

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Hamilton doesn’t have to worry about Mercedes’ performances beyond 2024. However, a driver of his caliber struggling to come close to the top three is surprising. Former F1 boss Peter Windsor also feels that Hamilton has to sort his problems out at Mercedes, before heading over to Ferrari.

At Ferrari, the seven-time world champion will be dealing with a completely new environment. If he doesn’t get out of his slump now, life could become difficult for him at Maranello.

He has tried his hand at photography and cooking, with varying degrees of success. Now Brooklyn Beckham has been mocked online after appearing to make another career change, to become a stylist.

The 23-year-old son of Victoria and David Beckham appeared alongside his wife Nicola Peltz in a new TikTok video with Vogue.

In the clip, he talks through the 27-year-old actress’ outfit, explaining what he likes about it.

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Like mother like son: Brooklyn Beckham has been mocked online after he appeared to make yet another career change to a stylist

Nicola models a black tank top and high-waisted blue jeans, with a grungy long leather jacket and platform high heel boots.

Pointing at each part of the outfit, Brooklyn says: ‘I love the little high-waisted jeans and I love like a nice tight shirt.

‘I love the high boots, I think they’re very sexy. Little Matrix jacket – I love it.’

Meanwhile, Brooklyn himself sports a pair of baggy blue jeans, a zip-up hoodie and a backwards baseball cap.

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Appreciation: The son of Victoria and David Beckham, 23, appeared alongside his wife Nicola Peltz in a new TikTok video with Vogue

Fans asked whether Brooklyn was attempting to find a new line of work, after previous careers as a photographer, footballer and chef.

One said: ‘Photographer. Chef. Stylist. Wow…so many careers. So many icks.’

Another agreed, writing : ‘Dude is cosplaying a different career every other week’.

While a third echoed: ‘Is this Brooklyn Beckham… the Brooklyn Beckham, chef, photographer, stylist extraordinaire’.

Mocking: Many fans took to the comments to question if Brooklyn was attempting to find a new line of work, after previous careers as a photographer, footballer and chef

Someone else wrote: ‘He’s doing a free trial of everything’.

Another tweeted: ‘Brooklyn’s free trial as a chef has now ended. He’s now a stylist who loves things! Congrats Brooklyn!’

Brooklyn has tried out many different jobs in his life, after first attempting to follow in his father’s footsteps into football.

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Family: Brooklyn previously played in Arsenal’s youth academy but decided to give up the sport when the club released him at 16 (pictured in 2015)

However, he decided to walk away from the sport at age 16 after being released from the Arsenal club as a youth prospect.

Brooklyn admitted he felt pressure to live up to his father David’s reputation as one of the world’s greatest-ever footballers.

He said: ‘My dad wasn’t sad, because he was like, I just want you to be happy. But of course I was sad. It was my whole life since I was literally 2.

‘To try and live up to what my dad did in football, I was just like, that’s going to be a bit difficult.’

He then decided to become a photographer and shot a campaign for Burberry BRIT, but was slammed by various well-known snappers for his work.

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Not to be: Brooklyn then briefly attended New York’s Parson’s School of Design to study photography in 2017, but he left one year later because he was homesick

Brooklyn then briefly attended New York’s Parson’s School of Design to study photography in 2017, but he left one year later because he was homesick.

He then turned to food, determined to become a chef and speaking of his hopes to open a pub in LA that serves ‘healthy comfort food’ and have a reality show with wife Nicola.

The star said he would ‘literally die’ for cooking, while dismissing his previous photography career – which saw him release panned 2017 book, What I See – as a ‘hobby.’

In December, Brooklyn treated his fans to a cooking tutorial – but he stuck to boiling a pot of plain spaghetti after whipping up a salad.

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Delicious: Brooklyn is now learning to be a chef and frequently shares cooking videos for adoring fans

Brooklyn recently starred in his own online Cookin’ With Brooklyn series, which saw him enlist a 62-person crew at the eye-watering cost of $100,000 to film him making a sandwich.

In one of the eight-minute episodes, Brooklyn, who has no professional training as a chef, shows his Instagram and Facebook followers how to make a bagel sandwich with a hash brown, coleslaw and fried sea bream.

According to the New York Post, the video had a team of professionals on hand including a ‘culinary producer’ who approves the recipes, five camera operators and nine other producers.

Brooklyn was also panned for another televised cooking stunt – making a simple breakfast sandwich during a food segment on The Today Show.

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Cost: This comes after it emerged the budding chef enlisted a 62-person crew at the eye-watering cost of $100,000 to film him making a sandwich for a series

The budding photographer appeared on the US programme and shared his ‘recipe’ for an English breakfast sandwich, a dish that he ‘learned from his great-grandma’.

Explaining that he developed a passion for cooking while in lockdown, during which he began posting videos of himself whipping up different dishes on Instagram, he then ran hosts Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly through his sandwich-making process.

Brooklyn came under furious fire after landing a slot on The Late Late Show to plug his cooking career – despite having no professional training as a chef and boasting no personal claim to fame beyond his parents’ prominence.

The superstar offspring chatted to close family friend James Corden on the hit show – in a slot typically saved for esteemed stars with talents under their belt – during which he showcased his frequently-ridiculed cooking skills.

His appearance on the show was also slammed by several professional chefs.

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Nepotism? Brooklyn came under furious fire after landing a slot on The Late Late Show to plug his cooking career – despite having no professional training

David Beckham has reportedly won a £240million legal battle against fraudsters who have been flogging fakes of his DB Ventures products online.

The former professional footballer, 48, has been involved in a legal dispute with dozens of counterfeiters who have been selling his designer gear under the cuff.

DB Ventures, which sees David’s name on clothing, fragrances and accessories, was seeing a threat to its brand after fraudsters were selling fakes and earning tons of profit.

And after multiple deliberations, the court has granted DB Ventures a permanent injunction and asset freeze, according to The Sun.

The publication also reported the complaint said: ‘Their sale poses a real threat to DBV’s brand, and affects the sustainability of its business. It also affects individuals and companies who unwittingly purchase them.’

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David Beckham, 49, has reportedly won a £240million legal battle against fraudsters who have been flogging fakes of his DB Ventures products online

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The former professional footballer has been involved in a legal dispute with dozens of counterfeiters who have been selling his designer gear under the cuff

The fraudsters have now been ordered to cease selling and give up all profits – thanks to DB Ventures hiring trademark specialists The Sladkus Law Group.

Jeffrey Sladkus explained the counterfeiters were ‘difficult to track’ because of the unknown and incorrect addresses or phone numbers.

MailOnline have contacted David’s representatives for a comment.

It comes after DB Ventures paid valued person on his books show they were paid a £10million salary in 2022, according to The Mirror.

But the company have reportedly refused to say if the big bucks went to the Man United legend or someone else.

The accounts reportedly only revealed that the big payout was made to the highest-paid director.

This left the possible rich man to be a choice between David, Jamie Salter and Nick Woodhouse.

A spokesman for David told the publication: ‘I’m afraid we won’t be disclosing who the highest-paid director is.’

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DB Ventures, which sees David’s name on clothing, fragrances and accessories, was seeing a threat to its brand after fraudsters were selling fakes and earning tons of profit

David Beckham shows off toned physique in gym snaps

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And after multiple deliberations, the court has granted DB Ventures a permanent injunction and asset freeze, according to The Sun

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The fraudsters have now been ordered to cease selling and give up all profits – thanks to DB Ventures hiring trademark specialists The Sladkus Law Group (David’s eyewear campaign pictured)

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Jeffrey Sladkus explained the counterfeiters were ‘difficult to track’ because of the unknown and incorrect addresses or phone numbers (David pictured during a 2012 campaign for H&M)

The payout, which is up 384 per cent on the previous year and was a gob-smacking five times more than the combined salaries of the other 23 employees of DB Ventures.

The firm a subsidiary of DRJB Holdings Limited, David’s ‘full-service global brand management operation’.

Seven Global, for the David Beckham ventures which fall outside DB Ventures, made a £8.4million profit through partnerships with Adidas, Tudor and Safilo.

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes have delivered a car capable of putting him in the fight at the front – despite qualifying only ninth for Saturday’s opening round of the season in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen saw off Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by two tenths to capture pole position, with Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell next up, a third of a second back.

Hamilton raised hope that he might take the challenge to Verstappen when he finished fastest in practice here on Thursday.

However, the 39-year-old, entering his final campaign for the Silver Arrows before he joins Ferrari, finished half-a-second adrift.

But an optimistic Hamilton said: “It is amazing to see how close everyone is, and George’s position is testament to how amazing a job all those working at the factory have done to give us a car to fight.

“The car is really fantastic, and a big improvement from previous years.

“It is stable and more fun to drive. For George to be three tenths off Max is incredible and it shows what is possible.

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Hamilton will start in ninth in Sakhir Circuit on Saturday (David Davies/PA)

“We just have to add performance, but if that is our platform, we can definitely chase for the rest of the season.

“For the first qualifying session to be as poor as that when you put in so much preparation is disappointing, but that is racing.”

Verstappen is expected to romp to his fourth consecutive world championship in his all-conquering Red Bull machine.

But the Dutch driver was made to work for the 33rd pole of his career under the thousands of bulbs that light up the Sakhir Circuit.

Verstappen headed into his final run with less than a tenth in his pocket over Leclerc before extending his margin to the Ferrari driver.

Despite taking top spot, Verstappen apologised for what he perceived to be a scruffy lap.

“Don’t be sorry, Max,” said a weary-sounding Christian Horner – whose Formula One future is again in the spotlight after hundreds of WhatsApp messages appearing to be written by him to a female colleague were leaked. “You finished two tenths clear of Charles and three tenths ahead of George.”

Verstappen added: “It was a lot of fun. I am very happy to be on pole, and it was a little bit unexpected. The car came to us and I felt happier than I did in practice.

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George Russell finished qualifying in third behind Verstappen and Charles Leclerc (David Davies/PA)

“The race is going to be close, too, but we will see tomorrow. I am confident we can have a strong race.”

While Verstappen qualified first, Sergio Perez was fifth in the other Red Bull, one place ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

British driver Lando Norris will line up in seventh for McLaren, with Williams’ Alex Albon 13th.

Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will prop up the grid following a miserable qualifying session for the Alpine team.

While his 2024 Formula One season with Mercedes will see Lewis Hamilton get behind the wheel of just one car – the brand-new W15 – the seven-time world champion prefers a plethora of high-end options off the track.

In an interview in 2020, Hamilton noted that ‘banks aren’t doing s*** these days,’ and stressed that it was smarter to keep his money where he could see it – in his garage.

‘I don’t know anything about wine,’ Hamilton added. ‘I don’t know a huge amount about art. But what I do know is cars and I’m very particular about them.’

Over the span of his record-breaking career, the 39-year-old’s pursuit of the very finest models has seen him put together a portfolio worth a staggering £27.8 million – outstripping by far his rivals on the circuit Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and George Russell.

With help breaking down the value of Hamilton’s collection from automotive marketplace AutoTrader, Mail Sport runs through Hamilton’s one-of-a-kind collection.

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Lewis Hamilton has by far the most expensive car collection on this year’s Formula One grid

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The Mercedes driver unsurprisingly has a number of the constructor’s models in his garage

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The seven-time world champion sees investing in rare supercars as a valuable investment

Mercedes-AMG ONE – £2.1million

First delivered to prospective owners in early 2023, the Mercedes-AMG ONE – formerly Project One – was launched by Hamilton back in 2017, with the then-world champion one of the car’s developers and development drivers.

Upon launching the hypercar, which is heavily inspired by the constructor’s Formula One car – albeit road legal – Hamilton reportedly purchased two: one for him, and one for his father Anthony. The car also satisfies Hamilton’s green credentials, with its plug-in hybrid engine.

Fellow owners of the model, which has a reported sale price of £2,151,360, include a raft of Mercedes drivers, such as Valtteri Bottas, Nico Rosberg, and David Coulthard.

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The 39-year-old launched the Mercedes-AMG ONE under the name Project One back in 2017

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The plug-in hybrid is inspired by the constructor’s F1 cars with the intention of replicating the race-day feeling on the road

Mercedes-AMG SLS Black – £209,195

Unsurprisingly, Hamilton owns a number of Mercedes, and added the gullwinged Mercedes-AMG SLS Black to his collection a season after joining the constructor in 2013.

‘My new Benz, SLS Black Series and my old Benz SL Black Series,’ Hamilton crowed on Instagram. ‘A bit of old school with the new’.

Hamilton’s then-new ride came with a 622-horsepower V8 engine, and can hit 60 miles per hour in just 3.5 seconds.

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Hamilton’s Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series is one of the first cars he bought while driving for the team

AC 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 – £74,599

The oldest car in Hamilton’s collection, an AC 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 can be picked up second-hand for just shy of £75,000, but the Mercedes driver’s will be worth considerably more due to its pristine condition.

So pristine, in fact, that Hamilton rarely drives it, instead alternating between the rare model and a 1967 iteration of the same car.

That being said, the car makes a jawdropping backdrop for an Instagram photograph – for Hamilton or his prized bulldog, Roscoe.

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The Briton’s collection of AC Shelby motors are some of his most precious in his collection

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But the driver can’t resist taking them out from time to time – or posing for photos with his bulldog Roscoe

1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – £1.1m

Hamilton’s vintage Ford theme continues with his 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, which he picked up for £1.1m in 2011 after being inspired by Steve McQueen in Bullitt, who drove the same model in the 1968 film.

But according to the former world champion, he never drives it.

‘It’s a heap of junk,’ Hamilton said in an interview with GQ in 2020. ‘The company did a good job on the paint job, but the rest of the car just isn’t very good’.

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The Stevenage-born driver opted to purchase the GT500 after the model featured heavily in 1968 film Bullitt

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But Hamilton is believed to have little time for the driving experience in his ‘heap of junk’

McLaren P1 – £1.4m

The first of Hamilton’s two McLaren supercars, the McLaren P1 has a top speed of over 217 mph. Like fellow owner Jenson Button, Hamilton might have picked up the car in a nod to his roots at the British-based constructor.

Fancy picking up one yourself? A used model is a cool £1,424,750 – but the price is likely less steep than the one Hamilton would have paid for the car upon delivery in 2015.

Capable of going from 0-60 mph in just under 2.7 seconds, the P1 is one of the most powerful cars in Hamilton’s garage – just one second off the capability of the driver’s Mercedes W15 on the grid.

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Hamilton picked up his McLaren P1 in 2015, three seasons after leaving the British constructor

1995 McLaren F1 – £16.1m

Once holding the title of the fastest road car ever produced, the 1995 McLaren F1 is a true collector’s item – with an auction in 2021 seeing one sold for a staggering £16.1m ($18m).

Hamilton’s is a rare jewel, with a meagre 106 ever made – and his is the 37th, aka ‘chassis 044’. The Stevenage-born speedster bought the car from American industrialist Herb Chambers at auction in August 2017 for over £11m ($15m).

The specific name of the unique model may have likely spurred Hamilton on to make the auspicious purchase, having driven under the number 44 during his karting days as a child, and in Formula One after a rule change in 2014 saw drivers allowed to pick their own racing number.

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The 2021 auction of one of the ultra-rare McLaren F1 cars saw it sell for a cool £16.1million

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Hamilton’s model is called ‘chassis 044’, the 44 carrying extra significance as the number he races under

Mercedes-AMG EQS sedan – £86,165

The first of Hamilton’s eco-motors, the EQS sedan is fully-electric car that the driver described as his ‘dream car’ when it was first announced in 2020.

Second-hand models of the innovative model – which creates zero combined CO2 emissions when running – retail for a pricey £86,165, but announcing the car’s launch on Instagram, Hamilton stressed that using the model would represent another attempt to ‘understand (his) impact on the planet’.

‘I have offset my carbon footprint from my Formula 1 career dating back to 2007, I have reduced travel where possible, I have gone plant-based and outside of the track, I try to use electric cars wherever possible,’ Hamilton shared on the social media platform.

‘I also want to use my position as a racing driver to enforce positive and permanent change, which is why I’m working closely with Mercedes to slowly move their fleet of cars towards electric.’

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The driver committed to leading a more environmentally conscious lifestyle and tries to drive electric as much as possible

Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV – £40,584

While none of Hamilton’s motors can be picked up for cheap, the seven-time world champion’s EQC represents a comparative bargain, with the average price of a second-hand model a snip at £40,584.

Another hat-tip to Hamilton’s environmentally conscious credentials, the electric SUV likely helps keep the megastar under the radar when running day-to-day errands.

Helping him stay down to earth was a 2020 incident which saw Hamilton forced to change his own tyre on the 4X4 – a rare enough occurrence for the driver to record it on Instagram.

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Like his EQS sedan, the EQC is fully electric – and the least expensive car in Hamilton’s garage

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In 2020, Hamilton was forced to change his own tyres for a change while driving the model

LaFerrari Aperta – £3.3m

Even before his bombshell announcement that he will drive for Ferrari from 2025, Hamilton has been unabashed about his love for the Scuderia, and his passion for the Italian constructor has seen him pick up some of the showpieces of his eye-popping garage.

The Aperta is one of two LaFerrari models the Briton has collected, and one of the rarest, with just 210 models of the car produced between 2016 and 2018.

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Hamilton’s love of Ferrari has been well-documented ahead of his upcoming 2025 move to the Italian team

Only 499 LaFerrari cars were produced, and Hamilton is one of a raft of high-profile owners

Lewis Hamilton revs up £1m LaFerrari in parking lot

LaFerrari – £3.3m

Hamilton is believed to have purchased his second ultra-limited edition hybrid supercar back in March 2015, one of only 499 cars ever produced.

Fellow owners of the car – which has an average used retail price on AutoTrader of £3,300,000 – include Floyd Mayweather and Justin Bieber, and is yet another nod to his lifetime devotion to the Prancing Horse.

The driver’s personal modifications make his LaFerrari a true one-of-one however, with Hamilton ordering his name to be stitched into the car’s interior.

Formula One stars are part of a select few who are fortunate enough to travel the world and race the fastest cars ever made.

It’s hard, then, to imagine the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris stuck in rush-hour traffic during their rare days off.

But even the most talented drivers on the planet have to get around like the rest of us.

Despite earning a mammoth salary every year, most stars ditch the supercars to travel in comfort, with Lewis Hamilton admitting in 2022 that he finds every day driving ‘stressful’.

So, ahead of the 2024 Formula One season, what cars do the sport’s biggest stars drive on their days off?

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Mail Sport has taken a deep dive on the cars F1 stars drive when they’re not racing

Max Verstappen

You’d be forgiven for thinking the racing-obsessed Max Verstappen spends every waking minute on his simulator at home, such was the nature of his dominant performances in the RB19 last year.

But when he’s not thinking about racing, Verstappen opts for a more comfortable drive. In 2021, the Dutchman auctioned off a 2018 Honda Civic Type R, and was gifted a Honda NSX Type S from the manufacturer to add to his collection – valued at £5,863,480 by Auto Trader.

After the 2020 world championship, Verstappen treated himself to a Ferrari Monza SP2, worth just over £1.3million, and also owns an Aston Martin Valkyrie valued at £2.7m.

Yet the 26-year-old hasn’t always been blessed with supercars. His first car, gifted to him by his parents at the age of 17, was a yellow Renault Clio – a typical first car for a teenager.

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Max Verstappen was at one with the RB19 but drives a far slower car in every day life

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He recently auctioned off his Honda Civic Type R and once drove a Renault Clio

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Verstappen’s first car was the humble yellow Renault Clio (stock image pictured)

Lewis Hamilton

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton undoubtedly boasts the best collection of cars of any driver in Formula One. According to Auto Trader, his haul is worth a staggering £27.8million.

The 1995 McLaren F1 is the priciest of his collection, costing an eye-watering £16.1million, while he also owns a Mercedes-AMG Project One (£2.1m), 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (£1.1m) and a LaFerrari Aperta (£3.3m).

But it may come as a surprise to learn that Hamilton elects not to drive his impressive fleet of supercars.

‘I don’t drive any of the cars that I own any more,’ he said in 2020.

Instead, Hamilton chooses between two cars: his electric Mercedes EQC and a Smart car.

In an effort to reduce his carbon footprint, Hamilton drives the £80,000 saloon car, which can go from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds.

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Lewis Hamilton boasts an expensive collection of cars, including the 1995 McLaren F1

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But these days he chooses between two electric vehicles: A Mercedes and a Smart car

‘Recently I’ve been making many changes in my life to reduce my impact on the environment,’ he said in an Instagram post alongside the car in 2020.

‘The first step in this journey was to understand my personal impact on the planet so I could make changes to improve it.

‘Since then, I have offset my carbon footprint from my Formula 1 career dating back to 2007, I have reduced travel where possible, I have gone plant-based and outside of the track, I try to use electric cars wherever possible.

‘This is my new dream car, the new EQS fully electric Mercedes.’

Carlos Sainz

Incredibly, Carlos Sainz bought his first car just one year ago.

The Ferrari star has stayed loyal to just one car for most of his adult life – a Volkswagen Golf GTI, bought for him by his parents after he turned 18.

The nifty hatchback, which sells for around £40,000, has served the Spaniard well but he finally upgraded at the start of 2023 when he purchased a tailor-made Ferrari 812 Competizione.

Reflecting on his new car, Sainz said on his YouTube channel: ‘It’s the first car I’m buying.

‘I’ve been in Formula One for nine years and as an ownerI have the one my parents bought me when I was 18, which is a Golf.

‘At the weekend I’m driving a Formula One car and it’s the fastest car ever. Everything else feels really, really bad.’

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Until last year, Carlos Sainz solely drove his Volkswagen Golf GTI, gifted by his parents

Lando Norris

Like Hamilton, Lando Norris boasts an array of high-end sports cars, such as a Rolls-Royce Wraith and a Lamborghini Aventador. And like Hamilton, the Briton doesn’t particularly enjoy driving on public roads.

The cheapest car in the McLaren’s star collection, and therefore most likely to be used on a daily basis, is the Jaguar F-Type Roadster, a sleek sports car valued at just under £47,000.

Last summer, Norris was spotted driving a light-blue Fiat 500, modified to look like the manufacturer’s rare and iconic ‘Jolly’ car, which is an open-air convertible.

The 24-year-old was behind the wheel while model Magui Corciero – who has been linked with footballer Joao Felix – was sat in the back.

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Lando Norris does not like driving on public roads but was seen in a modified Fiat 500

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He also owns an impressive range of supercars worth a total of £1.2million

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc used to take the bus through the streets of Monaco for school, but these days he is able to enjoy an altogether more exciting drive around his hometown.

The Monegasque drives his customised Ferrari 458 Pista Spider on the streets of Monaco, which is understood to be worth north of £500,000.

Leclerc has paid tribute to his home nation by painting the bonnet with red and white stripes – in honour of the Monaco flag – while the rest of the car is painted black.

The 26-year-old made headlines recently when he was left stranded in the car after running out of petrol. In the end, he was assisted by a stranger who helped get his supercar to a nearby petrol station.

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Charles Leclerc drives a Ferrari 458 Pista Spider around the streets of Monaco

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The custom ride sets Leclerc apart from the other expensive cars around Monaco

Fernando Alonso

Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso keeps things simple.

The 42-year-old was gifted a company car when he joined Aston Martin from Alpine at the end of the 2022 season, so drives the DBX luxury SUV on his days off.

He did formerly drive an Alpine A110, but had to leave the car behind when he left the French manufacturer.

His Aston Martin teammate, Lance Stroll, also drives the DBX, which will come as no surprise as his father, Lawrence, owns a stake in the car firm.

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Spanish veteran Fernando Alonso drives a company car provided by Aston Martin

Sergio Perez

Like Red Bull teammate Verstappen, Sergio Perez has been known to drive the Honda Civic Type R in his time.

But the father-of-three has also used more family-appropriate vehicles on a day-to-day basis.

The Mexican reportedly owns a  BMW X7, which is priced at over £100,000.

He also boasts a range of more expensive cars in his personal collection, including a Mercedes-AMG GT, McLaren 720S and a Bugatti Chiron.

George Russell

We don’t want to accuse George Russell of being a company man, but it is fair to say the British driver loves a Mercedes.

The talented racer is set to become his team’s No 1 driver when Hamilton leaves for Ferrari in 2025, and he has fully immersed himself in everything Mercedes away from the track.

Russell drives a Mercedes-AMG G 63, an off-roader better suited for the British countryside, while he also has an affection for Mini Mokes, which don’t have any roofs or doors.

He recently revealed that he typically uses a Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and washes it by hand, all by himself.

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Russell drives for Mercedes and loves their cars away from the track as well

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George Russell is loyal to his F1 team, Mercedes, and likes driving 4×4 cars

Daniel Ricciardo

Playing up to the Aussie stereotype, it will come as no surprise to learn that Daniel Ricciardo loves nothing more than driving a Ute on his days off. Specifically, a Toyota HiLux.

Loved by fans for his down-to-Earth personality, the charismatic racer has shared footage of himself driving his pickup truck while back home in Perth, Western Australia.

The 34-year-old uses his beloeved ute to carry his motorbikes and mountain bikes, while he also owns a Nissan Patrol.

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Daniel Ricciardo plays up to the Australian stereotype and drives a Toyota HiLux

Valtteri Bottas

Former Mercedes man Valtteri Bottas has resolutely stuck with the manufactuer’s W204 C63 AMG coupe since being axed by the Silver Arrows.

The humble Finn also owns a Ferrari supercar, specifically the F40, while he has been given a company car by Alfa Romeo – the Stelvio SUV.

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Valtteri Bottas drives a Mercedes W204 C63 AMG coupe and an Alfa Romeo company car

Max Verstappen and his father Jos sat down for dinner in Dubai with plenty to chew over. 

The pair flew to the land of the skyscraper from Bahrain en route, in Max’s case, to Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the next instalment of Formula One’s grizzliest soap opera, a blockbuster that refuses to die.

At the centre of the plot is Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal who sent suggestive text messages to a woman colleague. Verstappen Snr wants the 50-year-old Englishman gone, a fact he expressed in public for the first time in these pages on Saturday.

 

In strident mood, he declared that the team, which is flushed with the success of 13 world championships in their 19 years of colourful existence, would ‘explode’ unless Horner moves on. He accused him of playing the victim.

Now, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the possible implications in a dispute about the town not being big enough for the two of them. That is where Max, 26, and the greatest driver of his time, and possibly of any time, comes into it.

Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner arrive together at Grand Prix

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Embattled Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was joined by his wife, Geri, in Bahrain

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Jos Verstappen (right) claims Red Bull will ‘explode’ if Horner remains as the team principal

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It’s lead to question marks over the future of Max Verstappen – who clinched victory in Bahrain

While Horner defiantly holds on to his £8million-a-year job, Max is Jos’s trump card in this high-stakes game. No team on the planet would want to lose the services of a driver who gilds even the nonpareil car crafted by the supreme designer in Formula One history, Adrian Newey.

Yes, perhaps several drivers currently on the grid could win a world championship in it, but none could dominate as readily or emphatically as the Dutch magician. Who else could have won all but three races last season? Or put together an unprecedented 10 successive victories? Or sharpen his elbows to razors in the heat of battle on such occasions as he needs to?

Arguably not even Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion. For now, and the foreseeable future, Max is the best there is.

So Jos, a former team-mate at Benetton of Michael Schumacher, with whom the Verstappens holidayed when Max was a kid, has a potent bargaining tool.

But, and here is the fascinating conundrum, what if Jos is not granted Horner’s head on a plate: would Max look elsewhere for upcoming employment? Conjecture has already linked him to Mercedes. Hamilton is leaving at the end of the year to join Ferrari for a last hurrah, opening up a seat there.

Grist is added to the rumour mill by the fact that Jos dined with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff last week in Bahrain ahead of the opening race. It might just have been a meeting of old friends as Jos claims, though, it must be underlined, his relationship with Wolff soured in 2021, when Max was in hospital as Hamilton celebrated victory at the British Grand Prix after their coming together at Copse.

It deteriorated further in the aftermath of the decider in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen pipped his bitter rival to the title on the final lap after the maverick withdrawal of the safety car on a night that will never be forgotten.

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Mercedes’ Toto Wolff has stirred the pot since the scandal broke and called for transparency

Even though relations are much improved since two years ago, it is hard to entirely dislocate a Jos-Toto dinner from the furore unfolding at Red Bull, even if the prospect of Max leaving his racing home – hitherto a well-oiled example of near-perfection – to take his chances at a Mercedes team a long way short of its once-dominant peak are for now somewhat remote.

To underline the point, when Max won in Bahrain on Saturday, Mercedes’ George Russell was 47 seconds back and Hamilton 50 adrift.

For the moment, decamping to the Silver Arrows would seem a fool’s errand, and one that could only be welcomed in anger. It is the nuclear option.

There is also Max’s Red Bull contract that runs until 2028, though it is suggested there are break clauses that might permit a move in 2026.

Verstappen Snr, who turns 52 on Monday, will not be in Jeddah this week, instead returning to Belgium for a rally, his absence from the Formula One paddock no doubt a relief to him after the tension-stretching stint in Bahrain, when the Red Bull hospitality unit was a seething theatre of faux camaraderie. The warring factions looked each other in the eye and smiled. That might be because if they turned their backs they wouldn’t see the daggers coming.

The most extravagant demonstration of support came from Horner’s Spice Girl wife Geri. She walked with him into the paddock. They held hands and kissed. The celebrity couple are comforted by the belief that unless a new piece of evidence, or a leaked email revealing a new strand of complaint surfaces, Horner is relatively safe.

One hope for Jos as he wished Horner away was that the sport’s owners, Liberty Media in the guise of Formula One Management (FOM), and the regulators, the FIA, would intervene and investigate the claims themselves, or at least ask to see the internal report conducted by a KC on behalf of Red Bull Racing’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, that exonerated him last week.

This seems unlikely to happen. The FIA, under president Mohammad Ben Sulayem, are quietly siding with Horner. FOM are silent bordering on publicly invisible.

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Horner and his wife Geri (left) put on a public display of unity despite his texting scandal

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Horner has refused to comment on potential motives for those responsible for leaking texts

Max’s views are not explicitly known. He is believed to be in general support of his father’s stance. Tellingly, he refused on four occasions in press conferences over the past weekend to offer Horner unconditional backing.

He merely explained that he thought that in performance terms, his boss did an outstanding job. There was the whiff of faint praise about his approval.

Red Bull issued a statement last night in response to Jos’s comments in Mail Sport, saying: ‘There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.’

Which even by the standards of recent days takes some believing.