Author: quyen1

Lewis Hamilton looked typically fashionable as he arrived at the Jeddah Cornice Circuit for the Formula One Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia.

The British racing driver, 39, continued to show off his unique sense of style as he rocked a brown sleeveless maxi coat.

The garment boosted his ripped arms as well as his endless array of tattoos, and he added matching trousers to the ensemble.

The Mercedes sensation sported a pair of pricy Gucci black studded shoes with platform and added orange-tinted shades.

The F1 favourite flashed a glimpse of his chest, and displayed a series of stylish accessories including two diamond chokers and earrings.

Lewis Hamilton looked typically fashionable as he arrived at the Jeddah Cornice Circuit for the Formula One Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia

The British racing driver, 39, continued to show off his unique sense of style as he rocked a brown sleeveless maxi coat

He ensured to catch the eye with a bold gold knuckle punch ring with a face-shape for every finger, as well as another dazzling ring.

Lewis appeared in good spirits making a stylish entrance ahead of the race, where he is set to battle it all out against Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc and many more racing icons.

And is not the first time the Stevenage-born star catches the eye in his very fashionable looks, as the Formula One’s official X (formerly Twitter) account shared a photo of Lewis calling the 39-year-old the ‘centre of attention’ last week.

The sportsperson has recently revealed that he didn’t inform his parents about his switch to Ferrari until the day that the news was announced.

Lewis stunned Formula One at the start of this month by signing a £40million-plus deal with Ferrari which will come into effect in 2025.

The 39-year-old admitted that the decision was one which he had to make himself.

Asked if it was a ‘gut feeling’ decision, he told BBC podcast Back at Base: ‘Yeah. You’re gut and your heart. I didn’t speak to anybody.

‘I didn’t tell my parents until the day of it being announced, so no one knew. I really wanted to do it for myself, and ultimately, I had to find out what would be the best for me.’

The garment boosted his ripped arms as well as his endless array of tattoos, and he added matching trousers to the ensemble

The Mercedes sensation sported a pair of pricy Gucci black studded shoes with platform

He added orange-tinted shades

The F1 favourite flashed a glimpse of his chest, and displayed a series of stylish accessories including two diamond chokers and earrings

He ensured to catch the eye with a bold gold knuckle punch ring with a face-shape for every finger, as well as another dazzling ring

Lewis Hamilton commits to Mercedes until 2025

Lewis, who has won a joint-record seven World Drivers’ Championship titles, is now preparing for his final campaign with Mercedes.

His parents, Anthony Hamilton and Carmen Larbalestier, split up when he was two years old.

Like his parents, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff didn’t learn of his decision until late on.

The British star had previously claimed that he would see out his career with Mercedes and be a brand ambassador thereafter.

Speaking recently, he described his choice to join Ferrari as the toughest decision that he has ever made.

Lewis, who signed a new £50million-a-year contract with Mercedes last August, said: ‘I saw my future with Mercedes then.

‘But an opportunity came up in the New Year and I decided to take it. It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make.

‘I have had a relationship with Mercedes since I was 13. They have supported me, and we have had an incredible journey together, creating history within the sport. It is something I take a lot of pride in.

‘But ultimately I am writing my story, and I felt it was time to start a new chapter.’

The sportsperson has recently revealed that he didn’t inform his parents about his switch to Ferrari until the day that the news was announced

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell went out of their way to congratulate Ferrari sensation and fellow Brit Oliver Bearman on his F1 debut in Saudi Arabia.

The Mercedes drivers waited for him to get out of his car at the end of the race and hugged the 18-year-old from Essex.

Bearman finished seventh in Jeddah after stepping in for Carlos Sainz, who was ruled out of the race with appendicitis.

He even managed to finish ahead of Hamilton, who could only finish ninth on a day where Max Verstappen once again ran out as winner.

Along with Lando Norris, the three made this the first time that four British drivers have started an F1 race together since the 2013 Brazilian GP.

Lewis Hamilton congratulated Oliver Bearman as he got out of his car after the race in Jeddah

George Russell was also on hand to give the 18-year-old some attention after his seventh-placed finish

Bearman, broke Lando Norris’ record as Britain’s youngest F1 competitor, with the McLaren driver having been 19 years, four months and four days old when he debuted in 2019.

He also becomes the 12th Briton to drive for Ferrari, pipping seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to driver’s seat ahead of his arrival next season.

Ferrari’s reserve driver, who turns 19 in May, is stepping up from Formula Two for the race weekend in Saudi Arabia – but has already made his impact in Jeddah and has a growing online profile, reportedly dating TikTok star Estelle Oglivy, who has 72,000 followers.

Bearman, driving for Prema, topped the F2 qualifying times at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Thursday but has been withdrawn from their sprint and feature races to make his F1 bow.

It marks a remarkable elevation for Bearman, who will join legends Hamilton and Fernando Alonso on the track this weekend.

He was just 18 months old when Lewis Hamilton made his Formula One debut and was not even born when Alonso, 42, won his first title.

Bearman has shown his exceptional talent from a young age after finishing in the top five in the British Karting GP in 2013, a year after taking up motor racing as an eight-year-old.

He went on to win the Kartmasters British Grand Prix and become the British vice-champion in the cadet class, before moving from cadet to junior level in 2018.

Bearman impressed on his debut F1 weekend as he stepped in for Carlos Sainz, who has had appentidicitis

 Bearman, 18, made his transition from karts to cars just four years ago and is a hugely promising prospect

His transition from karts to cars came just four years ago when he competed in the German and Italian F4 championships. Bearman became the first driver to win the title in both championships in 2021, winning 17 races in total.

Bearman’s success led to him joining the Ferrari Driver Academy at the end of 2021.

His move to the academy required Bearman to make the bold decision to quit King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford.

The young driver admitted to Mail Sport last year that his ‘pro-education’ mum Terri needed convincing to allow him to leave the grammar school, his family and two dogs behind.

Bearman eventually earned his mother’s approval join the academy in Modena, located 12 miles north of Ferrari’s Maranello factory in northern Italy. He has since developed an Italian twang.

‘Maybe I got a bit lucky not to get the Essex accent,’ he told Mail Sport last year. ‘A lot of people have told me my accent has changed, even if I don’t notice it.

‘I spend a lot of time with Italians, and communicating with people whose first language is not English isn’t easy, so I have changed my word order and ended up with this everywhere accent.

‘When I moved to Modena it happened pretty quickly. It was like going to university two years early, but I have loved every moment so far. My mum was very pro-school and very pro-education, but we managed to convince her in the end.

The teenager is reportedly dating Estelle Oglivy, who has 72,000 followers on TikTok

Oliver Bearman’s father, David Bearman, prior to qualifying ahead of the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix

Ogilvy often shares her outfits on TikTok and has built up thousands of followers

The 18-year-old described the achievement as an ‘added bonus’ after taking part for the American team Haas.

He finished 15th in first practice, just 1.6 seconds behind Red Bull’s unstoppable missile Max Verstappen and three-tenths short of Nico Hulkenberg, a veteran of 200 starts — in the other Haas.

Bearman was only 18 months old when Hamilton made his F1 debut, aged 22, and admitted he was shocked to share the track with the legendary driver.

‘When I heard Hamilton was coming up behind me on a push lap I was like, “Wow, I will get out of the way”,’ Bearman said. However, it was Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, who was his boyhood hero.

Bearman started in motor sport at the age of eight and enjoyed success on the karting circuit

The teenager needed to convince his mother Terri, right, to drop out of his private school

Bearman dropped out of King Edward VI Grammar School to move to Modena and pursue his career in racing

‘I heard Jenson was praising me on Sky, and that was amazing for me,’ he added. ‘I don’t know why, but he was always the guy I loved and really looked up to. It is cool he recognised my performance in practice, and I will try to speak to him here — that is my goal.’

Bearman had been expected to enjoy further F1 practice sessions this year for the Ferrari-powered Haas, but will instead take to the grid for the whole race weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Max Verstappen continued Red Bull’s run of domination with victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman led a Red Bull 1-2 from Sergio Perez and the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc – whose rookie team-mate Oliver Bearman, 18, finished a brilliant seventh on his Formula One debut.

Carlos Sainz missed the race for Ferrari due to undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis.

There were some big names in attendance across the weekend, while drivers had some very different ways of preparing for the second race of the season.

Mail Sport’s Aadam Patel runs you through what you might have missed.

Max Verstappen secured a dominant victory in Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Anthony Joshua, Jose Mourinho, Karim Benzema, Lord Coe and Gianluigi Buffon were just a few of the famous sporting names on the grid pre-race.

Interestingly, Mourinho was in Jeddah as a guest of the local organisers, who also invited him to Joshua’s fight on Friday night in Riyadh. Mourinho, 60, recently said he rejected a huge offer from Saudi Arabia while he was managing Roma but it would come as little surprise if his next role in management is in the Middle East.

As for Joshua, he hardly looked like someone who was involved in a heavyweight bout the night before after his second-round knockout of Francis Ngannou.

Anthony Joshua was among the big names in attendance for Saturday’s race in Jeddah

Jose Mourinho enjoys a conversation with Gianluigi Buffon in the paddock prior to the race

A word for Lewis Hamilton who may not have won a Grand Prix since 2021, but ensured that he was the only F1 driver at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit over four hours before the race to watch France’s Doriane Pin win the F1 Academy race.

Pin, 20, drives for Prema Racing, who are supported by Mercedes. Pin then spent the evening in the Mercedes garage watching the Grand Prix.

The F1 Academy is an all-female racing series and takes place across seven rounds in 2024, with the next leg taking place in Miami in May.

Lewis Hamilton congratulates Doriane Pin for her win in the F1 Academy race

Pin won the F1 Academy race and then watched the Formula One Grand Prix from the Mercedes garage

IF you want to know how a three-time World Champion prepares for race day then take a leaf out of Max Verstappen’s book.

The 26-year-old was gaming with other live streamers on Twitch shortly after 3am local time in Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Saturday morning.

With the race in Jeddah not starting until 8pm, he still had enough time to sleep. Perhaps he just wanted more competition after breezing through qualifying in what looks like another year where the Dutchman will reign supreme.

His 1:27.472 lap in qualifying had the fastest average lap speed (157.886 mph) at any circuit other than Monza since Nigel Mansell took pole at the 1990 British Grand Prix. And with victory here, he made it nine race wins in a row.

Max Verstappen was on Twitch in the early hours of Saturday morning – hours before leading a dominant 1-2 victory for Red Bull

Flying with appendicitis can be life-threatening so it was good to see Carlos Sainz back in the paddock after successfully undergoing surgery in Jeddah.

The Ferrari driver posted a picture of him lying in bed, with his father – legendary rally driver Carlos Sainz Snr – on the phone with his right hand on his head.

Next to the photo was one of Sainz Snr after he had surgery for appendicitis, with his father doing the same pose as he did after his son’s operation. The Spaniard captioned the photos: ‘Sainz 2-0 appendicitis.’

Carlos Sainz posted a picture of him and his legendary father after undergoing surgery

As soon as Carlos Sainz was ruled out of the Saudi Arabian GP, the organisers worked swiftly to remove his pictures and branding in the pitlane and in the Ferrari garage with new signage showing Oliver Bearman and his name in Arabic calligraphy sorted within hours.

Knowing the way that the Saudis have splashed the cash on sport in recent years, it would not have been a surprise had the same efforts been made around the 6.2KM circuit but thankfully, common sense prevailed and the Sainz signage at other areas around the Jeddah Corniche Circuit were left untouched.

Saudi GP organisers made quick work on replacing Sainz’s branding from the pitlane, as Oliver Bearman (pictured) stepped up in his place

While Oliver Bearman was fulfilling every boyhood dream by driving for Ferrari, his younger brother Thomas was karting at the RMC Winter Cup in Campillos in Spain and is also known to be an exciting talent. Their father, David Bearman looked a bag of nerves during qualifying and throughout the race in Jeddah but his smile afterwards didn’t half tell the story as his eldest boy made history.

Jake Paul will return to the ring against Nate Diaz.

A blockbuster clash between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former UFC superstar Nate Diaz is set for August 5.

Paul vs. Diaz will be a boxing match and contested over eight rounds at a catchweight of 185lbs, taking place in Dallas, Texas.

The 26-year-old has relentlessly called out the Stockton slugger, who fought out his UFC contract when he beat Tony Ferguson last year.

He submitted Ferguson at UFC 279 in what turned out to be his final appearance inside the famed Octagon.

The 37-year-old, who has fought the likes of Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards in his legendary MMA career, will now try his hand at boxing.

Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz is set. Image: DAZN

Paul, meanwhile, will return to action for the first time since suffering the first defeat of his professional career.

He lost to Tommy Fury, losing a split-decision in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, last February.

On his bout against Diaz, he said: “My last fight didn’t end the way I wanted, but the result was the best thing that could have happened to my professional boxing aspirations. Now, the world thinks I am vulnerable, when all I am is more focused than ever. My team wanted me to take an easy fight like KSI next, but that’s not how I am built.

“Nate Diaz is considered one of the most bad-ass fighters of all time, but he and his team have been running their mouths for too long. People tell me Nate has been training with Andre Ward for years. That he has insane stamina. That he refuses to back down. Good for fucking Nate. I haven’t forgotten about the slap backstage in Arizona, and on August 5th, a Problem Child is going to piece up and knock out the Stockton G.”

Diaz added: “Besides Canelo he’s the biggest thang in boxing. I’m here to conquer that. I’m the King of combat sports and then I’m headed back to get my UFC belts.

“I f**ked up Conor for acting out and now here I am again, like a Super Hero of the Real Fight game, the King of the Real Fight game.”

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Mike Tyson was one of the most formidable boxers in the latter half of the 20th Century. From ‘Kid Dynamite’ to ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’, Tyson went on delivering enthralling KO punches in his fights throughout his career. The Youngest Boxing Heavyweight Champion reigned the division with just his presence, and everybody wanted to see ‘Iron’ Mike perform on the canvas. Although he had his downs and went through bankruptcy after retirement, Tyson never accepted defeat. His resilience brought him back to his feet.

Tyson even saw his financial downfall coming before it happened. Anyway, everybody feels pumped to encounter this strong personality, and a lot of boxing fans aspire to meet him at least once. One such question was posed by the Cigar & Spirits Magazine, as they got to interview Mike Tyson for a short moment.

Mike Tyson talks about some awe-inspiring fighters

After shooting one of the episodes of Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, he was encountered by the Cigar & Spirits Magazine staff who wanted to hold a conversation with the boxing legend. So, at first, the Magazine staff expressed their excitement over meeting the great fighter. They even took a poll on being “the Mount Rushmore of the Heavyweight champions“. Needless to say, 24 out of 25 chose the name ‘Iron’ Mike.

Tyson remained modest during this conversation and labelled himself “overrated“. But then, the interviewer asked him whether there was a boxer who got Tyson pretty excited. Tyson said that this was an easy question and quoted, “Muhammad Ali. My brother Roberto Duran. He was a street fighter. I’m a real fighter groupie. I respect fighters.”

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes must make ‘big changes’ after admitting their car is still ‘miles off’ their rivals at high speed.

The seven-time world champion had produced an impressive defensive display to hold off McLaren’s Oscar Piastri for much of Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday.

Piastri would eventually end well clear of Hamilton in fourth, with the Briton cutting a frustrated figure in ninth.

Hamilton was heard on team radio declaring ‘they’re killing us in the high speed’ during the race in Jeddah.

The 39-year-old admitted post race that Mercedes might not have made big enough changes to their car to be competitive against their rivals.

Lewis Hamilton admitted Mercedes need to make big changes to be competitive this season

Hamilton said the Mercedes is ‘miles off’ their rivals when racing at the highest speeds

‘The car is relatively good in the low speed and not so bad in the medium, but in the high speed we are miles off,’ Hamilton told Sky Sports.

‘It was like I was in a different category when I was going through the high speed between the other guys around me.

‘It is frustrating for sure for three years in a row to almost be in the same position, it’s tough, but we will get out heads down and keep working away.

‘We definitely have got to make some big changes, we haven’t made big enough changes, perhaps.

‘You look at the three teams ahead of us and they still have different concept to where we are in some areas.’

Hamilton’s frustration post-match reflects that the Briton looks unlikely to be challenging for the world title this season as Mercedes struggles continue.

The seven-time champion is in his final season with Mercedes before joining Ferrari in a £40million move.

Hamilton was seen congratulated 18-year-old British driver Oliver Bearman post-race on Saturday, after the teenager finished seventh on his Formula One debut.

Hamilton congratulated Oliver Bearman after the British teenager’s impressive F1 debut

Bearman had stepped in for Ferrari to replace the ill Carlos Sainz for the race, becoming the youngest Briton to race in F1.

Red Bull claimed a second successive 1-2 finish at the start of the season with defending champion Max Verstappen again beating team-mate Sergio Perez.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, McLaren’s Piastri and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso completed the top five.

Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell finished sixth, the first of four British drivers in a row. 

Oliver Bearman has reflected on his stunning Formula One debut in Saudi Arabia and looked forward to Lewis Hamilton‘s switch to Ferrari at the end of the season.

The 18-year-old was drafted in to take the place of Carlos Sainz at late notice ahead of Friday’s qualifying last week, before going on to finish seventh overall in Jeddah, scoring six points for his side.

It was a whirlwind 24 hours for the driver, who reportedly only found out he’d be taking Sainz’s place a few hours before qualifying.

Bearman, who is participating in Formula 2 this season for the Scuderia, was lauded by the likes of Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen for his eye-catching start and he revealed it was a ‘proud’ moment to receive praise from the champions past and present.

‘It was a proud day for me. For them to say these kind words was really nice – especially the older guys like Fernando and Lewis.’ He told BBC Sport. 

Oliver Bearman enjoyed a whirlwind few days in Saudi Arabia last weekend after getting the call up to the F1 paddock

The 18-year-old showed little sign of inexperience or limited practice time with an impressive drive that saw him clinch seventh place

Lewis Hamilton (left) was seen in dialogue with the teenager at several points in Jeddah, ahead of his move to the Italian manufacturer in 2025

READ MORE: Oliver Bearman had to convince his mum to let him leave his grammar school to pursue his F1 dream… the teenager was just one when Lewis Hamilton made his bow but is already adjusting to life in the fast lane – including a TikTok superstar girlfriend

‘I grew up watching them. To share the track with them was an honour.’

Bearman will be joined at Ferrari by Hamilton next season after the seven-time world champion announced a sensational switch to the Italian manufacturer ahead of this campaign.

The teenager admitted that he is unlikely to deal with the 39-year-old on a day-to-day basis but he still expects much of his expertise to permeate the team.

‘Although I won’t be working directly with him, I’m sure his knowledge and experience will rub off in all departments.’ He added.

‘I’m doing a lot of [simulator] work with [Ferrari] so hopefully I can learn a thing or too from him and his wealth of experience.

‘It’s a real honour to even be associated with him in the same team and hopefully he can push everyone forward and bring great success.’

The 6ft 3in driver, who joined Ferrari’s driver academy at the age of 16, is considered among many within the sport as one of the next big talents rising through the ranks.

And there’s no doubt many team bosses will be keeping tabs on him over the coming years, with reports emerging this week that he could secure himself a permanent spot in Formula One next season.

The Essex-born driver joined Ferrari’s academy at the age of 16 and is considered among many within Formula One as the next big talent rising through the ranks

While Sainz is set to make way for Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025, there may be no seat for Bearman at the Prancing Horse just yet. But according to The Sun he may be a favourite to join their customer team Haas, with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg out of contract at the end of the season.

Even so, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has revealed what this season could look like for the reserve driver, with Bearman set to return to F2 for the upcoming Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, before starting FP1 sessions with Haas.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC and IMAGO / Eibner |
L: Serena Williams M: Lewis Hamilton R: Michael Jordan

Lewis Hamilton may be moving to Ferrari in 2025, but at 39, the Briton is nearing his final years in F1. Having achieved his ultimate childhood dream of racing in F1, one would think the Briton would be content with himself. However, the reality couldn’t be more opposite. Nearing his retirement, Hamilton is now wary of what’s to come next as he prepares for life after F1. Feeling unfulfilled with achievements in the sport, Hamilton looked for guidance from elites such as Serena Williams and Michael Jordan.

Speaking to GQ, Hamilton revealed how he sought advice from legendary athletes who have now retired. The Mercedes driver wanted to better understand how he could prepare for the ‘afterlife’ as a sporting champion.

“I’d spoken to so many amazing athletes, from Boris Becker to Serena Williams, even Michael Jordan. Talking to greats that I’ve met along the way, who are retired—or some that are still in competition—and the fear of what’s next, the lack of preparation for what’s next.”, the Briton said.

Some people even told Hamilton that they didn’t plan for life after retirement and it ended in chaos. The seven-time champion had also felt lost at times, and there was a “void” in him that needed filling.

Many others also encountered a similar problem and rushed to fill it. In doing so, they filled it with the wrong thing, which added to their problems. Hence, Hamilton now understands that he needs to fill the void but needs to find his way patiently.

Having reached the realization, the 39-year-old remains committed to finding fulfillment beyond the confines of F1. Determined to prepare for life after racing, Hamilton has set his sights on fashion and film. A hint of his upcoming fashion plans came recently when Briton announced his plans at the GQ Global Creativity Awards. Until then, his focus remains on being successful in F1.

Lewis Hamilton always wanted to retire with Ferrari

Back in 2015, Hamilton spoke to McLaren’s communications director, Matt Bishop, about his desire to race for Ferrari. The British driver revealed he wanted to secure a championship with the Italian outfit before calling it quits with F1. While the conversation took place nearly a decade ago, Bishop only lifted the lid off it recently.

He waited for nine long years to let the cat out of the bag once Hamilton’s move to Ferrari became official. Per Hamilton, it would be the perfect way to round off his career, having won championships with McLaren and Mercedes.

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Once he was done racing, Hamilton told Bishop about his desire to pursue music. He also had “other plans” back then, which remained a secret. With his retirement still a few years away, all of the focus is currently on Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.

The Briton has not won a race since 2021, and Mercedes looks unlikely to vie for a race win in 2024. Meanwhile, Ferrari is consistently closing in on the gap to Red Bull and stands as their closest competitor. Hence, fans hope to see Hamilton return to winning ways, potentially even picking up the drivers’ championship for a record eighth time.

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto and IMAGO / Eibner

Another domino of the 2025 silly season has fallen after Fernando Alonso declared that he is “here to stay”. This decision from the Spaniard also has an implication on the future of the reigning world champion. Now, Max Verstappen has only two viable and attractive options for his future. He can either stay at Red Bull or join Mercedes in 2025. Normally it wouldn’t be a conversation with the Dutchman having a contract till 2028. Moreover, who in their right mind would leave Red Bull’s dominant and successful project? However, 1996 champion Damon Hill is advising the Dutchman to look beyond 2025.

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Apart from the internal drama that put Max Verstappen‘s future in doubt in the first place, Hill highlighted the competitive side beyond 2025. In 2026, for the first time in its history, Red Bull will use its in-house power unit. The project that started in 2021 for the preparation of the 2026 engine, is still facing issues.

Despite Ford’s involvement, the Red Bull power unit is not up to the level of Formula 1, at least for now. This uncertainty surrounding the team’s future is why Hill is suggesting Verstappen to look elsewhere. The Brit spoke on the F1 Nation podcast, about how this uncertainty is exactly why the Mercedes seat looks enticing.

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Hill supported the Mercedes idea, by saying, “If he [Verstappen] has doubts about the progress of the [Red Bull-Ford] project, he could perhaps look to Mercedes, where Mercedes may have a little more confidence in the new regulations. The competitive prospects will certainly be important for Max”.

Red Bull’s on the top of the world right now, but will they have the same advantage after the 2026 regulation changes? In hindsight, if the Brackley outfit can become competitive again in 2026, Mercedes will become a tempting option. Additionally, according to reports, they are already making a move with this assumption.

Mercedes prepare a mega offer for Max Verstappen

According to a report by Auto Motor Und Sport, the Mercedes is ready to offer the reigning world champion a mega contract. A contract that will even surpass Lewis Hamilton’s rumored $100 million salary. It’s all possible as well with Max Verstappen’s contract interlinked with Helmut Marko.

Reports suggest the Dutchman has a clause, wherein he can terminate his contract if Helmut Marko is out of the equation. This is exactly why Mercedes is pushing to sign the Dutchman with an alluring contract. The Brackley outfit have had their eyes set on Verstappen as Hamilton’s replacement from the start. Now, they’re putting their money where their mouth is.

However, as mentioned before, it will all come down to Marko’s future in the team. The Dutchman is extremely loyal to the Austrian executive who has been his mentor since a very young age. On the other hand, Mercedes’ efforts could’ve gotten a significant push had their car been more competitive.

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At the end of the day, Verstappen is a racer and wants to drive the fastest car. At the moment that’s Red Bull and not Mercedes. However, it’s a long season, the longest yet, and a lot can change over the course of 20 races.

Credits: Imago

Red Bull’s start to the 2024 season has been riddled with controversy behind the scenes, owing to the saga surrounding team principal Christian Horner. This gave rise to rumors of Adrian Newey wanting to leave the team. However, veteran F1 Journalist Joe Saward recently spoke about a $350 million Red Bull project that would be more than enough, for Newey to stop thinking about leaving.

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On his online blog, Saward detailed how Newey is at the center of the project surrounding Red Bull’s upcoming hypercar. Costing nearly $7 million, 50 units of the RB17 (name of the car) will be produced in the coming months. Saward revealed that Newey met with “a bunch of Japanese billionaires” so he could explain why the car was a great investment. Red Bull has plans to unveil the car at Goodwood this summer and has already sold 25 units of the RB17, even before its official launch.

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Newey thought about the car first, during the Covid-19 lockdown. Initially not meant to be street-legal, the car will be built around a carbon-fiber monocoque. A twin-turbo V8 hybrid engine capable of producing over 1100 hp will also power the car. Inspired by the aerodynamics of F1, it will also feature extreme approaches such as ground-sealing skirts and a ‘blown’ diffuser.

For a mastermind like Newey, this is an ambitious enough project that could convince him to stay. To add, Red Bull has more plans for him after the RB17 project is completed. Newey will be in charge of building another car, which will have even more F1-related technology in it. The production for the same will be bigger than 50 units, which will likely make the car cheaper than the RB17.

Adrian Newey’s say on F1 Future

With turmoil reported in the Red Bull camp, Ferrari emerged as the most ideal destination for Newey. Having never worked with Lewis Hamilton or Ferrari before, the move seemed perfect on paper. Newey, however, did not pay heed to these reports. He spoke to Racing News 365, where he highlighted his enjoyment in being a car designer- something he wanted to do since he was 10 years old.

Newey landed his first job right after graduation. And his excitement of going to work every day, remains the same as it was all those years ago. The 65-year-old said, “I don’t tend to plan too far forward.” This suggests that Newey hasn’t thought a lot about leaving Red Bull, or what he will do after he does.

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For Red Bull, losing Newey would be a huge loss. Since joining the team in 2005, the Brit has played a huge part in their success. He designed seven championship winning cars for the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, which could become eight, if they manage to win the 2024 title too.