Author: quyen1

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Sergio Perez‘s incredible recovery drive from last to first at the 2020 Sakhir GP was memorable for the entire Racing Point (now Aston Martin) outfit. It was their first win as a team and many members, including strategist Bernie Collins were experiencing euphoria for the first time in their careers. It was enough for them to defy the team’s lockdown orders, in favor of some “tequilas, sombreros, and chaos.” 

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In the recent episode of The Fast and the Curious podcast, Collins reveals what went on behind the scenes when Perez was driving to victory. Their bold strategy paid off, leading to a first-ever win for the Silverstone-based outfit, which is why the COVID-19 lockdown didn’t matter to them.

2020 was an unusual year for F1, because of the worldwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. F1 was affected by it too, and members were instructed to not go out and celebrate, to avoid spreading of the disease.

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For Collins and Co., it didn’t matter. “We weren’t meant to. Team rules – we weren’t meant to go out from our hotel. But we all went to Checo’s (hotel). Had a massive night out. Like exactly what you’d expect. Like tequilas, and sombreros and chaos.” 

For Perez, it was a monumental win, not just because it was his first. Racing Point, having been taken over by Lawrence Stroll was going through a rebranding and was going to be renamed as Aston Martin. Stroll wanted Sebastian Vettel to replace the Mexican driver at the team, and at that time, he didn’t know where he was going to drive in 2021. His performance in Sakhir that evening, however, likely saved his F1 career.

Sergio Perez’s journey to Red Bull

When Perez won in Sakhir in 2020, Stroll hadn’t announced the former’s departure. However, with Vettel coming in, it was clear that the Guadalajara-born driver would make way. His teammate, Lance Stroll (Lawrence’s son) was locked in for the season, albeit unofficially.

In the podcast, Collins admitted that no one knew whether Perez would drive for them next season or not. But that is what made the victory even more special. Eventually, Perez’s departure became official, but he made a big step in his career, with Red Bull coming knocking.

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The Milton-Keynes-based team came looking for a replacement for Alex Albon, and Perez fitted their criteria. Since 2021, the Mexican driver has been with Red Bull and has done a decent job at helping them win two consecutive Constructors’ World titles. Now that his contract with Red Bull is expiring at the end of 2024, Perez wants to prove his worth so that he can continue driving for arguably, the sport’s most successful team.

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Carlos Sainz is a part of the unlucky dozen facing uncertainty as their contracts will expire at the end of 2024. With Ferrari securing Lewis Hamilton to fill his seat, Sainz remains searching for a new team, igniting speculation across the paddock. While Audi (currently Sauber) emerges as a prominent contender, the allure of Red Bull and Mercedes looms large. Adding fuel to this speculation, Aston Martin, too, enters as a potential destination for Sainz.

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Following his remarkable triumph at the Australian GP, questions surrounding Sainz’s future and Ferrari’s decision to cut ties with him have dominated headlines.

In the latest installment of the Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan suggests the intriguing prospect of an all-Spanish team for the coming season. “I am telling you I believe that if there is not a place in Red Bull for him, he will join Fernando in Aston Martin – that’s what I believe,” Jordan mused.

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However, the wishful thinker confessed no real backing to his bold statement. The Irishman added, “I have no real hardcore evidence but it’s a gut feeling and very often my gut feeling is a bit different from other people’. It does sound nice, it’s very romantic isn’t it?”

Reflecting on Sainz’s remarkable victory just two weeks after undergoing appendicitis surgery, Jordan hailed it as a “legendary story,” highlighting the sheer determination and resilience displayed by the Spanish driver.

Even his peers know Carlos Sainz should have all the options

With teams in a hurry to sign Carlos Sainz, both Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have showered their friend with accolades after his performance at Albert Park; signaling his availability for the 2025 season.

Leclerc, acknowledging Sainz’s undeniable talent, emphasized his consistent excellence throughout his F1 career. Expressing confidence in Sainz’s future, Leclerc hinted at the behind-the-scenes discussions among team principals, recognizing the multitude of opportunities awaiting the Spanish driver.

Additionally, echoing Leclerc’s sentiments, Norris highlighted Sainz’s unwavering dedication and determination, emphasizing his relentless pursuit of excellence. Norris lauded Sainz’s commitment to overcoming challenges, citing his remarkable recovery from adversity as a testament to his character and skill.

Both drivers reiterated Sainz’s abilities as widely recognized among those in the paddock, debunking any notion of being undervalued. With his statement in Australia, Carlos Sainz is poised to seize numerous opportunities as he navigates his future in F1.

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Oliver Bearman drove an outstanding race for Ferrari at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when he stepped in for Carlos Sainz. The 18-year-old finished a fantastic seventh on his F1 debut. Following his remarkable performance, many experts have tipped him to replace Lewis Hamilton sometime in the future at Ferrari. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has also explained how Ferrari should waste no time in helping Bearman secure a spot with Haas for next season. While the Austrian believes that the teenager will be a good fit for Ferrari in the future, he does not seem interested in seeing Red Bull sign him. When asked if Red Bull could consider signing Bearman to drive for Visa Cash App RB (V-CARB), Marko told OE24,

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“We actually had an informative conversation with him a while ago but he was already at the Ferrari academy. It is inconceivable that we would train him for Ferrari“.

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Red Bull has always promoted young drivers through their junior driver programme. The most recent talent that has come through the ranks from their academy is Liam Lawson. The New Zealander received widespread media attention last season after he impressed in the five races he drove for AlphaTauri.

Although Bearman is also an incredibly talented driver that Red Bull could possibly train under their wing, Marko perhaps feels that the young Briton has close ties with Ferrari, and hence, would not want his team to risk training a driver for their rivals. However, the Austrian is confident that Bearman could be a good replacement for Lewis Hamilton in the future.

While Marko may be all praises for Bearman, the 18-year-old has a long way to go before he can even secure a full-time F1 seat for any of the sides. The Briton will need to ensure that he delivers some decent performances for Prema Racing in F2 this season to give himself the best shot of securing an F1 race seat for 2025.

Will Haas sign Oliver Bearman in 2025?

Oliver Bearman’s performance in Jeddah has undoubtedly impressed the entire F1 community. As a result, it was natural for analysts to discuss his future prospects in F1.

Given that Lewis Hamilton will be racing for Ferrari next year, and the Maranello team already has a lengthy deal with Charles Leclerc, it seems clear that Bearman will have no chance of driving for the legendary Italian outfit next year. Hence, after considering all the options, the experts find only one team they believe will be interested in hiring Bearman.

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During the F1 Nation podcast, L’Equipe journalist Fred Ferret and Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham were questioned whether Bearman would be given a full-time role in F1. Responding to the query, Ferret reacted positively.

Later, he also gained the support of Pinkham, who believes that Haas would be a logical choice for Bearman in 2025. She said, “The obvious one would be at Haas. I believe he is very popular there anyway. They are the ‘sister team’ to Ferrari and it would be using their partnership in an effective way.”

Bearman has indeed gained the respect of Haas recently. Guenther Steiner revealed how when he was the team boss of Haas, he placed Bearman in one of the practice sessions where he saw the Briton’s extraordinary ability. Following this, the 58-year-old also claimed that he approved Fred Vassuer’s wish to put Bearman in a couple of FP1 sessions for Ferrari.

Amidst all of this discussion, there is another factor that could work in Bearman’s favor. Since the contracts of both Haas drivers expire after 2024, it will be interesting to see whether the American team will replace one of their experienced racers with Bearman or not.

He’s had his say.

Eddie Hearn has responded to bizarre conspiracy theories that are spreading the wake of the postponement of Tyson Fury’s undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.

WBC champion Fury was expected to face WBA, IBF and WBO belt holder Usyk in Saudi Arabia on February 17.

But the bout was called off on Friday after British fighter Fury sustained a “freak” cut above his right eye during a sparring session.

In a statement, Fury said he was “devastated” by the injury.

“I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed,” said Fury.

“I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans, as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Conspiracy theories have swirled on social media after the announcement, stoked by members of Usyk’s team – who have accused Fury of attempting the avoid facing the Ukrainian.

However, Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn was quick to dismiss those conspiracy claims and stated that setbacks like this are common in boxing.

“It looks like a bad cut,” Hearn told iFL TV.

“I’ve seen in the footage that it’s an elbow or something like that. He spars with an open head guard, but he’s sparred thousands of rounds in his career.

“Even in my group chats with my mates saying, ‘That sounds fishy to me’, I’m like ‘Guys, what do you think? He’s not just going to go out and carve himself open with a knife!’.

12:49 AM · Feb 3, 2024

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“He’s trained a whole camp, it’s two weeks away from a monster pay day and a fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

“It’s not a hooky, it’s boxing, it happens, but it’s devastating that it happens to a fight of that magnitude.”

However, not all are convinced, with Usyk’s manager lashing out at Fury after the announcement.

“Tyson Fury is a f***ing coward who will do anything not to face Usyk, and he asked his b**** to hit him with a frying pan in his brow,” Egis Klimas told Ring TV.

“You can quote me word for word for that.”

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto

McLaren were the second-best team at Australian GP besides Ferrari, taking home a good haul of points including a podium. While Lando Norris scored the 14th podium of his career, Oscar Piastri scored another P4 finish like Jeddah. Though, Piastri had to move over for the British driver, he was happy to do so for the team’s gain. Looking at the results and the duo’s smooth dynamic, ex-Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins believes that McLaren has the strongest driver lineup. Still, the Sky Sports presenter pointed out that McLaren is likely to have a teammate rivalry between Piastri and Norris.

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During her latest interview on The Fast and Curious podcast, when Collins was asked who she truly enjoys watching, the expert said, “I think the two drivers McLaren. [They are] such a strong pairing. Norris and Piastri are going to really do well. And Piastri in his last year’s season what he was fit to achieve is really good.”

However, it was later that Collins hinted at an approaching rivalry. She said that ‘it will be interesting to see how McLaren manages the strongest pairings around the grid. ‘ With this claim, she may have referred to previous occasions where a team with two strong drivers has always found it difficult to manage.

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For instance, we can have a look at the times of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. During their time together, both drivers attempted to gain an advantage over each other. Soon, this led them to a stage where they began crashing and colliding while seeking to outperform each other.

Considering this, Collins believed that an intra-team rivalry might soon be on display at McLaren too. However, while wrapping up, the former Aston strategist cautioned Norris that he would face an improved Oscar Piastri this year, unlike last year when the Briton had the upper hand.

How Lando Norris and Oscar Piatsri have performed this year?

The 2024 season has started on a much better note for McLaren than the previous year. The Woking-based team has started the 2024 campaign with a double-points finish in all three races, something they struggled to do massively 12 months ago. In Bahrain, both cars were outside the top 5 but showed decent race pace. A similar race panned out for them in Jeddah, but Oscar Piastri got a promising P4 finish.

Coming to Melbourne, many expected McLaren to be quick down the fast-flowing streets of Albert Park. And the MCL38 delivered on those expectations with a 3-4 finish for Norris and Piastri. Nevertheless, despite making significant improvements, the Papaya outfit is a bit behind frontrunners Ferrari and Red Bull.

Considering this, team boss Andrea Stella said that to help the team fight at the front, they will launch its first major upgrade around the sixth or seventh round of the season. According to Motorsport.com, Stella said,  “Hopefully, within the first third of the season, we will have a major upgrade. It’s going to be for around race six or seven.”

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Stella’s comments suggest that McLaren’s big upgrade may come during the Miami or Imola weekends. Nonetheless, until that point, the Italian noted that the team would attempt to find some margin in the MCL38.

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Daniel Ricciardo has suffered a massive dip in form ever since he left Red Bull at the end of 2018. Former Ferrari boss Peter Windsor has now explained why the Australian’s decision to leave Milton Keynes was nothing but a blunder. Although the Honey Badger had hoped to succeed elsewhere, he ended up in a downward spiral. Six years have now passed since the 34-year-old left Red Bull and he is still to rediscover his old form again.

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Ricciardo has recently been beaten by V-CARB teammate Yuki Tsunoda comprehensively. Because of Ricciardo’s poor form, Windsor believes that the Australian is battling a lost cause against his teammate this season.

“I don’t see him beating [Yuki] Tsunoda…” said Windsor in his recent YouTube video. The F1 expert, explaining the probable reason behind Ricciardo’s continuous poor form, revealed that the repeated switch from one team to another has impacted the Australian’s driving style and, of course, motivation.

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The dip in Ricciardo’s form has been constant ever since he left Red Bull. At both Renault (2019-20) and McLaren (2021-22), the 34-year-old seemed to have failed to live up to his potential.

Even though he might have won the race in Monza with McLaren in 2022, he has not been consistent at all. Eventually, at the end of 2022, McLaren parted ways with the 34-year-old due to his below-par performances.

Following this, Ricciardo joined the Red Bull fraternity in 2023 as a reserve driver and jumped in their sister team, V-CARB (formerly AlphaTauri), mid-season with ample hype after a fantastic test with Pirelli in Silverstone. However, Ricciardo has failed to impress again ever since.

Can Daniel Ricciardo salvage his F1 career?

Daniel Ricciardo has largely been under the shadow of his V-CARB teammate Yuki Tsunoda this season. Since the Australian has failed to get the better of his Japanese teammate so far this year, Peter Windsor believes that the 23-year-old will even get the better of the Honey Badger in the upcoming race in Suzuka.

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However, there’s a silver lining for Ricciardo. As F1 returns to China after four years, Windsor believes the Shanghai International Circuit race will prove to be fruitful for the 34-year-old. “He [Ricciardo] might beat him [Tsunoda] in Shanghai,” added the F1 expert.

Beating Tsunoda in a race isn’t going to help the former McLaren driver in his quest for the Red Bull seat of Sergio Perez. The Honey Badger needs to outperform the Japanese throughout the season to have any kind of chance of securing a Red Bull return.

However, things can backfire for Daniel Ricciardo at RB as well. Liam Lawson, the reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and RB, is waiting in the wings for a chance, and given how he impressed with his cameo last year, Ricciardo’s underperformance might prompt the team to replace the 34-year-old with the New Zealander.

Credits: IMAGO Motorsport Images

Although Lando Norris has competed in five full F1 seasons, he still has not managed to win a race. The Briton has finished on the podium 14 times but never on the top step. However, with McLaren steadily improving the pace of the MCL38, many experts believe that the 24-year-old can register his first win this year. Even though Norris himself is happy about the steps McLaren is taking, there is one track that he still dreads visiting. That is Zandvoort, the track of Max Verstappen’s home Grand Prix.

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As quoted by Autosport, Norris said, “I want to believe that we maybe have a slightly better all-round package, but I don’t think we’ve visited some tracks yet where we’ve seen as many weaknesses, like Zandvoort, for example. Not looking forward to it! And a couple of tracks that really show where the car is weak”.

One of the key weaknesses that the MCL38 faces is in navigating low-speed corners. According to p1travel.com, six of the 14 corners of the Zandvoort track are low-speed. It is perhaps for the same reason that Norris fears visiting this circuit this season.

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On the other hand, someone like Verstappen would hope to race at Zandvoort as soon as possible. Verstappen’s absolutely adored by the fans of his home race as the supporters light up the track with orange flares.

However, since Norris is half-Belgian, many of his supporters also travel across the border to Zandvoort to support him. While the Briton seems to have written off the possibility of having a good race at the Dutch GP, he is confident of having better races elsewhere.

Lando Norris believes McLaren is in a “good position”

During the same interview, Lando Norris explained how McLaren‘s recent improvement helps put a smile on his face. While he believes that his side have a long way to go before they can begin challenging for wins, he yet believes they are in a “good position” when compared to last year.

Norris, who has already managed to register a podium finish this year, was languishing at the back of the grid at the same time last season. With that in mind, he explained in the same interview, “If you think back to 12 months ago, it was still a very, very different situation to be in. We’ve out-developed our competitors since this time last year by a huge step“.

After hailing his side for the way they have improved, Norris revealed that he’s most impressed with Ferrari. The Briton believes that the Prancing Horse have taken the biggest step forward by far this year.

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Since McLaren still does not seem to be at the same level as Ferrari or Red Bull at the moment, Norris is hopeful that he can fight for wins in 2025 if not this year.

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After winning six championship titles with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton is visibly disappointed with the team as they continue failing to make any kind of significant progress. While discussing how sad Hamilton has been on camera recently, F1 expert Bernie Collins said that the Briton is probably feeling distant from Mercedes. Speaking on the Fast and the Curious podcast, Collins said:

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“I think he is disappointed that the car is still not where it needs to be even though they have made big changes. I feel like potentially because he pushed quite hard in previous years to get changes and they were slow to come, he feels a bit maybe distant from the team, if that’s the right word.”

Mercedes began to see its downfall when F1 introduced new technical regulations in 2022. After a head-to-head battle with Red Bull in 2021, Mercedes failed to capitalize on the new regulations of ground-effect cars. Instead, they witnessed porpoising concerns as their simulation data tricked them.

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After struggling in 2022, Hamilton revealed to the media in 2023 that he told the team what they needed to do to improve their performance. But to his disappointment, they didn’t listen to him.

The frustrated seven-time champion even asked for accountability from the Brackley-based outfit. However, Mercedes made only a few changes to the car despite that. More or less, they stuck to the same concept for their 2023 car, leaving the team with several limitations.

After being stuck in the loop for two years in a row with no sign of him getting closer to his record eighth title, Hamilton made a shocking jump to Ferrari for the 2025 season. And while the 2024 season continues, Hamilton reflects nothing but disappointment in front of the media. After his DNF in the Australian GP, he said, “I’m a bit used to it.”

Lewis Hamilton explains why he is making shock Ferrari move

After making the surprising announcement that he will leave for Ferrari in 2025, Lewis Hamilton also took to Instagram to explain why he decided to make the switch to Maranello. ‘Filled with a whole range of emotions,’ the 39-year-old told his fans that he had the same feeling when he first moved to Mercedes from McLaren in 2013.

“I know some people didn’t understand it at the time, but I was right to make the move then, and it’s the feeling I have again now,” he said in his Instagram post. Furthermore, the Briton said he is not focusing on the 2025 season just yet as he wants to help Mercedes win again.

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He revealed that he is 100% committed to his job and wants to end his partnership with the Silver Arrows on a high. Nevertheless, seeing Ferrari’s gains this season, it will not be too far-fetched to assume that Hamilton must feel good about his decision.

Ferrari has shown remarkable improvement in the 2024 season. The team has closed the gap to Red Bull and recently registered an outstanding 1-2 finish at the Australian GP.

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Max Verstappen’s hope to take home his third consecutive victory of the 2024 season came to a heartbreaking end in Melbourne. The Red Bull driver suffered a reliability issue for the first time in 2 years, and it stopped him from achieving multiple milestones. Among them was Lewis Hamilton’s long-standing record of successive point finishes.

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Verstappen failed to finish an F1 race for the first time in 44 races. In all the 43 previous races, Verstappen finished in the points (he won the majority of them). His brakes giving out in Albert Park last Sunday meant that he has to start from scratch, if he wants to match or beat Hamilton’s record of 48 consecutive points finishes.

Verstappen could have achieved Hamilton’s incredible feat in Monaco later this year, but unfortunately, it could take him years to do the same again. Hamilton’s streak started at the 2018 British GP, and lasted until the 2020 Bahrain GP. Verstappen started his streak in Imola in 2022, and his last points finish came in the race before Melbourne- the 2024 Saudi Arabian GP.

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After Carlos Sainz overtook Verstappen on the first lap in Melbourne, smoke started coming out from his left rear wheel, which soon turned to fire. As a result, the three-time world champion limped into the pits and got out of the car, bringing his weekend to a premature end.

How the Australian GP DNF hurt Max Verstappen

Verstappen lost out on a chance of breaking Hamilton’s record in Melbourne. But there was another thing the Red Bull ace missed out on. He was on a streak of 9 consecutive race wins, which came to an end following Sainz’s victory.

Verstappen already has a 10-race win streak under his belt from the 2023 season, which was also broken by Sainz, interestingly. Winning 9 races in a row is no easy feat in itself, and Verstappen has now done it twice.

Even though Verstappen and Red Bull had a day to forget in Melbourne, it was one to remember for Ferrari. The Prancing Horses claimed their first 1-2 finish since Bahrain 2022 and looked strong in terms of performance. Many believe that, had Verstappen not retired, Sainz would still have won the Grand Prix.

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Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton also had a disastrous outing in Melbourne last Sunday. Hamilton had to retire on lap 17 due to a power unit failure, and George Russell crashed out on the final lap, ending Mercedes’ weekend with 0 points.

For the first time since the 2021 Italian GP, both Hamilton and Verstappen retired from a race. That year, they were both championship contenders and took each other out.

In a new cover story for Byrdie, the ‘Lola’ director gets real about life behind the cameras

Nicola Peltz for Byrdie. PHOTO: BYRDIE

Nicola Peltz Beckham appreciates her bond with mother-in-law, Victoria Beckham, more than ever.

Since her wedding to Brooklyn Beckham in April 2022, the actor and director 29, has been shutting down rumors about her alleged feud with the designer and former Spice Girls pop star. (Internet rumors alluded to a so-called rift between the two stemming from Nicola choosing to wear a Valentino bridal gown, not a Victoria Beckham design, although Nicola has confirmed the decision simply came down to logistics.)

In a new cover story for Byrdie, released on Thursday, Nicola is proving to the world once again that there’s only love between the pair.

“I love her, and she’s such an incredible, successful woman,” she says of the singer turned designer, 49. “How lucky am I that I get to ask her for advice? I’m blessed!”

Nicola Peltz for Byrdie.BYRDIE

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco Host Pajama-Themed Birthday Party for ‘Grateful’ BFF Nicola Peltz Beckham

When speaking to PEOPLE at the Lola premiere, Nicola gushed over Victoria and her fashion expertise, as she wore a custom Victoria Beckham bustier and pants for the event marking her directorial debut.

“She is a genius. I am so honored to be able to wear this tonight. I feel so, like, business but sexy, and she’s a genius,” Nicola said of her look and Victoria, who supported her daughter-in-law at the premiere.

Repping a family label was entirely her choice too, considering the fact that she doesn’t have a stylist. She told PEOPLE that she doesn’t even need one because she has her chic mom, Claudia Heffner Peltz, and Victoria to assist in the fashion department.

Victoria Beckham and Nicola Peltz Beckham pose together at the “Lola” premiere.LISA O’CONNOR/AFP VIA GETTY

Victoria Beckham and Nicola Peltz Take Fans Behind the Scenes of Beckham Family Christmas

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Elsewhere in her Byrdie interview, Nicola opened up about the importance of surrounding herself with family.

“Family is everything to me, and I mean that with my whole heart,” she shared. “I’m so close to mine and Brooklyn’s family and I think there’s no better feeling than knowing you have a strong support system. It’s such a blessing, and I never take it for granted.”

Nicola Peltz for Byrdie.BYRDIE

Having a shoulder to lean on (or a few) is important when you’re in the spotlight.

“I get a lot of mean comments on my Instagram that, unfortunately, I do read, and they always comment, ‘She doesn’t work,’” Nicola said of online trolls questioning her success. “And that’s fair, and I don’t blame them for saying that because it’s not like I’m posting my Lola experience every step of the way. But I really have been working on Lola for six years. It’s such a massively long process.”

An official synopsis for the film, out in select theaters now, reads, “Set in 2002 Middle America, Lola revolves around 19-year-old Lola James (Peltz Beckham) who is desperately working to save enough money to get her little brother, Arlo (Luke David Blumm), out of their toxic home dominated by their mother, Mona (Virginia Madsen).”

Nicola tells Byrdie she knew she wanted a female director for the film, she she “wanted that feminine touch and a woman’s perspective.”

“But then people were [suggesting] I should direct because I know the characters better than anyone else,” she adds. “I always wanted to direct, but never in a million years did I think I’d do it in something I wrote and acted in. I just jumped in and did it.”