Formula One action is back tomorrow – as Melbourne’s Albert Park plays host to the third race of the 2024 season.
With a jam-packed day of racing ahead – let’s take a look at Sky Bet’s ‘Price Boosts’ that are on offer for this fixture.
The first two boosts we will be dissecting are ‘Daniel Ricciardo to secure a points finish’ at 7/4, and ‘Max Verstappen to win the Australian GP, record the fastest qualifier and fastest lap’ at 11/4.
Odds of 11/2 available for Lewis Hamilton to finish on the podium at tomorrow’s Australian GP
The odds for those two bets have been enhanced from 6/4 and 9/4 respectively.
Ricciardo has 133 points finishes in his career to date, while three-time defending champion Verstappen is the overwhelming 1/5 favourite to win Sunday’s race.
Additionally, Verstappen has recorded the fastest lap on 31 occasions throughout his distinguished career to date.
Meanwhile, the other boost on offer is for ‘Lewis Hamilton to finish on the podium’ at 11/2.
Hamilton has had a less than stellar start to his 2024 season – finishing seventh and ninth respectively in the opening two races. However, write off a champion like Hamilton at your own peril.
With his back against the wall, there’s every chance we could see Hamilton back to his brilliant best in Melbourne on Sunday.
Sky Bet ‘Price Boosts’ for the Australian Grand Prix:
Daniel Ricciardo to secure a points finish
WAS 6/4 NOW 7/4
Max Verstappen to win the Australian GP, record the fastest qualifier and fastest lap
Australian TikTok viral sensations the Shepmates have been blasted for filming F1 star George Russell going to the bathroom in a shocking invasion of privacy at the Australian Grand Prix.
Twin brothers Archie and Miles Shepherd recorded the Mercedes driver relieving himself at the Albert Park track while one of them stood next to him and posted the footage to TikTok on Saturday with the caption ‘POV: When you meet George Russell at the urinals’.
The clip was deleted from TikTok and Instagram after the brothers – who rose to fame by lip-synching commentary for high-profile sporting moments – were slammed on social media.
Twin brothers Archie and Miles Shepherd (pictured) have been branded ‘vile’ for invading F1 star George Russell’s privacy by filming him using the bathroom at the Australian Grand Prix
Furious race fans have called for the influencers to face legal action for the shocking act – with some calling for Russell (pictured) and his Mercedes team to sue the pair
In the footage one of the brothers stands next to Russell at the urinal before he says, ‘I just took a p**s next to George Russell.
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‘I know what you’re thinking – how big is it? That stays between me and George. There’s confidentiality in the men’s urinal.
‘What I can say is he looks really relaxed. Confident stream.
‘We were there for a while so he’s obviously really hydrated and prepared for the race. He really opened the floodgates.’
Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to publish any stills or vision from the clip featuring Russell.
Russell (pictured left with teammate Lewis Hamilton in Melbourne on Saturday) has not made any comment on the ‘reprehensible’ video
The British star will start seventh on the grid after a less-than-ideal run in qualifying on Saturday (pictured)
Many sports fans believe the twins have ‘cancelled themselves’ by taking and posting the clip
The brothers also pretended to be pit crew mechanics in a separate video taken in Melbourne this weekend, and got F1 identity David Croft to help them lip-synch to commentary from a recent football match in another clip.
At the time of writing, neither Russell nor the Mercedes team have commented on the matter.
Sports broadcaster Shane McInnes spoke for many F1 fans when he described the Shepmates’ actions as ‘disgusting’
‘The behaviour of @shepmates recording Mercedes driver George Russell at a urinal at the #AusGP, posting it on Instagram & TikTok ad then boasting about it is disgusting and reprehensible. Will they apologise? Even if they do, credentials for future races should be denied,’ he posted on X.
Many commenters believed the brothers’ actions broke the law.
‘Hey @shepmates I hope the security finds you and asks you to leave the track. You’re the type of person who makes it harder for real f1 fans to meet the drivers. It’s illegal and imo non contact sexual assault. Akin to revenge porn. Especially showing it on socials,’ one wrote on X.
‘Hey @shepmates did you guys know it’s illegal to film someone in the washroom? @ausgrandprix do something about this,’ another commenter added.
George Russell suffers crash on last lap of Australian Grand Prix
Sport broadcaster Shane McInnes spoke for many F1 fans when he lashed out at the brothers for recording and posting the footage
Many commenters on social media branded Shepmates’ actions illegal and called for the pair to be punished
Other F1 fans said the duo had ‘cancelled themselves’ and ‘napalmed their careers’ by filming and posting the footage.
‘Posting a video of a man using the bathroom for some f**king likes is insane. just because he’s famous does not mean you have any sort of right to film an intimate moment like that. @shepmates you are absolutely disgusting,’ another fan wrote.
Other commenters called for Russell and Mercedes to sue Shepmates, and there were calls for them to face ‘legal punishment’ over the ‘vile’ intrusion.
Russell will start from seventh on the grid, with his qualifying time lagging almost a second behind that of reigning world champion and pole sitter Max Verstappen.
The 26-year-old did beat out his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who will start 11th on the grid in his worst qualifying result in Melbourne.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has been forced to retire from the Australian Grand Prix after the right rear of his car caught fire early in the race.
The Dutchman complained that the car was feeling ‘loose’ as he was passed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz two laps into the race.
By lap five increasing amounts of smoke could be seen coming from the back of his Red Bull as he lost pace and started to drop back through the field.
Verstappen (centre) is pictured getting out of his Red Bull after the pit crew battled flames coming from the right rear brake
At one stage the world champion couldn’t be seen due to the thick smoke coming from the rear of the car after what appears to be a failure of the right rear brake
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz passed the world champion on lap two (pictured) – just before Verstappen said the car was ‘loose’, then added, ‘fire, fire!’ as flames lapped at the rear
Verstappen (pictured waving to the crowd after retiring) later explained that his right rear brake had been ‘stuck on’ right from the start of the race
He was able to nurse the car back into the pits but by that stage flames were emerging from the brake on the right rear wheel after what seemed like a small explosion in that area of the car as he entered pit lane, forcing the team’s mechanics to use fire extinguishers.
Verstappen exited the car with his race over and was soon seen after getting changed out of his racing gear.
‘I just lost the car – really weird,’ he said in the first indication of a problem when he was overtaken by Sainz.
That was followed by him telling the team, ‘I have smoke, blue smoke, fire, fire!’ on lap five as he slowly made his way to pit lane.
After getting out of the car, the 26-year-old shed more light on the cause of his retirement.
‘At the start of the race the right rear brake just stuck on,’ he explained.
‘It was like driving with the handbrake on.’
Lewis Hamilton was also forced to retire on lap 17, using the team radio to inform the Mercedes garage that he’d suffered engine failure.
Lewis Hamilton (pictured chasing Sergio Perez’s Red Bull) was forced out of the race with engine failure on lap 17
Verstappen’s retirement continues a mixed relationship with Albert Park for the three-time world champ, who was forced to retire in the 2022 edition.
Verstappen had won nine straight races, dating back to the Japanese Grand Prix last September.
Victory at Albert Park would have taken him level with his own record, set with his 10 straight wins from Miami to Monza last year.
Verstappen won 19 races last season – the most in F1 history – on his way to a third straight title to completely dominate the rest of the field.
Hamilton, who started 11th after his worst qualifying session at Albert Park since 2010, suffered another disappointing race in his last season with Mercedes before his switch to Ferrari next year.
It was the first time Verstappen and Hamilton – F1’s two most successful drivers of the past decade – had withdrawn from the same race due to mechanical failures.
The Red Bull ace’s exit left Ferrari’s Sainz in the lead, with his teammate Charles Leclerc getting past McLaren’s Lando Norris to make it a one-two for the Italian outfit at the midpoint of the race.
In another exclusive talkSPORT.com column, Ben Shalom gives his take on Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson and previews a massive night in Wales.
The Paul-Tyson fight has had everyone up in arms since it was announced at the start of March.
Ultimately, it is an exhibition bout and shouldn’t be taken seriously by purists.
However, there are worrying reports floating around that it could be sanctioned as a pro bout.
If that is the case then it will step over the line but until then it must be taken with a pinch of salt.
I can understand everyone’s frustration with the fight and I have seen the reaction online.
But it isn’t all doom and gloom for boxing fans.
There are plenty of big fights to look forward to coming up.
A hardcore boxing fans delight
2
McCaskill vs Price goes down on May 11
One bout in particular, Lauren Price vs Jessica McCaskill, is making a real splash in Wales.
For Price to be taking this fight against a seasoned multi-weight world champion in just her seventh professional outing is everything that should be celebrated about boxing.
On paper, it is a very high-risk fight for her to take. She could have waited until the end of her career for these sorts of challenges but she wants them right now.
McCaskill, as hardcore boxing fans will know, has fought all the big names around her weight.
She’s gone the distance with Chantelle Cameron and Katie Taylor, beaten Cecilia Braekhus twice – and comes into this fight fresh off a draw with surging British contender Sandy Ryan.
On May 11 at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, McCaskill puts her WBA welterweight title on the line against Britain’s most decorated female amateur boxer of all time.
Price has won Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth gold in the unpaid ranks and looks destined to be a future undisputed champion.
But she will have to perform on nights like these if she hopes to stamp her name in the annuals of boxing history.
A blockbuster return to Wales
2
Eubank Jr vs Williams was BOXXER’s last big night in WalesCredit: Lawrence Lustig/BOXXER
It’s great to finally be making a return to Wales. There have been so many big nights there in the past and we are expecting a massive turnout for Price.
We got a taste of how loud the Welsh fans can be when we hosted Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams in 2022.
Since then, we have been desperate to come back and now we can finally put on a blockbuster event on for them again.
We haven’t announced the undercard just yet but I can assure you it is filled to the brim with Welsh talent.
Jake Paul has slammed Oscar De La Hoya’s criticism of his fight with Mike Tyson.
Paul faces Tyson on July 20 in a fight that will see Netflix air boxing for the first time. The bout has received a mixed reaction, with De La Hoya being one of the primary critics. The Golden Boy promoter questioned how the fight would aid Paul’s desire to be a world champion.
This is mainly because Paul is coming off the best wins of his career. He stopped Andre August and Ryan Bourland in his last two fights in first-round KOs. The wins were particularly impressive since they were victories against professional boxers.
But facing Tyson makes no sense from a legacy point of view. Mike is 57, and so a win may be expected due to the huge age difference. Paul, by contrast, is 27. Paul also risks harming his career if he comes out second best. A knockout damages his brand and rules out a dream fight with Canelo Alvarez, which he has been targeting. De La Hoya did not hold back on his words.
De La Hoya On Paul
“Jake Paul, you say you want to be a world champion, you say you want to take this sport seriously – then take it seriously. What is this? This is not a popularity contest. I’m actually praising Jake Paul for taking this [sport] seriously, because I really feel that if he fights the right fights and takes the right path to that world title, he can actually get there. I’m not sure if he can win it, but he can get there.
“But he’s not going to get there through Mike Tyson. He’s going to make a s*** load of money. He’s going to gain more popularity on Mike Tyson’s expense. Do I like it? No, because I love Mike Tyson. This is entertainment. This is a fight that is going to do great business all over the world. More power to them, but the last time I heard, Jake Paul is serious about this sport. All I’m saying is make your money but take this sport serious De La Hoyastated
Paul Responds
Paul has fired back, telling De La Hoya to focus on his stable. The Problem Child singled out Ryan Garcia’s well-being. There are concerns that Garcia will not be well enough to fight on April 20 against Devin Haney. The boxer has raised concerns over his mental health following his social media activity.
He was seen breaking down on X over the Israel-Palestine war. Garcia has also lashed out at various people on social media, including Logan Paul and KSI, over their PRIME drink. He accused the brand of allegedly being unsafe. The latest incident saw Garcia threatening to sue the New York State Athletic Commission after they requested a mental health evaluation. Paul has told La Hoya to keep his eyes on Garcia instead.
“Oscar De La Hoya has a lot to say about me and Mike Tyson. I hope he’s concerned with Ryan Garcia’s health and his legacy,” Paul stated
Mike Tyson’s trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, has downplayed worries over the fighter’s health ahead of his fight with Jake Paul.
Their fight takes place on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Tyson will enter the fight as a 58-year-old, whose last bout in any form was against Roy Jones Jr. It was an exhibition that ended in a draw. Meanwhile, Paul will come into the contest at 27. He is in the best form of life, stopping Andre August and Ryan Bourland in his last two fights.
They were wins over professional boxers, showing that Paul was moving on from fighting MMA fighters and influencers. But there are concerns that the fight won’t get sanctioned. Tyson has been seen moving with a walking stick in the past. He is also known for smoking marijuana. According to The Texas Athletic Commission, any use of marijuana that goes beyond 50 ng/ml of THC is not allowed. That is something that Tyson will have to comply with.
“Not to be Mr. Buzzkill or anything, but it seems strangely overlooked that Mike Tyson was knocked out back-to-back in the last two of his pro career. Knocked out by average at best fighters, and that was about twenty years ago,” Rich Marotta, Nevada Hall of Fame founder said
But rather than worry about the potential pitfalls, Tyson’s trainer played down any fears.
Tyson’s Coach
“I believe we don’t have to be concerned about it. We’re talking about a two-time world champion. The guy didn’t have 20 fights in two years, he knows how to fight. He’s fought against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring he knows what to do. It’s not something new for Mike, and this fight is no different.
“He works hard every single day to go in there and try to knock Jake out from the beginning to the end. This is his style, nobody has teach Mike Tyson how to fight. He’s going to prove that in July. You can see fire in his eyes when he trains, and he will never give less than that. I truly believe it is going to be a great show. Mike is going to step into the ring as the old Mike Tyson, and he’s going to try and knock out Jake from the beginning to the end,” Rafael Cordeiro stated
Nevertheless, father time catches up with everyone. Tyson is not the same fighter that he used to be. Evander Holyfield also showed this when he faced Vitor Belfort in 2021. Holyfield was stopped in the first round after a series of clubbing shots. His reaction times had slowed down a lot from the fighter who walked away from the sport in 2011. Since money is not an issue for Tyson, there is no pressing need for him to get in the ring. However, with the fight likely to happen, Tyson will have to silence his critics.
Logan Paul has said his brother, Jake Paul, has had 24-hour security ever since Floyd Mayweather threatened to him.
The comments were made in response to the highly publicised incident between Jake and Mayweather. During Logan’s build-up to his fight with Mayweather, Jake approached Mayweather and stole his hat. That resulted in a heated confrontation between the various camps, and security had to intervene to diffuse things. That incident worried Jake, and Logan revealed that his brother had never been without a security guard since then.
Logan Reacts
“Jake has not been without a security guard since that moment. What do we know about Miami, bro? Floyd knows Miami, he’s been around the block,” Logan said
Logan’s exhibition with Mayweather went ahead without incident. But looking back, Logan had a few choice words to say about the incident. He blamed his brother for riling the boxer up, given that it was not Jake’s fight. It could have simply been done to set up the narrative for a Jake fight with Mayweather, but Logan was worried about the risk of getting hurt himself.
“He did it, and I felt like Jake had put me in jeopardy. If I break my hand, or get a concussion by Floyd’s guys a month before the biggest moment of my life, trying to save my little brother, that’s stupid,” Logan stated
Paul’s Fight With Tyson
Since that incident, Jake has secured his mega-fight with Mike Tyson. They will square off on July 20 in a bout that will air on Netflix. There has been concern over whether the fight will get sanctioned. Tyson will be 58 at the time of the fight, while Paul is a lot younger at 27.
There is also criticism that the fight does nothing to help Jake’s world title ambitions. The Problem Child has clarified that a world title is the aim, even calling out Canelo Alvarez. Several people from the combat sports world have criticised the fight, including Dana White and Bernard Hopkins.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like it. [And] I look at Mike. I look at him different in a way of my era, like people looked at Ali. [And] I looked at Ali different, too. Marvin Hagler, ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson. I don’t like it. [And] I think it’s becoming more of a side show with some sweat and maybe some blood, if we’re lucky.
“I won’t watch it. I could watch two turtles race and be more excited. It’s because of how I look at Mike Tyson. I’ve shared not only the ring with Mike Tyson a few times, but the era, a little tip of the era. I just think it degrades him. You’re getting 100 million, 200 million. Please, OK,” Hopkins stated
White Reacts
“I love Mike, and I hate talking about it because he always gets mad when I talk about this stuff.. But, when the fight happens, he will be 58 years old. There will be a 31-year age difference. You know, Jake Paul did fight a kid his age, and he lost. I saw this thing on the internet yesterday.”
“If he beats Mike Tyson, he’s going to fight Clint Eastwood next. Clint Eastwood is 93 years old. He doesn’t [want to be taken seriously as a boxer]. What Jake wants is Jake wants to make money. The people that follow Jake Paul, don’t buy Jake Paul’s fights. So, Jake Paul has to fight people that actually sell pay-per-views,” Whitesaid
Jake Paul is not afraid to face Mike Tyson, urging the former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion to bring his best.
Paul faces Tyson on July 20, live on Netflix, after coming off the best wins of his career. He has beaten two professional boxers back-to-back in the form of Andre August and Ryan Bourland. The Problem Child secured first-round KOs in both fights to justify his decision to enter boxing.
However, his decision to take the Tyson fight has been questioned. While Tyson will be 58 at the time of the fight, he is facing one of the most-feared punchers ever. There are concerns that Paul could get seriously hurt. But those same accusations have been directed towards Tyson. Paul is a lot younger than Tyson, aged 27, and in his best career form. Despite those concerns, Paul wanted to see the best version of Tyson.
Paul Reacts
“This is definitely the toughest, most savage, lethal opponent (of my career) – regardless of age, because power is the last thing to go. I want to see how hard he hits. Mike, I really want to see, bro. Let’s see all the legends, the myths, because you’re ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson – but I have an iron chin.
“People know that. I take shots. So I think people are underestimating that me being able to deal with his power, and that is something that is going to make it interesting. I’m excited. I literally can’t wait to look across the ring and see him and give him a f*****g death stare,” Paul said
But before that can be considered, there are suggestions that the fight might not get sanctioned as a professional bout. Tyson has been previously spotted in a wheelchair while his marijuana usage is under question. The Texas Athletic Commission has outlined that any use of the substance will get punished if it exceeds 50 ng/ml of THC.
And yet, Tyson has been putting in the work, showing his fans his training preparations. The following footage shows Tyson letting off explosive combinations. If Tyson can close the distance and attack the body, Paul will be in for a long night. Tyson’s trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, says his fighter is ready.
Tyson’s Trainer Responds
“I believe we don’t have to be concerned about it. We’re talking about a two-time world champion. The guy didn’t have 20 fights in two years, he knows how to fight. He’s fought against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring he knows what to do. It’s not something new for Mike, and this fight is no different. He works hard every single day to go in there and try to knock Jake out from the beginning to the end.
“This is his style, nobody has teach Mike Tyson how to fight. He’s going to prove that in July. You can see fire in his eyes when he trains, and he will never give less than that. I truly believe it is going to be a great show. Mike is going to step into the ring as the old Mike Tyson, and he’s going to try and knock out Jake from the beginning to the end,” Rafael Cordeiro said
Tyson Fury is insisting that Deontay Wilder is ‘by far’ a bigger puncher when compared to Francis Ngannou.
Fury and Ngannou headlined a boxing event billed as the ‘Battle of the Baddest’ at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last October. In what was Ngannou’s boxing debut, it would ultimately be Fury who would emerge the victor by split decision.
‘The Gypsy King’ has a current boxing record of 34 wins (24 by knockout) and no losses in the ring.
Although Fury was knocked down by ‘The Predator’ and was previously knocked down by Deontay Wilder, the British champ was still able to be victorious against both and is willing to share who packs more of a punch in the ring.
It was during a recent interview with ‘The Stomping Ground’ that Tyson Fury reflected on his fight with Francis Ngannou last October and compared his power against that of Deontay Wilder:
“Deontay, by far. Francis Ngannou is a big puncher, but I wasn’t really troubled by any of his punches. It wasn’t like it was dynamite every time he hit me and I was wobbled or anything, no. Just one shot to the back of the head and that was it.”
Concluding Tyson Fury said (h/t MMANews):
“Wilder is still the biggest puncher I’ve ever been in the ring with, by a mile.”
Deontay Wilder has a record of 43 wins (42 by KO) and 3 losses in the ring.
So, there you have it, Wilder packs a bigger punch than Ngannou – at least according to Fury who obviously has some up close and personal insight.
Tyson Fury is currently scheduled to fight Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday May 18th at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which will air exclusively on ‘TNT Sports Box Office’. Usyk is sporting 21 wins (14 by KO) and no losses in the ring.
Will you be watching on the 18th of May? Both fighters have yet to experience their first loss in the ring. Who will you be putting your money on?
Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!
Tyson Fury is explaining why he thinks Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a ‘really good spectacle’ for boxing.
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 20th at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event will be streamed globally on Netflix.
Following the announcement of the fight there have been mixed opinions concerning whether or not the fight should take place at all.
Tyson Fury is sharing his belief that the Paul vs. Tyson match is great for boxing as a whole.
Fury, speaking on ‘The Stomping Ground’, shared his take on the upcoming bout:
“I think it’s fantastic for boxing. You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson, you’ve got a YouTube boxer who’s come into the game and blew it up, and he’s got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes – good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him.”
Continuing Tyson Fury shared:
“I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing – brings a lot of people to the game. Listen, who am I to say, ‘Oh, Mike Tyson shouldn’t be boxing,’ or ‘Jake Paul shouldn’t be boxing’? Good luck to them. They’re both going to make what I call a sh*t-ton of money out of it.”
Concluding, the ‘Gypsy King’ said (h/t MMAJunkie):
“It’d be fantastic for the guys, both getting paid, both going to put on a show – I just don’t know what’s not to like. Oh, OK, (Tyson’s) 57 years old, but he’s a former undisputed world heavyweight king. And (Paul) plays computers for a living, and he’s come to boxing about a year ago, so pretty even match. … People say, ‘Oh, it’s sh*t,’ this, that and the other. But I’ll bet they still watch it. Who’s not intrigued?”
Do you agree with Tyson Fury that the fight is ‘fantastic’ for boxing? Will you be watching on July 20th?
Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!
