Author: quyen1

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Ever since Lewis Hamilton made his move to Ferrari in 2025 public, there have been rumors of some leading figures joining him at the Maranello-based outfit. One of them is Adrian Newey, who has never worked with Hamilton before. However, there was a brief crossover between the two back in 2004, when Hamilton drove a car designed by the man billed as F1’s ‘aero-god’.

Advertisement

In 2004, Hamilton was part of McLaren’s young driver’s academy. It was also Adrian Newey’s penultimate year for the Woking-based squad before he moved to Red Bull. While they never directly worked together, Hamilton did drive the car designed by Newey – in a test.

In December of 2004, he took behind the wheel of the MP4-19, as revealed in a post on Reddit. Newey, the technical director of McLaren was one of the main brains behind the car that Hamilton drove that evening. The MP4-19 was driven by David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen in 2004, as McLaren finished fifth in the constructors’ championship.

Advertisement

It would take some time before Hamilton would finally make his long-awaited F1 debut. In 2007, three years after driving the Newey-designed challenger, he joined Fernando Alonso at McLaren. By then, Newey had already moved to Red Bull and was in the process of creating history with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.

Will Adrian Newey move to Ferrari and join Lewis Hamilton?

Adrian Newey, despite being one of F1’s best-ever engineers, has not worked with Hamilton (arguably F1’s best driver of all time) or Ferrari (F1’s most successful team of all time). Now that Hamilton is moving to Ferrari in 2025, Newey has an opportunity to check both things off his list.

As of now, it is not clear whether Newey will join Ferrari or not. However, the latest rumors suggest that he will stay put at Red Bull. This comes even though internal politics at Red Bull are tarnishing the team’s image.

The never-ending Christian Horner saga isn’t doing anyone any favors. Figures like Max Verstappen and Newey are reportedly unhappy with the negative spotlight on the team. If Newey, who has played a huge role in Red Bull’s dominance, decides to leave, it will be a huge loss for them. For Ferrari and Hamilton, however, it will be a huge gain.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Lewis Hamilton has once again caused a frenzy among the fans. This time around, it’s a cryptic Instagram story that has caused a storm. The 7-time champion recently posted a picture of a standing mic in what looks like a recording studio. That quickly got the fans anticipating the release of an album that Hamilton promised years ago.

Advertisement

Formula 1 is currently going through a week’s break before action resumes in Melbourne for the Australian GP. Lewis Hamilton made the most of this time fulfilling sponsorship duties. The Briton visited a school in Malaysia, attending an event organized by Mercedes sponsor Petronas. Following that, he seems to have found his way to a studio which has got fans excited.

One particular fan, assuming the Mercedes star was recording a song, urged him to release it.

Advertisement

Another is waiting to bob to the tunes after Iftar.

One X (formerly Twitter) fan wondered what their favorite driver was up to.

View post on X

Advertisement

To say the least, the memories of XNDA are back among fans. For the uninitiated, Lewis Hamilton uses the pseudonym XNDA for his released music work. So far, there is only one released song that features his name. Pop artist Christina Aguilera released the song ‘Pipe’ in 2018 which featured XNDA.

While fans were quick to put two and two together and trace the name back to Hamilton, the F1 sensation refused to confirm his identity. It was only two years later that he confirmed he indeed was XNDA.

Charles Leclerc ready to pursue Lewis Hamilton for a musical collaboration

Charles Leclerc is the latest among the F1 drivers to pursue a music career. The Monegasque released three piano instrumentals last year, named AUS23 (1:1), MIA 23 (1:2), and MON23 (1:3). Most recently, the Ferrari driver collaborated with French pianist Sofiane Pamart for a 4 song EP called DREAMERS.

Leclerc, in a video uploaded on his official YouTube account, admitted his lack of skills let his musical vision down. That was where Pamart came in with his superior skills with the keys.

The Monegasque will partner up with Lewis Hamilton in 2025 on track when the Briton joins Ferrari. Naturally, fans expect a musical collaboration as well between the two. Representing the fan sentiment, Will Buxton asked Leclerc if the partnership was possible.

The 26-year-old, while expressing his doubts, assured that he would put forth the proposal to his future teammate. He said, “I’m not sure, to be honest. I don’t know, I haven’t spoken about music too much with Lewis yet. We discussed about it last year and he was telling me that he loves music. I’ll speak with him from next year onwards about a potential collaboration.”

Credits: IMAGO / Beautiful Sports

Although a few weeks have passed since Red Bull GmbH dismissed the grievance against Christian Horner, the saga has not yet ended. Over the past several days, rival team bosses such as Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and McLaren’s Zak Brown have demanded transparency. As the likes of Wolff and Brown continue to add pressure for more transparency, former F1 driver David Coulthard has claimed that the duo are just “stoking the fire” and are keen to take advantage of the ongoing turmoil at Red Bull Racing.

Advertisement

While speaking to Channel 4 (as quoted by Crash.net) Coulthard said, “There is a call from those who want to stoke the fire. There will be those who are looking for the good of the fanbase, to ask for more transparency. But it’s a private matter. We all have a right to privacy. If there was a case to answer, then we’d know about it”.

Although Horner hasn’t been declared guilty, such pressure from rival team bosses only creates more uncertainty and increases the turmoil at Red Bull Racing. Moreover, it’s not just rivals who are against Horner.

Advertisement

As per several reports, there is currently a power struggle that is going on at Red Bull. Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, has already raised concerns about the presence of Horner in the Red Bull team.

The 52-year-old believes that the team should get rid of Horner as the Briton is damaging the image of the side. Moreover, some reports also claim that Helmet Marko had a role to play in damaging the reputation of Christian Horner.

As a result, there is a possibility that the team could suspend the Austrian. While all this uncertainty carries on at Red Bull, Toto Wolff is looking to take advantage of the situation by making some key signings.

Can Toto Wolff and Mercedes sign Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen?

Toto Wolff recently teased that Mercedes have an interest in signing Helmut Marko to replace the late Niki Lauda as the team’s new mentor. Moreover, since Max Verstappen himself has suggested that he is likely to follow Marko wherever he goes, Wolff also teased that his side could perhaps even sign the three-time world champion.

With Lewis Hamilton heading for Ferrari in 2025, Verstappen seems like the best replacement that Mercedes can get at the moment. Moreover, with F1 introducing new regulations in 2026, the possibility is even higher that the Dutchman may himself consider switching to the Silver Arrows, who have ample experience in producing powerful engines.

Advertisement

As for Christian Horner, his future continues to remain uncertain. The female employee, who first launched the allegations of “inappropriate behavior” against Horner, is now considering legal action after an independent barrister hired by Red Bull dismissed the grievance against the British boss.

A report from independent.co.uk claims that the employee is dissatisfied with the lack of support she has received from Red Bull. As a result, she has claimed that she has no option but to seek the legal route to receive justice.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton is leaving a huge vacuum to fill at Mercedes as he moves to Ferrari in 2025. While many experts and fans are still digesting this fact, there have been many speculations on who shall replace him. Around the same, The Race posted a community poll on their YouTube channel to ask fans’ opinions on who should replace Hamilton at the Brackley outfit. And the fans delivered a unanimous verdict.

Advertisement

At the time of writing, about 109k fans have voted on the poll by The Race. 43% suggest that Carlos Sainz should get the vacant Mercedes seat for 2025. After Sainz, 32% feel Fernando Alonso is the correct choice that the German team should secure for replacing Hamilton.

Meanwhile, 15% chose other drivers, which includes the likes of Alex Albon, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and Mick Schumacher. Strangely, The Race also had put Daniel Ricciardo as a third option besides Alonso and Sainz, and he also got 10% of the votes.

Advertisement

Given the way the Australian has started his 2024 season at Visa Cash App RB, he may seem like an afterthought as a choice for Mercedes. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz may be the apt replacement and could have a straight swap with Hamilton, who is moving to Ferrari.

The Spaniard’s situation has become tricky, given he got the pink slip from Maranello to make way for the seven-time champion. While Sainz is recovering from appendicitis currently, his performance in the Bahrain GP was nothing short of praiseworthy. The 29-year-old is driving with a point to prove and seems hungry to secure a competitive seat for 2025.

However, he will face competition from his countryman, Fernando Alonso, for the vacancy at Brackley. Alonso is also yet to sign a contract for 2025, with his Aston Martin deal expiring. Meanwhile, Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli is also in contention if he performs well in F2 this year. But, there is an unlikely shock possibility too.

Could Mercedes sign Max Verstappen to replace Lewis Hamilton?

Started as rumors, the possibility of Max Verstappen moving to Mercedes is no longer casual silly season chatter. Amid the turmoil at Red Bull, Verstappen indirectly voiced that he may consider his future at the team if things go out of hand. This was after reports that suggested a possible suspension for Helmut Marko.

While Red Bull have doused that fire, the Dutchman’s willingness to look elsewhere and ditch his dominant current team is a statement and a half. Thus, taking advantage of the chaos at the Milton Keynes team, Mercedes could look to lure him away.

Advertisement

With the 2026 engine regulations on the brink, Verstappen could be keen to bet on Mercedes’ long-term prospects. For now, the three-time champion seems fine to stay at Red Bull. However, Wolff is not ruling out this surprising move just as yet even though he has some other bold options.

Promoting Kimi Antonelli as early as 2025 will be one of those bold calls. With Antonelli only 17 and about to turn 18 next year, it will be a huge risk if Wolff gives him the drive.

Still, with more experienced drivers like Alonso and Sainz available, Wolff is not looking to make a hasty decision. The Austrian assured that they will assess all their options and choose the best possible driver. Wolff mentioned that he would decide on Lewis Hamilton’s replacement in the latter half of the season, seeing how the driver market develops.

Credits: IMAGO Motorsport Images

Jacques Villeneuve posts that George Russell delivered a resounding “wake-up call” to Lewis Hamilton, disrupting a prolonged period of ease alongside Valtteri Bottas. Villeneuve further suggests that Russell’s presence has to do with Hamilton chasing a feeling of youth at Ferrari.

Advertisement

Entering his third season as a teammate with Russell, Hamilton navigates a new dynamic following Bottas’ departure from Mercedes in 2022. During their tenure, Mercedes dominated the F1 scene; however, despite Bottas’ consistent support, Hamilton reigned supreme with four Drivers’ titles after 2016, leaving his teammate unable to mount a serious championship challenge.

Russell’s arrival coincided with the onset of F1’s ground effect era, and Mercedes’ decline from the summit. Russell made a mark in his first year in Silver and Hamilton staged a comeback in 2023, but now Russell has emerged as the stronger Mercedes driver at the onset of the 2024 season.

Advertisement

In an exclusive conversation with GPFans, Jacques Villeneuve characterizes Russell’s presence in the team as a much-needed “wake-up call” for Hamilton, who recently announced his move to Ferrari. “It’s hard for a driver when you’ve spent years winning, and some years easy winning, especially when you had Bottas as a team-mate. He was alone in the championship, basically. He didn’t even need to be at his best to win like he had to do in his first championship.”

Villeneuve continued, “Now, going to Ferrari might be like that little shock that you get… to give him that ‘youth’ attitude.”

Is Lewis Hamilton chasing the fountain of youth at Ferrari?

Looking at Villenueve’s statement from a different perspective, Hamilton did say racing in Red was a childhood dream. His aspiration to drive for Ferrari traces back to his formative years, when he immersed himself in the F1 video games, emulating the legendary Michael Schumacher.

Advertisement

In a reflective Instagram post earlier last month, Hamilton confessed to harboring a childhood dream, a sentiment he expanded on by saying, “I think probably all of us sit in our garage and see the screen pop up, and you see the driver in the red cockpit, and you wonder what it might be like to be surrounded by the red.” Whether it’s youth or not, Hamilton is going back to playing his F1 game, this time for real.

With Ferrari’s last drivers’ championship secured by Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, and its zenith of success intertwined with the Michael Schumacher era, the Scuderia’s recent endeavors have been characterized by a struggle to reclaim former glory.

And Lewis Hamilton brings that to the table. Having tasted success with Mercedes and reaching the peak, it’s time to chase new heights. Whether that means a championship in the future or not, Hamilton has taken on a new challenge that could possibly take Ferrari where they want to be.

Further, the 39-year-old has proved that age is no measure in the world of F1. There is no timer on his career, not for Hamilton, who is far from finished with rocking the world he created.

Credits: IMAGO Motorsport Images

The 2021 Abu Dhabi GP was arguably one of the best races of all time as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled each other out to win the championship on the final lap. Hamilton was in the lead until the final lap and looked comfortable to take the win. However, some controversial decisions from the stewards gave Verstappen a massive advantage, and the Dutchman took that with both hands to claim the all-important victory. Because of the way the 2021 title finale ended, several fans and experts have labeled that race as the biggest sporting scandal of all time. Now, former Ferrari manager Peter Windsor is the latest to comment on what transpired back then. The Australian journalist wants the case to be reopened so that Lewis Hamilton can receive closure.

Advertisement

While speaking on his YouTube Channel, Windsor said, “I think Abu Dhabi 21 needs to be reopened. And there needs to be a proper closure which goes to a proper court where a proper legal decision is taken on whether or not there was a right result.”

Additionally, Windsor stated that since it’s already too late, he doesn’t want the decision to be changed. Instead, he believes that the legal route will bring the matter to a conclusion. Following that, Windsor claimed that other things too had also gone wrong in the past.

Advertisement

Windsor referred to the marshaling and stewards’ judgment as an example. Subsequently, the former Ferrari manager also mentioned Max Moosley’s period, stating that he could recall an incident in Brazil when there was no final verdict.

While explaining the situation, Windsor said that Williams and a few other teams were found cooling the fuel below the allowed temperature. However, the officials at that time took no serious steps and overlooked this offense, claiming it as ‘inadmissible.’

How Windsor’s comments regarding the Abu Dhabi GP relate to Massa’s current situation?

Felipe Massa has recently launched a lawsuit against the FIA, F1, and Bernie Ecclestone with the hope of overturning the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, which featured the infamous Crashgate scandal. If the results of that race are indeed overturned, the Brazilian will win the title from Lewis Hamilton.

However, an in-depth analysis of his case reveals some parallels with the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy. Like Peter Windsor, who recently demanded that the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP case undergo review to come to a definitive conclusion and not modify the ruling, Massa has also filed a new complaint to seek a similar outcome.

The Brazilian is now pursuing monetary compensation for the damages he sustained because of the incident. According to Autosport, that payment can total up to $81.7 million.

Advertisement

Nevertheless, Massa’s recent demand is a sharp shift from his previous position. Before this, the 2008 runner-up had asked the FIA to declare that it had violated its own rules. Furthermore, he wanted the governing body to acknowledge that he should have won the 2008 title if they had not broken any of those rules.

Credits: IMAGO / Andreas Beil and IMAGO / HochZwei |
L: Guenther Steiner R: Oliver Bearman

Oliver Bearman stole the headlines with his excellent debut at the Saudi Arabian GP. On a tough track like Jeddah, Bearman was quite impressive in handling the Ferrari SF-24 and brought home a P7 finish. He did all this on short notice as he got into the car only before FP3. Even Guenther Steiner commended the 18-year-old’s debut performance, praising his “calmness” and citing that the young Briton has a good future in F1. The former Haas boss then even went on to vouch that the F2 sensation is ready and that he would give him a race seat right away.

Advertisement

In his new column on the official F1 website, Steiner said, “Based on his performance in Jeddah, after what I saw from him, I’d put him in a race seat. Obviously, it depends on the circumstances and what seats are available. You need to see the whole landscape, but he would be a candidate.”

Bearman‘s debut in Jeddah has made him a stronger contender for a 2025 F1 drive. Previously, many touted the Briton to be a good option for Haas next year. After his stand-in performance for Ferrari, these voices have only gotten stronger. However, Steiner feels they could fasten things up and finalize the Briton’s 2025 contract.

Advertisement

Bearman became the talk of the town after scoring points on debut and proving his mettle in Saudi Arabia. Many drivers, including Charles Leclerc, cited that it’s just a matter of time before the F2 driver makes his way to the pinnacle of motorsport.

While the ex-Haas boss is vouching for Bearman to make a step up to F1 as soon as possible, not long did he oppose bringing in rookies. Back then, the American-Italian mentioned how taking a rookie is “risky business” for a team like Haas.

Oliver Bearman has turned the tide for young drivers in F1

In 2023, F1 teams were quite averse to onboarding and betting on young talent coming from the junior formulas. As a result, teams like Haas, AlphaTauri (now Visa Cash App RB), Williams, and, Sauber retained their original lineups for this season.

However, the notion surrounding rookies now seems to be changing following the recent strong performances of Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson. Although Lawson drove a few races for AlphaTauri last season and impressed many people, he still did not get a full-time seat and is still a reserve driver for the team.

However, Lawson’s performances did put some doubts as to why the Kiwi and some of his peers are not getting a chance, even if they deserve it. Now, Bearman’s debut in 2024 has succinctly solidified the notion that these talented drivers from F2 deserve a shot in F1.

Advertisement

This also kickstarted a discussion among F1 forums as to which experienced drivers should make way for these young rookies. Especially teams from the lower half of the grid can perhaps take the risk by signing someone like Lawson or a Bearman to bring some much-needed spark of young dynamism to the F1 grid.

This year’s F2 grid is also oozing with several rookie drivers keen to make an impression. Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already started making headlines as a bold replacement for the outgoing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.

Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman would certainly be on many teams’ radar now, besides Haas. Liam Lawson too would certainly want to secure a drive after missing out in 2024. Meanwhile, F2 champions Felipe Drugovich and Theo Pourchaire may also want to take advantage of a chaotic silly season to get their shot.

Dillian Whyte secured a huge comeback win over Christian Hammer… but fans are completely in the dark as to whether it happened.

The Body Snatcher was in action at the TF Royal Hotel in Castlebar, Ireland on St Patrick’s Day.

3

Dillian Whyte is declared the winner against Christian Hammer in Ireland

3

The Body Snatcher makes his way to the ring in Ireland at the TF Royal Hotel

3

Whyte wasted no time in beating Christian Hammer in the thirdCredit: Sportsfile
The 35-year-old reportedly took advantage of tomorrow’s bank holiday in the Emerald Isle by fighting on the Sunday night.

However, with the boxing match unable to be watched or streamed, fans were left guessing on the result.

As it turned out, the Brixton native wasted very little time in disposing of his opponent – winning by the way of TKO in the third round.

There were reports that the Romanian injured his shoulder and had to retire.

Fans, though, did not have the foggiest of what went down.

And some took to X to reveal their frustration at not being able to watch the bout, or some just didn’t even know it was on.

One fan asked: “Is he fighting?’

A second posted: “Wild it’s 2024 and this wasn’t even televised.”

A third shared: “What sort of shifty event was this? Not a peep about it…”

A fourth added: “Forgot all about Whyte.”

Play Video

Dillian Whyte is back
While a fifth wrote: “Whyte should of been challenging for world titles now not fighting a romanian journey man in a Irish pub.”

Last time out, Whyte defeated Jermaine Franklin by majority decision.

But last August he was banned after a positive drugs test before his proposed fight against Anthony Joshua.

However, the Texas Department of Licencing and Regulation reversed the ban after finding that the positive test was caused by a contaminated supplement.

Heavyweight legend Mike Tyson wasn’t invincible inside the boxing ring. He fell prey to his opponents’ traps several times and exited the professional sphere with a career of 50 wins and 6 losses. While Tyson looked vulnerable during the end of his boxing journey, his early years in the ring worked completely in his favor.

Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight world champion by knocking out Trevor Berbick at the age of 20, a feat that is still held by him. From then, Tyson earned numerous accolades, touting his prime years as one of the most legendary runs in the sport of boxing.

Although people compare the modern-age heavyweights with Mike Tyson, and several fans back the new world champions to beat a prime ‘Iron’, Tyson recently revealed why it wouldn’t be the case. Tyson has previously dumped a comparison between him and Tyson Fury, both in their primes.

Now, Tyson turned to Twitter and wrote, “I used to fight anybody my trainer put me in with because I was confident that I could beat any fighter in the world. Anybody could see that I was almost a master at evading punches coming at me.”

A few weeks back, ex-MMA fighter Brendan Schaub had backed Tyson Fury to outwork Mike Tyson during a friendly chat with the heavyweight veteran. Tyson didn’t argue about his chances. Instead, he offered a straightforward response.

‘Iron Mike’ said, “I don’t know. I don’t care if he could beat me or not. His name is Tyson. He can beat me, but I don’t care he is named after the greatest fighter that ever lived.”

Mike Tyson may not be a fan of modern-age heavyweights.

Aged 55, Tyson monitors the existing trend in the boxing world. He doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind. Tyson doesn’t appear a huge fan of modern-era heavyweight stars as he publicly ridicules them. Following Oleksandr Usyk’s win over Anthony Joshua in September 2021, Mike Tyson demeaned both the contenders and compared it to the performances of his time.

Tyson wrote on Twitter, “After watching the Joshua vs Usyk fight, maybe they had a bad day that night. From that performance do you really think they could have beat me in my prime?”

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Over the past few weeks, several reports emerged that Adrian Newey might leave Red Bull and join Ferrari. These reports claimed that the Briton’s future at Milton Keynes remains uncertain because of the ongoing controversy surrounding team principal Christian Horner. Amid all the concerns surrounding the future of Horner as team principal, F1 expert Peter Windsor has claimed that Red Bull can still afford to lose the 50-year-old but definitely not Newey.

Advertisement

While speaking to Cameron on his official YouTube channel, Windsor said, “The only thing that matters is what Adrian Newey may or may not do as a result of this (turmoil at Red Bull). It is irrelevant what happens to Christian because there are other Christian Horners around“.

Although Windsor holds Newey in such high regard, Horner believes he can win championships without the 65-year-old’s help. As per a report from Auto Motor und Sport, Horner has claimed that he does not need Newey, Max Verstappen or even Helmut Marko to achieve success with Red Bull.

Advertisement

Since the controversy surrounding Horner has gained so much focus, even the future of Verstappen at Red Bull has now come under doubt. Several reports have claimed that a team like Mercedes can convince the three-time champion to join them. Most of these reports emerged after Max’s father, Jos, publicly urged Red Bull to sack Horner.

Jos Verstappen claimed Christian Horner could damage Red Bull’s reputation

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Jos Verstappen claimed that as long as Christian Horner stays put at Red Bull, the reputation of the Milton Keynes-based outfit will continue to be harmed. The Dutchman is adamant that the Briton’s presence is not good for the sake of Red Bull and wants the team to immediately fire him.

Verstappen made such a request even though the independent barrister hired by Red Bull GmbH had dismissed the grievance against Horner. While the independent barrister has deemed Horner not guilty, the focus is now on Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko.

Reports have claimed that Red Bull could suspend the Austrian because of his alleged involvement in compromising Horner by leaking the Briton’s chats. Soon after such reports emerged, Marko himself admitted that Red Bull could take action against him ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. When Max Verstappen was asked about the same, the 26-year-old replied that if Red Bull does end up sacking Marko, he could leave the team as well.

The three-time F1 champion revealed that he remains loyal to Marko and would not feel comfortable staying at Red Bull if the 80-year-old is not around. It is at this stage that rumors emerged that Mercedes could take advantage of the situation and sign Max.