Author: quyen1

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Max Verstappen topped the timing charts of the first free practice session of the Saudi Arabian GP with a 1:29.659. He registered 23 laps and was +0.186s quicker than second-placed Fernando Alonso. Behind the duo, Sergio Perez clocked the third fastest lap and was +0.209s slower than his Red Bull teammate.

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Saudi Arabian GP FP1 Results

Drivers
Team
Time

Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:29.659

Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
+0.186s

Sergio Perez
Red Bull
+0.209s

George Russell
Mercedes
+0.280s

Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
+0.371s

Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
+0.505s

Lando Norris
McLaren
+0.572s

Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
+0.577s

Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
+0.921s

Alex Albon
Williams
+1.088s

Further down, George Russell set the fourth-fastest time with a 1:29.939. He was almost a tenth quicker than fifth-placed Charles Leclerc, who was over a tenth faster than Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz.

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Behind the Ferrari duo, Lando Norris registered the seventh fastest time with a 1:30.231. He was quicker than eighth-placed Lewis Hamilton by just 0.005s. Meanwhile, Lance Stroll (1:30.580) and Alex Albon (1:30.747) rounded up the top 10.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Daniel Ricciardo had two bittersweet years with McLaren back in 2021 and 2022. Even though the first year has been decent for him, the second year has hit him right on his core, compelling him to lose confidence. So much so, that coming into 2024 he still remembers those days and opened up about how he lost against his teammate Lando Norris.

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Norris, being a less experienced teammate, fared better at the British team that year. Even though expectations were more on the Honey Badger due to his name and fame, it resulted otherwise. Speaking about those days, Ricciardo said to GQ Sports Australia, “I felt like the season started a bit more competitively and then it started to get away from us more and more.”

The 34-year-old further added, “At that point, I think on both sides we were just a bit at a loss. Clearly, I’m starting to lose confidence in myself, in the team around me. I think they’re losing confidence in me and what they’re doing. It started to feel like a very uphill battle.”

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Ricciardo arrived at the Woking based team from Renault in 2021. Given how popular he was due to his Red Bull stint and of course, Drive to Survive, expectations from Zak Brown and Co. as well as from fans mounted on him. Sadly enough, he was far from justifying his worth after facing issues with adjusting to the MCL35M.

In his very first season [2021], he failed to live up to the expectations and finished behind Norris in the driver’s championship. He claimed P8 with 115 points, whereas Norris picked up P6 with 160 points. The only notable achievement was his race win in Monza, and that win remains as his last Grand Prix win to this day.

How was Daniel Ricciardo’s second year at McLaren?

The worst for Daniel Ricciardo was yet to come in McLaren and it did not take long before his performance took a nosedive. Right from the beginning of the 2022 season, Ricciardo struggled to have a points finish. Out of the first 10 races, the Honey Badger finished inside P10 only twice!

Whereas the British driver finished inside P10 seven times in the first 10 races and amassed formidable points driving the same car. In the end, in a season where experts and fans expected the Australian driver to make a comeback, it turned out to be the opposite.

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By the end of the year, Ricciardo and Norris had a mighty difference in points haul. The Australian could only claim 37 points and P11 compared to his British counterparts’ 122 points and P7. The lack of points from the 34-year-old meant McLaren failed to finish in P4 in the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Alpine and lost out on millions of dollars of prize money.

Daniel Ricciardo’s deterioration in terms of performance got the hold of Brown midway and he did not want to take chances any further. The McLaren CEO cut short his team’s ties with Ricciardo and signed rookie Oscar Piastri in place of him from 2023 onwards. However, the Honey Badger still had one more year with the Papayas, but his early dismissal meant he took home $18 million as compensation.

Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Lewis Hamilton is a huge supercar fan and boasts an extensive collection. The seven-time world champion has previously expressed his disdain for driving road cars. However, he has an exquisite taste for performance and luxury vehicles. As of 2024, the Briton’s extensive garage is worth a whopping $7,200,000.

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The most revered car in his collection came into his possession owing to his illustrious partnership with Mercedes. The 39-year-old Silver Arrows’ talisman actually owns his own bespoke Mercedes AMG One.

The 1000+ horsepower beast is powered by an actual Formula 1 engine, and this makes the package worth a sublime $2.7 million, per Kym Illman. What’s more, Hamilton actually owns two of these cars as he has gifted his father, Anthony Hamilton one too.

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What makes this acquisition really a stunner is the fact that the Mercedes AMG One is a limited-production model. According to Mercedes’ own website, only 275 AMG One’s have been produced since its production started in 2022. Moreover, each car is handmade, and owning it comes with the exclusive perk of owning an IWC – the Big Pilot’s Watch Constant-Force Tourbillon Edition.

That being said, the AMG One isn’t the only Mercedes car the Briton owns. Hamilton also owns a Mercedes EQC which is worth around $77,615 and a luxury Mercedes EQS – a fully electric sedan that costs around $125,950.

The non-Mercedes gems that Lewis Hamilton owns

Hamilton may have a certain affinity for Mercedes cars. But, the seven-time world champion is a real connoisseur when it comes to collecting some of the most exquisite cars. Throughout his extensive Mercedes career, the 39-year-old has been able to own and parade around in some of the most luxurious performance vehicles developed by the German automobile giants. However, the seven-time world champion also has a taste for other classic, iconic, and savvy cars built around the world.

Amongst his extensive garage, the Briton also has a Ferrari La Ferrari. With his move to Ferrari being confirmed, Hamilton would be happy to have this in his collection. Often, because of sponsorship reasons, Hamilton has been unable to flaunt around his La Ferrari or drive it to the track. Now that he will be a driver for the Italian stable, he can do so proudly. The La Ferrari costs a massive $1,400,000.

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Hamilton also has a MV Agusta Brutale 800 RR LH44 that was named after him. The 800cc superbike was launched in 2018 and was in fact developed with Hamilton’s input and collaboration. The bike costs around $25,944.

Although, the Briton does not frequently take it out for a spin. In addition to this, he also owns the iconic Mustang Shelby GT50,0 worth around $127,895 and a Mercedes Smart Car worth around $28,100.

Credits: IMAGO ABACAPRESS, IMAGO Sven Simon

Lewis Hamilton himself has admitted that his move to Ferrari in 2025 could have a trickling effect. Amid all the rumors that have been floating around following the Briton’s move, one of them is that Red Bull aero God Adrian Newey can move to Ferrari. When asked about the same, Hamilton admitted that his move has proven that “anything is possible”.

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“I think my move has shown that anything is possible“, Hamilton said in his media interaction in Jeddah as quoted on X (formerly Twitter). He then added, “It’s not my decision [for him to move to Ferrari]. But I’m competing against him this year at the moment, so I can’t really talk about next year just yet”.

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After stating the same, Hamilton made it clear that the credit for Red Bull’s success shouldn’t go just to Newey. The 39-year-old believes that it’s a team effort and that the Milton Keynes-based outfit have some of F1’s top engineers.

Hamilton then concluded his remarks by stating that since he is still a part of Mercedes, he does not want to comment too much about what could happen next year. The seven-time world champion had a difficult start to his final season with Mercedes as he just managed a P7 finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend.

Lewis Hamilton explained his disappointment after the Bahrain GP

Following the conclusion of the race in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton explained how he expected Mercedes to be quicker at the season opener. The 39-year-old believes that the team have not made any progress in closing the gap with their rivals since they also finished fourth and fifth in Bahrain last year.

He believes that Mercedes at the moment are the third-fastest time and are closely matched on pace with the likes of McLaren and Aston Martin. However, he did admit that a particular set-up he chose for the race perhaps made his weekend a bit more difficult.

“I went in a direction…I’m always taking risks, so I went in a direction with my set-up and it was just, even from P3 [final practice], it was possibly not the right one,” explained Hamilton (as quoted by formula1.com). However, George Russell seemed to differ when asked if Mercedes had made any improvements since last season.

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The 26-year-old explained how everyone at Mercedes had “done an amazing job” to give himself and Hamilton a quick car for the Bahrain GP. He believes that the Silver Arrows are perhaps the second-fastest team at the moment and are only lacking pace when compared to Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

Credits: Imago |
L: Lewis Hamilton R: Michael Schumacher

With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari in 2025, many F1 fans are hoping that the glory days will return to Maranello. As the Briton aims to win an eighth title himself, he will also hope to form a partnership as strong as Michael Schumacher did with the team back in the early 2000s. Schumacher had an extremely successful stint with the Prancing Horse after he got the major figures of his support system from Benetton to work alongside him at Maranello. They included Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne. However, former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley does not believe that Hamilton can achieve similar success simply by replicating what Schumacher did.

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On the Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan quizzed Smedley about a possible influx of Hamilton‘s entourage from Mercedes to Ferrari. In reply, Smedley explained, “I think you have to be a little bit careful with that game.”

The 50-year-old believes that in the early 2000s, Ferrari were essentially rebuilding themselves. As a result, it made sense for tSchumacher to bring in people he knew and trusted. But with Hamilton, Ferrari are already the closest they’ve been to tasting championship success again.

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With Hamilton set to move to Ferrari in 2025 in a massive $435,000,000 deal, speculations are high about the 39-year-old leading a mass exodus from the team. That being said, one man that Hamilton would definitely want to see move with him to Maranello is his race engineer, Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington. Bono has been Hamilton’s most trusted ally within the Silver Arrows and many experts believe he will make the switch with the seven-time champion at the end of the year.

Ferrari has already begun poaching Mercedes’ crucial staff

Lewis Hamilton’s deal has opened the floodgates at Mercedes and Ferrari have already started playing their hand at poaching some key members from the Silver Arrows. It is being reported that along with Hamilton, Fred Vasseur has now also secured another crucial signing from the Mercedes camp.

According to reports circulating on X (formerly Twitter), Ferrari has successfully managed to sign Jerome d’Ambrosio. D’Ambrosio is a former F1 driver who currently heads the driver development program at Mercedes.

The report suggests d’Ambrosio “will head up Ferrari’s driver development academy and that d’Ambrosio “has already agreed terms” with Vasseur and will head off to Maranello as soon as a period of gardening leave is over.”

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This would be a big blow for Mercedes as d’Ambrosio was considered to be the next in line to Toto Wolff, if and when the Austrian decided to call it quits as the team principal.

Credits: IMAGO PanoramiC

The struggles for Mercedes seem to continue this season as the team had a mixed result in Bahrain last weekend. George Russell finished the race in fifth, while Lewis Hamilton only managed to finish seventh. Although the Silver Arrows came to Jeddah this weekend in hopes of doing away with the issues that halted their progress, they have not managed to overcome their concerns. In FP2 in Jeddah, Russell showcased a great drive to finish a little over 0.2 seconds behind leader Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, Hamilton continued to struggle with the W15’s handling issues.

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Addressing the same in a report by Crash.net, Karun Chandhok believes neither driver is happy with the W15. Despite Russell faring much better than Hamilton in the W15, Chandhok believes there is much work that Mercedes needs to do, especially when it comes to finding the right balance with the car.

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“Lewis [Hamilton] was a couple of tenths shy of George in Bahrain and in the race, four or five seconds behind in the end. He has just not looked as happy as even George has done today. Certainly on the long runs, both were complaining about the rear end going away and instability at the rear-end which we heard a lot of last year. There’s work to do overnight,” explained Chandhok.

Of the two Mercedes drivers, Hamilton has fared much worse. While power unit overheating issues cost Russell a potential podium finish in Bahrain, Hamilton never even joined the running.

A cracked seat added to the 39-year-old’s misery as he rose to P7 after qualifying a dismal P9 for the season opener. In Jeddah, problems once again persisted for the seven-time world champion, as there were several oversteer moments for him.

Much of it stemmed from his W15 sporting a loose rear end. Having driven around the Saudi Arabian track for two sessions now, Hamilton conceded he still does not have “full faith” in the car on the track.

Mercedes still looking for the right answers

Heading over from Bahrain, battery and overheating issues needed Mercedes’ immediate attention. In Jeddah, this issue had the team’s undivided attention, and they made the necessary adjustments to get their car running optimally.

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However, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin claimed that the adjustments did not work the way they intended. As per Shovlin, their flying lap was messy, and traffic did not help their cause. Hence, he feels a quieter session would have helped their cause much better.

Adding to his statement, Shovlin said that Mercedes missed the necessary grip and high speed. As a result, in the run-up to the qualification, the Silver Arrows continue looking for the right answers.

Even their long runs were far from ideal during the practice sessions in Jeddah. While limited data shows that Mercedes have a great race pace, the ground reality is much different.

Consistent balance issues with the W15 continue to add to the drivers’ unhappiness. With time still left before the Qualifying session, Mercedes needs to find the right places to make improvements to their car.

Credits: IMAGO PanoramiC

Over the past few days, several F1 drivers have distanced themselves from the ongoing controversy surrounding Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Most of these drivers have claimed that they are there in F1 to race and that they do not know the thorough details regarding the “inappropriate behavior” allegations against Horner made by a female Red Bull employee, which is why they cannot comment on the matter. However, Lewis Hamilton is not one of these drivers.

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The Briton has decided to take a stand and has claimed that the controversy “has not been handled well“. Soon after Hamilton made these remarks, several F1 fans began a united online movement to support the Red Bull employee, who the team has reportedly sacked. These fans have put out a statement that is going viral on social media.

The statement reads, “F1 fans stands with survivors. SA and harassment are NOT “noise distractions” or “drama”. We support the victim. “We race as one” doesn’t mean anything until everyone is safe and supported. Women deserve a safe place in F1“.

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The hashtag of “We race as one” has received over 20,000 posts recently. Several fans have expressed their sentiment of wanting a safe and supportive environment for everyone in F1. They hope that the relevant authorities address any concerns regarding harassment against anyone seriously.

Fans laud Lewis Hamilton for taking a stand

F1 fans such as Tamsin believe Lewis Hamilton is “a role model” since he is the only driver who is keen to uphold the values of F1.

Amid the recent controversy, fans such as Sydney pointed out the “little message” that Lewis Hamilton has for his fans on his W15 steering wheel. The message reads, “All it takes is all of us“.

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Meanwhile, fans such as Rach reminded the F1 drivers of the promise they made. All F1 drivers were part of a video that sent out a message to the fans that they “Race as One“.

Selena Gomez exuded old Hollywood glam in a trio of snaps that were shared on her Instagram Story on Sunday morning.

In the photos, the 31-year-old hitmaker was seen while partying with a group of her friends, which included her longtime confidant Nicola Peltz Beckham.

The Disney Channel alum – who recently enlisted Steve Martin to appear in a TikTok clip – donned a sultry low-cut red dress and a matching fur coat during her big night on the town.

Gomez also accessorized with a sparkling necklace and a pair of equally flashy earrings while she stepped out with her friends.

The Only Murders In The Building star’s voluminous brunette locks remained free-flowing and fell towards her shoulders.

Selena Gomez exuded old Hollywood glam in a trio of snaps that were shared on her Instagram Story on Sunday morning

The Hands To Myself singer was also accompanied by her boyfriend of several months, Benny Blanco, during her night out.

The 36-year-old producer was seen while affectionately kissing his girlfriend’s head in one of the shots.

The musician opted for a bright blue double-breasted coat that was worn on top of a white t-shirt as he joined the singer and her friends.

Gomez and Blanco were initially connected in 2019, when they collaborated with J Balvin and Tainy on the track I Can’t Get Enough.

The Love On singer was formerly in high-profile relationships with figures such as The Weeknd and Justin Bieber.

The hitmaker eventually moved on with the producer, and she confirmed that they were dating by liking and commenting on various Instagram posts regarding her relationship.

The singer and the producer’s first public outing as a couple took place during a Los Angeles Lakers game that was held this past January.

Blanco has since shown up in numerous photos that have been shared on Gomez’s Instagram account.

The Disney Channel alum – who recently enlisted Steve Martin to appear in a TikTok clip – donned a sultry low-cut red dress and a matching fur coat during her big night on the town

The Hands To Myself singer was also accompanied by her boyfriend of several months, Benny Blanco, during her night out

Gomez and Blanco were initially connected in 2019, when they collaborated with J Balvin and Tainy on the track I Can’t Get Enough

She confirmed that they were dating by liking and commenting on various Instagram posts regarding her relationship

The singer opened up about her relationship during an interview with Zane Lowe for New Music Daily and stated that she felt as if it was ‘really important to meet someone that respects you.’

She added: ‘And I think it’s really nice to also lean on someone who understands the world that I live in.’

Gomez then remarked that she was particularly enthusiastic about the state of her relationship with Blanco.

‘I’d have to say overall it’s the safest that I feel and it’s been really lovely and I’ve only grown through it, so it’s awesome,’ she said.

Tyson Fury looked on shell-shocked as Anthony Joshua destroyed Francis Ngannou with a brutal second round knockout.

The Gypsy King was ringside for the main event in Riyadh, to witness Joshua take on the former UFC fighter, who’s only other professional fight had been against Fury last October.

During that encounter Ngannou shocked the world by going the distance with Fury and knocking the heavyweight to the floor.

That performance led to his showdown with Joshua, but Fury would bare witness to a devastating performance from the British boxer.

After watching the 34-year-old knock Ngannou to the floor twice in the opening two rounds, a devastating right hand finally ended the bout.

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Tyson Fury’s shocked look as he watches Anthony Joshua dispose of Francis Ngannou

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The Gypsy King looked deep in thought as he watched what just happened inside the ring

The knockout punch saw the Cameroonian hit the canvas and remain as doctors and trainers attempted to revive him following the match-ending blow.

As Joshua celebrated his statement victory, Fury watched on with a look of shock, staring at the floor in disbelief at the manner of AJ’s victory.

Back in the ring, Joshua could be seen pulling a trigger with his hand in the direction of those watching at ringside, although it’s not clear if it was aimed at the Gypsy King.

The win for Joshua now puts him in prime position to face the winner of Fury’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk later this year, setting up a possible showdown between Britain’s two heavyweights.

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Joshua took just two rounds to defeat Ngannou, sending him packing with a brutal right hand

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Joshua now has his sights set on fighting the winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk

After the bout, Eddie Hearn spoke of a possible meeting between the two, pleading for Fury to beat the Ukrainian in May and set up what he called ‘the biggest fight in British boxing history.’

Fury’s response to seeing events unfold in the Middle East, could indicate his realisation of Anthony Joshua’s rise back to the best shape he’s possibly ever been in.

Earlier in the evening the 35-year-old had a much better reaction watching his brother, Roman Fury, win his bout against Martin Svarc on the show’s undercard.

Tyson Fury has claimed he was ‘s***’ when he fought Francis Ngannou but warned Anthony Joshua it will be a ‘different game’ if the pair ever meet in a heavyweight clash.

Joshua earned a second-round knockout victory against former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening and called out Fury after having his hand raised.

Fury had previously beaten Ngannou but only after being pushed the distance by the Cameroonian and floored in the process against the boxing newbie and is now set for a heavyweight unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk.

 

Usyk previously beat Joshua twice to become heavyweight world champion and while Fury is confident of beating the Ukrainian, he also appears to have one eye on a clash with Joshua.

The Gypsy King explained that he produced a ‘s*** performance’ against Ngannou and warned Joshua he won’t let his standards drop again if they fight in all-British heavyweight showdown

Tyson Fury has claimed it will be ‘a different game’ if he eventually fights Anthony Joshua

Joshua delivered a brutal knockout victory against Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on Saturday evening

Joshua lands a knockout right-hand that sent Ngannou tumbling to the floor in the second round

Commenting on Joshua’s victory, Fury told DAZN: ‘I’m sure Oleksandr Usyk will have something to say something about that.

‘I had a s*** performance against Ngannou. AJ did absolutely fantastic and lit him up with a right hand.

READ: JEFF POWELL’S definitive top 25 heavyweight boxers of all-time

Fury continued to explain that he needs to beat Usyk twice before fighting Joshua, adding: ‘If he fights me after I beat Usyk twice then it will be a different game.’

The 35-year-old reigning heavyweight champion cut a confident figure when speaking about a possible matchup against Joshua after his rival’s win over Ngannou but looked shellshocked as he watched him knockout Ngannou.

Fury admitted that he will beat Ukrainian champion Oleksandr Usyk ‘twice’ before fighting Joshua

 Fury looked shocked ringside as he watched Joshua dispose of Ngannou inside two-rounds

Joshua produced a sickening knockout with his right-hand that floored Ngannou for a third time in the fight and saw the referee immediately bring the fight to its end.

After the bout, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn pleaded for Fury to beat the Usyk in May and set up what he called ‘the biggest fight in British boxing history.’

He also labelled Joshua as the ‘best heavyweight in the world’ and insisted he will beat Fury.

Fury’s response to seeing events unfold in the Middle East, could indicate his realisation of Anthony Joshua’s rise back to the best shape he’s possibly ever been in.