Meghan Markle will be called Princess Henry if she loses duchess title: royal expert

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Princess Henry reporting for duty.

Meghan Markle would be known as Princess Henry if she loses her title as the Duchess of Sussex, according to a royal expert.

Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty Magazine, told The Royal Beat that it’s unlikely Meghan, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, will be stripped of their royal titles by King Charles III, even though they quit their royal duties in 2020.

Meghan Markle at the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas on March 8, 2024. Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP
“I don’t think anything will happen to the titles because, if they lose their titles, Harry is still a prince of the blood and Meghan instead of being the Duchess of Sussex, [would] be Princess Henry,” Seward said, according to The Mirror.

“That really would [confuse the Americans],” she added. “I think [it’s] probably best just to leave it because it looks unkind, it looks unnecessary.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after announcing their engagement in November 2017. EPA

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married in May 2018. AP
Prince Harry was born Prince Henry Charles Albert David, but he obviously goes by Harry. So, if Meghan lost her title as Duchess of Sussex, she would technically be called Princess Henry, since it’s royal tradition that a princess takes an official title with her husband’s name.

The same rule applies for Kate Middleton, who was technically known as Princess William — but is referred to as the Princess of Wales or the Duchess of Cambridge — when she married Prince William in 2011.

However, as Seward pointed out, Harry and Meghan will likely be known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex forever.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2024 Royal Salute Polo Challenge in April 2024. AP
“The Queen gave them the titles, let them keep them – they’re going to be ‘H and M’ anyway,” she said.

“I think the best thing is to leave them, ignore them, and let them get on with it – which is really what the Palace and the Royal Family are doing.”

Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior working members of the Firm in 2020, and they now live in California with their two children.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Nigeria on May 10, 2024. Anadolu via Getty Images
Royal author Tom Quinn recently claimed that Charles, 75, and William, 41, “have had lengthy discussions about stripping” the couple of their royal titles.

However, he doesn’t believe the king and his heir will make the move.

“They are terrified this would backfire and make the situation worse,” Quinn told The Mirror last month. “The last thing they want is to give the renegade royals something else to complain about.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Nigeria on May 11, 2024. Anadolu via Getty Images
“William and his father know that even without their royal titles Meghan and Harry would carry on traveling the world as if they were royals and most people in the world will still welcome them,” the expert further asserted.

Critics have accused Meghan and Harry of leveraging their connection to the UK crown through the titles while forgoing any of the duties or work commitments that royal life requires.

None of the members of the royal family have a speaking relationship with Meghan and Harry.

The Sussexes lost the trust of Harry’s relatives after they divulged countless insider details about the Firm with the release of several highly publicized projects, including Harry’s 2023 memoir “Spare” and their Netflix doc.

Carol McGiffin has been inundated with messages from fans who are desperate for her to return to Loose Women, but the TV star has insisted that ‘little job isn’t coming back’

Carol McGiffin shuts down Loose Women return as she says ‘that little job isn’t coming back’ (
Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Former Loose Women star Carol McGiffin has shut down rumours about her returning to the ITV show, branding it “that little job”.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting her return stating “it’s not the same without you”, however, Carol dispelled the hope for her third stint. The television star was an integral part of the ITV panel starting in 2000 to 2013 and then back again from 2018 to 2023.

Her exit was rather controversial as she claimed she was “forced” to leave. In the past year, she confessed her grievances on leaving behind familiar faces like Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch stating: “I feel quite upset about it, if I’m honest, because although it is my decision, I felt like it was one I was being forced to make. No one in their right mind would have signed that contract and I can’t see a way back from it.”

Despite squashing speculation about getting back to the popular daytime show, it seems Carol hasn’t called it quits yet. She playfully informed her 154,000 Instagram followers that she was not “totally retired yet”. Further embracing honesty, Carol used an update on Instagram to further promote her podcast.

She posted a snapshot fit with a microphone and wrote: “Apparently, some people are missing me,” She continued saying, “Not because I haven’t been on here for ages but because I’m not on that daytime ITV show I used to do, Loose Women. Sadly that little job isn’t coming back but I’m not totally retired yet,” reports OK!.

Carol has been actively promoting her audio project, telling fans, “I’m still doing this podcast which is called ‘What’s Your Problem With Nick Abbot and Carol McGiffin?’ and it’s available on most podcast outlets. We’ve been doing it for over four years and quite a lot of people like it! Go on, give it a go! You might enjoy it and you might even laugh.”

The former Loose Women star has a podcast in the works ( 
Image:
Instagram/the_mcgiff)
Her dedicated fanbase hasn’t been shy about their disappointment following her departure from Loose Women. One supporter stated, “Loose Women is utterly boring now. Stopped watching about 2 years ago. Carol only one worth listening to.” Another commented, “Loose Women is SO boring without you. All the good original people keep leaving.”

Echoing the sentiment, a third added, “Loose Women is definitely not the same without you. Hardly watch it now. Didn’t know you had a podcast – I do now so I will be tuning in.” A fourth fan expressed their nostalgia, saying, “Do miss you on Loose Women, turn off some days, can’t stand some of them on the panel now, we’ve had the best I fear, enjoy your semi retirement.”

Discussing her decision to leave with Best magazine last year, Carol disclosed that the terms offered by ITV were unacceptable. She clarified, “The problem was, ITV were insisting, for the first time since I went back in 2018, that if I wanted to carry on doing the show, I would have to sign a contract that was totally unjust and unworkable for me, so I had to say ‘no thanks’.”

Could Adrian Newey join Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025?

Fred Vasseur refused to be drawn on the possibility of Adrian Newey joining Ferrari next season amidst suggestions he could be the key to a Lewis Hamilton v Charles Leclerc Ferrari title fight.

Almost immediately after Red Bull confirmed design legend Newey would leave the team within the first quarter of next season, Ferrari were said to be the Briton’s next destination.

Fred Vasseur sidesteps Adrian Newey question

From secret conversations in airports to his wife Amanda ‘scoping out properties in Italy’, the Daily Mail claimed it was a done deal only for Newey’s manager, Eddie Jordan, to rubbish the report.

“I’m speaking as someone who should know and I’m not giving any information away… at no stage is any of this discussion happening,” said the Irishman.

That’s done little to silence the rumours with Vasseur asked by the Italian media if it is now just a case of ‘waiting’ for a yes or no from Newey.

“I don’t want to comment on this topic because any answer could be interpreted,” replied the Ferrari team boss.

“The most important thing is team stability, as I said before. I think we are doing a good job in the right direction.

“The most important thing for me is the stability of the group, much more than individual people, and I add that I am really satisfied with the current situation.”

Fred Vasseur weighs in on Hamilton v Leclerc 2025 title fight

But while pundits have claimed Newey could be the final ingredient for Ferrari to launch a title fight, they’ll have another ace up their sleeve next season in Hamilton.

The Briton is joining Ferrari after 12 seasons with Mercedes, and his arrival couldn’t have been timed better.

This season Ferrari have already shown they’ve taken big steps forward with Carlos Sainz winning in Australia before Leclerc stood on the top step of the podium in Monaco.

That result put him P2 in the Drivers’ Championship where he is 31 points down on Max Verstappen.

But given Verstappen has won five of eight races, Ferrari may have to wait until next season to genuinely fight for the World title.

Vasseur was asked if Hamilton v Leclerc could be a difficult one to manage as they could take points off one another.

“I don’t see it that way,” said the Frenchman. “I believe there is always a sort of mutual emulation within the team, and I am convinced that you get more points with two drivers rather than with… one and a half.

“Part of our result in Monaco also comes from the good relationship between Carlos and Charles; they push each other. As soon as one of them has a slight drop in performance, the other is ahead, and it has been like this since the beginning of last year.

“It’s an approach that is really part of the performance, and I am always convinced I want two strong drivers; that’s my point of view.”

Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

Red Bull may have the advantage in the F1 2024 standings, but the last few races have shown Formula 1 is in a “rat race” with big swings predicted.

McLaren kicked off the F1 2024 development war in Miami when they put a ‘2.0’ MCL38 on the track, handing Lando Norris his maiden grand prix win and by a comfortable margin of seven seconds ahead of Max Verstappen.

F1 2024 will just be a rat race with upgrades’

The reigning World Champion was back on the top step of the podium at the next race in Imola – but only just, Norris having hounded him to the line with the gap less than a second.

One race later it was Ferrari who sprayed the victory champagne after Charles Leclerc raced his upgraded SF-24 to the victory ahead of Norris and Carlos Sainz.

Verstappen was, by his standards, a lowly P6 as his RB20 and its stiff suspension struggled on the street circuit’s kerbs and bumps.

The Monaco result marked Red Bull’s third defeat of this season, a sharp contrast to last year’s one in 22 races, while Ferrari are up to two wins with Leclerc just 31 points behind Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship.

But while NOS F1 pundit Louis Dekker believes “something is changing” in Formula 1, he’s all but ruled out a Ferrari title fight.

“I don’t think so, but never say never,” Dekker said. “You could also turn it around: Red Bull has already lost three this year, that didn’t happen last year. So something is changing.

“But from now on it will just be a rat race with upgrades. From now on, every update can change a P5 into a P1.

“However, they [Red Bull’s rivals] are still afraid that Red Bull have a few circuits where the RB20 will go well. Barcelona, ​​for example, a one-two [result] will be a piece of cake.”

‘The picture of competitiveness for Red Bull is not entirely clear’

But while Red Bull’s rivals are hoping this year’s results are a sign that the tables are turning, they’re not ready to clear space on the mantel for more trophies.

“I think the picture of competitiveness for Red Bull is not entirely clear to me,” said McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.

“Exactly what is going on with Red Bull, I’m not so sure. I think we need a few more races to find out.

“Obviously, we go to the next one in Canada, which is another one which is very demanding on kerbs and bumps. And then I think some tracks after Canada will tell us more about the competitiveness situation.”

 

However, Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur told the media including PlanetF1.com that Red Bull’s pace advantage has clearly been slashed by both Ferrari and McLaren.

“I think last year they had a very decent gap,” he said. “Sometimes we are able to fight with them in qualy but in the race it was four or five tenths.

“That means that when you are four or five tenths off you are not really at risk. Even if you miss in qualy, like in Jeddah Max started P9 but after three laps he was leading.

“But this season, it’s not the case anymore. It’s not the case with just us, but it’s not the case between Red Bull and McLaren because McLaren are even closer.”

Max Verstappen endured his most difficult weekend for some time in Monaco

Max Verstappen has defended his performance at the Monaco Grand Prix, claiming nobody in the paddock would have been able to drive the Red Bull RB20 “faster than me” last weekend.

Verstappen has established himself as the dominant force of modern F1, winning 49 of the last 74 races to claim three consecutive World Championships.

Max Verstappen challenges whole F1 2024 field to drive Red Bull RB20

A fourth title had looked inevitable after Verstappen started the F1 2024 season by winning four of the first five races – including three one-two finishes for Red Bull – to establish a clear lead in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings.

However, with McLaren and Ferrari improving quickly Red Bull have looked increasingly vulnerable over recent weeks with Verstappen winning one of the last three rounds as Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc triumphed in Miami and Monaco respectively.

Verstappen could only manage sixth on the grid in Monaco as team-mate Sergio Perez failed to reach Q3 for the second race in succession.

Verstappen’s lead over Monaco winner Charles Lelcerc in the World Championship has been cut to 31 points, with Red Bull now just 24 ahead of Ferrari.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com after qualifying, Verstappen admitted Red Bull got “found out” in Monaco for not addressing a weakness of the car which had been present since the first year of F1’s ground effect rules in 2022.

The Dutchman went to liken the RB20 to a go-kart around the principality, claiming the car was “jumping around a lot” and “not absorbing any kerb strikes or bumps or camber changes.”

And Verstappen believes no other driver would have salvaged a sixth-place finish in Monaco with the car so recalcitrant.

Asked if he made his first mistakes of F1 2024 in Monaco, he replied: “I would say no. And I would be happy to invite anyone in the paddock to drive this car faster than me.”

Red Bull’s performance last weekend prompted Verstappen’s father Jos to declare that the team’s dominance of F1 is now over, with Verstappen Sr urging the Milton Keynes-based outfit to respond in the face of a renewed threat from Ferrari and McLaren.

He told Dutch publication De Telegraaf: “For sure there will be other tracks where Red Bull will do well again, but I am very curious [to see] how they will solve these problems.

“They will have to do something about it, understand where certain difficulties come from. Meanwhile, it is clear that McLaren and Ferrari are getting closer and closer.

“Max has been good at hiding some of the problems, but you can see how big the difference is between him and his team-mate.

“It seems to me that Red Bull’s period of dominance has come to an end.”

Breaking News: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Celebrate Princess Lilibet’s 3rd Birthday with Party at Montecito Home

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s little princess is turning 3!

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will mark the third birthday of their daughter, Princess Lilibet, on June 4, but they got the festivities started early with pre-birthday bash. The family celebrated over the weekend with a party at home in Montecito, California, PEOPLE confirms. Among the guests were close friends and family as well as some of Lili’s friends.

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born in California after Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal roles and moved to Meghan’s home state in the U.S. with their son, Prince Archie, now 5, in 2020. Lilibet’s birth announcement, shared on the Archewell Foundation website, said that she was named after Queen Elizabeth’s family nickname while her middle name, Diana, “was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales.”

The birth announcement also referred to the newborn as Lili, a nickname that Prince Harry and Meghan have continued to call their daughter.

In March 2023, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were using their children’s royal titles through the news of their daughter’s christening announcement. Once their grandfather King Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet were afforded the titles of prince and princess, making them Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The royal family’s official website was updated to reflect the children’s new titles the next day, and the children are referred to by their royal titles in their parents’ biographies on sussex.com, which launched in February. Around the same time, PEOPLE learned that Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, have adopted their titles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as the last name for their children. PEOPLE understands that Sussex is their family surname. Using their titles as their children’s last names follows the tradition historically used by members of the royal family.

Max Verstappen thumbs up

Formula 1 2024 could see a title fight unfold as Max Verstappen will not win even half of this remaining 16 Grands Prix, says Robert Doornbos.

Although Max Verstappen won five of the opening eight races, Red Bull have already been beaten to the top step in the first third of this season than they were all of last year.

Max Verstappen has already lost three races this season

In 2023, they won 21 of 22 races as they cruised to the championship double with Verstappen’s 575 points being enough to win the Constructors’ title alone.

It had rivals fearing another season of misery this year.

Instead, Red Bull have found themselves with a fight on their hands with Ferrari winning two races to sit 24 points behind in the teams’ standings while Charles Leclerc is 31 points down in the Drivers’ standings. McLaren have also won a Grand Prix.

The team’s latest defeat at the hands of Leclerc in Monaco had Verstappen declaring they’ve been “found out” with a weakness that’s been around since 2022 now evident given Red Bull no longer have a huge pace advantage over the chasing pack.

It has former F1 driver Doornbos predicting he won’t even win half of the remaining 16 races.

“You said that Max was going to win 22 races this year,” Doornbos reminded his fellow Ziggo Sport pundit Rob Kamphues. “So that’s not going to happen.

“He will win another six or seven.”

Red Bull and Ferrari weigh in on potential title fight

Although it’s clear Red Bull won’t have it all their own way this season, the team having already lost more races they did last season, Christian Horner is not hitting the panic button.

“Ferrari, McLaren, they’re quick,” he told the media including PlanetF1.com. “It was always going to happen that there was going to be convergence.

“I think McLaren made a big step, Ferrari’s step was very subtle. So let’s see over the next two or three races.

“We’re now getting into the meat of the championship so let’s see. Montreal, Barcelona, Austria, Silverstone, let’s see over the next few circuits how things pan out.

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

A marathon that Fred Vasseur believes could yet go either way.

“First, I never said that Red Bull was champion after six races,” said the Ferrari team boss in the wake of Charles Leclerc’s Monaco win. “And I won’t say today that it won’t be the case. We have still 16 races to go.

“Probably you can still score 500 points until the end. It means that nothing is done in one direction or the other.

“But I’m sure that Red Bull and Max never considered that they were already champions.

“It’s part of the game that you need always to do more, to push more. I’m convinced that Red Bull are not in the control zone.”

He added: “For sure, depending from track to track, we’ll have perhaps Red Bull with an advantage, or Ferrari, or McLaren and we’ll have to be opportunistic. But the fight will be tight.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not joined other senior members of the Royal Family on the balcony at Buckingham Palace since their dramatic departure.

Meghan and Harry haven’t joined senior royals on the balcony since stepping down. (Image: Getty)

The annual Royal Family outing marking the sovereign’s official birthday is one of the most anticipated events on the royal calendar.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been noticeably absent from this eagerly-awaited moment right after Trooping the Colour since their dramatic departure from the Firm in 2020.

While they did attend the traditional parade and flypast marking the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee two years ago, they remained away from the public eye and the balcony.

The pair have been excluded from the popular tradition under a ruling issued by Elizabeth II restricting balcony appearances to working royals only.

However, the late Queen made an exception and allowed a lesser-known, non-working royal to join her and the rest of the family as she celebrated her final official birthday.

 

The Queen made an exception to the rule by allowing Sir Timothy Laurence to join her (Image: Getty)

Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence was spotted taking in the stunning display alongside the then-Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall as they marked the special occasion.

Sir Timothy is the second husband of Princess Anne, the late Queen’s only daughter, and he often accompanies his royal wife on her numerous engagements in the UK and abroad.

The former naval commander didn’t receive a royal title upon his marriage to Anne in 1992. Her first husband Mark Phillips didn’t receive one either.

The Princess Royal also refused official titles for her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, when they were born.

Sir Tim has maintained a low profile following his marriage to Anne but he is believed to hold a special place in the Royal Family.

He played a crucial supporting role as Anne escorted her mother’s coffin back to London after she died at Balmoral in September 2022, joining her on her six-hour car ride from Aberdeen to Edinburgh.

 

Sir Timothy often accompanies Princess Anne on official duties. (Image: Getty)

Sir Tim was also with her on the flight from Scotland to London before he joined senior male members of the Royal Family walking behind the late Queen’s coffin at her funeral.

Over the years, he became a familiar face at Royal Family events including garden parties at Buckingham Palace and the races at Ascot.

Sir Timothy served in the Navy until retirement in 2010 and has since pursued several interests, including cricket.

In April he was appointed Club President of Kent Cricket for 2025. He once served as captain of the school cricket team while a student at New Beacon Prep Sevenoaks School.

He served as chairman of the English Heritage until 2022 and vice chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Sir Timothy met Princess Anne in 1987 while he was serving as an equerry to the late Queen. The Princess Royal was still married to her first husband but confirmed the Palace announced they separated in 1989 before divorcing a few months before her wedding to Sir Tim.

Is Max Versatppen looking over his shoulder in the face of a renewed threat from Ferrari and McLaren?

Max Verstappen is convinced that the advantage between the top teams will continue to “swing a bit” as Ferrari and McLaren hone in on Red Bull.

Having eased to a third consecutive World Championship in F1 2023 with a record 19 victories, Verstappen had been widely expected to remain as the sport’s dominant force this season.

Max Verstappen expects F1 2024 ‘swings’ between Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren

Additional reporting by Sam Cooper

Yet despite winning four of the first five races, Red Bull have come under threat from McLaren and Ferrari in recent weeks with Verstappen winning just one of the last three rounds.

After losing out to Lando Norris in Miami, Verstappen held off the McLaren driver to win by just 0.725 seconds at the next race at Imola before Red Bull suffered their most challenging weekend for some time at the Monaco Grand Prix, where the Dutchman could only finish sixth as Charles Leclerc triumphed for Ferrari.

Verstappen and Red Bull have both seen their leads in the World Championship reduced, with the Verstappen now just 31 points ahead of Leclerc and Red Bull leading Ferrari by 24 ahead of next weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, round nine of a record 24-race campaign.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com, Verstappen has admitted he was braced for a more competitive season in F1 2024 after his record-breaking 2023 campaign.

And he believes the battle between the three leading teams will continue to evolve from circuit to circuit, with the cars “a lot closer” this season.

He said: “I knew that it was never going to be like last year.

“To have a season like that is quite rare, so I always knew that of course this year was going to be a little bit different.

“But also I don’t really think about championship position or whatever. There are so many races left.

“Some races are a bit better for us, some are probably a bit worse for us and at the end of the day, it all works out.

“The cars are a lot closer. Some cars work better on street circuits, some work better in fast corners and low speed corners, so it will swing a bit.”

Verstappen likened the RB20 to a go-kart over the course of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend as the car struggled to absorb bumps, kerb strikes and camber changes.

With bumps and kerbs also a feature of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Dutchman is bracing himself for another challenging weekend in Montreal.

“We have to wait and see,” he said.

“A new surface as well, I think, – that might always give you some surprises. It’s probably also not going to be our strongest weekend because of that, but probably a little bit better than here.”

Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.

While Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton were the best F1 drivers he raced against, Sebastian Vettel named Fernando Alonso as his “hardest” competitor.

Vettel, who made his Formula 1 debut back in 2007, grew to become a veteran figure of the grid alongside Hamilton and Alonso, the trio all multi-time World Champions. He also got to share the Formula 1 track with his childhood hero Michael Schumacher, who returned for a three-season spell with Mercedes between 2010-12.

Lewis Hamilton the ‘G.O.A.T’ but Fernando Alonso ‘hardest’

Partaking in a round of quickfire questions for talkSPORT, Vettel first would reveal a word that came to mind for various drivers of past and present.

Hamilton received the “G.O.A.T” [greatest of all time] tag, while Vettel went for “hero” with Schumacher, “hunger” for Alonso and “skill” for the reigning three-time World Champion Max Verstappen, who is chasing his fourth successive title in F1 2024.

As for former Ferrari team-mates Charles Leclerc and Kimi Raikkonen, Vettel’s word for Leclerc was “talent”, while for Raikkonen it was “badminton”. An Iceman of many skills.

With the one-word section done, Vettel was free to expand a little more, as he was first asked to name the best driver he raced against and why?

“I would say Michael and Lewis,” he replied. “Why? Because numbers speak for themselves.

“But Michael was my hero and Lewis is the best in terms of statistics.”

So while the numbers do not lie for the pair of seven-time World Champions, when it came to being asked to reveal his “toughest competitor”, Vettel went with Alonso, the pair having battled it out over the 2010 and 2012 titles, where Vettel won out by four and three points respectively over the Spaniard.

“Fernando,” Vettel declared as his toughest competitor, “I had close championships and close calls with him throughout my career and generally he’s the sort of driver that’s always there, very competitive.

“And yeah, I think he was the hardest competitor I faced.”

As for which driver “surprised” Vettel the most, that went to Verstappen, due to the skills he had when debuting in F1 as a 17-year-old, before going on to become the dominant force of the sport that he is today.

“Hard to remember all of them, but I think Max,” said Vettel, “just the sheer skill when he rocked up and how he was able to polish it and driving at the level that he is today.”

While Verstappen was expected to stroll to a fourth title in a row in F1 2024, which would see him equal Vettel’s record also set with Red Bull between 2010-13, recent victories for McLaren’s Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc threaten to complicate Verstappen’s path.

However, when asked which driver – not named Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton – he believes will be the next World Champion, neither Leclerc nor Norris got the nod from Vettel.

“George Russell,” was the Vettel verdict, the Brit faced with a golden opportunity to lead the Mercedes team into the future as Hamilton prepares to join Ferrari for 2025.