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IMAGO / DeFodi

Despite all the shortcomings of the RB20, Max Verstappen started and finished the Emilia-Romagna GP in P1. The Dutch driver overcame his problems with sheer brilliance, but couldn’t help but feel the toll it took on his body.

Verstappen was a victim of porpoising in Imola, and his back was affected because of it. The RB20 had its problems, but none aerodynamically. However, the track mimicked the porpoising effect which he spoke about in the post-race press conference.

“I’m just broken from the bumps, to be honest. My back, everything is hurting. It’s not so much from the physical side of things, but just it was so bumpy out there. Already after like 20 laps, I could really feel my back. So I’m just looking forward to laying in bed. Maybe take some painkillers. And a massage.” 

Verstappen took part in the Virtual 24 Hours of Nurburgring the night before his F1 race in Imola, which could have contributed to his back pain. But it wasn’t due to him sitting on a chair for an extended period. Instead, the uneven layout and bumps on the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari caused his misery.

F1 drivers maintain peak physical fitness to deal with the demands of the sport, but their training cannot help them get used to bumpy roads, which in addition to causing back pain, can also be a safety issue.

Most of the F1 grid felt these porpoising effects (due to their cars) in the first season of ground-effect regulations two years ago, but not Red Bull. Now, Verstappen has an idea of how his counterparts feel. However, he wasn’t the only driver to feel the pain in Imola.

Lando Norris sides with Max Verstappen after Imola race

On the back of his first F1 win, Lando Norris saw an opportunity to make it two wins in two towards the closing stages of the Emilia Romagna GP. However, he was just short of his goal and had to settle for P2.

In his pursuit of Verstappen, Norris pushed hard. And like Verstappen, he too, felt the after-effects of the uneven Imola track.

The 24-year-old quickly bent down for a stretch before starting his post-race interview. The confused interviewer asked the Brit, “Is that a stretch?” In his defense, he replied, “I’ve got so many back issues.”

By saying the same, Norris confirms the physical toll the race took on the drivers. Norris and Verstappen in particular, got the worst out of it, because of their intense battle in the last stint.

Norris was just 0.7 seconds behind Verstappen in the closing stages. But despite this excitement, the focus shifted to the poor quality of the surface – not a good look for such a legendary track.

Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Pole-sitter Max Verstappen was the favorite to win the 2024 Emilia-Romagna GP. But, with Red Bull not being at its dominant best, Verstappen had to take a different approach. As such, the media wanted to get a piece of the Dutchman’s mind, but one particular reporter crossed the line – quite literally – according to an F1 security official.

As seen in a video clip, while heading to a track, Verstappen appeared to be giving an interview to a reporter. Seconds later, an official stops and drags him away from the 26-year-old, who looked surprised for a brief moment.

At the same time, there was another reporter on the track. “Max, can I have a quick word?”, she asked while the other reporter was dragged away.

The former let out a nervous laugh herself when that happened, but the fact that she could be on the track suggests that she has the necessary clearances.

Verstappen, unfazed, answered all the questions like he always does – on the track. He led the race from the get-go, never really showing any sign of losing control. Towards the end of the Grand Prix, McLaren’s Lando Norris put up a fight. But by then, it was too late.

Lando Norris is close to toppling Max Verstappen, again

Verstappen was in the lead for the majority of the race in Imola, but towards his final stint, he was having trouble with turning the RB20 on certain corners. Lando Norris, who had just won his maiden F1 Grand Prix (in Miami) in the previous round, smelled blood.

The McLaren driver pushed to his hardest and came within 0.7 seconds of Verstappen. Unfortunately, his tires gave out at the very end and he couldn’t close the gap any further. Verstappen emerged victorious, barely. And he will be wary of the coming races.

Both McLaren and Ferrari have made big strides off late. The upgrades brought in by both have helped them catch up to Red Bull, who are certainly not as dominant as they were in 2023.

The next round of the season sees the drivers and teams travel to Monaco to cap off the doubleheader. With qualifying being the most important session of the weekend in the Principality, teams will be looking to prioritize the same.

Kendall Jenner begged Lewis Hamilton to slow down when the seven-time Formula 1 world champion took her for a flying hot lap around the Miami International Autodrome.

The supermodel, who was in town supporting F1’s all-female feeder series F1 Academy, jumped in the passenger seat of the $136,000 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT with Hamilton on Saturday.

‘Oh my god,’ she shrieked, adding, ‘holy h**t’, I’m gonna cry.’

At one point she jokingly told the Mercedes driver, ‘I literally hate you,’ while he sped around a corner ahead of Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

Jenner also accidentally leaked Hamilton’s plans to attend the 2024 Met Gala in the middle of their hot lap.

Lewis Hamilton took Kendall Jenner on a hot lap of the Miami International Autodrome

‘Holy h**t’, I’m gonna cry,’ she shrieked while Hamilton flew around the track on Saturday

‘We have the Met Gala on Monday,’ she yelled, while he spun the car around, doing a burnout on the track.

‘I feel so much better now that it’s over,’ the reality star said as the car came to a stop.

‘I screamed the whole time,’ she told her pals. ‘It was amazing but it was terrifying at the same time.’

The supermodel yelled while the Mercedes driver sped around corners and did a burnout

Jenner was spotted in the F1 Academy paddock alongside sponsor, Tommy Hilfiger

The pair, who are both Tommy Hilfiger ambassadors, jetted back to New York in time for the Met Gala Monday.

Hamilton wore a custom Burberry ensemble dedicated to one of the UK’s first Black gardeners, John Ystumllyn, while Jenner stunned in a never-before-worn Alexander McQueen archival dress from 1999.

It followed his sixth place finish at the Miami Grand Prix, which marked fellow Brit Lando Norris’ first F1 victory.

Hamilton jetted into the Big Apple a couple of days later for the 2024 Met Gala

The ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ alum also stunned in archival Alexander McQueen

Jenner, for her part, was seen chatting to F1 Academy director Susie Wolff, along with the young women competing in the junior racing series.

Hamilton and Jenner have been friends since 2015, at which time the athlete shot down speculation the two were dating.

‘Me and Kendall have been friends for a while, so we’re just friends,’ Hamilton told E! news in September 2015.

‘She’s doing incredible, she’s very focused, very level-headed, and she’s just — for such a young woman, she’s very grown up,’ he added.

Lewis Hamilton walked the paddock ahead of Saturday’s F1 Grand Prix in Miami, continuing to display his eccentric sense of style.

The world champion from Britain made a chic figure in a striking black two-piece with sequins embroidered all over it that reflect light.

Prior to Sunday’s race, the 39-year-old Formula One star seemed focused and kept his head down.

The sportsman’s pants hung loosely about his legs, giving the impression that the clothing was comfortable but not tight.

The British celebrity finished the ensemble with huge black boots and massive black sunglasses to shield his eyes from the scorching sun.

He wore his dark braids tied back in a bun and added a beaded chain necklace to complete the ensemble.

Lewis also boldly displayed his amazing hand and chest tattoos.

Due to his failure to qualify for Q3, the driver’s day at the spring race on Friday was unsuccessful. As a result, he will start Saturday’s race in 12th place.

The seven-time world champion used Instagram to connect with followers and inform them that he and the team are putting in a lot of effort to get the outcomes he knows they desire.

Not the finest today, he wrote. All I can say is that we are doing everything we can to work as hard as we can and that we are not going to give up. We’ll overcome this.

In the meantime, Max Verstappen, who set the fastest time of one minute, 28.194 seconds around the heated Miami International Autodrome, will start from the front on Saturday.

It follows after Lewis announced that, upon retiring from racing, he would concentrate on “film and fashion.”

The Formula 1 driver has acknowledged that he has already consulted with several of his well-known colleagues who have already retired from competitive racing when considering his post-race plans.

‘I’d spoken to so many fantastic players, from Boris Becker to Serena Williams, to Michael Jordan,’ he said in GQ’s annual Creativity Issue. Speaking with legendary athletes that I’ve seen along the road, some of whom are still competing others are retired, and their concerns about the future and their lack of preparedness for it

Many of them had the comment, “I stopped too early.” Or simply: “Stayed too long.” “When it ended, I didn’t have anything planned.” “My whole world came crashing down because my whole life has been about that sport” .

“I didn’t plan and it was a bit of a mess-up because I was really lost afterwards,” said a few of them. That kind of hole existed. Such a gap. Furthermore, I had no notion how I would fill it. And at first, I was in such a haste to try to fill it that you fill it with the incorrect thing.”

However, that simply made me consider, “Okay, when I stop, how do I avoid that?” I therefore started taking my search for alternative passions seriously.

‘I went through this moment of recognizing that I can’t race forever,’ he continued. Since I’m going to drop the mike and feel delighted when I stop.

Lewis continued by saying that although he has many interests, he needs to focus, so he has chosen to concentrate on cinema and fashion. He also plans to launch a luxury brand company to compete with LVMH, which is home to brands like Givenchy, Christian Dior, and Tiffany Co.

“The challenging thing is that I want to do everything,” he clarified. I have high goals. But I know you’re not able to accomplish it—well, I retract that statement because I don’t think it’s possible.

A master in everything requires 10,000 hours of practice. I have, of course, done that in racing. There’s not enough time to become proficient in every one of these areas.

“I believe it will revolve around fashion and film.” To be really honest, one of my fantasies has been to own my own diverse LVMH.

I mean, I don’t know if that’s actually feasible in the times we live in. However, I’m still conceptualizing that.

In the past, Lewis has dabbled in music and film, having established Dawn Apollo Films, his own production business, and working with Tommy Hilfiger, the American fashion designer.

Lewis Hamilton believes he’s had “enough” of losing Grand Prix races, with 51 races since his last triumph, and he wants to assist Mercedes in returning to the top step of the podium.

The seven-time World Champion took the title fight all the way to the wire in Saudi Arabia, where he triumphed in the penultimate race in 2021.

Lewis Hamilton: ‘It’s been tough of course, we exist to win’

Max Verstappen overtook him on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi race, denying him a record-breaking ninth World title.

Mercedes had only one race win, with George Russell P1 at the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, as they have failed to establish themselves in the new ground-effect aerodynamic era. Hamilton has not won a race since.

As a result, Hamilton has now gone 51 games without a win in a sport in which he has seven world championships and 103 Grands Prix.

It’s “enough” for him.

“It’s been tough, it’s been a really challenge,” he told CBS News. “It could’ve been worse.

“It’s been a really transitional period where there has been a lot of team bonding, really low moments within the group which then ultimately bring you together.

“There’s been a lot of vulnerability within the team with all of us and it’s really been a growing experience.

“It’s been tough of course, we exist to win.

“When you’re not winning, your perspective has to shift, and it’s just then been about chasing and it’s about improvement.

“It’s about coming together. How can we make improvements? How can we get back to where we want to be? And rallying everyone up, I actually really enjoyed that experience.

“But three years in now, we’re like, ‘okay, I’ve had enough of this, let’s get back to where we belong’.”

Lewis Hamilton describes the “most painful part” of the challenges in 2024.

This is Hamilton’s last chance to assist Mercedes in doing so before he departs the team to join Ferrari at the end of the season.

However, things are not going as planned for his swansong.

The team has failed to finish on the podium and is currently in the distant P4 position in the Constructors’ Championship despite fielding an entirely new W15.

Hamilton ranks tenth in the Drivers’ standings with 27 points, his best Grand Prix result to date being a sixth-place finish in Miami.

In response to the question of whether he had wanted his last season with Mercedes to be his “best season,” he said, “I do and that’s probably the most painful part.”

“Everyone on the team wants this to be a fantastic year. Everyone put in a lot of effort in the past.

“This entire trip has been really emotional for me. just because I adore this team so much.

“I’m not unhappy there, so I’m not leaving.” My departure is not due to problems in my relationship.

From the time I was thirteen, Mercedes has helped me. They have supported me through good times and bad.

“Well, at the moment, it’s definitely a strange transition.”

Lando Norris celebrated his Miami Grand Prix victory with some of sports’ biggest stars over the weekend at the American Express Carbone Beach party.

On Sunday, Norris led McLaren to its first win in the United States since 2012 after keeping Max Verstappen at bay in the big race.

Aside from a monumental win on the grand stage, what the Englishman described as a ‘good’ weekend included partying with some of the biggest stars in sports and other A-listers.

Super Bowl champions Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs attended the festivities at Carbone Beach. Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow were also on the elite guest list.

NBA royalty LeBron James and Kevin Durant were also spotted at the event. Other basketball stars, including Draymond Green and Miami Heat aces Jimmy Butler, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kevin Love, and Duncan Robinson, also graced the occasion.

Lando Norris celebrated with sporting royalty at Carbone Beach after his Miami Grand Prix win

LeBron James and Patrick Mahomes were among the stars in the elite guest list

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce also attended the A-list party over the weekend

Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill and baseball icon Derek Jeter also took part in the festivities

The Carbone Beach Party, which featured performances from Flo Rida and Pitbull, ran through the weekend and hosted other A-listers such as Ivanka Trump and Elon Musk.

During the festivities, Norris posed with chef-restauranteur Mario Carbone following his win on Sunday.

The victory gave Norris his first win after 110 entries and 16 podium finishes. His first entry came in the 2019 Australian Grand Prix.

Norris got his first win after 110 entries and 16 podiums in his career

The victory gave McLaren-Mercedes their first win on American soil since 2012

After the thriller of a race, Norris acknowledged having to overcome some adversity with his team and shouted out to his parents after scoring his first win.

‘I mean, the whole weekend’s been good,’ Norris said. “I’ve just had some little setbacks along the way. But, I knew on Friday we had the pace. (Had) just a couple [of] mistakes, here and there.

‘But today, we managed to put it together. We found the perfect strategy. It all paid off. So, thanks to all of McLaren, everyone. And I want to give a shout-out to my mum and dad.’

Lewis Hamilton walked the red carpet at the Met Gala in New York City Monday, less than 24 hours after his P6 finish at the Miami Grand Prix.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion wore a custom, all-black Burberry ensemble dedicated to one of the UK’s first Black gardeners, John Ystumllyn.

He paired his tailored black coat, which featured floral bullion embellishments, with a double-breasted suit and leather boots from the British heritage brand.

Hamilton completed the look with Briony Raymond jewelry, including yellow-diamond earrings, multiple diamond rings, and a statement wreath necklace.

The Garden of Time was the dress code for the biggest night in fashion, which celebrated the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s new exhibition, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.

Lewis Hamilton walked red carpet at the Met Gala, just one day after the Miami Grand Prix

He wore a custom, all-black Burberry outfit featuring a double-breasted suit and a wool coat

Hamilton, who made his sixth Met Gala appearance, is among the few attendees who consistently adhere to the theme on the First Monday in May.

‘I did a lot of research and I came across this 18th Century gardener who, through slavery times, came across from Africa to Wales and became the first black gardener in Wales,’ he told Vogue on the red carpet.

‘Through adversity, he really triumphed, so that’s where the inspiration really came from.’

The Mercedes driver also had a quote from Alex Wharton’s poem ‘The Gardener’ embroidered on the inside of his coat, crediting stylist Eric McNeal and Burberry’s creative director Daniel Lee for the custom look.

Just a few hours earlier, the athlete raced from South Florida to the Big Apple after the Miami Grand Prix, where fellow Brit Lando Norris secured his maiden F1 win.

He revealed the look was dedicated to one of the UK’s first Black gardeners, John Ystumllyn

He finished sixth in the race Sunday, later congratulating Lando Norris on his maiden F1 win

‘I feel really happy for Lando,’ Hamilton told reporters after the race, which saw Norris clinch victory over Max Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc in third.

‘I just told him he needs to stay tonight. He’s going to try and change his flight. He’s got to. He just won a race,’ he joked.

‘But such a special moment to win your first grand prix and obviously I started at McLaren, so really happy to see them back at the top. It’s been a long time.’

Hamilton, who spent years dominating the sport, hasn’t stood on the top step of the podium since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

He will move to Ferrari in 2025 on a contract believed to be worth a staggering $100m per year.

‘I feel really happy for Lando,’ the Mercede ace said after the McLaren driver’s emotional win

Kendall Jenner begged Lewis Hamilton to slow down when the seven-time Formula 1 world champion took her for a flying hot lap around the Miami International Autodrome.

The supermodel, who was in town supporting F1’s all-female feeder series F1 Academy, jumped in the passenger seat of the $136,000 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT with Hamilton on Saturday.

‘Oh my god,’ she shrieked, adding, ‘holy h**t’, I’m gonna cry.’

At one point she jokingly told the Mercedes driver, ‘I literally hate you,’ while he sped around a corner ahead of Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix.

Jenner also accidentally leaked Hamilton’s plans to attend the 2024 Met Gala in the middle of their hot lap.

Lewis Hamilton took Kendall Jenner on a hot lap of the Miami International Autodrome

‘Holy h**t’, I’m gonna cry,’ she shrieked while Hamilton flew around the track on Saturday

‘We have the Met Gala on Monday,’ she yelled, while he spun the car around, doing a burnout on the track.

‘I feel so much better now that it’s over,’ the reality star said as the car came to a stop.

‘I screamed the whole time,’ she told her pals. ‘It was amazing but it was terrifying at the same time.’

The supermodel yelled while the Mercedes driver sped around corners and did a burnout

Jenner was spotted in the F1 Academy paddock alongside sponsor, Tommy Hilfiger

The pair, who are both Tommy Hilfiger ambassadors, jetted back to New York in time for the Met Gala Monday.

Hamilton wore a custom Burberry ensemble dedicated to one of the UK’s first Black gardeners, John Ystumllyn, while Jenner stunned in a never-before-worn Alexander McQueen archival dress from 1999.

It followed his sixth place finish at the Miami Grand Prix, which marked fellow Brit Lando Norris’ first F1 victory.

Hamilton jetted into the Big Apple a couple of days later for the 2024 Met Gala

The ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ alum also stunned in archival Alexander McQueen

Jenner, for her part, was seen chatting to F1 Academy director Susie Wolff, along with the young women competing in the junior racing series.

Hamilton and Jenner have been friends since 2015, at which time the athlete shot down speculation the two were dating.

‘Me and Kendall have been friends for a while, so we’re just friends,’ Hamilton told E! news in September 2015.

‘She’s doing incredible, she’s very focused, very level-headed, and she’s just — for such a young woman, she’s very grown up,’ he added.

Max Verstappen recently spoke against FIA’s system of gatekeeping young racing drivers from entering F1, which was placed especially after the Dutchman entered the sport. At the time, the Dutch driver was only 17 years old and became the youngest to participate in an F1 race.

Back in 2015, Verstappen entered F1 as a permanent driver, replacing Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso. To be precise, he was only 17 years and three days old when he raced in the season-opener in Australia.

Though Max Verstappen was performing on par with other seasoned F1 drivers, the FIA deemed him too young for the top formula series. After 2015, they raised the age limit to 18 for entering and participating in any F1 session. Furthermore, they ensured junior drivers secured 40 points from other formula categories to enter F1.

Speaking to the media after the 2024 F1 Miami GP, Max Verstappen stated that he understands the age limit and points rule came about because of him. However, he himself was against the system and how it stopped the likes of Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli and other talented youngsters from entering F1 early.

“Yes, that rule came about because of me. But ultimately, it does not stop what it is intended for. It is not specifically against him (Antonelli), but in some cases, it can of course stop talent from being kept in Formula 1,” Verstappen said (via RacingNews365).

The Red Bull star opined that if a junior driver is quick enough, he should be given a chance in F1, regardless of his/her age.

“Look, if someone is seventeen or eighteen and he has twenty points, but he is very fast. Then why can’t he get into Formula 1? They have to pick up those 40 points first. I’m not a fan of that, of that whole system, but in the end the FIA has to think it’s okay. But I’d rather not have it,” he added.Max Verstappen wants younger racers to be themselves rather than becoming ‘second Max’

Max Verstappen recently advised the younger generation of racers to be themselves and not try to imitate him or any other driver too much.

In an exclusive interview with formule1.nl back in January 2024, the three-time world champion recalled how he never tried to imitate a driver and simply remained himself. On the other hand, he understands that juniors can be fans of legendary drivers in any motorsport category. Verstappen concluded that he would not want any youngster to try to become the next version of him.

“I especially hope that children want to be themselves. That’s how I used to be. I didn’t look up to anyone. I hope that maybe they get a little of that from me: always try to be and remain yourself and not try to imitate someone else. Of course, it’s also nice to be a fan of someone or to have them think: I want to do that later too. Because success inspires. But they shouldn’t want to become a second Max,” Verstappen said.

Max Verstappen is currently cruising at the top of the 2024 F1 drivers’ championship table with 136 points. Though the competition this season has tightened, the defending world champion has managed to keep a decent lead so far.

Kelly Piquet posted the modelling shots of her posing naked days after celebrating a second world championship title success for boyfriend Max Verstappen in Suzuka

Max Verstappen celebrates winning the F1 world championship in Suzuka with girlfriend Kelly Piquet (Image: Getty Images)

Brazilian model Kelly Piquet stripped off for a stunning photoshoot this week, just days after partner Max Verstappen celebrated his second Formula 1 world title at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Dutch driver Verstappen has been dating Kelly, the daughter of F1 great Nelson Piquet Sr for nearly two years. Kelly was at Suzuka last weekend to celebrate her boyfriend’s race and championship win, posting a picture of herself kissing a delighted Verstappen who was holding the F1 world championship trophy.

Piquet is a popular model and the 33-year-old posted three images from a recent nature photoshoot where she appeared naked.

One of the pictures posted by Piquet shows her naked crouched in a classy shot with her long hair and arm covering her modesty. The picture is taken in a wooded backdrop with Piquet positioned on a rocky backdrop with the sun shinning behind her.

The pictures were taken for the Mirror Mirror magazine with a further picture showing a headshot of Piquet with jewellery in her mouth.

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Piquet used to date Russian F1 driver Daniil Kvyat and the pair had a daughter together called Penelope in 2019. However, they broke up later the same year and she has been dating world F1 champion Verstappen for nearly two years.

Her father Piquet Sr is regarded as one of the sports greatest drivers winning three F1 world titles between 1981 and 1987.

Brazilian model Kelly Piquet has been dating F1 world champion Max Verstappen for nearly two years ( Image: kellypiquet/Instagram)

Earlier this year Verstappen jumped to the defence of Piquet Sr who faced an Formula 1 lifetime ban following his n-word description of Lewis Hamilton.

Verstappen said Piquet was ‘not correct’ to use phrases when talking about Hamilton on a podcast which have been widely condemned as racist. The Red Bull driver insisted 70-year-old Piquet is a “nice guy”, is “not a racist”, should not be banned from the F1 paddock.

The world champion claimed that while the Brazilian’s remarks could not be excused, the incident had been “blown out of all proportion”.