CHRISTIAN Horner has agreed to a ‘public ceasefire’ within his troubled Red Bull Racing team after emergency crunch talks, reports suggest.

Horner, 50, has faced constant grillings over the sexting scandal with even senior members of the Red Bull team reportedly calling for him to leave his role in wake of the bombshell leaks.

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Red Bull chief Christian Horner has agreed to a ‘public ceasefire’ with himself, Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen, say reportsCredit: Getty

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Marko has reportedly distanced himself from Horner since the allegations came to lightCredit: Getty

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Horner and Jos Verstappen have been in a very public spat in recent weeks with Jos calling for him to be axed from his jobCredit: Getty

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The trio have reportedly agreed to a ‘public ceasefire’ for the sake of the Red Bull teamCredit: Getty
But it is now believed that the internal battles at the sports top constructor is set to end after Horner, Jos Verstappen and Helmut Marko seemingly agreed to stop their disputes, The Mirror reports.

Jos, the father of three time world champion Max Verstappen, has spoken publicly about his concerns over the shock claims.

The 52-year-old has backed Horner’s accuser in front of the media and called for £8million-a-year Horner to be axed, accusing the boss of ripping the team apart.

When asked if it was time to “draw a line” under the situation, as Horner insisted people do, Jos said: “I think it’s a bit too late for that now.

“If that’s what he wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible.”

As Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s iconic senior advisor, has also reportedly distanced himself from Horner since the allegations came to light.

The 80-year-old was even placed under investigation by Red Bull for issues related to the leaking of WhatsApp messages from an anonymous email relating to the Horner investigation.

But now the trio have agreed to a “public ceasefire” say reports.

The ceasefire is being done for the benefit as the team as many feel the pre-season distractions could soon take their toll.

Despite the issues, Red Bull have taken two race wins and two second place finishes in the first pair of races this year – once again dominating F1.

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F1’s Christian Horner says ‘time to draw a line’ on claims of inappropriate behaviour
Crunch talks took place within Red Bull, say sources, as they looked to reach a happy place within the team – void of public spats.

Max Verstappen has been open of his admiration for Marko and is thought to be loyal to the advisor and his dad no matter what.

Meaning if Red Bull punish or abandon either man it could lead to Verstappen’s exit – causing major issues at Red Bull.

Horner was cleared of misconduct towards a female colleague – allegations he had always denied – by an internal probe on February 28.

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It comes as the woman who accused Horner of inappropriate behaviour has now lodged a complaint against him with the sport’s ruling body the FIA.

The unnamed woman, who has been suspended from her job at the team’s base in Milton Keynes, has now made three complaints over Horner’s conduct since the start of February, it is claimed.

On March 7, the woman was suspended on full pay from Red Bull HQ amid claims her “honesty was called into question.”

The reasons allegedly given to her were that she appeared dishonest owing to inconsistencies in the evidence she had provided.

Ex-driver Horner has said he wants to move on from the scandal, with ex-Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell. 51, standing by him.

The F1 chief and Geri have always put on a united – if awkward – front at the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in recent weeks.

Speaking at the press conference, Horner said he was keen to “draw a line” under the scandal and that it was time to “focus on what is going on on track.”

Despite Geri’s very visual display of standing by her man, sources claim that the singer is “in turmoil”.

The F1 season returns next week in Melbourne for the Australian GP and the off-track drama has done little to slow down the dominating Verstappen, who has won both races with ease.

WILLIAMS have sacrificed Logan Sargeant by dumping him OUT of the Australian GP after his teammate Alex Albon smashed up his own F1 car.

Ruthless bosses saw the London-born Thai racer have a high speed accident during practice in Melbourne.

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Alex Albon crashed during practice, causing significant damage to his carCredit: EPA

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The 27-year-old lost control and crashed into the wallCredit: X @F1

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Logan Sargeant has been forced to withdraw from the race as a resultCredit: Getty
The impact with the barriers saw his Willliams smashed to pieces but without enough spare parts to repair the car overnight, they decided to retire his chassis from the race.

But in a big kick in the balls they decided to put the former Red Bull driver in Sargeant’s car instead, meaning the American will not get to drive.

The move casts doubt on Sargeant’s future in the team and was understandably left furious with the team.

The team released a press release with Sargeant quoted, although his mood is considered to be less sanguine.

It said: “This is the hardest moment I can remember in my career and it’s absolutely not easy.

“I am however completely here for the team and will continue to contribute in any way that I can this weekend to maximise what we can do.”

The statement confirmed the broken chassis will be flown back to their Grove HQ to be repaired.

Williams team boss James Vowles has been left red-faced by the team’s failure to have enough spares to fix Albon’s car.

And he paid tribute to Sargeant, calling him a “true team player” – words that will only grate with the American who is already fighting for his future.

Vowles said: “We are hugely disappointed that the damage sustained to the chassis has meant we need to withdraw it from the weekend.

F1 stars arrive at Australian Grand Prix in style as Oscar Piastri rocks up in £400,000 outfit
“It’s unacceptable in modern day F1 not to have a spare chassis, but it is a reflection of how behind we were in the winter period and an illustration of why we need to go through significant change in order to get ourselves in a better position for the future.

“As a result, we have had some very difficult decisions to make this afternoon.

“While Logan should not have to suffer from a mistake that he did not make, every race counts when the midfield is tighter than ever, so we have made the call based on our best potential to score points this weekend.

“This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his graceful acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player.

“This will prove a tough weekend for Williams, and this situation is not one that we will put ourselves in again.”

F1 fans have slammed the team’s decision to withdraw Sargeant from the race, with one person taking to X to write: “Embarrassing. I wouldn’t be shocked if this decision prevents certain drivers from joining the team in the foreseeable future — especially other teams putting young talent in the car. Lost a lot of respect for Vowles with this one.”

Another agreed, adding: “Have some shame, this is beyond embarrassing and unfair. Great way to damage someone’s confidence further when he was already struggling with it.”

A third commented: “Disgusting behaviour. I can’t see how the slight gain in race pace is worth the loss in team morale.”

While a fourth wrote: “Totally unfair at the beginning of the season with both drivers on 0 points. Logan is being punished for Alex crashing the car.”

Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits the team stuffed up again after Lewis Hamilton was the second slowest during second practice.

Mercedes appear clueless as they attempt to try and make up for their lack of speed.

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Wolff said: “In the second session [we’ve] gone through a really quite dramatic set-up change on Lewis’ [car] and that has massively backfired.

Hamilton, who is quitting the team for Ferrari, has not won a race since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images and IMAGO / NurPhoto

The 2024 F1 season got underway earlier this month, and even though fans want to get into speculation and discussion surrounding who might win the title, it is evident that Max Verstappen is the clear favorite. Matt Bishop feels this prediction is unavoidable, and hailed the Dutchman in an exclusive interview with The SportsRush’s Tanish Chachra.

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During his interview, Bishop was asked about his predictions for the upcoming season. Unsurprisingly, he sees Verstappen and Red Bull dominate. However, he considers this a boring premise.

“One of the predictions that is very boring but it’s hard to avoid is that Red Bull and Max Verstappen will be extraordinarily strong,” he said.

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Bishop goes on to make another claim about the dynamic between the Red Bull drivers. According to him, “there is a huge gulf” between Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez. The 61-year-old notes that he worked with Perez (at McLaren) before and rates him highly as a driver. Still, Verstappen’s superiority is too big a gap for Perez to fill.

“[Verstappen] He is a brilliant driver. Not only brilliantly fast, but brilliantly complete. And he is a winning machine.”, added the Briton.

People wouldn’t talk about Red Bull because of Sergio Perez

Since 2022, Red Bull has been on the top of the F1 world, with Verstappen winning two world titles. They’ve also won both constructors’ titles, adding to the supremacy that no other team has come close to breaking. However, Perez alone could have never taken Red Bull this far.

Matt Bishop hypothetically says that two Sergio Perezs in the team would not make the world talk about Red Bull domination. There would be no complaints, and the field still be competitive. This fact just makes Verstappen’s seat at Red Bull more special, and he remains the firm favorite to decimate the rest of the field once again to become world champion with multiple races to spare.

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A non-Red Bull driver that Bishop mentioned in this interview with Charles Leclerc. Of course, Ferrari’s limitations have made it difficult for Leclerc to think about race wins but in 2024, Bishop predicts them to develop a fast car over time.

Leclerc’s qualifying performances in particular have always drawn in a lot of praise and the 61-year-old sees him using that skill to compete for race wins later this year.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 title by a small margin, which would have gone Felipe Massa‘s way had the results following Crashgate’s revelation been nulled. Massa is currently battling with the FIA to get the title back, but his chances look slim. Meanwhile, former Ferrari manager and F1 journalist Peter Windsor feels that Hamilton would be willing to lose the title to Massa. However, there is a small catch.

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Hamilton lost out on the 2021 title in heartbreaking fashion. Had then-race director Michael Masi’s questionable decision-making not impacted the final lap of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton would have been an eight-time world champion. Windsor feels that Hamilton should get that championship back, even though it went to Max Verstappen.

“Deep down, if you were to ask Lewis Hamilton to lose his 2008 title to give it to Felipe Massa, and reclaim the 2021 championship, I think he would be willing to do it,” he said as reported by MSN.

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Windsor thinks that the final lap of the 2021 season finale should be voided. In that case, Hamilton, who was in the lead up until then, would emerge as the race winner and world champion. Consequently, losing one title won’t affect his overall tally currently (7). Felipe Massa, however, thinks that he has a stronger claim to the 2008 title than Hamilton does for 2021.

Felipe Massa downplays Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi heartbreak

Massa was a victim of the Crashgate scandal in 2008, and there was proof that the FIA knew about the wrongdoings. Hamilton’s 2021 loss on the other hand was down to human error as far as the FIA was concerned. Hence, Massa thinks Hamilton’s situation is different than his.

Massa, in an episode of the Track Limits podcast, insisted that Hamilton needs to prove that his loss was an injustice. “For sure they need to prove it was a mistake,” he said. “And if it was a mistake, for sure they have the complete possibility to fight.”

Massa stated that in case Mercedes or Hamilton could prove that external factors influenced Masi’s decision-making, he could make a claim for the title. Since that is not the case, the stronger claim rests with himself, according to him.

Credits: Imago |
L: Oscar Piastri R: Lewis Hamilton

Oscar Piastri and Lewis Hamilton strangely had two clashes over the course of the 2023 season. As a result of the same, the Australian has now joked that the seven-time champion may not be very fond of him, and as a result, ended up colliding with him.

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The McLaren driver explained on the F1: Beyond The Grid podcast, “I’ve crashed with Lewis a couple of times, so I feel like both of them weren’t particularly my fault. I don’t know.” Following this, Piastri joked, “Maybe just, he doesn’t like me.”

The duo collided with each other during the Italian Grand Prix in Monza and the Las Vegas Grand Prix. During the collision in Monza, Hamilton clipped Piastri‘s left front with his right rear tire. As a result, both went off the track.

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The collision in Monza was undoubtedly Hamilton’s fault and the Briton also took the blame for the same after the race. The Las Vegas GP collision, however, was more of a 50-50, according to Piastri.

Oscar Piastri praised Lewis Hamilton for accepting his mistake

While Oscar Piastri was joking about the crashes being Lewis Hamilton’s fault, he also mentioned how the 39-year-old was incredibly humble. The Australian recalled Hamilton’s apologizing to him right after the duo had made contact during the 2023 Italian GP.

After the conclusion of the race in Monza, Hamilton came up to Piastri to shake his hand. Mentioning the same, the 22-year-old stated that rarely any driver accepts their mistake. According to former F1 driver Mark Webber, who is Piastri’s current manager, Hamilton only apologized to the 22-year-old because the Briton thinks highly of the young Australian.

Piastri explained the same by quoting Webber on the podcast, “Mark actually said to me after Monza, ‘If he (Hamilton) didn’t think much of you, he wouldn’t have come and said anything.’ I’m gonna trust Mark on this.”

Jason Statham Quit His Keanu Reeves’ John Wick Like Action Universe After Filmmakers Made Him a Humiliating Offer: “They offered me less money”

Jason Statham carried three films in the popular Transporter franchise. The success of the first film led to two sequels, Transporter 2 (2005) and Transporter 3 (2008). After the third film, Jason Statham did not reprise his role in the subsequent. There were a few issues that just didn’t sit well with the action actor, despite the desire of both Statham and the studio to further develop these stories.
Jason Statham
Statham had an unusual path to becoming an action star. He made his debut in Guy Ritchie’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels in 1998. And it wasn’t until he took off his shirt and flaunted his muscles in an oil fight in The Transporter that he fully cemented his status as an action hero.

Also Read: “Somebody should just erase it from IMDb”: Fast X Star Jason Statham Frustrated $176M Mark Wahlberg Sequel isn’t Happening

Jason Statham Had a Totally Practical Reason for Leaving the Franchise

Actor Jason Statham stated that a substandard offer caused his time with The Transporter movies to come to an end. A new Transporter movie trilogy was announced in 2013, but Statham’s participation was unknown at the time.
Jason Statham
While speaking with Vulture in 2015, the star shed light on the offer he received, stating “… they wanted me to sign on and do three more films without even seeing a script, and they offered me less money to do three than I’d get paid for one!”

“So it was a business decision. I would have loved to have done it, but you can’t really sign on without doing a script, and to sign on for three of them? And to get paid a pittance? I just couldn’t see the value in that.”

Statham chose to appear in films Furious 7 and Spy instead of completing The Transporter 4.

Jason Statham’s Indispensable Role in the Transporter Franchise Success

The Transporter franchise, famous for its heart-pounding action scenes and charismatic lead, owes a large portion of its popularity to the outstanding abilities of British actor Jason Statham. When playing the iconic role of Frank Martin, Statham’s performances delivered the series with the ideal balance of grit, charm, and talent, enthralling viewers everywhere.
Jason Statham
Jason Statham established himself as the perfect fit for the role of Frank Martin right from the very first installment of the franchise, The Transporter. As a result of his rugged looks and inherent charisma, Frank Martin became an unforgettable and attainable action hero. Action movie fans and critics alike respected Statham for his commitment to physical training and the willingness to take on challenging stunts, which brought the franchise to a new level.

He was an intriguing and intriguing protagonist who drew viewers into the world of The Transporter with his quick wit, confident attitude, and stoic yet likable nature. The Transporter series popularized the action genre as a whole, and Statham’s portrayal of the veteran driver has contributed significantly to the franchise’s legacy.

Megan Fox, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Andy Garcia join the fourth entry in the ‘Expendables’ franchise, in theaters Sept. 22

https://youtu.be/nvSOcWDYP1A

On Thursday, Lionsgate shared a clip from the latest entry in the Expendables franchise exclusively with PEOPLE. The scene shows Fox, 37, as she joins the franchise as Gina with a steamy introduction alongside returning star Statham, 56, as Lee Christmas.

In the clip, Lee tells Gina he wants to join her on a mission she is embarking on. When Gina tells him he is not invited, Lee asks if she will miss him while she’s away.

“No. There’s lots of other boys on the mission,” she says, leading Lee to try and walk away with a document of hers. After Gina says she is “not in the mood,” Lee offers to play a Jimi Hendrix song and grabs her, initiating some choreography that falls somewhere between a fight and foreplay.

Statham and Fox’s characters wrestle around their home and trade verbal barbs at each other, eventually crashing through two double doors and into a bathroom.

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Statham’s character winds up on top, but when he notices some lingerie hanging from another door, he suggests the two take their evening to a more romantic place.

Fox joins the fourth Expendables movie along with Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Andy Garcia. Series favorites Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Sylvester Stallone return for the new movie, which pits the crew against a new villain, portrayed by Iko Uwais.

Megan Fox and Jason Statham in ‘Expend4bles’. LIONSGATE

“Armed with every weapon they can get their hands on and the skills to use them, The Expendables are the world’s last line of defense and the team that gets called when all other options are off the table,” reads a synopsis for the film.

“But new team members with new styles and tactics are going to give ‘new blood’ a whole new meaning.”

Tony Jaa, Jacob Scipio and Levy Tran also star in the movie. A trailer for the film released in June teased 77-year-old Stallone’s character Barney Ross recruiting Lee for yet another world-saving adventure.

Channing Tatum had turned down the part of Duke before deciding to accept it again

Thor, the god of thunder, has unquestionably helped Chris Hemsworth establish himself as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars. But prior to his quick ascent, the Australian actor, 40, had a successful acting career—at least in Australia. Thor signaled the turning point in his journey, and there was no going back after that.

Although Hemsworth is currently among the highest-paid actors in the world, he regrettably missed out on the lead roles in Dwayne Johnson’s $712 million G.I. Joe film series and X-Men before he agreed to play the God of Thunder in Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film. Yes, the same series in which Channing Tatum’s Duke died in G.I. Joe: Retaliation after appearing as one of the leads in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Chris Hemsworth Was Turned Down By Two Major Franchises, X-Men And G.I. Joe

Chris Hemsworth‘s fame in the US was noticeably lower than that in Australia before he starred as Thor. Before this recognition, he used to diligently attend every audition that came his way because he was determined to succeed in Hollywood. He had tried out unsuccessfully for the lead in the G.I. Joe film series, which went to Channing Tatum, and also for an X-Men role.

Thus, the Home and Away star began to think his career might never take off, particularly after being turned down for parts in X-Men and GI Joe. He said in a 2020 GQ interview:
“I had seven or eight call backs and I thought one of those was going to land,–But then neither of them did and all of a sudden I thought: this is it, I’ve missed it again. But then Thor came along. If I had got one of those previous roles I wouldn’t have got Thor.”
Chris Hemsworth in a still from Avengers: Endgame
Hemsworth also felt that if he had ended up in a different franchise before joining the MCU, he would not have discovered his calling:
“If I had got one of those previous roles, I wouldn’t have got Thor.”
In 2009, Tatum starred in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the first GI Joe film. However, he later disclosed that he had no interest in appearing in the $375.7 million sequel, G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

Why Channing Tatum Begged To Be Killed Off In G.I. Joe: Retaliation?

Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum in a still from G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Channing Tatum returned to the role of Duke in the 2013 follow-up G.I. Joe: Retaliation, costarring with Dwayne Johnson as Roadblock. But Duke was killed in the first scenes of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which piqued viewers’ interest in the creative choices made behind the scenes that resulted in his abrupt exit from the franchise. Tatum has earlier shared the reasons behind Duke’s brief tenure in G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

He acknowledged (via Vanity Fair) that he had turned down the part of Duke before deciding to accept it again for the sequel. The Magic Mike actor stated that he declined the role due to his dissatisfaction with the first G.I. Joe film and his prior experiences. Thus, he
“Asked to be killed off in the first ten minutes of the movie [G.I. Joe: Retaliation].”
Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum in G.I. Joe: Retaliation
In the first scenes of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the studio eliminated Duke per his request. Tatum also stated in a different interview (via Howard Stern) that he was unhappy with the movie’s script and wanted to back off from the movie adaptations because he
“Was a kid” and “did not want to do something that was bad” because he had “been a fan of” the G.I. Joe franchise.
Though the first film’s commercial success did not cause him to reevaluate his role in the franchise, considering how he still desired Duke’s death in the opening moments of G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
Dwayne Johnson in G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Despite receiving mostly unfavorable reviews from critics, G.I. Joe: Retaliation was regarded as an improvement over its predecessor and made $375.7 million worldwide on a budget of $130–155 million.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is streaming on Hulu.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson gave an update on the extensive work he’s having done on his bull tattoo.

The 49-year-old actor originally began enhancing the tattoo back in 2017 to cover up a smaller bull inking he’d had for over two decades.

Over the weekend the actor showcased how he’s improving his bicep tattoo even more and revealing the ‘challenging’ work his tattoo artist Yomico is doing to build on the ink that was already there.

 

Extensive work: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson gave an update on the extensive work he’s having done on his bull bicep tattoo over the weekend

On Friday, Johnson shared photos to his Instagram showing him watching Yomico work on his arm.

‘Evolution of the Bull tattoo is almost complete. Day 2 and inking over 25 hours so far with my brother and hyper-realistic specialist @yomicoart in my basement.’ he wrote.

‘Yomico’s masterful in his skill and we’ve spent many months (almost a year thru Covid) collaborating on details and story that the tattoo will represent.

‘Almost done and almost time to break out the tequila’ he added.

The next day, the Baywatch star revealed he’d sat for five more hours of work on his arm.

 

Work in progress: The 49-year-old actor originally began enhancing the tattoo back in 2017 to cover up a smaller bull inking he’d had for over two decades

 

30 hours: On Friday, Johnson shared photos to his Instagram showing him watching Yomico work on his arm adding more detail and different features to the hyper realistic image

 

‘Evolution of the Bull tattoo is almost complete. Day 2 and inking over 25 hours so far with my brother and hyper-realistic specialist @yomicoart in my basement.’ he wrote

‘Close to 30 hrs of tattooing (pretty challenging as my whole upper arm and shoulder wasn’t a blank canvas but rather enhancing and adding to what was already there so the level of detail, precision and specific color for my skin takes a lot of time) with my brother @yomicoart.’

In 2017, Johnson debuted the large bull tattoo on his right bicep which covered up a smaller and more simple design he got done during his early pro wrestling days.

Taking to Instagram Johnson shared a side-by-side of the original bull tattoo along with the new design done by artist Nikki Hurtado.

‘Evolution of the bull begins w/ @nikkohurtado. I’ve engrained this bull in my DNA for two decades. My core. Humbly, it’s also become a symbol of strength, resilience, heart, power and defiance to so many people around the world. I got this tattoo when I was just a kid. Now I need it to reflect me as a man,’ he wrote.

The Jumanji star explained how he wanted the 3D bull to look to represent his life experiences.

‘Let the pain begin!’: The Rock gets tattoo of his icon – a bull

 

On Saturday Johnson gave another update, writing: ‘Close to 30 hrs of tattooing (pretty challenging as my whole upper arm and shoulder wasn’t a blank canvas but rather enhancing and adding to what was already there so the level of detail, precision and specific color for my skin takes a lot of time) with my brother @yomicoart.’

 

Challenging work: The actor had the work done in his own basement which featured a bull’s skull on the wall

‘Every detail is a reflection of my own personal history,’ he wrote at the time. ‘From the cracks and heavy damage in the bone representing life’s hard lessons I’ve learned over the years. Just like scars and wrinkles – I’m so grateful to have ’em because they’re earned.’

In a separate post which included a video of Nikko starting work on Johnson’s arm, the actor wrote: ‘All my ink is a rite of passage and spiritual and the MANA (power and spirit) has to be right before we begin. Mana is strong with world renowned Nikko.

‘We talked for hours about the man I am today, compared to who I once was. And who I’ll always be. We all desire to grow and evolve. The mana is right.. let the blood and pain begin. #EvolutionOfTheBull,’ he added.

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt star in Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’

 

Muscle bound! Last month, Johnson, 49, showed off the results of his training during a late night gym session to prepare for scenes for upcoming film Black Adam

Credits: IMAGO HochZwei

Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo were an iconic duo back in the day when they were Red Bull teammates. Since the Honey Badger finds himself back in the Red Bull family, the spotlight has once again fallen onto the “Maxiel Bromance”. Ahead of this weekend’s 2024 Australian GP, Ricciardo and Verstappen were being interviewed by Australian talk show – The Project. When the host asked Ricciardo where would his ideal date with Verstappen be in Australia, the three-time world champion chimed in with a response before the #3 driver could even answer.

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When asked the question, Ricciardo hilariously quipped, “A friendly date! People are going to get the wrong idea.” As soon as Ricciardo started to think about the perfect venue, Verstappen interjected and suggested they could visit the 34-year-old’s family farm in Western Australia.

Ricciardo was completely on board with the 26-year-old’s suggestion as he even chalked out an itinerary that included riding “Honda, little 110cc dirtbikes.” Verstappen and Ricciardo’s friendship began when the duo became teammates in 2016. Since then, they’ve had a strong relationship, both on and off the track.

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Even when Ricciardo left the team for Renault at the end of the 2018 season, they kept up their camaraderie. Moreover, when Red Bull announced that the Australian was returning to the family with AlphaTauri (now V-CARB), The Athletic quoted Verstappen as saying, “I never actually wanted him to leave!”

Can Daniel Ricciardo reunite with Max Verstappen at Red Bull?

Daniel Ricciardo returned to AlphaTauri last year with just one objective in mind, and that was to audition himself for the seat at Red Bull sometime in the future. However, after the first two races of the 2024 season, the pressure is already piling up on the Australian.

Last year, as Sergio Perez struggled to keep pace with Verstappen in the all-conquering RB19, the team thought it fit to put Ricciardo in the second AlphaTauri seat in mid-season as an audition. But while Ricciardo impressed the team in the handful of races he did last year, 2024 has been a completely opposite story so far.

Perez has gone on to seal two consecutive 1-2s for the team and is currently second in the Driver’s Standings. On the other hand, Ricciardo has had a torrid start to the season which was marked by a late-race spin at the Saudi Arabian GP that ruined his race. The #3 driver is currently only 16th in the Driver’s Standings and has still not scored a point yet.

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As a result of Ricciardo’s current poor form, there are also speculations that he could lose his current seat with V-CARB. If so, this could mark the end of the Honey Badger’s F1 career.