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Red Bull replaced Alex Albon with Sergio Perez ahead of the 2021 season after Max Verstappen convincingly beat the Thai driver over the one-and-a-half years they were teammates. However, even though Albon had to leave his seat after Verstappen‘s constant dominance, the current Williams driver has praised the Dutchman.

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Albon said on the F1: Beyond The Grid podcast, “Different drivers respond very differently. So I think some drivers need that kind of prod, other drivers I’m sure totally opposite if they can be in a happy place that’s where they perform the best.”

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Following this, the 27-year-old further added, “So for me somewhere in the middle. I think what I’ve learned is the more I focus on being in the present, not worry about the other side and that kind of thing, that’s how I perform the best, but at the same time I love that fight, I enjoy the competition.”

Albon’s F1 journey began in the Red Bull ecosystem with Toro Rosso (now Visa Cash App RB). He made his debut at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix. However, after just a few races with the Faenza-based team, Red Bull promoted him to the senior team, where he replaced Pierre Gasly mid-season.

Alex Albon believes he earned the promotion to Red Bull very early

Red Bull brought in Alex Albon just after the 2019 Hungarian Grand Prix. It was decided that he would make his debut in the very next race in Belgium and continue till the end of the season. However, Albon failed to justify his switch as he claimed just 76 points after the first nine races.

The Thai driver believes that it was Red Bull’s early promotion that made it difficult for him to adjust. Despite struggling from the very beginning, he kept his seat in 2020 and scored 105 points compared to Max Verstappen’s 214 that year.

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The primary reason why most experts believe that Verstappen has been able to beat his teammates at Red Bull convincingly so far is that the team reportedly builds the car in a fashion that suits the 26-year-old’s driving style. As a result, whoever teams with Verstappen often struggles to adjust.

Although such is the notion, it was Albon who debunked the myth surrounding it during a conversation on the High-Performance Podcast last year. The Thai driver explained that while the “car is what it is,” the three-time world champion’s ability to adjust to it is what makes the difference.

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Since the advent of the hit Netflix docuseries ‘Drive to Survive,’ Formula 1’s stock has risen exponentially in the global markets. This has coincided with Liberty Media’s takeover of the sport from ex-ringleader, Bernie Ecclestone. And as 2023 came to a close, the sport recorded its biggest win yet in the Liberty Media era. The sport’s commercial rights holders have reported its revenue and it has gone on to break the all-time record. According to Auto Motor und Sport (as quoted on X (formerly Twitter)), “Formula 1 reports record revenues of $3.222 billion. $1.215 billion will be distributed to the teams. This is more in absolute numbers and less in percentage terms than in the previous year [$2.573 billion].”

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Broadcast rights, sponsorship income, and entry fees accounted for almost $2.560 billion for Liberty Media last year. The remaining $662 million can be attributed to revenue generated from the Paddock Club, Hospitality and F1 Experiences tickets and freight as per the AMuS report. What’s more, the inaugural Las Vegas GP has also been cited as one of the driving factors for the increase in revenue last year.

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While the sport has benefitted massively, the 10 teams have done, too. As per the prize distribution matrix, there has been an increase of 5% from last year’s payout. This year, the teams will get a slice of the pie out of $1.215 billion as compared to last year’s $1.157 billion. However, despite this increase, the teams are reportedly discontent with the financial stipulations of the latest Concorde Agreement.

Despite record-breaking financial success, F1 teams are unhappy with Liberty Media

Under the current Concorde Agreement, the team will get 63% of the total sales revenue generated. This is a hefty 3% decrease from what they were entitled to previously. Hence, while the sport has prospered, the teams are unhappy about how their share has seemingly gone down.

Despite their dominance, Red Bull do not take away the biggest slice of the pie. The distribution calculations are based on a lot other parameters. For instance, Ferrari is entitled to a legacy bonus owing to their presence in the sport from the very inception in 1950. This means that they still remain the highest earning team in the game with an estimated $8 million increase as compared to last year.

Red Bull are set to earn around $184 million as compared to their previous income of $169 million, whilst Mercedes see a $23 million increase in their payout with a staggering $179 million potentially in the bank this year.

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McLaren are set to receive $117 million as compared to their previous payout of $112 million.

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After the first two races of the 2024 season, Max Verstappen has once again emerged as the favorite to wrap up this year’s championship. During the season-opening Bahrain GP, the Dutchman aced the competition, winning by a whopping 20+ seconds margin. At the Saudi Arabian GP, he rinsed and repeated as he got the pole and the race win. Despite the evident superiority of the RB20 and Verstappen’s alarming gap at the helm of it, McLaren’s Lando Norris doesn’t seem to be concerned with the three-time world champion’s current trajectory.

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Motorsport Week quoted the McLaren driver as saying, “I don’t think it [Verstappen’s success] was concerning at all, honestly. Considering that they spent a lot of time developing and making a new car for this year, I’m pretty happy with how close we [McLaren] were to Red Bull.”

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At the Saudi Arabian GP, Oscar Piastri (the lead McLaren driver in P4) finished almost 32 seconds behind Verstappen. On paper, McLaren may look miles off the pace, but comparing their situation to last year’s race, where Norris finished almost a minute behind the race-winning RB19, the Briton’s assessment of the team’s strides forward makes sense.

As things stand, the MCL38 looks comfortable in the high-speed corners. However, the RB20 boasts a lightning-quick straight-line speed and a properly balanced race car in the slower, more twisty sections of the circuits.

Can anyone catch Red Bull this year?

Red Bull is the only team that seems to have come to grips with this year’s regulations. With their exception, every team on the grid is suffering from some or the other gremlin, whether design-related or otherwise.

During last weekend’s race at the Jeddah Corniche circuit, the W15 was exposed for its still unoptimized aerodynamic package. In the middle sector, the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton lost almost half a second per lap. In Bahrain, even Ferrari suffered reliability issues, as both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were nursing race-long brake issues.

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The only hope the Red Bull rivals have is in the developmental race over the course of the season. However, with Red Bull’s advantage over the competition, any gains made by the others can easily be neutralized by the Milton-Keynes-based outfit.

However, with the internal dynamics within the team playing out—with a potential internal power struggle that has disrupted the team from within—their rivals would hope for the Austrian team to falter as the season goes on.

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Since Max Verstappen picked up his maiden world championship at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, he’s won a whopping 36 out of 46 races. Last year, the Dutchman won 19 out of 22 races and has won the opening two races this year. Naturally, the narrative that Verstappen is killing the sport by making it boring has been gaining traction. Due to this, the sport reported a staggering drop in viewership. But as many started pointing fingers at the Dutchman for this, his ex-teammate, Alex Albon, defended Verstappen by explaining that the sport today is more exciting than ever.

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On the Beyond the Grid podcast, Albon explained, “It’s a bit of a shame to see comments about Max, and it is a boring season because it isn’t. If you take him out of the equation, we have one of the best grids, one of the tightest grids ever in F1. Even if you include Max, it’s still the tightest grid.”  

The numbers that have been circulated on social media show that ESPN recorded a 40% dip in viewership from last year’s Saudi Arabian GP, which roughly translates to a drop in 600,000 viewers in the United States.

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While many have been pointing fingers at Verstappen, other credible factors can explain the record-low number of viewers. For instance, this time, the Grand Prix was not held on a Sunday but on a Saturday. Further, the race was not broadcast on ESPN’s flagship channel but on ESPN2 instead.

Is Max Verstappen really making F1 boring?

Albon went on to stress about how close the F1 grid really was. The field is strung together very tightly and the British-Thai driver pointed out at his team’s strategy gaffe to make his point. At the Saudi Arabian GP, a two-lap late pitstop costed him a 6-place deficit when he came out of the pits.

Even during the Bahrain GP, Charles Leclerc emerged as the fastest driver over a single lap (during Q2). Admittedly, the single-lap pace of the RB20 is still something that the team needs to work on, and hence, Verstappen’s race pace and results do not show the entire picture.

With teams like Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren on the prowl, the Bulls might actually be faced with one of the strongest oppositions they’ve had to battle as the 2024 Formula 1 season progresses.

Travis Kelce has been spotted on his way to the gym in Beverly Hills as he continues to spend more time with his girlfriend – Taylor Swift – at her $25million LA mansion.

The 34-year-old, three-time Super Bowl champion was seen inside a black Range Rover with tinted windows on Wednesday morning, after attending a glitzy Oscars afterparty with his world-famous significant other, earlier this week.

The Chiefs’ starting tight-end is making sure to stay in shape before the start of his 12th NFL season in Kansas City in September, as his team made moves ahead of the first day of free agency on Wednesday, tying down defensive tackle Chris Jones to a long-term contract and placing its franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Snell.

What’s more is that ever since winning Super Bowl LVIII with the Chiefs in February, Travis has traveled long distances to reunite with his popstar partner. Both were seen in Australia and Singapore as part of Taylor’s Eras Tour, recently.

The nine-time Pro Bowler attended three of Taylor’s sold-out shows in both countries this month and in February. He returned to the U.S. in between the two destinations to party in Las Vegas with quarterback and close pal Patrick Mahomes.

 

Travis Kelce was spotted riding a black Range Rover on his way to the gym in LA on Wednesday

The 34-year-old Chiefs tight-end rode in the passenger seat as he aims to stay fit this offseason

Kelce is resting in LA with his popstar girlfriend Taylor Swift before she goes on tour again

The three-time Super Bowl champ made a gesture as he was passing by on his way to the gym

Kelce and Swift recently attended an Oscars after party following their reunion in Singapore

The couple are taking refuge at Swift’s $25M Beverly Hills pad – the Samuel Goldwyn Estate

Swift, herself, is now on a two-month break before the demanding obligations of her tour take her to Europe, where she will perform for the total duration of four months, starting in Paris and ending at London’s Wembley Stadium in August.

But, for now, one of America’s wealthiest and most influential couples are making sure to rest up, and it is understood that they have decided to take refuge at Swift’s swanky, $25M estate in the City of Angels.

She bought the seven-bedroom, 10-bathroom home, known as the ‘Samuel Goldwyn Estate’ back in 2015, before renovating it. It’s estimated price, nowadays, has gone up to $31.6M.

Property-specific amenities include a swimming pool, tennis court, library and movie theatre across two acres of land.

Last week, before reuniting with potentially future husband in California, Swift urged her fans in the U.S. to vote in Super Tuesday elections.

Kelce’s on the West Coast while the Chiefs make offseason moves as free agency started Wed.

He traveled to Australia to be supportive of his girlfriend touring on the other side of the world

Kelce and Swift spotted during a romantic encounter after one of her concerts in Singapore

The 14-time Grammy award winner, whose ongoing ‘Eras’ tour is the world’s highest-grossing concert tour with more than $1billion in ticket sales, told her 282M followers on Instagram to make a ‘voting plan’, linking to vote.org, a nonprofit voter registration group.

‘I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power,’ she wrote on Instagram Stories, in white text against a black backdrop.

Swift has waded into politics before, endorsing President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in 2020. She has also denounced former President Donald Trump, a Republican.

During an appearance on NBC’s ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ last week, Biden joked with the host comedian about conspiracy theories that the president and the singer-songwriter are in ‘cahoots.’

Meyers said recent polling showed 18 percent of Americans believed Biden and Swift were somehow working together.

 

Nicki Minaj’s presence at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles was nothing short of spectacular. The rapper, known for her bold fashion choices and commanding stage presence, stole the show with her jaw-dropping appearance. Arriving on the red carpet in a stunning ensemble that perfectly blended high fashion with her signature flair, Nicki captivated the attention of onlookers and photographers alike. Her outfit, a creation by a renowned designer, featured intricate details and eye-catching embellishments that accentuated her curves and showcased her unique style.

As she made her way into the venue, Nicki exuded confidence and charisma, effortlessly commanding the attention of the crowd. The excitement among fans reached a fever pitch as they eagerly anticipated her performance later in the evening. Inside the venue, Nicki mingled with fellow celebrities and industry insiders, posing for photos and exchanging pleasantries with her peers. Her presence added an undeniable air of excitement and glamour to the event, making her one of the most anticipated guests of the night.

When it was time for her performance, Nicki took to the stage with her trademark energy and charisma. Backed by a team of talented dancers and musicians, she delivered a show-stopping performance that left the audience in awe. Her dynamic stage presence, coupled with her flawless delivery and captivating choreography, ensured that all eyes were on her throughout the performance. From the moment she stepped onto the stage to the final notes of her set, Nicki held the audience captive, leaving them cheering for more.

After her performance, Nicki graciously accepted accolades and praise from fans and critics alike. Her appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles was widely regarded as one of the highlights of the evening, cementing her status as one of the most influential and celebrated artists in the industry. As she made her exit from the event, Nicki left a lasting impression on all those in attendance, proving once again why she is considered a true icon in the world of music and entertainment.

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury feels sad that Mike Tyson will be going up against him as a coach.

Fury returns to the boxing ring but not against Oleksandr Usyk, but rather, against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou who makes his professional boxing debut against the Briton on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Although many critics feel the fight is an obvious money grab with Ngannou having next to no shot, things got interesting when it was announced that Mike Tyson would be coaching him for the fight.

“It is no secret I back Ngannou 100 percent in this face-off of champions,” Tyson said at the time. “He has one hard punch, and when it lands, it’s game over. I am looking forward to working with Ngannou and supporting his transition from the octagon to the boxing ring.

“He isn’t a combat novice; he is a world champion. He knows how to compete when the bell rings, but the key will be combining his energy and combat skills into his punches and using his agility to move swiftly around the ring then delivering the knock-out blow. We’re here to win.”

Tyson Fury, of course, was named after the legendary former heavyweight champion and has always held him in extremely high regard.

That’s why “The Gypsy King” feels almost disappointed that Tyson is going against him and that the boxing icon should be in his corner instead.“I think that it’s sad, actually,” Fury told Sky Sports (via Boxing Social). “The man that I am named after, a legend, has to go against me and then come out as a loser, having lost to a man who was named after him. I think that it’s sad and I think that he should be in my corner, not the opposing corner, but business is business and I understand that it’s strictly business.

“No matter what he teaches this fella [Ngannou], no matter how much boxing training he does, everyone has got a plan until they get punched in the face and I’m not sure who said that, but that is true. They’ve all got a plan until they get smacked in the mouth.”

Should Fury defeat Ngannou as expected, the expectation is that negotiations will recommence over a heavyweight title unification fight with Usyk for early 2024.

Former cross-code footy star and heavyweight boxer Sonny Bill Williams has launched an attack on undefeated boxing great Floyd Mayweather for his support of Israel in the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Mayweather, a former five-weight world champion, was one of the first big-name  celebrities to publicly support Israel after Hamas attacked the country on October 7.

He arranged for a private plane filled with supplies to be flown to Israel in order to help those in need of aid, and has since continued to advocate against antisemitism.

Earlier this week, Mayweather visited Israel and was presented with two honours – the Champion for Israel award and the Lifesaving Award – for his ongoing support of the nation.

The boxer has been photographed with various organisations while in Israel, and been denounced by some who are critical of Israel’s role in the conflict.

Sonny Bill Williams has criticised boxing great Floyd Mayweather for supporting Israel

Mayweather was one of the first international celebrities to show public support for Israel after the Hamas attack on October 7, sending a plane with supplies to the country

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Williams, a devout Muslim who has been vocal in his support of Palestine, shared a video on social media of Mayweather posing with what look to be IDF troops and unleashed a withering takedown of the American.

‘On tour once we stayed at the same hotel as Floyd and his team,’ wrote Williams on X on Thursday.

‘The footy boys wanted a photo with him in the foyer. He rolled past us with his 10man entourage and had 5 ladies with him.

‘The women who seemed more excited with the attention from the boys than his company. I kept my eyes on Floyd as he seemed so upset, not about the boys asking for a photo but his lady friends paying the boys attention, not him.

‘I remember thinking ‘how can a man so revered seem so insecure?’ – after seeing this footage it becomes clear, a man without a backbone isn’t a man he’s a coward, keep dancing while the kids are dying.’

In January, the NRL condemned Williams’ comments on the war in Gaza in a letter to a leading Jewish organisation after the former Roosters and Bulldogs star was accused of inciting hatred.

The allegation was levelled at Williams when he described supporters of Israel as ‘Zionist cowards’ in a social media post last November, and he was also slammed for claiming Israelis taken hostage by Hamas in the October 7 attack were treated well.

Williams, who converted to Islam in 2009, was also criticised by radio host Ray Hadley after he ‘liked’ a comment on social media calling Hamas terrorists ‘freedom fighters’.

Mayweather has recently visited Israel and has been awarded for his advocacy (pictured)

The former All Black had shared a post from American law professor, author and controversial columnist Khaled Beydoun that said: ‘So, Ukrainian civilians defending their families are ‘freedom fighters’… But Palestinians in Gaza doing the EXACT same thing are ‘terrorists’?’

Williams reposted the comment with the 100 emoji to emphasise his approval, and the palms-up emoji to represent prayer.

Hadley called the comments a ‘disgrace’.

Mayweather has also been outspoken on social media about his opinions on the conflict.

He posted: ‘I stand with Israel against the Hamas terrorists. Hamas do not represent the people of Palestine but are a terrorist group that are attacking innocent lives!

‘I stand for all humans and wish for the safe return of all Americans and Israelis and any human that were kidnapped as hostages during these horrific war crimes.

‘This is not a time for politics. This is a time for safety first and foremost.

‘God Bless America. God Bless Israel. God Bless Human Kind!’

Along with the post, he included a picture of himself from a previous visit to Jerusalem.

Ferrari president John Elkann believes Lewis Hamilton‘s decision to sign with the Italian marque is testament to his faith in the team’s chances of ending Red Bull’s dominance.

The Briton will join the Scuderia next year after 11 seasons with Mercedes as he continues to chase a record eighth world title.

The bombshell move came less than a year after Hamilton denied talks with Ferrari over a huge £40million deal and instead signed a two-year extension with the Silver Arrows worth a combined £100m.

The 39-year-old had previously expressed his desire to remain with Mercedes – where he has won six of his seven world championships – for the remainder of his career.

But Ferrari stepped up their efforts to tempt him across to Maranello, after Hamilton expressed frustration in recent seasons over under-performing by Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton will join Ferrari next year after 11 seasons at Mercedes

The Briton will join forces with Charles Leclerc (left) at the Italian marque

Ferrari chairman John Elkann is hopeful Hamilton’s arrival can deliver a first title in 16 years

Elkann has long been an admirer of the Briton and played a major role in getting the deal over the line by personally speaking to Hamilton.

‘I have always said over the years how much Lewis is a great driver, how much he has done for Formula One,’ the Ferrari boss told Sky Sports in Italy.

‘He will join Ferrari and this is a sign of how much he believes he can do great things with us.’

Hamilton is statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen, leading Formula One’s all-time rankings in terms of race wins and pole positions.

His seven world titles are equalled only by Michael Schumacher, who won five consecutive titles with Ferrari.

But over the past two years Red Bull’s stranglehold on Formula One has been such that Hamilton hasn’t finished on top of the podium since the 2021 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.

Ferrari haven’t won the drivers’ championship since 2007 and their last constructors’ crown dates back to the following year, incidentally when Hamilton pipped Felipe Massa to the title on the final corner of the last race of the season in Brazil.

But Elkann suggested a power shift in Formula One could be on the cards with new regulations are set to come into place in 2026.

‘By 2026 a cycle will close, then another will open,’ the Ferrari president said.

‘The important thing will be to always be competitive and continue to fuel this spirit.’

Max Verstappen has claimed pole and won the first two races of the season, with teammate Sergio Perez coming second on both occasions.

Ferrari have finished third twice, with Carlos Sainz third in Bahrain and Charles Leclerc in Saudi Arabia, results which Elkann believes bode well for the remainder of the campaign.

‘If we look at where we were a year ago, we started better,’ he said.

‘The important thing is to improve and progress. This is the dynamic that exists in Ferrari and it should be praised and supported.

‘There is a desire to ensure that we bring the Ferrari to do the best possible and this was palpable today. This, I mean, from everyone.’

Hamilton was full of praise for Oliver Bearman (right) after the Saudi Arabian GP

Bearman finished seventh on his Formula One debut in Jeddah ahead of Hamilton

With Sainz out of the Saudi GP due to appendicitis, Ferrari drafted in Oliver Bearman as last-minute replacement.

The 18-year-old Briton finished seventh on his race debut after qualifying 11th and was hailed as a ‘future star’ by Hamilton, who warmly embraced him at the end of the race.

‘If one thinks he [Bearman] can stay ahead of Hamilton and Lando Norris on his debut, I think Oliver will remember this for his whole life,’ Elkann said.

‘The hug that Lewis wanted to give him shows what a great champion he is on and off the track.’

Victoria Beckham flashed her underwear in a sheer white dress as she posed for a racy Instagram snap with her crutches on Thursday.

The fashion designer, 49, gave fans a sneak peek into her upcoming Spring/Summer clothing collection as she modelled a gorgeous see-through ensemble.

The mother-of-four has continued to stay active in the gym and at work despite breaking her foot last month due to a gym injury.

Flashing her toned legs and washboard abs, Victoria struck a pose for the sexy mirror selfie.

She captioned her post: ‘Spring Summer 24… (with a twist)’

Victoria Beckham, 49, flashed her underwear in a sheer white dress as she posed for a racy Instagram snap with her crutches on Thursday

The former Spice Girl isn’t letting her broken foot get in the way of her fitness as she has continued to get in her regular workouts.

Victoria has recently started to get a little frustrated with her foot brace as she expressed: ‘I’m bored of you now’.

Earlier this week, Victoria slipped into a black crop top and high-waisted leggings in the sizzling mirror selfie.

Victoria also shared the crucial routine she does in order to rest and recover – with a glass of red wine and red light therapy.

The post comes after David carried Victoria at her Paris Fashion Week last week when she struggled to walk on her crutches.

Former footballer David gushed that he was ‘so proud’ of Victoria after she failed to let her injury or protestors spoil her big night.

He wrote: ‘So proud of you for many reasons but this season threw a lot at you and again you just did what you do best. we love you @victoriabeckham’.

Victoria touched down in Paris on crutches as a result of a recent gym injury which saw her hurt her ankle.

The fashion designer gave fans a sneak peek into her upcoming Spring/Summer clothing collection as she modelled a gorgeous see-through ensemble

The former Spice Girl isn’t letting her broken foot get in the way of her fitness as she has continued to get in her regular workouts

Victoria also shared the crucial routine she does in order to rest and recover – with a glass of red wine and red light therapy

David Beckham revealed he is ‘so proud’ of his wife Victoria as the family share gushing posts after her successful show at Paris Fashion Week last week

In a jokey snap, David gave Victoria a piggy-back while holding a bottle of champagne as Victoria thanked him for his support, while making reference to her injury

David, 48, first revealed Victoria had broken her foot on Valentine’s Day and wrote: ‘Apparently my wife’s little accident in the gym was a clean break… [sad face]’

However she didn’t let it stop her as she was supported by David and her children Brooklyn, 24, Cruz, 19, and Harper, 12.

In a jokey snap, David gave Victoria a piggy-back while holding a bottle of champagne as Victoria thanked him for his support, while making reference to her injury.

She wrote: ‘Always supporting me (literally) I love you so much x Kisses x’.

The family were also joined by Brooklyn’s wife Nicola Peltz, however the pair’s middle son Romeo, 21, was notable absent in the wake of his split from girlfriend Mia Regan.