Monthly Archives: April 2022

Max Verstappen wins in Ferrari territory to make huge title statement as Lewis Hamilton is LAPPED by Red Bull driver and humiliated by teammate George Russell

Max Verstappen and Red Bull had an Emilia Romagna Grand Prix to remember, taking maximum points with Charles Leclerc spinning down to sixth, while Lewis Hamilton was humiliated in 14th.

Sergio Perez followed his world champion teammate home in second, with the podium unexpectedly capped off by McLaren’s British star Lando Norris.


Verstappen is delighted with his Red Bull back to its best

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Red Bull took Ferrari to town just as they were looking too quick to catch

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Meanwhile Hamilton had an absolute nightmare

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Countryman George Russell impressively climbed to fourth from 11th, however, his teammate and seven-time champion Hamilton had one of his worst-ever races as he finished 14th.

Championship leader Leclerc had a commanding 40-point lead at the top as Ferrari returned home to Italy.

However, that advantage was wiped out as the Monegasque spun and hit the wall while chasing Perez for second.

Leclerc recovered after a brief pitstop to finish sixth, but Ferrari saw their homecoming end in disaster.

Carlos Sainz was the Grand Prix’s first retiree on lap one due to an unfortunate collision with Daniel Ricciardo, and Leclerc later joined his teammate with a trip off the tarmac.

That costly mistake saw Leclerc’s title lead reduced to 28 points, with Red Bull masterfully showing their title rivals how it’s done.


Leclerc was racing Perez for second before a dramatic spin left him in sixth

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen win first sprint race of Formula 1 season ahead of Ferrari’s ‘struggling’ Charles Leclerc, as Lewis Hamilton drops to 14th – but history says Dutchman set for tough Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Max Verstappen won the first sprint race of the 2022 Formula 1 season – but history suggests it’s not always a good thing.

A stunning overtake on the penultimate lap of the dash to the finish saw the Red Bull pip Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to pole for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.


Verstappen celebrates his sprint race victory

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The late lunge at Imola gives Verstappen an extra eight points for his championship tally

But, in a weird quirk, no Saturday sprint race winner has capitalised by winning the following day’s Grand Prix.

Still, the result sees Verstappen lead the grid for Sunday with Leclerc alongside him.

Sergio Perez finished third, while Carlos Sainz moved from 10th to fourth as Red Bull and Ferrari blocked out the front two rows of the grid.

However, Leclerc admitted some concerns in the Scuderia garage after the sprint ended.

Leclerc said after Saturday’s race: “We struggled with the tyres at the end, so we need to analyse that for tomorrow. It’s life, we will work and come back stronger tomorrow.”


Leclerc may have some tyre worries

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Max Verstappen takes pole ahead of Charles Leclerc due to rain and five red flags as heavily-disrupted Imola Grand Prix qualifying sees Lewis Hamilton down in 13th

Max Verstappen will start on pole for Saturday’s sprint race at the Imola Grand Prix as a heavily disrupted qualifying session condemned Lewis Hamilton to yet another early exit.

Verstappen eventually topped the time sheets from from title rival Charles Leclerc, as rain in northern Italy denied the pacy Ferrari a clear shot at first place.


Verstappen just nabbed the fastest time before two more red flags secured his spot

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Hamilton was again dumped out in Q2

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The championship rivals were followed by McLaren’s British star Lando Norris, and Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in fourth.

Reigning constructors champions Mercedes were once again miles off of the pace with Hamilton only just squeaking into the second round of qualifying, where he was then knocked out.

“How far are we off man, this is crazy!” the seven-time champ said, before a crash from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz delayed the second session.

By the time cars were allowed back on track, rain had already restarted, leaving Hamilton in 13th, behind teammate George Russell in 11th.

The pattern was repeated in the third and final session, with reigning drivers’ champion Verstappen putting in a time of 1:27.999, seven tenths up on Leclerc.

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas then provoked yet another stoppage as he pulled to the side of the track, with the grid unable to improve on their times as rainfall again increased, before a crash from Norris ended the session.


Two further red flags gave Verstappen his first pole position of the season

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‘I thought he was an Arsenal fan?’ – Max Verstappen teases Lewis Hamilton for involvement in Chelsea takeover bid

Max Verstappen made a cheeky dig at his Formula One rival Lewis Hamilton following the news that the British star will be involved in a Chelsea takeover bid.

The seven-time world champion was named as part of Sir Martin Broughton’s consortium hoping to buy the Blues.


Hamilton said he supports Arsenal, but is involved in buying Chelsea

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Tennis superstar Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, is also on board as part of the consortium.

Hamilton, who is gearing up for Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, has declared himself as an Arsenal supporter on a number of occasions.

And his rival Verstappen could not resist poking fun at the Brit for the move.

Verstappen said: “I am a PSV fan and I would never buy Ajax.

“And if I was going to buy a football club I would want to be the full owner and to take the decisions myself, not own just a tiny percentage.

“I thought he was an Arsenal fan? And if you are an Arsenal fan going for Chelsea, that it is quite interesting.

“But everyone does what they want with their money so let’s see what comes out of it.”


Verstappen highlighted Hamilton’s previous comments about which team he supports

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Carlos Sainz agrees new Ferrari deal to continue alongside Charles Leclerc and all but end Lewis Hamilton’s ‘dream’ of finishing Formula 1 career with legendary team

Carlos Sainz is set to remain a Ferrari driver until the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season after signing a new two-year contract.

The Spanish driver is currently third in the drivers’ standings after the Italian constructors’ strong start to the 2022 campaign.


Sainz will continue with Ferrari until 2024

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He now joins teammate Charles Leclerc on a multi-year contract, with the Monaco-born driver contracted to 2026 and currently leading the title race thanks to two wins from the opening three Grands Prix.

And Sainz is delighted to continue with Ferrari, in a move which could all but end Sir Lewis Hamilton’s hopes of driving in the famous red card before he retires.

“I am very happy to have renewed my contract with Scuderia Ferrari,” said Sainz..

“I have always said that there is no better Formula 1 team to race for and after over a year with them, I can confirm that putting on this race suit and representing this team is unique and incomparable.

“My first season at Maranello was solid and constructive, with the whole group progressing together. The result of all that work has been clear to see so far season.

“I feel strengthened by this renewed show of confidence in me and now I can’t wait to get in the car, to do my best for Ferrari and to give its fans plenty to cheer about. The F1-75 is proving to be a front-runner, which can allow me to chase my goals on track, starting with taking my first Formula 1 win.”


Spaniard Sainz is a popular F1 driver

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Wimbledon bans Russian and Belarusian tennis players from 2022 championships including men’s No.2 Daniil Medvedev and women’s No.4 Aryna Sabalenka

Russian and Belarusian tennis stars will be unable to compete at this year’s Wimbledon.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) announced in a statement about it’s ‘deep regret’ to make the decision following the ongoing war in Ukraine.


Medvedev is one of the biggest names who will miss out at Wimbledon

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Men’s world number two Daniil Medvedev of Russia and women’s world number four Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will be among those affected by the decision.

All England Club chairman Ian Hewitt said: “We recognise that this is hard on the individuals affected, and it is with sadness that they will suffer for the actions of the leaders of the Russian regime.

“We have very carefully considered the alternative measures that might be taken within the UK Government guidance but, given the high profile environment of The Championships, the importance of not allowing sport to be used to promote the Russian regime and our broader concerns for public and player (including family) safety, we do not believe it is viable to proceed on any other basis at The Championships.”


There will be no Russians or Belarusians at Wimbledon this year

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Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc has £265,000 watch stolen in Italy – after Lando Norris was mugged of the same brand in Euro 2020 final at Wembley

Formula 1 championship leader Charles Leclerc has had a €320,000 [£265,000] watch stolen from him in Italy.

The robbery occurred in the Tuscan city of Viareggio, with the Richard Mille timepiece taken while the Ferrari driver was taking photos with fans.


The custom-made watch that has gone missing

Instagram @CharlesLeclerc

It’s reported in Motorsport.com that the custom RM67 piece could ‘easily exceed one million [euro]’ at a specialised auction, with Leclerc sponsored by the Swiss company for much of his career.

The watch was designed especially for Leclerc in the colours of Monaco, where the 24-year-old hails from.

The watchmakers signed up with Leclerc’s Ferrari squad last season, and also have a deal with McLaren.

McLaren’s Lando Norris had a similar watch stolen in the aftermath of England’s loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. The incident left the British driver ‘shaken’ and struggling with sleep.

On that occasion the Bristol-born star had his £40,000 prototype watch taken in violent circumstances, while in Leclerc’s case, he initially didn’t even realise the robbery had taken place.


Norris experienced a similar incident at the Euro 2020 final last summer

“The Monegasque was in Versilia with his athletic trainer, Andrea Ferrari, when shortly after 10pm a group of people asked Charles to take a souvenir photo,” Motorsport.com claimed.

“The dexterity of the theft led to the hypothesis of a planned operation, and when Leclerc realised that he had been robbed, he could not help but report everything to the local Carabinieri barracks.

“Investigations are underway to verify the presence of any security cameras in the theft area that could help identify the perpetrators.”


Leclerc had been back home in Monte Carlo for the ATP Masters before heading to Italy

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But has since lost his prized possession

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Leclerc’s trainer, Ferrari, also commented on the theft with an Instagram post complaining about the lighting in the area.

“Via Salvatori has been completely in the dark for months,” Ferrari wrote. “We have been reporting this for months.

“Well, yesterday evening in Via Salvatori, they have robbed us. Think of arranging the lamps sooner or later? Asking for a friend.”

Leclerc’s late godfather, and former F1 driver, Jules Bianchi also had his Richard Mille stolen while in Paris in another similar event.


Source: TalkSport.com Motorsport

Formula 1 championship leader Charles Leclerc has £248,000 watch stolen in Italy – and Lando Norris was mugged of the same brand in Euro 2020 final at Wembley

Formula 1 championship leader Charles Leclerc has had a €300,000 [£248,000] watch stolen from him in Italy, the same brand of watch that British driver Lando Norris was mugged of at Wembley.

Reports out of Italy claim the robbery occurred in the Tuscan city of Viareggio with Leclerc losing his Richard Mille watch whilst taking photos with fans.


Leclerc is often seen with his custom watch which has now gone missing

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Norris experienced a similar incident at the Euro 2020 final last summer

It’s reported in Motorsport.com that the custom RM67 piece could ‘easily exceed one million [euro]’ at a specialised auction, with Leclerc sponsored by the Swiss company for much of his career.

The watchmakers signed up with Leclerc’s Ferrari squad last season, and also have a deal with McLaren.

Norris similarly had his watch stolen in the aftermath of England’s loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final. The incident left the British driver ‘shaken’ and struggling with sleep.

On that occasion the Bristol-born driver had his £40,000 prototype watch taken in violent circumstances, while in Leclerc’s case, he initially didn’t even realise the robbery had taken place.

“The Monegasque was in Versilia with his athletic trainer, Andrea Ferrari, when shortly after 10pm a group of people asked Charles to take a souvenir photo,” Motorsport.com claimed.

“The dexterity of the theft led to the hypothesis of a planned operation, and when Leclerc realised that he had been robbed, he could not help but report everything to the local Carabinieri barracks.

‘Hopefully we both pick up trophies now’ – Emma Raducanu’s physio claims US Open winner as Tottenham fan and Piers Morgan is gutted

Emma Raducanu has been claimed as a Tottenham fan as she trained in a Spurs shirt ahead of her next tournament in Germany.

The US Open winner donned a the Premier League side’s white home to[ with ‘Raducanu 10’ on the back as she practised in Stuttgart ahead of the Porsche Grand Prix.


Raducanu’s physio Will Herbert is now claiming the player as a Tottenham fan

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The US Open champion was preparing to appear in a tournament at Stuttgart and was seen with her name on the back of a no.10 shirt – the number Harry Kane wears

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The teenager said she followed Spurs after the Euros and appeared to have fun winding up one of her inner circle by wearing the white kit

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She told reporters that she started following the north London club after last summer’s Euros.

“I loved following the Euros last year, watching Harry Kane the England captain, and Son [Heung-min], I’m a bit fan of his as well,” she said. “So, I like to dabble.”

Her physio, Will Herbert aka ‘The Mechanic’, also had a helping hand in her choosing to support Tottenham and chose to wear the shirt to celebrate agent Chris Helliar’s birthday.

“Happy birthday Chris,” she wrote on Instagram, using the ‘Come On You Spurs (COYS) hashtag and adding ‘#MecanicMadeMeDoIt’.

She later explained the choice of shirt: “My whole team basically are big Spurs fans. I feel like they’re egging me on and desperately trying to get me behind. I don’t necessarily follow football so much but I feel now, because of them, some sort of connection.”

And Herbert is keen to now claim her as a fan, writing: “Our work is done @chrishelliar. @emmaraducanu has been baptised a Spurs fan. Hopefully we both pick up some trophies now!”

Emma Raducanu discusses bizarre injury as British tennis sensation reveals she has lost ALL of her toenails

Emma Raducanu has revealed that she’s lost all of her toenails, in an admission that many might see as too much information!

The British number one enjoyed a glorious 2021 after securing her first grand slam title at the US Open last autumn, announcing herself as one of the most talented young sports stars on the planet.


Raducanu revealed the unusual injury during a press conference

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The teen superstar is having to tread carefully due to her latest ailment

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Since that ‘pinch yourself’ moment, the 19-year-old has struggled with a number of niggling injuries after blisters stopped her from competing at the Australian Open, while a hip problem forced her out of the Guadalajara Open.

Radacanu‘s next action will be in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in Prague, where she will make her debut competing for Great Britain as they take on the Czech Republic.

However, speaking to the press alongside her teammates, the teenager gave a blunt response when asked about her run of injuries.

Asked for an update on her physical condition, Raducanu said: “I have no toenails.

“It was just my foot, my shoes, they’ve just been sliding around a lot [in the shoe].

“I had a small niggle in Miami but now I have no physical thing.”