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☆ Verstappen completes practice sweep in Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 18 (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Max Verstappen completed a dominant hat-trick of top times in practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday. Mexican team mate Sergio Perez was second fastest, but a considerable 0.613 seconds slower than Verstappen's best effort of one minute 28.485 on the soft tyres. Apart from Perez, Alonso was the only driver within a second of Verstappen. McLaren's Lando Norris was seventh, and Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri eighth, a mere 0.008 behind. Verstappen apologised after lifting off the throttle on track and forcing Norris, coming up fast behind, to swerve around him.

☆ Stroll reveals he broke toe as well as both wrists
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANAMA, March 4 (Reuters) - Aston Martin's Lance Stroll qualified eighth for Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and then revealed he had broken a big toe as well as both wrists in a cycling accident two weeks ago. I had a broken big toe on the right foot as well. "I came out of surgery 12 days ago, got out of the hospital 10 days ago kind of thing. I'm not as worried now as I was a week ago," added the son of billionaire team owner Lawrence. He said the broken toe was painful "but not anything that's limiting me to drive" and he was taking over-the-counter painkillers.

☆ F1 stewards exempt Hamilton after 'disfigurement' fear
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MANAMA, March 3 (Reuters) - Formula One stewards exempted Lewis Hamilton from a jewellery ban at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday after accepting he risked disfigurement if a nose piercing was removed. Hamilton, 38, has worn a permanent nose stud in his left nostril for years and photographs in Bahrain have shown him also with one on the right. He explained at last October's Singapore Grand Prix, when he was also given an exemption, that taking the left one out had caused the piercing to become infected. The stewards in Bahrain said in a statement they had consulted the FIA medical delegate who examined Hamilton and agreed with the request for a continued exemption. "We have determined to take no further action as there are concerns about disfigurement with frequent attempts at removal of the device," the stewards explained.

☆ Mercedes are on the wrong track, says Hamilton
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MANAMA, March 3 (Reuters) - Mercedes are on the wrong track with their car and may not be even third fastest, seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton said after a difficult first Friday of practice in Bahrain. With Aston Martin setting the fastest lap of all with Fernando Alonso, Hamilton suggested Mercedes may have dropped as far as fourth in the pecking order. "It is not where anyone in the team wants to be or deserves to be because everyone works so hard, but we are just on the wrong track. We have to graft away and get ourselves on the right track, but right now we are long way off the guys in front." Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott told reporters that changes would be made, particularly to the stand-out slimline sidepods.

☆ Mick Schumacher feels no need to watch 'Drive to Survive'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANAMA, March 2 (Reuters) - Mick Schumacher's Formula One struggles last season feature strongly in the latest run of 'Drive to Survive' but the German says he feels no need to watch the Netflix docu-series. "I didn't watch it...that's a personal choice," Schumacher told Reuters when asked about the series at a 75th anniversary event for sportswear maker Puma at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. "I just don't necessarily feel the need to watch myself on TV, I guess." Schumacher muses separately, in a frank scene on a Swiss mountainside, about the difficulties he faces and his determination to succeed. With the retirement of four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, the only German driver is veteran Nico Hulkenberg as Schumacher's replacement at Haas.

☆ Drivers urged to help steer F1 away from 'moral vacuum'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton and other Formula One drivers can help steer the sport away from a 'moral vacuum' by speaking out at season-opening races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, human rights campaigners said on Tuesday. One is a road which is a moral vacuum where the leaders and the administrators seem to going," he said. It called for an independent enquiry to examine the role of races in human rights violations. Bahrain's government has said it "actively supports the role Formula One can play in shedding light on human rights issues in all countries it operates in". Scriven said Formula One drivers would be justified in refusing to race in certain countries if the sport failed to put in place a proper ethical framework.

☆ Mercedes’s F1 Dynasty Ended With a Thud. Toto Wolff Has a Plan to Bring it Back.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Joshua Robinson | Jonathan Clegg | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Toto Wolff was at the Miami Grand Prix last spring, gazing out at the most sophisticated cars in the world racing around the sun-baked, palm-fringed circuit, when a jarring realization hit him like a bucket of cold water at 180 mph. His Mercedes team, Formula One’s eight-time defending constructors’ champion and arguably the greatest dynasty in modern sports history, wasn’t just off the pace. It was completely uncompetitive. The run of dominance that he had helped to build as Mercedes team principal was coming to a definitive conclusion. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton would finish the season without a single Grand Prix victory for the first time in his entire career.

☆ Moncler Genius presents new 'co-creators' at London Fashion Week show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Italian luxury brand Moncler unveiled an expansion of its Moncler Genius collaborations project at London Fashion Week on Monday, introducing new "co-creators" in the realms of art, music, design and sport. For Williams' "Art of the Terrain" concept, models dressed in khaki camping outerwear walked around a set covered in grass. Others posed in a range of colourful puffer jackets, coats and gloves at the Adidas space. Earlier this month, Moncler (MONC.MI) said it was evolving from the Moncler Genius fashion collaborations project it launched in 2018, where guest designers presented different versions of its jackets, "to a platform for co-creation across different industries". The Monday evening show drew famous faces from the worlds of entertainment, fashion and sport, including the likes of Serena Williams and Lewis Hamilton.

☆ Formula 1: The FIA clarifies free speech rule after fierce backlash from Lewis Hamilton and drivers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Drivers take a knee to protest against racism ahead of the F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone on Aug. 9, 2020. Formula 1's governing FIA has said drivers will be allowed to make political statements only in "exceptional" circumstances after seeking to clarify its contentious new law. The sporting federation recently updated its rules to prevent "political, religious or personal" remarks being made without prior approval. However, the FIA has attracted a fierce backlash from a number of drivers — with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton this week insisting he will not be silenced, and Lando Norris accusing F1's rulers of treating drivers like schoolchildren. However, drivers will face sanctions if they oppose the law while on track — such as during the national anthem before a race or on the podium.

☆ FIA seeks to clarify free speech rules after driver backlash
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

read moreMcLaren's Lando Norris suggested the FIA was treating drivers like schoolchildren. "Participants can express their views on any political, religious or personal matter before, during and after the international competition, in their own space, and outside the scope of the international competition," it said. "On an exceptional and case-by-case basis, the FIA may authorise a participant to make a statement at an international competition that would otherwise be prohibited," it added. The FIA said drivers could not make political, religious and/or personal statements during the pre-race parade, anthem and post-race procedures. Examples included unapproved statements or comments relating to "any military conflict or political dispute between nations, regions, religions, or communities".

☆ Nothing will stop me speaking out, says Hamilton
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton vowed on Wednesday to continue speaking out despite Formula One's governing body clamping down on drivers making 'political' statements. The governing FIA updated its International Sporting Code last December requiring prior written permission to make or display "political, religious and personal statements or comments" at races. "It doesn't surprise me, but nothing will stop me from speaking on the things that I'm passionate about and issues that there are. Asked whether he would be prepared to take a penalty, Hamilton added: "It would be silly to say that I would want to get penalty points for speaking out on things. "But I am still going to be speaking my mind as we still have this platform, there are still a lot of things we need to tackle."

☆ Lewis named U.S. captain for 2024 Solheim Cup in Virginia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Former world number one Stacy Lewis has been named U.S. captain for the 2024 Solheim Cup in Gainesville, Virginia, the LPGA said on Monday. Lewis is already serving as captain for the 2023 U.S. team that will face Europe at the Sept. 22-24 Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin in Andalucia, Spain. "This is such an amazing honour, to be asked to again captain the U.S. Solheim Cup Team," said Lewis. Lewis will be 38-years-old when the 2022 competition begins, making her the youngest American captain in Solheim Cup history. Europe are the champions after edging the United States 15-13 at Inverness Club in Ohio in 2021 to retain the Solheim Cup.

☆ F1 drivers need clarity on political statements, says Albon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GROVE, England, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Formula One drivers need more guidance from the governing FIA on what they can say at races this season after a rule change caused concern, Williams driver Alex Albon said on Monday. The FIA updated the International Sporting Code last December with a clause requiring prior written permission for drivers to make or display "political, religious and personal statements or comments". The move has been a pre-season talking point, with uncertainty about how it might be applied in practice. "It seems quite a broad subject ... we need clarity from the FIA on what they are trying to tell us," Albon told reporters during a livery launch at the team's factory. We need to be open in dialogue about what they are trying to do.

☆ F1 drivers must be allowed to speak out freely, says Perez
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Drivers Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and team principal Christian Horner of Red Bull F-1 Racing Team attend the unveil of the RB19 car in a partnership with Ford during a launch event in New York City, U.S., February 3, 2023. Mexican Perez told reporters at his world champion team's livery launch in New York that drivers needed to be able to speak freely. Several drivers, notably Mercedes' seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton, have used their profile and platform to address issues. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told reporters separately that he felt "sport should never be used as a political tool. Horner said Red Bull had always allowed their drivers freedom to speak out but it was a question of finding a balance.

☆ Mick Schumacher to double up as McLaren F1 reserve
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Welcome to the family, Mick," McLaren said on Twitter, pointing out also that new team principal Andrea Stella was previously performance engineer to Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. McLaren had a reserve-sharing agreement with Renault-owned Alpine last season, when Australian Piastri was Alpine's third driver. McLaren then won a contract dispute with Alpine for Piastri to race for them this year. Mercedes and Williams shared Nyck de Vries as reserve last season, with the Dutch driver now due to race with Red Bull-owned AlphaTauri. McLaren also have 2021 IndyCar champion Alex Palou contracted to a reserve role where the Spaniard's schedules allow.

☆ Let Hamilton speak out, says Bahrain rights group
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) urged Formula One's governing body on Tuesday to allow seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton and other drivers to speak freely on 'political' issues. read moreMercedes' Hamilton, the sport's all-time most successful driver, has used his profile and platform to address human rights abuses and racial injustice around the world. The Middle East has four races this year -- In Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi. The FIA has said the update is merely aligned with "the political neutrality of sport" but Alwadaei said it appeared to target Hamilton. "We are saying to Mohammed Ben Sulayem that this policy is wrong and it must be reversed immediately," he added.

☆ Chelsea earn scrappy 1-0 win over Palace to ease pressure
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Clare Lovell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

It was only the second league win in 10 matches for the home side who remain in an unaccustomed 10th place half-way through the season. Today we had five young players in the starting 11, they are doing a really good job at the moment." "Today we are happy for the three points," said Potter, who took over from Thomas Tuchel in September. Palace are in 12th place, six points behind Chelsea. Before kickoff, former Chelsea players who had been coached by or appeared alongside Gianluca Vialli joined the teams to pay tribute to the former Italy international and Chelsea player-manager who died 10 days ago.

☆ Vowles says Williams will not become a 'mini-Mercedes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Williams' new principal James Vowles said after his appointment on Friday that the struggling former champions would be no Mercedes 'B' team in Formula One. "There's no mini-Mercedes or B team or any of that," said Vowles. Vowles told reporters that Williams were entirely independent and he would act in their best interests. "There was always the speculation that Williams, because of the Mercedes engine, was a subordinate but none of that was obviously true." That’s why James is going to do what's good for the team, what's good for James in order to bring that forward.

☆ Felix sees red on debut as Chelsea slump at Fulham
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The win lifted Fulham above Liverpool and up to sixth in the Premier League standings on 31 points after 19 games. Potter had no complaints about the red card, describing Felix's challenge on Tete as a "forward's tackle". The second half wasn't at our best level," he said. They lost midfielder Denis Zakaria to injury, however, and Felix to a red card, the 23-year-old wildly lunging at Tete after losing the ball. Felix, whose loan signing cost Chelsea a reported 9 million pounds ($11 million), will miss the next three league matches against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Fulham due to suspension.

U.S. Navy veteran Taylor Dudley, 35, was backpacking in Europe when he crossed the Polish-Russian border in April, Jonathan Franks, a lawyer who represents families of Americans detained overseas, said in an email to reporters. Dudley's circumstances while in Russia were unclear and his case had not been previously publicized. "The negotiations and work to secure Taylor’s safe return were done discreetly and with engagement on the ground in both Moscow and Kaliningrad and with full support from Taylor’s family back in the United States," the Richardson Center said. A U.S. embassy representative in Warsaw was also present at Dudley's release, according to Franks, and the Richardson Center thanked U.S. officials, as well as businessman Steve Menzies, for helping secure Dudley's return. Kaliningrad is a Russian province sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania and is the headquarters of the Russian navy's Baltic Fleet.

☆ Vasseur starts a new era for Ferrari with big targets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Schumacher won an unprecedented five crowns in a row from 2000-04 under Todt's leadership while Ferrari won seven constructors' championships between 1999 and the end of 2007, when Kimi Raikkonen took their last drivers' title. Vasseur, 54, is an old hand and on his third F1 team after joining Renault in 2016. The team have still not won a title since 2008 and have been making some glaring mistakes with their fans increasingly frustrated. Vasseur, who joins from Swiss-based Sauber where he ran the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo team, has more than nationality in common with Todt. Nicolas Todt manages Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, last year's runner-up who also raced for Vasseur at Sauber in his debut season.

☆ Who should play Sam Bankman-Fried, Caroline Ellison, and his parents when the FTX implosion gets made into a movie or TV show
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Michael Lewis, author of "The Big Short" and "Moneyball," has reportedly interviewed disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried multiple times for an upcoming book. Sam Bankman-Fried outside at the federal court in Manhattan on Thursday. Jeenah Moon/ReutersThe Hollywood trade The Ankler reported in November that Lewis had been interviewing Bankman-Fried for six months, and the New York Post followed up on Tuesday, reporting that Lewis met with Bankman-Fried for "several hours" soon after the latter was put under house arrest at his parents' home in Palo Alto. Bankman-Fried was released on bail last week from a New York federal court after being extradited to the US from the Bahamas. He's facing several fraud-related charges after the implosion of FTX, the cryptocurrency firm he founded and of which he was formerly CEO.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried was reportedly visited by 'Big Short' author for 'several hours' while under house arrest
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"The Big Short" author Michael Lewis met with Sam Bankman-Fried for "several hours" last week, The New York Post reported. Lewis visited Bankman-Fried's parents' home where he is under house arrest. Author Michael Lewis met with Bankman-Fried for "several hours" soon after the latter was put under house arrest at his parents' home in Palo Alto, The New York Post reported on Tuesday. "The Big Short" won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. In November, the Hollywood trade The Ankler reported that Lewis had been interviewing Bankman-Fried for six months.

If more female fans tune in, they will help Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali fuel revenue at his motor-racing division. Around 40% of F1 fans are now female, up 8% from 2017, and more women are attending races too, Domenicali said in November. One way to accelerate the trend could be featuring female drivers. She also boasts a fanbase of over half a million social media followers – more than the W Series itself. Unfortunately for Formula One, when financial pressures ended W Series 2022 early, she absconded to Andretti Autosport’s team for the U.S. IndyCar NXT races.

☆ F1 drivers barred from political statements unless approved
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Formula One drivers will need prior written permission from the sport's governing body to make 'political statements' from next season following an update of the International Sporting Code. Drivers who make such statements will now be in breach of the rules unless the FIA has granted previous approval in writing. Mercedes' seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, and now-retired four-times champion Sebastian Vettel, have been among those making political statements at races in recent seasons. This year he wore a shirt proclaiming 'Stop Mining Tar Sands' and 'Canada's Climate Crime' at the Canadian Grand Prix. An FIA spokesman said the update was "in alignment with the political neutrality of sport" as enshrined in the International Olympic Committee code of ethics.

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