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☆ Nintendo is expected to launch the 'Switch 2' console this year. Here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Splatoon 3 proved to be a hit in Japan, helping keep momentum for Nintendo's ageing Switch console. Nintendo has sold 132.46 million units of the Switch, making it the company's second-most successful console after the handheld Nintendo DS. If the Switch remained popular in the holiday quarter then Nintendo could push a new console out to the Fall of this year, Goyal said. If Switch sales dropped in the December quarter, the new device could come as early as Spring or Summer, he added. Kantan Games' Toto said he expects the successor to be a "new device and not just an upgrade."

Persons: Philip Fong, Mario, Zelda, Serkan Toto, Piers Harding, Atul Goyal, Goyal, I'm, Nintendo's, Harding, Rolls, Toto, Moffett Nathanson, Will Organizations: Nintendo, AFP, Getty, CNBC, Kantan Games, Ampere, Jefferies, Mario Bros, Moffett Locations: Japan, Tokyo

☆ Room for improvement for Red Bull? Rivals hope not
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Red Bull will hope to defend their titles in 2024, when there will be a record 24 races, with an even better car. "This car is going to go down in the history books as a very, very special car," Horner said of the RB19. Sergio Perez was eclipsed by his team mate, with plenty of speculation about his Red Bull future earlier in the year, yet still finished overall runner-up. "There is a Mount Everest to climb in order to catch up with Red Bull," Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff told reporters on Sunday. Despite their dominance, Red Bull took 'only' 14 poles from 22 races.

Persons: Horner, Abu, Max Verstappen, Red Bull, It's, Mercedes, Sergio Perez, he'll, Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton, Bull, Stefano Domenicali, McLaren, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Verstappen, Domenicali, Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Bull, Prix, Red, Sky Sports, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Red

☆ Russell takes the blame for costly Verstappen collision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S - November 18, 2023 Mercedes' George Russell talks to the media after qualifying REUTERS/Finn Blake/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLAS VEGAS, Nov 19 (Reuters) - George Russell accepted the blame for a costly Las Vegas Grand Prix collision that left Mercedes in danger of losing second place overall to Ferrari in the Formula One constructors' championship. Russell was handed a five-second penalty for a lap 25 clash with Red Bull's triple world champion and eventual winner Max Verstappen that demoted the Briton from fourth at the finish to eighth. Ferrari ended up scoring 16 points more than Mercedes and closed the gap to four with just one race remaining in Abu Dhabi next weekend. "Just another massively missed opportunity this weekend," Russell told Sky Sports television. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said it was game over once Russell incurred the penalty but remained optimistic for the finale.

Persons: Mercedes, George Russell, Finn Blake, Russell, Max Verstappen, Ferrari, Max, you've, Toto Wolff, Fred Vasseur, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Red Bull, Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, REUTERS, LAS VEGAS, Vegas, Mercedes, Ferrari, Formula, Sky Sports, DRS, Red, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, London

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. - November 15, 2023 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc talks to the media ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix REUTERS/Finn Blake Acquire Licensing RightsLAS VEGAS, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The first practice session of the Las Vegas Grand Prix was cancelled on Thursday just eight minutes in to repair the track after a faulty water valve cover badly damaged Carlos Sainz's Ferrari. Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur said two-thirds of the car would need to be changed out and called the situation "unacceptable." "These cars are generating huge amounts of suction underneath now," said Williams Racing team principal James Vowles. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff lashed out at a reporter who asked how the cancelled practice was not a "black eye" for F1. The brief first test of the course along the transformed Strip marks F1's return to Las Vegas for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Persons: Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Finn Blake, Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, Frederic Vasseur, Carlos, Vasseur, Esteban Ocon's, Williams, James Vowles, McLaren, Zak Brown, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Wolff, Haas, Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, Max Verstappen, Logan Sargeant, Rory Carroll, Miral Organizations: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, Las Vegas Grand Prix REUTERS, LAS VEGAS, Prix, Ferrari, FIA, Williams Racing, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Baku, Montreal, Las Vegas, Los Angeles

☆ CNBC Special Podcast: Inside Track - The Business of Formula 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

High speed, high tech and filled with high-flyers – Formula 1 is the world's most elite motorsports league, and in recent years has experienced rapid growth in attendance, viewership and market value. CNBC Documentaries goes inside the business to find out what is fueling its popularity and who is profiting. Eisen travels to some of Formula 1′s most iconic races, explores the strategy behind its expansion in the U.S., and examines the role of brand-name sponsors, including the Haas team's title partner MoneyGram. She also looks at what's in store for the sport's future – including a new racing league for female drivers called F1 Academy, and the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix to be held in November 2023. It's F1′s most ambitious race yet, where the Las Vegas Strip will become an F1 track for the first time… and where some of the city's biggest hotel casinos are rolling out million-dollar packages for the most elite of fans.

Persons: Sara Eisen, Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Christian Horner of Red Bull, Guenther Steiner, Haas, Eisen, MoneyGram Organizations: CNBC, Liberty Media, F1 Academy, Las Vegas, Las Locations: U.S

☆ Toto Wolff On Leading The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailToto Wolff On Leading The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 TeamFor over a decade, Formula 1's Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team has set the engineering and the competitive standards for the sport. Team Principal and CEO, Toto Wolff, led the team to consecutive championship wins from 2014 to 2021. Wolff has navigated his team to wins through a massive league acquisition by Liberty Media, new teams joining the league, a growing fanbase, and a U.S. expansion with races in Miami and Las Vegas.

Persons: Toto Wolff, Wolff Organizations: PETRONAS, Team, Liberty Media, Las Locations: U.S, Miami, Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula One is hoping to turn its luck around on the Strip, like so many other Las Vegas visitors who blow a big bankroll soon after they arrive. F1 ran a 90-minute session until 4 a.m. — when the streets had to be returned to the city for morning commuter traffic. A penalty because he ran over a drainage cover on the Las Vegas Strip, something completely out of his control and extremely dangerous considering it penetrated his seat? Because governing body FIA has no mechanism not to penalize a team that makes extensive car changes during a race weekend, Sainz has, of course, been penalized. Las Vegas is the most expensive race to attend to on the 24-event schedule.

Persons: Carlos Sainz Jr, Ferrari — Sainz, Stefano Domenicali, Renee Wilm, “, ”, let’s, ” It's, Sainz, Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Williams, James Vowles, Fred Vasseur, I’m, ” Wolff, ___ Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Liberty Media, Las Vegas, Saturday, Las, FIA, F1, Locals, Liberty, Netflix Locations: Sin City, United States, Vegas, Europe, Las Vegas

[1/5] Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S - November 16, 2023 Stewards use a crane to remove the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz Jr. after the cancellation of the first practice session due to a drain cover that came off the asphalt and hit the car. The survival cell, engine, battery and control electronics were all damaged beyond repair during an incident that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur called "unacceptable." "I think it's tough for a team to arrive in Vegas and to have this kind of incident," he said as mechanics rebuilt Sainz's car. read moreAlpine driver Esteban Ocon's chassis also needed to be replaced due to damage but he too returned for second practice. The sessions along the transformed Strip marked F1's return to Las Vegas for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Persons: Carlos Sainz Jr, Sainz, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, Frederic Vasseur, Esteban Ocon's, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin, Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Valtteri, Alfa Romeo, Red, Max Verstappen, Verstappen, I've, Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, I'm, Vasseur, McLaren, Zak Brown, Toto Wolff, Wolff, Leclerc, Haas, Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen, Rory Carroll, Alan Baldwin, Miral Fahmy, Toby Davis Organizations: Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip, VEGAS, Ferrari, FIA, Aston, Alfa, Briton, Liberty, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Vegas, Qatar, Las Vegas, Monaco, Baku, Los Angeles, London

☆ Viva Las Vegas, Formula One betting big on Sin City race
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Wynn resort is offering the first-ever Las Vegas Grand Prix Million Dollar All-Access Experience that includes a $100,000 philanthropic gift. "However, the brand synergies with the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix are unmatched." Formula One has long been a magnet for the celebrity class and Las Vegas is sure to be an irresistible pull. Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the world but there will be little bet on F1. "I would say this is due to lack of parity," Derek Stevens, owner of Circa and several other Las Vegas casinos told Reuters.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Greg Maffei, Red Bull, Aston Martin, Hilton, Red, it’s, Rebecca McAdam Willetts, Mark Wang, David Beckham, Shaquille O’Neal, Mark Wahlberg, Gordon Ramsay, Toto Wolff, Derek Stevens, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Las Vegas, Liberty Media, Formula One, Vegas, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull, PokerStars, Public Relations, Reuters, Poker, New York Stock Exchange, American Express, Heineken, Hilton, MGM Resorts International, Fountain Club, Hilton Grand, Club SI, Drai's Beach Club, Thomson Locations: Vegas, United States, Sin City, VVIPs, Las Vegas, Monaco, Drai's, Toronto

☆ Mercedes's Toto Wolff previews Formula 1's big bet on Las Vegas with upcoming grand prix
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMercedes's Toto Wolff previews Formula 1's big bet on Las Vegas with upcoming grand prixToto Wolff, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Team Principal and CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss how important the Nevada Grand Prix is for the future of Formula 1, how Wolff quantifies the impact of the race on F1, and how problematic dominance is in the space.

Persons: Mercedes's Toto Wolff, Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Wolff Organizations: Las Vegas, Team Locations: Nevada

☆ Will F1 Entertain Expansion?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWill F1 Entertain Expansion? CNBC's Sara Eisen talks to Liberty Media President & CEO Greg Maffei, MoneyGram Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team Principal Toto Wolff about their thoughts on expansion in F1. "Inside Track: The Business of Formula 1," premieres Thursday at 8pm ET/PT on CNBC.

Persons: Sara Eisen, Greg Maffei, MoneyGram, Guenther Steiner, Toto Wolff Organizations: Liberty Media, Mercedes, CNBC

☆ A year on, Mercedes return to scene of last success
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Nov 1 (Reuters) - Once-dominant Mercedes return to Brazil this weekend for a last chance to avoid going a whole year without a Formula One victory. Hamilton has been second on track in the last two races, even if disqualified in Texas, with a car that looks increasingly competitive in race trim. The circuit hosted the first Brazilian Grand Prix 50 years ago and Mercedes have won there for the past two years and six times in the last eight. We need to have a great weekend in Brazil and I feel confident in our ability to get results right now." "It's a sprint race.

Persons: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Toto Wolff, Mercedes, Verstappen's, Alain Prost's, Sebastien Vettel's, Sergio Perez, Perez, Red Bull, Verstappen, McLaren, Ferrari, We've, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Alan Baldwin, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton, Interlagos, Prix, Thomson Locations: Brazil, Sao Paulo Grand, Interlagos, Texas, Mexico, Dutch, Mexican, Hamilton, London

☆ Technical head Elliott leaves Mercedes F1 team
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Former Formula One world champions Mercedes announced the surprise departure of chief technical officer (CTO) Mike Elliott on Tuesday only months after he took on the role in a job swap with James Allison. Elliott had been appointed technical director in July 2021, with Allison moving to the CTO role, but they switched positions last April after Mercedes made a slow start to the season following a difficult 2022. Red Bull have won the last three drivers' titles with Max Verstappen as well as the 2022 and 2023 constructors' championships. Mercedes said Elliott, who had been with the team for 11 years and through their record eight successive constructors' titles, had chosen to depart after developing a technical strategy for the future. "Mike is a fiercely intelligent technical brain and a great team-player; he has made a strong contribution not just to winning racing cars but also to building the culture of our team.

Persons: Mercedes, Mike Elliott, James Allison, Elliott, Allison, Red Bull, Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Bull's Sergio Perez, Mike, Toto Wolff, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis Organizations: Briton, Thomson

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Rose Zhang birdied the 18th hole Saturday for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Maybank Championship on the LPGA Tour. The American had an 18-under total of 198 on the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club course. “I just feel like being able to have this opportunity to come into the final round with a little bit of a lead is really great,” Zhang said. Kim Sei-young of South Korea was in fourth place after a 65, three strokes behind Zhang. Minjee Lee of Australia won last week’s stop in South Korea in a playoff and the final tournament is next week’s Toto Classic in Japan.

Persons: — Rose Zhang birdied, “, ” Zhang, Atthaya Thitikul, Jasmine Suwannapura, Kim Sei, Zhang, Minjee Lee, Toto Organizations: LPGA, Australia Locations: KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Thai, South Korea, Japan

☆ Hamilton and Leclerc disqualified from U.S. Grand Prix
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Oct 22, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport driver Lewis Hamilton (44) of Team Great Britain drives during the 2023 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports Acquire Licensing RightsAUSTIN, Texas, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Mercedes accepted their punishment after Formula One stewards disqualified Lewis Hamilton from second place in Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix along with sixth-placed Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Mercedes had brought an upgraded car to Texas and Hamilton, whose team mate George Russell moved up to fifth, had looked more competitive. "We can take a lot of positives from the car performance today," said Wolff. Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Schmollinger and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lewis Hamilton, Jerome Miron, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, COTA, Toto Wolff, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, George Russell, Wolff, Carlos Sainz, Alan Baldwin, Christian Schmollinger, Michael Perry Organizations: Mercedes, Petronas Motorsport, Great, Prix, Circuit, Ferrari, FIA, Austin's Circuit, Thomson Locations: Austin , Texas, USA, Americas, , Texas, Sunday's U.S, Texas, Hamilton, London

[1/3] Simon Rubinstein, 17, casts his first vote ever, in the presidential primary election, in Buenos Aires, Argentina August 13, 2023. Argentina is one of a handful of Latin American countries that allows 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote. Kremenchuzky, nicknamed "Toto," 17, is part of that teenage electorate. In an August open primary vote, Toto voted for conservative Patricia Bullrich - which he puts down to influence from his parents - but says he could shift his vote in October to Milei if the libertarian convinces him in election debates. However, Milei's conservative social views and promise of sharp cuts to government spending are off-putting to some young voters.

Persons: Simon Rubinstein, Magali, Tomas Kremenchuzky, Kremenchuzky, Toto, Javier Milei, thieving, He's, Patricia Bullrich, Milei, Rocio Pozzetti, Sergio Massa, Massa, Pozzetti, Noelle Chab, Rubinstein, Magali Druscovich, Lucila Sigal, Adam Jourdan, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Peronist, Milei, Bullrich, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Argentine, Milei

☆ Hamilton out as Mercedes team mates collide in Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Alan Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - October 8, 2023 Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in action as he crashes out of the race REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed Acquire Licensing RightsDOHA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton accused Mercedes team mate George Russell of taking him out of the Qatar Grand Prix after the two collided at the first corner of the opening lap on Sunday. Russell continued after a pitstop but Hamilton's car ended up in the gravel minus a rear wheel. "I got taken out by my own team mate," said the seven times Formula One world champion over the radio. What the ...," exclaimed Russell as he made his way back to the pits with the safety car deployed. Team boss Toto Wolff, who is not in Qatar due to recent knee surgery, then came on the radio to tell Russell to focus on the race.

Persons: Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, Hamad, Mohammed, George Russell, Russell, Hamilton, I've, Toto Wolff, Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Qatar, Rights, Prix, Hamilton, Ferrari, Thomson Locations: Lusail, Qatar, Russell

☆ Top Sicilian mafia boss buried but the criminal enterprise lives on
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Rome CNN —Sicilian mob boss Matteo Messina Denaro, widely thought to be the last godfather of his kind, was buried Wednesday in a private funeral in Castelvetrano, Sicily. A police handout photo shows Matteo Messina Denaro after he was arrested in Palermo, Italy, on January 16, 2023. “With the death of Matteo Messina Denaro, a life full of violence, plots and mysteries ends,” Grasso told CNN. Messina Denaro, even with his rap sheet of murders, was highly critical of the Catholic church over the clerical sex abuse scandal. Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested at a private health clinic in Palermo after 30 years on the run.

Persons: Rome, Matteo Messina Denaro, Nicola Consales, Messina Denaro, Antonella Bonomo, Giuseppe Di Matteo, Paolo Borsellino, Giovanni Falcone, Messina Denaro –, –, Giovanni Motisi, “, ” Toto Riina –, He’s, Stefano Fidanzati, Pietro Grasso, Giuseppe Auteri, ” Grasso, Salvatore “ Toto ” Riina, Messina, Italy’s, ”, Don Ciccio Messina Organizations: Rome CNN, Reuters, CNN, Cosa Nostra, Catholic, Police Locations: Castelvetrano, Sicily, Palermo, Italy, Cosa, Messina, Campobello, Abruzzo, Calabria

Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022 - E-Sports - China Hangzhou Esports Centre, Hangzhou, China - September 26, 2023 Players from Team China talk during the Arena of Valor Asian Games Version Final REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHANGZHOU, China Sept 26 (Reuters) - China won the first gold esports medal in Asian Games history in the Eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Tuesday by beating Malaysia in the smartphone multiplayer battle game “Arena of Valor”, to delight fans in the world’s biggest esports market. the Chinese players shouted in a huddle on the stage just before the match began, triggering another loud cheer from spectators, before taking their seats for the "Arena of Valor" final. Thailand earlier claimed the Games' first esports medal by beating Vietnam for the bronze. The market generated $445 million in 2022 or 64.8% of the Asian esports market and China boasts 400 million esports fans, also the highest number globally, according to data from leading Asian video game market analysts Niko Partners. "Esports players are not just sitting on the chair.

Persons: Ann Wang, Tapping, Jiang Tao, Xu Bicheng, esports, Yvonne Yu, “, Xi Jinping, Serkan Toto, Niko Partners, Wong Kang Woon, Malaysia's, Martin Quin Pollard, Xihao Jiang, Ian Ransom, Ken Ferris Organizations: China Hangzhou Esports, Team China, of Valor, Rights, Malaysia, “, Valor, Asian Games, HK, Games, China Media Group, Research, Kantan Games, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, China Hangzhou, China Hangzhou Esports Centre, China, Rights HANGZHOU, Thailand, Vietnam

☆ Capcom shares lunge 6% on 'Monster Hunter' mobile launch
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Japanese video game company Capcom (9697.T) enjoyed a 6% jump in its stock price on Monday as gamers flocked to the mobile instalment of its long-running "Monster Hunter" franchise, developed with "Pokemon Go" maker Niantic. "Monster Hunter Now", which combines monster fighting action with the location-based gameplay of "Pokemon Go", has been downloaded 5 million times since its Sept. 14 launch, Niantic said last week. The strong start is a boost for Capcom, whose shares have gained a third this year supported by the strength of franchises such as "Resident Evil". In Japan, where the "Monster Hunter" franchise has a loyal following, the new game is the top grossing app on Apple's iOS, showed data from Sensor Tower, ahead of local favourites such as horse racing idol game "Uma Musume Pretty Darby" and manga app Piccoma. "Monster Hunter Now" has received praise for translating the storied series for a mobile audience.

Persons: Hunter, Niantic, Darby, Serkan Toto, Sam Nussey, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Capcom, Kantan Games, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

☆ A New Dispute Arises Over a 15-Year-Old Formula 1 Title
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Victor Mather | More About Victor Mather | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Felipe Massa, the Brazilian racing driver, believes he lost the Formula 1 championship unfairly, and now he plans to ask a British court to have the result overturned. The twist is that the title he is seeking is from 2008. Massa lost the championship that year by a single point, but a scandal about a possibly deliberate crash in one race and revelations that have come in the ensuing years have prompted him to seek a reversal. “I am the champion, and I feel that.”But many in the sport are uncomfortable re-examining such an old case. “If everybody were to open up situations, then the sport would be in disarray,” Toto Wolff, the current head of the Mercedes team, told reporters over the weekend.

Persons: Felipe Massa, Massa, “, ”, ” Toto Wolff Organizations: Associated Press, Mercedes Locations: Brazilian, “

☆ Wolff says F1 risks disarray if Massa succeeds in title bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 19 (Reuters) - Formula One risks disarray in the unlikely event of Felipe Massa winning a threatened legal claim for the 2008 world championship, according to Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. The Brazilian lost that title by a point to Britain's Lewis Hamilton, then at McLaren and now at Mercedes and a seven-time world champion. "I don't think he has a case, to be honest," Wolff told reporters at the latest edition of the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. "For me this is like watching a telenovela or soap opera playing out in front of me," added the Austrian. Wolff had said earlier that Massa's case was sure to set a precedent and Mercedes were watching "with curiosity".

Persons: Felipe Massa, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, Britain's Lewis Hamilton, Wolff, Massa, Wolff's, I'm, Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Michael Masi, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Ferrari, Massa, McLaren, Mercedes, Singapore, Prix, Austrian, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Abu Dhabi, London

☆ Mercedes watching Massa case with interest, says Wolff
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former Ferrari driver Massa lost that title by a point to Lewis Hamilton, now at Mercedes and a seven-time world champion. The Brazilian, 42, says an alleged "conspiracy" denied him the title because the sport's leaders knew the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was manipulated but took no action until a year later. Wolff suggested that outcome could also be challenged if Massa were to succeed with his case. "The FIA commented on the 2021 race with a clear statement so that's why we are looking at it with interest," he said. The governing FIA said in March 2022 after an enquiry that "the results of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the FIA Formula One World Championship are valid, final and cannot now be changed."

Persons: Felipe Massa, Edgar Su, Felipe Massa's, Toto Wolff, Massa, Lewis Hamilton, Nelson Piquet, Fernando Alonso, Wolff, Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Michael Masi . Wolff, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Singapore, Circuit, Rights, Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, FIA, Abu, Prix, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Rights SINGAPORE, Abu Dhabi, London

☆ FIA issues written warning to Red Bull's Marko for Perez comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Marko, 80, apologised last week after referring to Perez as a "South American" who was less focused than dominant Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen or the team's now-retired champion Sebastian Vettel. "We can confirm that Helmut Marko has received a written warning and been reminded of his responsibilities as a public figure in motor sport in line with the FIA Code of Ethics," said an FIA spokesman at the Singapore Grand Prix. Perez said on Thursday he had accepted a personal apology from Marko, whose comments continued to provoke a strong reaction in the paddock. It was not the first time Marko had referred to Perez as a South American, although the Mexican comes from Guadalajara which is geographically in North America. "I'm Italian so I know that sometimes we have been facing the same comments," said Alfa Romeo's Alessandro Alunni Bravi.

Persons: Gilles Villeneuve, Sergio Perez, Helmut Marko, Evan Buhler, Marko, Perez, Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel, Mercedes, Toto Wolff, hasn't, Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Zak Brown, Verstappen, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Alan Baldwin, Ken Ferris Organizations: Prix, Grand Prix REUTERS, Rights, Red Bull, FIA, Singapore, Formula One, Mexican, One, Thomson Locations: Montreal, Canada, Rights SINGAPORE, Austrian, Mexican, Guadalajara, North America, Mexico, South America, London

☆ Verstappen hits back at Wolff over 'Wikipedia' comment
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wolff made his comments after this month's Italian Grand Prix, where Mercedes were beaten by both Ferraris as well as the two Red Bulls. Asked at the Singapore Grand Prix for his reaction, Verstappen said he was not disappointed. Verstappen, who is 145 points clear of team mate Sergio Perez in the championship and set for a third title well before the end of the season, suggested Wolff should focus on his own team. "We knew that we just had to work harder, try to be better and try to get to that level. Hamilton is currently fourth in the standings, 200 points behind Verstappen.

Persons: Max Verstappen, Jennifer Lorenzini, Toto Wolff, Wolff, Mercedes, Verstappen, Sergio Perez, Lewis Hamilton, Hamilton, George Russell, Bull, Alan Baldwin, Toby Davis Organizations: Prix, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Prix REUTERS, Rights, Mercedes Formula, Ferraris, Red Bulls, Singapore, Thomson Locations: Monza, Italy, Rights SINGAPORE, Austrian, London

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