Breaking
Tag

F1

Browsing
FORMULA 1

Lewis Hamilton set to move to Ferrari in bombshell switch, less than a year after he denied £40m talks

By

Lewis Hamilton has shocked the sporting world by lining up a surprise switch from Mercedes to rivals Ferrari.

Mail Sport understands the seven-time world champion has secured a seat to drive for the Italian firm who have been reportedly offering him a £40million incentive to sign up for the 2025 season.

Hamilton's dream of racing for the Italian manufacturer appears on the brink of reality
Hamilton’s dream of racing for the Italian manufacturer appears on the brink of reality

Today’s development confirms Mail Sport’s world exclusive of last May that Ferrari were in talks with Hamilton – even though this was strenuously denied at the time.

Sir Lewis is currently on £50million-a-year at Mercedes, where he has won six of his seven world championships – and previously expressed his desire to remain with them for the rest of his time in the sport.

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

Lewis Hamilton is set to sign for Ferrari next year in a bombshell move from Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton is set to sign for Ferrari next year in a bombshell move from Mercedes

A source in Italy said today of those conversations in late spring: ‘They were pushing like mad.

That story of a potential move was denied by all parties last year, including Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

But now the Italian press has stated Hamilton, 39, is wanted to replace Spaniard Carlos Sainz, whose contract negotiations ground to a standstill in December.

Hamilton is contracted to Mercedes until the end of 2025, a bind that requires some unpicking but not one that is not insuperable because of an ‘escape clause’.

Ferrari have tried persistently to get Hamilton to join them, including an offer last year

Driving for Ferrari has been an obsession nagging in Hamilton’s head all his career.

There have been flirtations between the two parties for a while, and he has driven red road cars off the forecourt of their Beverly Hills dealership, as well as visited the factory in Maranello.

Mail Sport understands that John Elkann, the company president, has led the initiative to bring in Hamilton for what, if the move materializes, would likely be the last chapter of a glittering career.

Elkann is attracted by Hamilton’s superstar status as the only Formula One driver with truly transcendent fame across the world.

Nothing would cap his successes than winning an eighth title at Ferrari – a milestone that eluded even the great Michael Schumacher, the team’s most decorated champion.

Hamilton shares a joke with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in Azerbaijan last year
Hamilton shares a joke with Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur in Azerbaijan last year

Hamilton won six of his world titles with Mercedes in the space of seven years between 2014 and 20.

However, the team have since fallen off the pace and Hamilton has not won a race since narrowly missing out on a record eighth world championship in 2021.

Hamilton began his Formula One career with McLaren and won his first world title with them in 2008 before switching to Mercedes in 2013.

In terms of race wins, he is the most successful driver in the sport’s history with 103 – 12 ahead of Schumacher, with whom he shares the record for the most world titles.

Fred Vasseur, pictured here with Lewis Hamilton at Monte Carlo in Monaco in May 2006, last year denied a potential Ferrari move for the British driver
Fred Vasseur, pictured here with Lewis Hamilton at Monte Carlo in Monaco in May 2006, last year denied a potential Ferrari move for the British driver

Sky Sports’ F1 lead commentator David Croft tweeted in response to today’s reports: ‘Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari! Always thought it would happen one day, finally it will and it seems as early as 2025.

‘Seismic move just as it was when Lewis joined Mercedes and like then I don’t see the negatives.

‘But wow, undoubtedly the biggest transfer on transfer deadline day!’

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris get 2024 F1 title boost as Red Bull dominance “will end”

By

Red Bull and Max Verstappen have F1 in a chokehold, but Guenther Steiner is one of those who believes the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris will be able to compete in 2024

Guenther Steiner is certain Red Bull’s rivals will be in with a shout of toppling Max Verstappen this year.

No-one could touch the Dutchman last year when he was armed with the all-conquering RB19. And there are fears that the situation will not change until the next major change to car regulations in 2026

Max Verstappen and Red Bull enjoyed record-breaking dominance in 2023
Max Verstappen and Red Bull enjoyed record-breaking dominance in 2023

But Steiner seems confident that the balance of power could shift before then. The former Haas boss pointed at the progress other teams made throughout the 2023 season as reasons to be hopeful that the competition will be much closer this year.

Asked for his opinion on the situation at the front of the grid, Steiner said: “That will end. This is a period in my opinion… I think the teams next year, some of them will catch up. Look at what McLaren did last year, they caught up pretty quick.

“Any race it can come that somebody catches up because the regulations stayed stable. There is a limit [on] what you can develop and it’s just [that] everybody is going to [reach] that point.

Lando Norris talks 'growing' friendship with 'inspirational' Lewis Hamilton ahead of driving his title-winning livery | talkSPORT

“Then, for sure, in 2026 I think the cars are even newer, with the new regulations, engine regulations, [so] there will be a complete change in everything in 2026 in my opinion. I think the sport will stay interesting.”

The point Steiner made about teams getting closer to the performance ceiling of the current regulations echoes what Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said at the end of last season. He too admitted that the gap between his team and their rivals is likely to close, because the champions have far less room to improve.

Horner said: “I’m fully expecting – with stable regs and diminishing returns for us because I think we got to the top of the curve quicker than others – the field is going to converge.

Questions Arise Over Lawsuit Against Lewis Hamilton - "We're Starting To Look Back" - F1 Briefings: Formula 1 News, Rumors, Standings and More

“There’s always a reset as you go into the following year, and I’m convinced that you’ll see a lot more cars that perhaps look like an RB19 philosophy. If you stand still in this business, you tend to be going backwards. And I think that we have got up that curve quicker than others. But we’re into a law of diminishing returns.”

Even Verstappen is aware that he is unlikely to have it as easy as he did last year again. He said: “The others will improve their cars and get closer to us. I don’t think it’s that realistic to achieve that win rate again. But that’s fine. To already have a season like we’ve had is insane… The others are not stupid. They are all learning.”

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Lewis Hamilton brings back right-hand man who helped him to win last F1 title

By

Exclusive: Marc Hynes, who worked with Hamilton from 2016-2021, will focus on the racing aspect of the seven-time champion’s career
Lewis Hamilton’s preparations for the new season have been boosted by the return to his inner circle of friend and former right-hand man Marc Hynes.

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 with Marc Hynes (GBR). Brazilian Grand Prix, Thursday 10th November 2016. Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Marc Hynes (right) will resume his role in part of Lewis Hamilton’s management team

Hynes is a former British Formula Three champion who has known the Mercedes driver since they were junior racers, and who used to run Hamilton’s Project Forty Four management company. The pair enjoyed a fruitful five years together from 2016 until 2021. Hamilton won four of his seven world titles with the former racer by his side until Hynes left suddenly on the eve of the 2021 season to focus on his own business.

The split was amicable, but Hamilton would certainly have missed the presence of his trusted advisor and confidant over last three seasons, all three of which have been won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Lewis Hamilton posa sexy para nova campanha de moda | Celebridades | Vogue

Hamilton chose to shuffle his management setup following Hynes’ departure, bringing in Canadian media talent manager Penni Thow, whose company Copper worked with him on various projects including the launch of merchandise brand Plus 44, non-alcoholic tequila Almave, two projects with Apple TV+, as well as the widely-publicised F1 film starring Brad Pitt which is currently in production.

The contract with Copper expired at the end of last year, although the 39-year-old will continue to work with New York-based Thow on some of these areas.

Hynes, who had been chief executive of Project Forty Four, the company Hamilton set up in 2014 after dispensing with Simon Fuller, will this time around be “solely focused on racing activities”, accompanying Hamilton to races and supporting him trackside.

Race winner Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP celebrates winning a 7th F1 World Drivers Championship with Marc Hynes in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park on November 15, 2020 in Istanbul
Marc Hynes (right) won the British 1999 F3 championship, beating Jenson Button in the process, but never made it to F1

A spokesperson for Hamilton told Telegraph Sport: “The management agreement between Penni Thow and her company Copper with Lewis Hamilton came to its natural end in December 2023, after the expiry of a fixed term.

“Over the course of the partnership, Penni and her team have supported Lewis’s entrepreneurial vision and together they have launched several exciting ventures. While the management agreement has ended, Copper will remain working with Lewis on some of these joint projects to ensure their continued development and success.

“Over the coming months Lewis will expanding his company Project Forty Four, which was set up in 2014, and will be making exciting appointments and announcements as he continues to grow his entrepreneurial business and investment interests.

I don't care about the haters, says Hamilton - AS USA

“Lewis is looking forward to the beginning of the new Formula One season and he will be working with Marc Hynes, his long term friend and former colleague who will be providing his expertise to assist Lewis on the track. Marc will be solely focused on racing activities and supporting Lewis’s commitment to bringing the fight back to the top spot.”

Mercedes unveil their 2024 challenger, the W15, on February 14 via a digital launch event broadcast live from Silverstone.

The car promises to be a radical departure from the W14, with Mercedes finally accepting last season that they got the philosophy of their design completely wrong when new regulations came in in 2022.

Lewis Hamilton actually looks VERY brooding and sexy at Belgian Grand Prix - Irish Mirror Online

Team principal Toto Wolff told Telegraph Sport in a recent interview that simulator driver Ant Davidson had reported favourably on the feel of the new machine. “He was driving Melbourne [in the sim],” Wolff said. “And he said: ‘The car feels like a car for the first time in two years…”

Hamilton will find out for himself soon enough as he will be back in the factory this week ahead of the launch. Pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain from February 21-23 before the first race, also in Bahrain, on March 2.

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Former Mercedes ace deals brutal Lewis Hamilton blow in Max Verstappen ‘sbox statement

By

Max Verstappen has dominated F1 over the past two seasons while Mercedes have been forced to settle for scraps.

Former Mercedes CEO Nick Fry believes that Max Verstappen could beat the rest of the field – including seven-time world champion and former title rival Lewis Hamilton – in equal machinery and that he would still win, even if he was driving a ‘s**tbox’.

F1 Grand Prix of Italy - Previews
Max Verstappen has been the man to beat in F1 over the past two seasons

Verstappen and Hamilton shared one of F1’s greatest title battles in 2021 with the World Championship going down to the final lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi. However, rather than enjoying another close fight the following year, Red Bull enjoyed a major performance gain on Mercedes, leaving the two rivals some distance apart.

Instead, Verstappen was left fighting Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc before Red Bull’s impressive development trajectory left the Scuderia in the dust and he claimed a second successive title. The 26-year-old then proceeded to take things up another notch in 2023, winning 19 out of a possible 22 Grands Prix as he broke record after record.

Speaking to OLBG, Fry said: “Johnny Herbert’s idea of having a one-off race where everybody drives the same car would be a good one if it was practical! Those kinds of ideas have been toyed with in the past, but the issues lie in the sponsorships, which are so closely tied to drivers and cars. That’s where it gets difficult.

F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi - Practice
Lewis Hamilton still holds hopes that he can win an eighth World Championship

“Unfortunately, I would have to say that Verstappen is showing that he is the best driver at the moment, and I don’t think it would matter much. It could even play into his hands because he’s shown he’s good enough to be very adaptable and would probably drive any of the cars better than his competitors.

“I heard someone say once ‘If you can drive, you can drive anything’. I don’t think it would matter if you put Max in a s***box or a Red Bull car, he’d probably still beat the rest of them. He’s very adaptable. I don’t think it would change much, sadly.”

Lewis Hamilton's simple criteria for continuing Formula 1 career revealed : PlanetF1

This prediction will be treated as nothing less than an insult by Hamilton, who still believes he has what it takes to fight the three-time world champion for F1’s greatest honor, provided Mercedes can produce the required machinery to compete with Red Bull.

The Silver Arrows are undergoing a major shift in design philosophy this winter as they look to claw back ground in the development race, but it is a tall order to produce a car worthy of beating a Red Bull team that finished with over double Mercedes’ 409-point tally in 2023.

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

F1 legend Hamilton shares evening with Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-girlfriend

By

Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has been spotted with Irina Shayk, the former partner of footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

Hamilton has been enjoying his winter break in style, taking trips to Paris and Brazil, taking part in some high-octane activities such as skydiving, and partying with some high-profile figures throughout the fashion world.

F1 legend Hamilton shares evening with Cristiano Ronaldo's ex-girlfriend

The Express are reporting that, while in Paris recently, Hamilton was joined by Russian model Shayk, a woman who spent six years romantically involved with Portuguese football star Ronaldo.

Hamilton’s love life has been a much-talked about feature of his career in F1, with last season seeing all kinds of rumors being thrown about surrounding he and popstar Shakira, after the Columbian was seen at a number of races with the Mercedes team.

Lewis Hamilton is a seven-time Formula 1 world champion

Hamilton’s 2024 optimism
Hamilton is currently enjoying his winter break ahead of reconvening with his Mercedes team before the start of the 2024 F1 season, where the seven-time world champion will be hoping to become a race-winner once more.

Rumors swirled about the potential romantic involvement between Lewis Hamilton and Shakira in 2023

The Brit has not managed to claim a victory since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, an astonishing statistic considering Hamilton leads the way for the number of race wins in F1 history.

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Lewis Hamilton’s Ex-Ally Angela Cullen Joins Red Bull in Hyping American Skiing Champ Lindsey Vonn’s “Legendary” Feat

By

Sometimes some achievements are so awe-inspiring they need to be appreciated no matter which side you are on. Lindsey Vonn did something similar to unite the skiing world and make everyone who enjoys the sport/activity look in amazement. She posted her achievement on Instagram and many, including Lewis Hamilton‘s ex-physio, Angela Cullen, appreciated it. The feat is so inspiring that Cullen couldn’t help but share it on her Instagram story, but there is a catch.

The feat the former World Cup alpine ski racer achieved was on the Streif. Streif is a World Cup downhill ski course in Austria, located on Hahnenkamm mountain, and has been hosting races since 1937. Now four years after her retirement, Vonn got the opportunity to ski on this legendary downhill track. The catch? Well, there are two!

The first – Vonn’s stunt is awe-inspiring because not only did she tackle this track four years after her retirement, but she did it at night. If there’s anything more dangerous than skiing, it’s skiing at night. The second catch that makes it noteworthy for the F1 world is Red Bull’s involvement in Vonn’s unthinkable attempt. Vonn’s nighttime skiing was made possible by Hamilton and Mercedes‘s biggest rivals, Red Bull. One of the most diverse marketing teams in the world made Vonn’s dream come true, and she shared her appreciation in the caption.

She wrote, “Never had I been so excited and anxious to ski a downhill in my life… but I guess that’s also to be expected considering I hadn’t skied downhill since the day I retired 4 years earlier! Thank you @redbull for making my dreams come true and congratulations to all the incredible athletes who raced down it this weekend! You are all victorious in my mind!”

So Cullen liking an Instagram post of a Red Bull task might ring alarm bells somewhere in the world. However, no matter what they do and who they root for, Cullen and Hamilton will always remain incredibly close. We know that because of the time they’ve spent with each other over the years. In fact, there was a time when Cullen and Hamilton were practically living with each other.

Lewis Hamilton reveals the strong bond he shares with Angela Cullen
The two were inseparable when Cullen was Hamilton’s physiotherapist. The New Zealand native took keeping Hamilton in top shape as a challenge and in turn her entire life, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. To oversee and micromanage everything the Brit does and eat in his daily routine, the two started practically living with each other.

Hamilton revealed this to the media, discussing his relationship with Cullen, and also gave her the biggest compliment one human being can give to another, highlighting her importance all the more.

He said, “Angela [Cullen] and I are naturally incredibly close. We pretty much live together. People for sure won’t understand it, naturally, because they see it from a distance, but she has been one of the greatest things that’s happened to me in my life.”

The two started being like each other and even thinking like each other after spending extended time together. No wonder the Brit regards her as highly as he does.

So even if Cullen showcased her support for Vonn in an event backed by Hamilton’s biggest rivals, it’s not a reflection of their relationship. She’s just showcasing her support for an incredible athlete achieving a tremendous feat.

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Sir Lewis Hamilton and Irina Shayk dating? F1 star and model’s ‘magical’ night out

By

Rumors continue to swirl about Sir Lewis Hamilton’s dating life

Under the lights of the city of love, it seems that a new couple is being forged in the celebrity world.

If Friday, 19 January 2024, it was Aitana and Enzo Vogrincic who travelled together to Paris to attend Fashion Week, then on Saturday it was Lewis Hamilton and Irina Shayk who enjoyed an evening together. And it wasn’t just fashion that was the focus of the evening, as the pair shared a table at a luxurious restaurant in the city.

Video thumbnail

At the end the couple left the restaurant together and got into a car to an unknown destination. The Russian model is single after ending her relationship with NFL star Tom Brady. Long gone are her courtships with Bradley Cooper and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lewis Hamilton was linked to Shakira a few months ago, but the Briton has never had an official partner since he rose to fame in 2008.

It seems that while Mercedes is fine-tuning the new single-seater for next season, the former world champion is enjoying another of his passions – fashion – with one of the world’s top models.

Irina Shay and Hamilton in Paris
Irina Shay and Hamilton in Paris

Neither of them tried to hide from the cameras as they left the restaurant, so rumors have been flying about a possible relationship between the two.

This is not the first time that these two stars have shared the stage. They have already been spotted at other fashion shows and also at a party hosted by Conor McGregorin the past.

We will have to keep an eye out next season, in case the Russian model appears next to Toto Wolff in the Mercedes garage.

This is what Hamilton had to say about a possible romantic relationship
Hamilton is of the belief that F1 drivers don’t have much time to start a family in between all the travelling around the world.

“I’m a workaholic. I don’t have time for that. When you travel as much as I do, it’s hard to maintain a relationship. I want to have children, but I want to be there for them, to be a good father. Now I’d be open if I crossed paths with someone special,” he told the Times.

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

How Michael Schumacher Pushed Max Verstappen To Dominate Over His Teammates

By

Max Verstappen - Christian Horner - Adrian Newey - Red Bull

 

It is suggested that Michael Schumacher’s team favoritism had an indirect influence on Max Verstappen from the start of his Formula 1 journey. Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, observed the preferential treatment given to the top driver, which he did not experience himself. Subsequently, he imparted this lesson to his son, instilling the mindset of aspiring to be the best in the team to be given the number one priority.

Jos believed that Schumacher received preferential treatment due to being a superior driver in 1994 when they raced together at Benetton. The unequal treatment may have left a lasting impact on Jos, a sentiment echoed by former F1 team manager Graham Watson, who recognized Jos as a “gifted driver.”

Michael Schumacher - Ferrari

Speaking to Dutch magazine Formule1.nl, Watson revealed:

“I think that Jos [Verstappen] felt that Michael Schumacher had better material and was favored.

“I had the impression that Jos had difficulties accepting that, because he also was a very gifted driver.”

Watson believes that Jos did not receive fair treatment at Benetton. This has contributed to Max’s profound understanding of this aspect of the sport- to win over his teammate first.

Therefore, if you take notice, Max has consistently demonstrated high competitiveness against his Formula 1 teammates. A recent example is Sergio Perez, whom he has defeated on most occasions over the past three years.

Max Verstappen - Christian Horner - Adrian Newey - Red Bull

“First Beat Your Teammate”
In 2015, when Max embarked on his Formula 1 journey with Toro Rosso, Watson held the position of team manager. It was during this period that he observed the young driver embodying the lessons inherited from his father, prioritizing becoming the team’s focal point. He added

“Flavio had a strong bond with Michael, both sporting-wise and personal.

“That’s why I think Jos imprinted on Max very early on, that the first thing that you have to do is destroy his teammates. And we have seen that in recent years.

“It has to be your team, you have to be the man around whom it revolves. I’m convinced that you now also see this with Max: first beat your team mate, then win the title.

“To this day, I don’t think that Jos got a fair treatment at Benetton. And that has partly ensured that Max understands that aspect of the sport very well: he does not need better equipment, he wants the same equipment, talent will do the rest.”

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Wolff sides with Verstappen over F1 ‘show’

By

Toto Wolff says he agrees with Formula 1 rival Max Verstappen that the sport is pushing the limits in terms of the sport’s ‘show’ factors.
Verstappen, who is dominating the sport with Red Bull, has voiced his opposition to show-business elements like sprint races and Las Vegas-style off-track events.

Wolff sides with Verstappen over F1 'show'

“The way I see it, Max is a purist and thinks about Formula 1 in much the same way as I do,” Wolff, who heads and co-owns key Red Bull rival Mercedes, told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.

“We think Friday and Saturday are about preparation and qualifying, and then on Sunday you have the main course, where you look forward to the start.”

However, Wolff says he is also realistic about the things F1 commercial rights holder Liberty Media has been doing to ramp up the sport’s ‘show’ appeal.

Max Verstappen Profile - Bio, News, High-Res Photos & High Quality Videos

“You have to be open to changes,” Wolff said.

“We all love traditions, even Stefano Domenicali does. But we also need to reach new audiences and make the sport more modern for young people.”

Much more important to Wolff, who has signed on to remain Mercedes’ team principal at least until 2026, is that the Brackley based team returns to the very front in F1.

“We really have to climb Mount Everest,” said the Austrian, “because Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren are very strong. And 2026 is already around the corner.

Photographer Says His Images Helped F1 Champion Max Verstappen Drive Faster | PetaPixel

“The most encouraging part is being part of that transition and using that to try and win again,” Wolff added, referring to the sweeping car and engine changes looming for 2026.

“Putting all of our energy on 2026 is dangerous, though,” he admits. “In the past some teams have done this to catch up and failed.

“You should always take on as many challenges as possible, because you learn from them. Red Bull is at the forefront in terms of package, including the driver, but it will be fun to try to beat them as early as 2024 or the season after that,” said Wolff.

Mercedes’ ace card, he added, is the full return of James Allison to the technical director role – having let Mike Elliot go last year.

Max Verstappen: F1 – Red Bull Athlete Profile

“James is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met,” Wolff said. “It helped him to take a step back for a year, distance himself and return after Mike’s period.

“I couldn’t have hoped for anyone else to technically guide this team.”

Keep Reading
By
FORMULA 1

Lewis Hamilton blow as RB20 driver makes formidable F1 2024 prediction

By

Lewis Hamilton has been told to forget about challenging for the F1 2024 title, with Red Bull simulator Jake Dennis warning it could be another “dull season” dominated by Max Verstappen.

Red Bull enjoyed the most dominant season in F1 history in 2023 as Verstappen eased to a third consecutive World Championship with a record 19 victories from 22 races.

Verstappen has won 44 of the last 66 races stretching back to the start of his maiden title-winning campaign in 2021, with Hamilton without a victory since the penultimate round of that season in Saudi Arabia.

Lewis Hamilton told to forget about challenging Red Bull
Despite suffering their first winless season since 2011 last year. Mercedes remain hopeful of returning to title-winning contention in 2024 with technical director James Allison revealing the team intend to be “in with a shout” of winning both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.

Allison also claimed that Mercedes have established a “pretty ambitious” program for the new W15 chassis, which is expected to be a significant departure from the team’s last two cars under F1’s ground effect rules.

Yet Dennis, who drove the RB20 car in opening practice at the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi, is expecting Red Bull and Verstappen to dominate again in 2024 – having fully switched development to the new RB21 after last September’s Singapore Grand Prix.

He told the Mirror: “We’ve got an extremely fast race car again at the Red Bull team.

“I would expect us to become Champions again, unless someone like Ferrari or Mercedes somehow manages to find about a second [per lap] overnight. I think it’s going to be quite a dull season in Formula 1 with Max probably dominating.

“I’d be lying if I said we didn’t switch our attention to the 2024 car quite quickly. We didn’t do any development on the 2023 car after Singapore.”

Dennis combines his Red Bull duties with his racing activities in Formula E, with the 28-year-old crowned World Champion with F1 hopefuls Andretti last season.

The Nuneaton-born star is hopeful that Verstappen’s dominance in F1 will persuade more fans to turn to Formula E in the search for more action-packed racing.

He said: “It’s so dominant from Max right now, it really brings new viewers to Formula E. It brings our Championship alive because we just don’t have that – we have a championship which is extremely difficult and close.

“We have 20 cars within two or three seconds on certain tracks, so it’s a lot more exciting and a lot more enjoyable for the fans, I would say.

“We just need to branch out there to a bigger audience for Formula E and get plenty of exposure, which is what is needed for the championship to take it to the next level.”

Keep Reading
By