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F1 news LIVE: Christian Horner explains why Red Bull won’t sign Lewis Hamilton

Christian Horner insists Red Bull won’t be moving to sign Lewis Hamilton for next year, adding that he “can’t see where we would be able to accommodate Lewis.”

Red Bull are the standout team in Formula 1 right now, having won both the Drivers and Constructors’ World Championship last year at a canter. They have produced an even quicker car this season, earning one-two finishes in the first two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, leaving their rivals for dead in qualifying and race-pace.

Yet Hamilton, whose deal at Mercedes expires at the end of the season, has not win in his last 25 races and while a fresh contract isn’t penned, rumours continue to swirl about his future in the sport. Former team principal Eddie Jordan believes Hamilton needs to move to Ferrari, but Red Bull boss Horner ruled out signing the seven-time world champion and is satisfied with his current driver pairing of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

Elsewhere, Eddie Jordan insists Hamilton needs to move to Ferrari, Nico Rosberg insists Max Verstappen should be “more gracious” after the Red Bull driver showed his irritation post-race and Fernando Alonso poked fun at George Russell after podium swap.

Follow all the latest news from the world of Formula 1

F1 NEWS AND UPDATES

F1 news: Lewis Hamilton urged to make Ferrari switch in historic ‘swap deal’

12:29 , Kieran Jackson

Eddie Jordan has said that “Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari” as speculation continues about the driver’s future at Mercedes team.

The seven-time world champion has endured another slow start to the season, with the team once again off the pace and struggling to match Red Bull. Hamilton is reportedly yet to commit his future to Mercedes, who he has driven for since 2013, beyond the close of the 2023 season.

The British driver has, however, indicated his desire to continue chasing the eighth Drivers’ Championship that would take him beyond Michael Schumacher as the outright most successful racer in F1 history.

For that reason, former team owner Jordan believes Hamilton could be tempted to Ferrari, who could see a proven winner as an upgrade over current drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

“Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari and Ferrari needs Lewis Hamilton,” Jordan told OLBG. “Hamilton should look to go to another Championship-winning team, but the drama is who is going to move aside?”

Lewis Hamilton urged to make Ferrari switch in historic ‘swap deal’

F1 news: Nico Rosberg slams Max Verstappen’s reaction to finishing second in Saudi Arabia

11:58 , Kieran Jackson

Nico Rosberg insists Max Verstappen should be “more gracious” after the Red Bull driver failed to hide his irritation at coming second in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion, who won the first race of the season in Bahrain, started P15 on the grid after a drive shaft failure scuppered his qualifying on Saturday.

However, the Dutchman stormed through the field in his rapid Red Bull, finishing second behind team-mate Sergio Perez.

Despite another Red Bull one-two Verstappen was unhappy in the post-race press conference, emphasising that he is “not here to finish second.”

Rosberg, the 2016 world champion with Mercedes, was decidedly unimpressed by Verstappen’s reaction in light of the team’s success in Jeddah.

Nico Rosberg slams Max Verstappen’s reaction to finishing second in Saudi Arabia

F1 news: Ted Talk! F1 cult hero Kravitz on pit lane secrets and... cheese

11:32 , Kieran Jackson

Exclusive interview by Kieran Jackson

Ted is talking about cheese. For a Formula 1 pit lane reporter functioning in a world of tyre compounds and floor specifications, Ted often finds himself talking about cheese. Usually at pre-season testing. A bizarre synonymity, some might say, and readers not drooling in the daily churn of digital F1 content may be a little lost already. Don’t worry, you’re forgiven.

Sky Sports’ ever-present pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz – of BBC and ITV before that – has a style of presenting so inimitable that the man himself has formed a devoted following of his own, hate it as he might. Ahead of his 22nd year of pit lane reporting and 27th working in the sport he loves, Ted’s methodology of fan interaction is constantly evolving. This year, forget TikTok: it’s all about TedTok. So, back to the cheese.

“TedTok was just too good for somebody to steal,” the 48-year-old tells The Independent, in the unusually formal setting for him of an office at Sky Studios. “So I’m just going to put nonsense about doing stuff with cheese on there.

“I put up a video of me and Anthony [Davidson] choosing the perfect cheese in Bahrain to carve away the venturi tunnels of the car to the floor edge… it’s harder than you think.

“You could have got a block of cheddar, but then it would’ve just crumbled away and the whole shoot would’ve been a disaster. This was 20 minutes and Anthony was quite right in choosing the right type of cheese… gouda!”

Ted Talk! F1 cult hero Kravitz on pit lane secrets and... cheese

F1 news: Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes over Red Bull innovation

11:14 , Kieran Jackson

Lewis Hamilton insists Mercedes should not just adopt Red Bull-esque sidepods as it could make their troubled W14 car even slower.

Mercedes raised eyebrows at their 2023 car launch when they opted to persevere with their unique ‘no-sidepod’ design from last year, which saw the Silver Arrows relinquish their No 1 tag as they dropped to third in the pack behind Red Bull and Ferrari.

And the gap to Red Bull – who are the runaway team at the front currently – has grown after two races this season, with Christian Horner’s team earning a pair of one-two finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has acknowledged that a change in innovation is needed this season, with a new design in the works for the coming months, but seven-time world champion Hamilton warned his team about simply copying Red Bull’s flawless design.

“I think we have what we have and we’re going to continue to try to work on it and extract more from it, and then we’ll see how quick that can happen, or whether that’s possible with the concept we have,” Hamilton said in Jeddah at the weekend.

Lewis Hamilton warns Mercedes over Red Bull car innovation

F1 news: Lando Norris reveals why he failed driving test in podcast with Tom Daley

10:58 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris has amusingly revealed he failed his driving theory test first time round in a light-hearted podcast conversation with Tom Daley.

The McLaren driver, who is currently competing in his fifth season in Formula 1, appeared on Olympic diving champion Daley’s new podcast, Made With Love, and spoke about a variety of issues.

As well as divulging his theory test failure, Norris admitted he is more nervous driving on regular roads than the racetrack in F1.

“I’ve never been so sad in my life,” Norris told Daley, when reflecting on failing his theory.

“I feel like that’s when you need more brains and that’s just what I struggled with at the time. But second time and practical I passed, with flying colours.

Lando Norris reveals why he failed driving test in podcast with Tom Daley

F1 news: Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has no problem with Red Bull’s dominance

10:38 , Kieran Jackson

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has sided with rival Christian Horner in defending Red Bull’s dominant start to the new season.

Sergio Perez led home team-mate Max Verstappen at Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as Red Bull secured their second crushing one-two finish in as many races.

Red Bull have now won 12 of the last 13 races, with Lewis Hamilton describing their machine as the fastest he has ever seen.

However, there are fears that Red Bull’s superiority could prove a turn-off for Formula One fans, undoing the sport’s dramatic surge in popularity in recent years.

But Wolff, who oversaw Mercedes’ run of eight consecutive constructors’ world championships, said: “We have had those years where we were as strong, but it is a meritocracy.

Mercedes chief has no problem with Red Bull’s dominance

F1 news: Lando Norris ‘put in headlock and robbed of £144,000 watch’ after Euro 2020 final

10:19 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris was put in a headlock and robbed of his £144,000 watch after the Euro 2020 final at Wembley, a court heard on Monday.

The Formula 1 star, then 21, was accosted in a car park outside the stadium by two men, with one gripping him in a headlock and the other ripping the Richard Mille 67-02 designer watch – one of only five in the world – from his wrist.

Liam Williams, 25, of Bootle in Merseyside, is accused of being the man snatching the watch, with Harrow Crown Court hearing that Williams allegedly left DNA on the McLaren driver’s wrist.

Williams has pleaded not guilty to one count of robbing Norris outside Wembley on 11 July 2021, when England lost on penalties to Italy in the final of the European Championships. He appeared in court on Monday wearing a navy blue t-shirt and grey ripped jeans.

In his statement given on July 12, Norris told police he parked his orange £165,000 McLaren GT sportscar in a VIP ‘Yellow’ car park outside the stadium travelling to the game with a friend called Max.

Norris ‘put in headlock and robbed of £144,000 watch’ after Euro 2020 final

F1 news: Why are Red Bull so quick – and can anyone stop their F1 title charge?

09:59 , Kieran Jackson

Comment by Kieran Jackson

Come on then, who’d have thought this was how it’d turn out already? No, really. Red Bull’s margin of victory in last year’s Constructors’ Championship was a mammoth 205 points but in 2023, that could well be surpassed. In fact, never mind surpassed: ridiculed and knocked out the park.

Just two races down and after a pair of comfortable – bordering on effortless – one-two triumphs, the gap is 49 points to Aston Martin in second. The only point Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen have missed out on was the fastest lap in Bahrain. There’s 21 grand prix left; 27 races including sprints. The signs, for the rest of the pack, are nothing but scarily ominous.

There can be no doubt where most of the acclaim should be directed. Superstar designer Adrian Newey has created arguably his greatest beast yet; the RB19 was described as an evolution of 2022’s all-conquering machine and boy has that proved an underestimation.

Swap evolution for upgrade. Double upgrade. Aerodynamically supreme, as illustrated by the unstoppable surge in speed down the straights with DRS, this breed of car is lightning through the corners too. Their dominance in Saudi Arabia over the weekend was monumental: they topped all five sessions including practice.

Not that he needs an invitation, Christian Horner was basking in the prospect of his team’s greatest ever season.

Why are Red Bull so quick – and can anyone stop their F1 title charge?

F1 news: Nico Rosberg slams Max Verstappen’s reaction to finishing second in Saudi Arabia

09:50 , Kieran Jackson

Nico Rosberg insists Max Verstappen should be “more gracious” after the Red Bull driver failed to hide his irritation at coming second in Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The reigning world champion, who won the first race of the season in Bahrain, started P15 on the grid after a drive shaft failure scuppered his qualifying on Saturday. However, the Dutchman stormed through the field in his rapid Red Bull, finishing second behind team-mate Sergio Perez.

Despite another Red Bull one-two Verstappen was unhappy in the post-race press conference, emphasising that he is “not here to finish second.” Rosberg, the 2016 world champion with Mercedes, was decidedly unimpressed by Verstappen’s reaction in light of the team’s success in Jeddah.

“It is not good to see,” Rosberg told Sky F1. “We were also told he skipped the team meeting [on Saturday] apparently.

“I don’t think it’s a good approach of mentality so early in the season when the team has done such a brilliant job and worked so hard. I think he could be more gracious.”

 (Getty Images for Greentech Festi)
(Getty Images for Greentech Festi)

F1 news: Lewis Hamilton urged to make Ferrari switch in historic ‘swap deal’

09:48 , Kieran Jackson

Eddie Jordan has said that “Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari” as speculation continues about the driver’s future at Mercedes team.

The seven-time world champion has endured another slow start to the season, with the team once again off the pace and struggling to match Red Bull. Hamilton is reportedly yet to commit his future to Mercedes, who he has driven for since 2013, beyond the close of the 2023 season.

The British driver has, however, indicated his desire to continue chasing the eighth Drivers’ Championship that would take him beyond Michael Schumacher as the outright most successful racer in F1 history.

For that reason, former team owner Jordan believes Hamilton could be tempted to Ferrari, who could see a proven winner as an upgrade over current drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

“Formula 1 needs Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari and Ferrari needs Lewis Hamilton,” Jordan told OLBG. “Hamilton should look to go to another Championship-winning team, but the drama is who is going to move aside?”

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)