It lingered on, but the deal had been all but sealed for months. Lewis Hamilton was always extending his stay at Mercedes – where he has claimed six of his seven world titles – and George Russell has joined him in parallel. Particulars of salary and contract length, with Hamilton reportedly receiving a £10m increase to £50m a year, show the gargantuan regard in which he is still held. No barren year or two is going to change that. But Hamilton’s contract announcement came with a message. A series of them, in fact. A press release hammered home the same beat. “We have never been hungrier to win”; “we continue to chase our dreams”; “unfinished business.” Words with substance behind them not just for the fans, but for the Mercedes engineers and mechanics at Brackley and Brixworth. Frankly, it may as well have read: “Give me the car to win – and I’ll make it happen.” But it was a sharp prod in the direction of Max Verstappen, his 2021 nemesis and current runaway leader, which really rippled the currents ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where Verstappen is chasing a record-breaking 10th win on the spin. “In my personal opinion, all my teammates have been stronger than the teammates Max has had,” Hamilton said, less an opinion and more a matter of fact. “Jenson, Fernando, George, Valtteri, Nico. Absolutely. Those guys were very strong and consistent. Max isn’t racing against anyone like that.” It is the sort of needle, a vital statement of intent, which has been missing from Hamilton’s repertoire since that infamous night in Abu Dhabi; the night a record-breaking crown was, in his words, “stolen” from his grasp. Mercedes’ hair-raising fall, coupled with Red Bull’s unrelenting ascendancy, has only exacerbated the sheer anger and exasperation which Hamilton must have experienced behind closed doors and, at times, in real time on team radio. Amid the 2022 season, it all inevitably raised bigger questions about his future. Will he retire? Is the fight still there? Can No 8 still be achieved? Throughout rumours which included a fairytale-esque switch to Ferrari, Hamilton’s response has been unequivocal. Despite the to-ing and fro-ing between representatives regarding his contract, his prophecy unmistakable. Mercedes is the place he wants to be – and he’s here to stay. The hard work for Toto Wolff – whose jadedness in the last 18 months has been obvious – and his team starts now. Wolff’s effective second in command Andrew Shovlin this week emphasised that they are targeting “challenging for a championship next year”. He added: “We’re optimistic we can do that… our entire focus is on making sure we can challenge them next year.” “Them” of course means Red Bull. A team – spearheaded by design guru Adrian Newey – who have maxed (no pun intended) out their potential during this ground-effect regulation era, creating the quickest car on the grid and one made in perfect harmony with their leading driver. A team which has won all 13 races – 16 including sprints – this season. A team which will take some catching. But in Formula One, a sport where every minute detail counts against the clock, a hefty deficit can gradually be eroded. Mercedes bungled their car philosophy last year with their unorthodox “no-sidepod” approach, before bungling once again by persevering with it at the start of this season. Only Monaco in May, race six of 2023, saw a more conventional car out on the tarmac. Yet despite brief flirtations with the top of the standings and Hamilton’s first podium in more than 18 months, their W14 remains some way off Red Bull’s RB19. This time, heading into 2024, there can be no excuses. A shift in the boardroom, with ex-Ferrari chief James Allison reverting to a more hands-on role, swapping with Mike Elliott who shifted back to base, is also an indicator of an evolving approach. For the next few months and the off-season, the priority is next year as opposed to short-term progress this season. Even then, 2024 may come too soon. Red Bull’s superiority – not just over Mercedes, but Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren too – is so vast that catching them will be unlikely. 2025, the last year of these current set of rules, may be a more realistic prospect. Building sustainable blocks, though, is paramount. No championships can come about without race-winning consistency first. It may explain why Hamilton, who will now race in Formula One to the eve of his 41st birthday, has once again committed to a two-year deal. The past 18 months have also shown that Russell is closely matched with his compatriot: in-house competition which should only help in the car development phase. But Hamilton has set his stall out. The 38-year-old goes by a fundamental motto: “Still we rise.” For every knockback comes a fresh challenge and opportunity to return better than ever before. Fernando Alonso’s renaissance this year, at 42, shows age is no obstacle either. His quest to be the statistical greatest of all time remains very much alive. But first, before any realistic title aspirations, Mercedes must give him the machinery to challenge. We now all wait to see how soon that could be. Read More Fernando Alonso makes Lewis Hamilton claim: ‘I’d stay with him until he’s 80 years old’ Max Verstappen shrugs off criticism: ‘They cannot appreciate dominance’ Lewis Hamilton signs new Mercedes contract Carlos Sainz fastest in second practice for Italian GP but Lewis Hamilton 17th Max Verstappen fastest in Italian GP first practice as he chases history ‘They cannot appreciate dominance’: Max Verstappen shrugs off criticism

'RHOA' Season 15 Reunion Part 2 will have more drama filled revelations as viewers expect Drew Sidora to address rumors about her personal life

Tributes poured in for 30-year-old French "daredevil" Remi Lucidi who loved to climb skyscrapers – often without a harness. Lucidi was at the Tregunter Tower complex in Hong Kong when he fell to his death from the 68th floor after reportedly getting trapped outside a penthouse. Lucidi began climbing skyscrapers in 2016 and travelled the world attempting to scale tall buildings. His Instagram profile, where he went by the username Remu Enigma, is a gallery of hair-rising images of Lucidi posing at the top of high-rise scaffolding and buildings in several countries, including Ukraine, Dubai, Bulgaria, and France. He turned 30 this February and commemorated the milestone by posting his picture with a cake emoji in the caption. In a photo posted on 16 July, Lucidi took a selfie while hanging off the stairs of the top of a building in Gabrovro, Bulgaria. He captioned the picture: “Life is too short to chase unicorns.” In most of the images and videos posted from his account, which has over 5,200 followers, he can be seen clinging to the spires of tall buildings without any protective gear. Last year he shared footage of him balancing on the edge of a 980-foot-high chimney in France without any harness. Lucidi’s last post on Instagram is from six days before his death, where he shared a photo of Times Square in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. That post is now filled with comments of people, expressing shock at his demise. “Stakes are high searching for amazing experiences. Eternal respect rest in peace,” wrote one user. “Lived his life to the fullest always seeking adventure, didn’t let fear get in the way,” added another person. “Life is truly short, rest easy brother... .” While not much is known about Lucidi's family, his hostel owner in Tsim Sha Tsui described him as a "healthy and fit and happy-faced" person. "He told me he was going to hike a mountain when I asked where he was going. He said he wanted to hike a lot when he was here," Gurjit Kaur told South China Morning Post. “I feel very sad,” the owner added. According to investigators, Lucidi arrived at the building in the evening and told the security guard that he was visiting a friend on the 40th floor. He is believed to have made his way to the top floor and reportedly got trapped outside and frantically started knocking on a window, startling a maid inside. Surveillance footage shows Lucidi taking the lift to the 49th floor before taking the stairs to the top. He was last seen knocking on the building's windows calling for help. The stuntman then lost his footing and fell, dying instantly. According to reports, the French consulate has been informed of Lucidi’s death while the Hong Kong police are investigating the incident. Read More Remi Lucidi death: French daredevil known for skyscraper stunts plummets to death from 68th floor Skepticism prevails as Chinese leaders promise to back private businesses to spur slowing economy Hong Kong court rejects government bid to ban protest song citing freedom of expression Stock market today: European shares open mixed after Asia rallies on hopes for Chinese stimulus Live: Fans gather inside funeral hall to mourn singer-songwriter Coco Lee Fans pay tribute to Coco Lee, Hong Kong singer who had international success

CARMEL, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 12, 2023--

The Bellagio fountains on the Las Vegas Strip won't be very visible

Lewis Hamilton insists Red Bull’s pace advantage has reduced after the Mercedes star claimed a surprise pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The 38-year-old, whose previous F1 pole was back in December 2021 in Saudi Arabia, beat Max Verstappen to top spot in Budapest by 0.003 seconds in a thrilling end to qualifying. It was Hamilton’s 104th pole position – 18 months after his 103rd – and his ninth at the Hungaroring, breaking the record for the most pole positions at one circuit. While sceptical of his chances tomorrow, the seven-time world champion believes Red Bull’s significant pace has dropped off in the last few race weekends. “Honestly I think they’ve [Red Bull] slowed down from the beginning of the year,” he said. “Where’s the DRS advantage gone? But in the race they’re still the quickest, it’ll be very hard to beat them tomorrow. “But it’s definitely interesting to see some of the deficits and see how it’s changed race-to-race.” Hamilton was elated after the pole position though, and he will line-up alongside Verstappen on the front row for the first time since the infamous end to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi. “It feels like my first pole, believe it or not,’ Hamilton said. “Feels strange to say that with 104. I don’t remember the last time it feels so long ago! “We weren’t expecting that going into the weekend, car felt terrible yesterday. “I just sent it! Nothing to lose. Threw it into the high-speed corners, it was a great, great lap!” Lando Norris qualified third for McLaren, with his team-mate Oscar Piastri in fourth. Read More F1 grid: Starting positions for Hungarian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton claims long-awaited pole with brilliant lap at Hungarian Grand Prix F1 Hungarian Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying updates and results Sergio Perez crash in Hungary practice a sign of the times F1 grid: Starting positions for Hungarian Grand Prix

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