George Russell goes red with embarrassment after awkward comment to female journalist
Mercedes star George Russell couldn't help but chuckle during his Sky Sports post-qualifying chat at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, thanks to a humorous slip of the tongue discussing tyre strategy.
The 27-year-old driver had just scored a P3 start on the grid at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, coming in right behind the pole position nabbed by Max Verstappen and eventual winner Oscar Piastri in P2.
Piastri was a hair's breadth away from the top spot, missing it by only a tenth of a second. Meanwhile, Lando Norris took P10 after a crash curtailed his first Q3 attempt.
As Russell touched on the potential tyre choices for the opposition, he amusingly said Norris would "put the hard on" straight out of the gates, reports the Express.
The Brit quickly clocked the double entendre, pausing with an amused grin before playfully calling out a crew member off-camera for smiling and unwittingly disrupting his flow.
Handing back to Natalie Pinkham, the Sky Sports F1 presenter couldn't resist teasing Russell, advising him light-heartedly to "have some decorum."
Overall, Russell was uncertain about his P3 starting grid position, shining some light on how small the margins for error are during qualifying sessions.
"I'm a little bit mixed feelings, to be honest, because I went quite conservative on my out-lap with my tyres," explained Mercedes lead Russell.
"Because it was my one and only lap and I had no banker on the board, I just felt that if I made a small mistake at Turn One or a lock-up, I'd have been down in P10.
"And usually, your last lap in Q3, you're fully, fully sending it. I thought I needed to go a bit hotter with my tyres, just to ensure there's no mistakes at Turn One, and it cost me in the last sector.
"I lost a tenth and a half from myself on the last sector. The lap otherwise was great. It's thrilling around here, and you're so close to a mistake at any point. But P3 is probably more than we could have hoped for."
McLaren's Piastri continued his dominant start to the Formula 1 season with another win at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with pole-sitter Verstappen having to settle for P2 on the back of a key penalty.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc completed the podium in third, whilst Norris lost ground at the Drivers' Championship table's summit as he could only muster P4 - a valiant effort from a P10 start.
Russell, on the other hand, surrendered his second-row beginnings to only land in P5, with young team-mate Kimi Antonelli coming in just behind him, but ahead of ex-Mercedes man and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in P7.
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The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Mercedes-Benz CLA review: Merc goes star crazy with brilliant new EV
In the new CLA, Mercedes has delivered an electric car that has the potential to be one of the best on the market. Once you've got over the frankly absurd number of stars on the car – 142 illuminated ones on the grille, a similar number on the panel in front of the passenger (worth upgrading to a screen just to avoid that), stars on the bonnet, boot, in the front lights, in the rear lights and on the wheels – this is, in my view, one of the best Mercs in a generation. But it has one rather frustrating flaw – for now. Its super-advanced 800v platform means it can charge at the fastest public chargers at speeds of up to 320kW. But only at the fastest, newest public chargers that also use 800v tech. The CLA is not compatible with 400v chargers which, while still quick, make up quite a lot of the UK's public charging network. Mercedes says that its fancy new navigation system will guide you to the right charger, but most users will rather use the navigation system in their phones – which is better. CLAs that arrive next year – hopefully including the gorgeous Shooting Brake – should feature a fix. A couple of SUVs on the same platform is due at some stage, too. It's a great shame as the CLA is a fabulous car to drive. It's quick – as you'd expect – and has a lovely ride and handling balance that's fantastic in the CLA 250+ and even better in the four-wheel drive 35-+ we get next year. The tech inside the lovely, comfortable cabin is great and the quality is okay, if not as perfect as we'd want a Merc to be – there are signs of cost-cutting around. How we test I drove the new Mercedes-Benz CLA on the international launch of the car in Copenhagen. My test route included driving around the city, out on the country roads and on the motorways. And as usual, I gave the tech a thorough test, as well as assessing all practicality features, including taking a ride in the back seats. Independent rating: 8/10 Pros: Lovely to drive, long range, excellent efficiency Cons: Won't work with all chargers – yet, styling a bit chintzy, cost-cutting in places Mercedes-Benz CLA specs Price range £45,615 to £51,770 Battery size 85kWh Maximum claimed range 484 miles Miles per kWh 5.1 Maximum charging rate 320kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive Initially we're getting the CLA 250+ which comes with a 268bhp electric motor with what is in effect a two-speed gearbox that helps give the Merc saloon a decent turn of speed – 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds. One of the most impressive features of the CLA is how well engineered it feels, both in terms of the motor's performance and the quality of the ride. 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Mercedes CLA rivals Tesla Model 3 BMW i4 Hyundai Ioniq 6 FAQs How long does it take to charge? With charging speeds of up to 320kW, you can add 200 miles to the CLA's battery in just ten minutes. How much does it cost - is it worth it? Mercedes has clearly been looking long and hard at Tesla pricing, as the CLA is priced very slightly above the Model 3. It'll go a fair bit further on a single charge, though. Does Mercedes replace batteries for free? As with all EVs, the CLA's battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles. Why trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: Mercedes-Benz CLA The new CLA feels like Mercedes back to its very best – and it hasn't been there for a while. 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Scottish Sun
42 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Meet the Wags of The Open 2025… from ‘Hottest Female Athlete' to bodybuilder-turned-doctor & Adam Sandler's co-star
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE'S a whopping £2.3million prize at stake for the victor of this year's British Open - but you could argue most of the golfers have already won big off the green. Because cheering the talented sportsmen on are a bevvy of bikini-loving beauty queens, superstar sportswomen and brainbox business titans. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 25 Lilia Schneider says she overcame 'hating my body' with bikini snaps online Credit: Instagram/lilia_schneider 25 Reigning British Open champ Xander Schauffele with wife Maya Credit: Getty 25 Nikki Guidish used to model clothes for a US shopping channel Among them is defending champion Xander Schauffele, who will be eying up his third major championship, spurred on by his wife Maya Lowe. She may well be his lucky charm because the healthcare administrator's support saw him win the PGA Championship and British Open last year. 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Katherine Zhu 25 Katherine Zhu massively helped her husband's game Credit: Instagram 25 They married in 2022 alongside dog Koa Credit: Instagram It was the 'gentleman's game' that brought Katherine Zhu and future husband Colin Marikawa, 28, together in 2017 and it remains a massive part of their life. She's a former college golf champion and he actually credits her with his success, which began in 2020 when he became the third-youngest PGA Champion since World War 2. US golfer Colin admits: 'I didn't start winning in college until she showed up in my life, so thanks Kat." And it's not just on the green where she excels. Katherine's also a talented tennis player, winning her first amateur tournament aged 13. The social media influencer and entrepreneur tied the knot with Colin in 2022 in a lavish ceremony with their dog Koa. When she's not being her husband's caddy, Katherine is busy running half-marathons. Nikki Guidish 25 Nikki Guidish used to compete in bodybuilder competitions 25 She's married to Patrick Cantlay Credit: Instagram/nikki_guidish Stunning Nikki Guidish marries brains with beauty as she once was a model, who notably appeared on America's Home Shopping Network showing off footwear, before studying medicine. The 33-year-old, who is married to Patrick Cantlay, became a pharmacist after her modelling days and working as a fitness influencer. She competed in bodybuilding competitions for two years until 2016 and one display on stage led her to land a front cover for South Tampa Magazine, in Florida. Nikki went official with her beau in 2021 when she shared a reel of photos of him at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, captioning it: 'Nothing short of a memorable weekend.' They tied the knot two years later and share a golden retriever named Marv. Nikki's regularly seen supporting him on the green and kissing him shortly after his victories. Jena Sims 25 Jena Sims loves flaunting her toned body in bikinis online Credit: LainSnow/CMG 25 Jena Sims debuts a daring bra-less look in a video with husband Brooks Koepka Credit: Instagram Online Jena Sims describes herself as a 'Krispy Kreme connoisseur' - but you wouldn't know judging by her svelte figure. The wife of Brooks Koepka, whom she wed in 2022, she's competed in the Miss Teen USA beauty pageant back in 2007 and has since become an actress. The 36-year-old starred in comedy horror film Attack Of The 50 Foot Cheerleader and Three-Headed Shark Attack, which co-starred former WWE champion Rob Van Dam. Jena also bagged parts in Sharknado 5: Global Swarming and the TV shows Dexter, Entourage and One Tree Hill. On Instagram she boasts 335,000 followers and regularly shares bikini snaps to showcase her collab with Lain Snow. Jena, who appeared in a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit magazine, founded Pageant Of Hope, which helps disabled children, and has invested in skincare and make-up ranges. Kelley Cahill 25 Jon Rahm met future wife Kelley Cahill at college Credit: Getty Spanish 2023 Masters winner Jon Rahm is married to his college sweetheart Kelley Cahill, whom he met while studying golf on a scholarship in the US. She's a full-time mum to their two sons and daughter and is regularly seen cheering her husband, whom she wed in 2019 in his hometown Bilbao. Kelley, 31, is a former javelin thrower, who represented Arizona State University and she remains sporty, often joining her husband for workouts. However, tennis is one sport they will no longer play together. She recalled: 'He's killing forehands... cross court zingers, and I'm thinking, 'This can't be right.' "He was so good. I was so upset. I was actually mad for a day or two. We have not stepped foot on a tennis court since." Katherine Gaal 25 Matt Fitzpatrick's wife Katherine Gaal is a marketing expert Credit: Instagram Former Miss Jersey runner up Katherine Gaal stole the heart of Sheffield-born Matt Fitzpatrick and married him in 2023. When she's not his caddy, she's a marketing professional who is currently the regional marketing manager at a data protection and software development firm. They first appeared as a couple at the February 2023 premiere for the Netflix golf docuseries Full Swing. By September they were engaged and tied the knot a year later. New Jersey-born Katherine, 33, met Matt shortly after he won the US Open in 2022. Wendy Lowry 25 Nurse Wendy is Shane's 'no.1 fan' Credit: Instagram/@wendyirislowry Like many couples, Wendy Honner met her future hubby, the PGA Tour winner Shane Lowry, boozing on a "random night out". Four years after they set eyes on each other in 2012 they were married and Wendy has been a beacon of strength for her partner throughout. Shane described the Irish nurse, who works at Dublin's Temple Street Children's Hospital, as his "No1 fan" and says he owes her "a lot" for her support. 'There were plenty of times I have been crying myself to sleep or wondering am I able to keep going," he gushed in 2019. "But when you have a good strong woman behind you it makes it easier." Wendy says their two children have massively changed Shane for the better, explaining that if he has a bad day on the course, "the girls don't care" and "they just want Dad home".
Daily Mirror
43 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Oleksandr Usyk makes game plan clear ahead of Daniel Dubois rematch
Oleksandr Usyk has already beaten Daniel Dubois but must do so again to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion for a second time Oleksandr Usyk is confident Daniel Dubois will fold under pressure this weekend. Usyk will attempt to become the undisputed heavyweight world champion for a second time when he meets Dubois at Wembley on Saturday night. Usyk dropped and stopped Dubois two years ago when they met in Poland, but only after Usyk himself hit the canvas. Dubois' shot, however, was ruled a low blow and the Ukrainian went on to complete a ninth-round finish. Since them, Usyk has beaten Tyson Fury twice while Dubois has seen off Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua to become world champion. But the Brit has long faced accusations of being a 'quitter' after taking a knee against Joe Joyce and failing to beat the count against Usyk. And Usyk's team are confident Dubois will struggle again this weekend. "It is the same guy. What can he change in a couple of years? You cannot train your mind and that is what I think his weaknesses are," said the Ukrainian's manager Egis Klimas. Dubois has exuded confidence this week, however, and has an 11-year age advantage over his fellow champion. And his promoter Frank Warren hit back at Team Usyk's claim. "We will see on Saturday," he said. "He certainly trained his mind against (Jarrell) Miller, he certainly trained his mind against (Filip) Hrgovic and he certainly trained his mind against 'AJ'... in a big way. And he has got better and better and he has shown his power. His power, I mean he knows he can hurt Mr Usyk. He knows that. He has felt the power and he is a much better fighter from two and a half years ago." The final press conference passed without incident with both men ready to let their fists do the talking. But asked about his advancing years, Usyk said: "I respect this guy, this young guy. 'm not old guy, 38 is not old. We will see Saturday." Dubois, meanwhile, had little to say as he promised to become Britain's first undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. "He's making the mistake of believing I'm still the same boy he beat in our first fight two and a half years ago. Wrong. I'm in my prime now," he said. "Right now, I just want to get it on. I´m going to write my own script. I´m going to win these belts. I'm going to be the man."
