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  • Yuki Tsunoda insists he feels support ‘more than ever’ from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko as he takes blame for Austria struggles

    Yuki Tsunoda insists he feels support ‘more than ever’ from Christian Horner and Helmut Marko as he takes blame for Austria struggles

    Yuki Tsunoda has insisted that he feels support from Red Bull boss Christian Horner and team advisor Helmut Marko “more than ever”, despite his tough run for the squad continuing last time out in Austria.

    A tough Saturday at Spielberg saw Tsunoda exit Qualifying in Q1, resulting in the Japanese driver lining up in P18 on the grid. The troubles continued on Sunday, with Tsunoda picking up a 10-second time penalty following a collision with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto before ending the race down in 16th and last place.

    Pushed on whether he understood the issues that affected him at the Red Bull Ring ahead of the weekend’s upcoming British Grand Prix, Tsunoda took the blame for his tough outing as he explained: “The issue in the race was me.

    “Trying to overtake [Colapinto], I could have just waited one more lap probably. It was a bit unnecessary to push flat out that much in that situation. The race craft wasn’t ideal from myself. The pace itself after that, [having] changed the front wing and everything, it’s not really probably the best reference I’ll get.

    “But it’s still the session I’m working on really hard so far, especially the long run is the stint I’m normally struggling at. We worked so hard the last couple of days coming into here, what we can do better or not, and we’ve got to try a couple of [things].

    “I’m looking forward to it, I’m feeling strong, and I think in the short run hopefully it will come soon in terms of the confidence that level I want.”

    When quizzed on whether he still feels full support from the Red Bull team, Tsunoda responded: “Definitely, yeah. I feel support more than ever, from Christian and Helmut. I went to the south of the UK with a physio in Red Bull Racing to kind of reset myself, and that was coming from them.

    “They just wanted [me] to have the fresh air and everything, so that helps a lot for me to build up in a way with my rhythm, and also we’re going to try a couple of things.”

    Tsunoda acknowledged that having Marko’s support – amid the advisor recently suggesting that another driver change is not immediately on the cards at Red Bull – is helpful going forward.

    “Yes, rather than him saying I’m going to switch in two races or whatever!” the 25-year-old joked. “Yeah, for sure. Him and Christian are very supportive. He was obviously not happy with my race in Austria, but at the same time he’s still willing to continuously help and support me.

    “He still trusts my talent and the speed, I just have to prove at the track that I can do it. Helmut is just a direct guy, some races if [I] do bad he’ll tell me what was wrong or what was right.

    “It’s the kind of pressure that he gives me, to really be at the level that I never think about or extract from me some performance. It’s just the way that he works from when I was a junior, and I appreciate from how much support I’m getting.”

    Tsunoda is not the first driver to struggle to match Max Verstappen’s performance in the Red Bull and, when asked if he believes that it can take almost a full season or longer for anyone other than Verstappen to adapt to the car, the Japanese racer said: “I don’t know, it depends on the driver.

    “I didn’t see yet a driver that got used to it in that car straight away, so that’s probably a fact but at the same time I feel I’m in the right direction, at least in the short run. I missed out in Q1 in Austria, but at the same time the gap was pretty small.

    “Also in terms of the whole package, I know there is something to come as well into this year compared to Max. Once I get the full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in the level that they want, and also that’s what I’m working hard on.

    “In terms of long run, it’s exactly the place that I’m still probably struggling at, but I’ll find a way. I saw a couple of driving styles I can try, that I never tried in my career in Formula 1, so it’s just learning stuff.”

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  • July 2025 skywatching: Bright planets and a summer constellation 

    July 2025 skywatching: Bright planets and a summer constellation 

    From bright planets to a mythological bird soaring among the stars, July 2025 has an exciting show lined up in the night sky. 

    NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has shared its skywatching highlights – revealing what to watch for this month from sunset to sunrise.

    Planets in motion


    Venus reigns in the morning sky all month, shining brightly in the east during the hours before sunrise. Look for it near the Pleiades star cluster and two brilliant stars – Aldebaran and Capella.

    Mars is visible in the western sky shortly after sunset, glowing about 20 degrees above the horizon before it sets a couple of hours later. On July 28, it forms a striking pair with the crescent Moon.

    Jupiter begins to climb into the morning sky after mid-month. Initially low on the eastern horizon, it rises higher each day, heading toward a dramatic August conjunction with Venus.

    Mercury is visible only briefly – watch for it in the west during the first week of July, beginning about 30 to 45 minutes after sunset. It stays close to the horizon and sets quickly, so timing and a clear view are key.

    Saturn makes its entrance around midnight and climbs high in the southern sky by dawn, offering a glimpse of the planet for early risers.

    What are some skywatching highlights in July 2025? Look for Mars in the evening, Venus and Jupiter in the morning, and find the eagle constellation, Aquila, soaring overhead.

    The first successful Mars mission

    July 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of NASA’s Mariner 4 mission, which performed the first successful Mars flyby in 1965.

    The spacecraft sent back the first close-up images of the Martian surface and revealed that the planet’s atmosphere was thin, cold, and not as Earth-like as once imagined. 

    Before Mariner 4, many scientists and the public still held out hope that Mars might resemble a second Earth – perhaps even supporting vegetation or signs of life. 

    However, the grainy black-and-white images, showing a cratered, barren landscape, were a sobering reality check that reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet.

    Despite dashing earlier hopes, Mariner 4 paved the way for decades of Mars exploration. It was the first time humans had seen another planet up close. The mission proved that long-distance robotic exploration was not only possible, but essential. 

    Spotting Aquila in the July sky

    July is also the ideal time to view Aquila, the Eagle constellation, in the eastern sky during the first half of the night. Its brightest star, Altair, is easy to spot and forms part of the Summer Triangle, along with Vega and Deneb.

    Aquila represents the eagle of Zeus in Greek mythology – a powerful messenger and symbol of divine strength.

    Altair marks the eagle’s heart, with its wings stretching wide across the night sky. To find it, look for the triangle-shaped pattern and note that Altair sits at the southern point.

    While Aquila’s other stars aren’t as bright, they’re easier to trace under dark skies. The second half of July is especially good for observing this constellation, as the Moon rises later and leaves the early night sky darker.

    For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Aquila is a summer favorite. Once you’ve located Altair, try to follow the eagle’s full wingspan across the sky. It appears to fly northward with its wings outstretched.

    Key dates for July skywatching 

    • July 1–7: Mercury is bright and easy to spot in the west after sunset – if you catch it in time. It vanishes within an hour of sundown.
    • July 21–22: Look east before sunrise to see Venus and Jupiter joined by a crescent Moon, along with several bright stars.
    • July 28: In the evening sky, the Moon passes close to Mars, offering a beautiful pairing.

    Whether you’re watching Mars fade into the west or spotting Venus and Jupiter at dawn, July will be a rewarding month to keep an eye on the sky. 

    NASA’s monthly “What’s Up” guide helps us stay connected to the ever-changing night sky. To explore more about NASA’s space missions and skywatching tools, visit science.nasa.gov.

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  • Statement on behalf of Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon

    Statement on behalf of Billy Hogan, John Henry, Tom Werner and Mike Gordon

    This tragic situation and the reality of it is truly shocking, devastating and has left us numb with grief. We therefore cannot imagine how the immediate and wider family of these remarkable brothers must be feeling. Our thoughts, prayers and support are with them all.

    We all know what Diogo could do on the field of play and the vital role he played in our successes since he joined this club in 2020. How he quickly became a firm fan favourite, and his song reverberated around Anfield and in stadiums across the world.

    So many special moments, so many special memories.

    But beyond the player that we all knew was a wonderfully humble human being, he was sincere, intelligent, funny, tough and created connections with people everywhere he went. He had a zest for life that was utterly contagious. Diogo was a loving father, son, husband and brother, and we, and everyone who knew him, will miss him deeply as we all try to process the enormity of today.

    Rest in peace, Diogo and Andre. You Will Never Walk Alone.

    Billy, John, Tom, Mike.

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  • Statement from the EBU on Eurovision Song Contest General Assembly Discussion – Eurovision Song Contest

    1. Statement from the EBU on Eurovision Song Contest General Assembly Discussion  Eurovision Song Contest
    2. Israeli artists should compete in Eurovision under a neutral flag, Icelandic official suggests  The Jerusalem Post
    3. Israel narrowly avoids Eurovision suspension: ‘If war drags on, staying in will be difficult’  Ynetnews
    4. Iceland calls for stripping Israeli symbols from Eurovision  www.israelhayom.com
    5. Will EBU kick Israel out of Eurovision?  Yahoo

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  • See the bright star Spica close to the waxing gibbous moon on July 3

    See the bright star Spica close to the waxing gibbous moon on July 3

    The moon will ride close to the bright star Spica above the southwestern horizon tonight (July 3) — and some well-placed viewers will see the lunar disk pass directly in front of the bright stellar body, occulting its light.

    Stargazers in the U.S. will find the waxing gibbous moon above the southwestern horizon as the sun sets on July 3, with Spica — the brightest star in the constellation Virgo — visible less than 2 degrees to the upper right of the lunar disk.

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  • Incidence of Symptomatic Gallstone Disease in Bariatric Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy, and the Dilemma of Prophylactic Cholecystectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

    Incidence of Symptomatic Gallstone Disease in Bariatric Patients Undergoing Sleeve Gastrectomy, and the Dilemma of Prophylactic Cholecystectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study


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  • Xbox was funding Romero Games’ new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis

    Xbox was funding Romero Games’ new game, but layoffs have left the project in crisis

    Microsoft was rocked by more than 9,000 job cuts this week. A significant number have come from its gaming division, resulting in the closure of multiple game studios and the cancellation of numerous in-development projects at Xbox and its contracted studios. We’ve already learned that Microsoft has closed the studio that was developing the much-anticipated Perfect Dark reboot, and Rare’s Everwild has also been sunsetted. And now Romero Games — the studio headed up by Doom creator and veteran developer John Romero — is another major casualty of the sweeping cuts.

    The news was initially confirmed in a statement signed by Brenda Romero and posted on X. “Last night, we learned that our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios,” it said. “This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control.” It went on to say that the studio was powerless to change the outcome, and that the decision was not reflective of the quality of work its team has produced.

    Ireland-based Romero Games is not owned by Microsoft, but it appears the company’s financial support was crucial to keeping the studio alive — a fact that wasn’t publicly known until the shutdown occurred. IGN is now reporting that the entire Romero Games workforce has been let go, and many Romero Games employees confirm on Linkedin that they no longer have jobs.

    According to the company website, Romero Games was founded by John and Brenda Romero in 2014, and had more than 100 developers on its staff. Its most recent release was 2023’s Sigil II, the unofficial sixth episode in the Doom series, which John Romero co-created in 1993 with id Software, the studio he also co-founded. The upcoming game was described by Romero Games as an “all-new FPS with an original, new IP working with a major publisher.”

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  • Plant-Based Diet May Improve Stress-Related Metrics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Plant-Based Diet May Improve Stress-Related Metrics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    A plant-based lifestyle program that previously showed benefits for joint pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis may also help ease stress, according to a secondary analysis of the Plants for Joints (PFJ) randomized controlled trial.1 However, researchers did not see the same stress-related effects in participants with metabolic syndrome–associated osteoarthritis (MSOA).

    The 16-week PFJ program combined a whole-food, plant-based diet with physical activity, sleep hygiene, and stress management techniques. In earlier results, the intervention reduced disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis and improved pain and physical function in MSOA.2 Published in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, this follow-up analysis looked at whether the program also affected stress markers, including heart rate variability (HRV), cortisol levels, and perceived stress.

    Participants with RA who followed the program showed greater signs of reduced stress compared with those receiving usual care. | Image credit: Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com

    Evidence Linking Stress Management to Outcomes

    Prior studies have shown that stress management and mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological well-being and reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms like pain, anxiety, and depressive mood, even if they do not always lower disease activity scores such as DAS28. Yoga-based interventions, however, have demonstrated reductions in DAS28, the number of inflamed joints, and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate compared with usual care.3

    Yoga has also been shown to positively influence HRV, cortisol levels, and other markers of autonomic function. Additional evidence suggests practices like deep breathing or electrical vagus nerve stimulation can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reduce cytokine production, and help modulate immune activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Modest But Measurable Stress Reductions in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    Among 77 participants with rheumatoid arthritis, those who followed the PFJ program showed greater signs of reduced stress compared with those receiving usual care.1 One key finding was a significant increase in normalized high-frequency HRV (HFnorm) among those following the program, which signals stronger parasympathetic nervous system activity (between-group difference, 6.6; 95% CI, 0.5-12.6). These patients also saw a trend toward improved root square mean of successive differences, another HRV measure related to stress recovery (between-group difference, 4.3; 95% CI, –1.5 to 10.1).

    Compared with usual care, the lifestyle intervention was also tied to nonsignificant reductions in heart rate (between-group difference, 3.1; 95% CI, –3.9 to 10.1), salivary cortisol (1.3; 95% CI, –0.6 to 3.1), and perceived stress (–2.0; 95% CI, –4.4 to 0.3). Measured via the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), subjective stress declined by 2 points more in the PFJ group than in the control.

    Importantly, participants who reported spending more time on stress-reducing activities like breathing exercises or meditation experienced greater improvements in HFnorm. However, engagement with these activities was short-lived, peaking at 8 weeks and returning to baseline levels by week 16. While this was not reflected in the activity data, the authors said participants may have become more aware of stressors and used techniques that were not quantifiable for the study but still had an effect on their stress levels. According to them, this short-term increase in stress-reducing activity could have longer-term impacts worth investigating. On the other hand, they said the intervention as a whole could have contributed to stress reduction.

    No Observed Effect for Osteoarthritis

    In contrast with the rheumatoid arthritis group, participants with MSOA did not experience any meaningful changes in stress-related measures. This group, which had a higher baseline body mass index and older mean age than the rheumatoid arthritis cohort, showed no differences in heart rate, HRV, cortisol, or perceived stress compared with controls after the intervention.

    Physical activity had a different relationship with stress between groups. Higher activity levels were tied to slightly higher stress levels in rheumatoid arthritis, with a mean of 139 minutes of activity per week (β, 0.022; P = .025), but lower levels in the MSOA group, which averaged 119 minutes a week (β, −0.025; P = .038).

    “While the effects of individual lifestyle components cannot be isolated, the associations suggest that greater engagement in stress-reduction activities and physical activity were most linked to improvements in stress outcomes,” the authors said. “However, these associations should be interpreted with caution, as adherence data was self-reported, the effects were small and potentially clinically insignificant, the sample size was limited, and baseline physical activity levels were already high.”

    References

    1. Wagenaar CA, Christiaans J, Hermans V, et al. Effect of a multidisciplinary lifestyle intervention on stress-related parameters in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: secondary analysis of the “Plants for Joints” randomized controlled trial. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2025;23:100298. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2025.100298
    2. Walrabenstein W, Wagenaar CA, van de Put M, et al. A multidisciplinary lifestyle program for metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis: the “Plants for Joints” randomized controlled trial. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2023;31(11):1491-1500. doi:10.1016/j.joca.2023.05.014
    3. Slagter L, Demyttenaere K, Verschueren P, De Cock D. The effect of meditation, mindfulness, and yoga in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. J Pers Med. 2022;12(11):1905. doi:10.3390/jpm12111905

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  • Lewis Hamilton believes British Grand Prix would be ‘a really special place’ to get Ferrari F1 podium

    Lewis Hamilton believes British Grand Prix would be ‘a really special place’ to get Ferrari F1 podium

    Lewis Hamilton believes the British Grand Prix would “be a really special place” to claim his first Formula 1 podium with Ferrari, and that driving out of the pits in red will “hit me a little bit”.

    The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion will compete in front of his home crowd this weekend at Silverstone, a venue where he has taken a record nine wins.

    Hamilton also enters this weekend off his equal best result in a Grand Prix since joining Ferrari at the start of 2025, finishing fourth in Austria, and the 40-year-old believes another strong showing might be possible.

    “I think on a dry day McLaren will walk off into the distance, as you’ve seen in the past races, but you never know here what’s going to happen with the wind, with the rain,” he said during Thursday’s media day. “The crowd makes a massive difference. I’m hoping they edge us a little bit closer.”

    Hamilton’s last Grand Prix victory came 12 months ago in his swansong season for Mercedes as he beat the faster McLarens in a race impacted by rain.

    While the Briton won the Sprint in China this term, he has yet to stand on the podium for the Scuderia on a Sunday and believes doing so in front of his home crowd would be the ideal time.

    He said: “I’m just hoping for a strong weekend. I’ve not had a podium yet, this would be a really special place in order to have that so I’m really counting on the amazing support we have here to hopefully make the difference.”

    Team mate Charles Leclerc claimed third place in Austria last weekend, his fourth podium of the season as the 2025 campaign approaches the halfway point.

    Ferrari’s last win at Silverstone came in 2022 courtesy of Carlos Sainz, and Leclerc believes although victory might not come this weekend, one is not far away.

    “We are quite satisfied, improving step by step,” he said. “Not satisfied yet as [the] end target is to win races, but this race we were competitive at in the past and Lewis has been exceptional here. Been a long time since we last fought for victory, hope this is the one.”

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  • FIA Thursday press conference – Great Britain

    FIA Thursday press conference – Great Britain

    PART TWO – Charles LECLERC (Ferrari), Yuki TSUNODA (Red Bull Racing), George RUSSELL (Mercedes)

    Q: Why don’t we start with Charles today. Charles, podiums in three of the last four races. Just how confident are you and Ferrari coming into the British Grand Prix?

    Charles LECLERC: Yeah. I mean, first of all, I think we are quite satisfied with the latest tendency. We are improving step by step. We are not fully satisfied yet because obviously the end target is to try and win races. But going into this race, I think it’s a race in the past where we were pretty competitive. Lewis has always been exceptional here as well, so I hope we can have a great weekend and hopefully have a shot for victory. I mean, it’s been a long time since we last fought for victory, so I hope this weekend is the one.

    Q: Charles, you say you’re not satisfied yet. This is the halfway point in the season. Can you just sum up what you and Ferrari have achieved so far this year and what you think the second half of the season looks like for you?

    CL: Much tougher first part of the season than what we expected. I think when you end up last year like we did fighting for victories, fighting for the World Constructors’ Championship, we started this year hoping that at least we’d start in the same position, which was not the case. We struggled a bit more. But now we are finding our way again with the development. It definitely helped us to do some steps forward. I know that there are more things coming, hopefully as soon as possible, which will help us to close the gap to McLaren, to Red Bull as well. Mercedes seems to be maybe a bit more up and down. But it’s up to us to do a better job than others and try and catch the guys in front.

    Q: How will it look like for the second half?

    CL: I don’t know. I hope brighter than the first one.

    Q: Alright. Thank you for that. Good luck this weekend. Yuki, let’s come to you now. It was a tough one for you in Austria. Let’s start by talking about that. Do you understand the issues that you were having there?

    Yuki TSUNODA: The issue in the race was me. The overtake… tried to overtake in a way that probably I could just wait one more lap. It was a bit unnecessary to push flat out that much in that situation. So, the race craft wasn’t ideal for myself. The pace itself, yeah, to be honest, after that… changed the front wing and everything and just, it’s not really probably the best reference I’ll get. But, yeah, it’s still the mostly the session I’m working on really hard so far. Especially the long run is the stint or the session I’m normally struggling at. So we worked so hard last couple of days into here, what we can do better or not. And we’re going to try another couple of stuff that I never thought about. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it, feeling strong. I think in the short run it will just come hopefully soon in terms of the confidence level I want.

    Q: Yuki, some observers think that Red Bull is a one-car team. Do you feel you have the full support of everyone at Red Bull Racing?

    YT: Definitely, yeah. I mean, I feel definitely the support, especially these days and more than ever, from Christian, Helmut. I went to the south of UK with a physio Red Bull Racing to kind of reset myself, and that was coming from them. They just wanted to have fresh air and everything. So that helps a lot to me to build up my rhythm. Also, we’re going to try a couple of things that I never tried, and they allow me to do quite a lot of things that probably they wouldn’t do in a normal case. So, yeah, definitely.

    Q: Okay. Well, best of luck this weekend. Hope it goes well for you, Yuki. Thank you. George, good to see you. Got a new contract yet?

    George RUSSELL: No messing around there. No updates since the last time we spoke. Honestly, as I’ve said for the majority of this season, I’m just focused on the driving. Of course, this weekend’s a huge weekend for us. For me, my home race is my favourite race of the year, and that’s where I want to give all my focus and attention to try and win this Grand Prix. We were on pole here last year. We were leading the first third of the race. Temperatures look slightly more favourable for us this weekend. Not as favourable as they were 12 months ago, but much more compared to Austria last week. And we know clearly that’s where we struggled. So, yeah, just excited for that.

    Q: Well, I hope the performance is good. But just bringing it back to the contract, the longer this saga goes on, George, do you start to question the team’s loyalty to you?

    GR: I mean, there’s a lot of conversations behind the scenes that are not public. And I know where their loyalty lies. It doesn’t need to be public. It doesn’t need to be broadcast to everybody. We’ve obviously spoken a little bit more over the last week because there’s numerous news articles and whatnot out there. But in all honesty, it doesn’t really change anything my side because, as I’ve said before, I feel I’m performing better than ever. And it’s as simple as that really. Performance speaks for everything.

    Q: Are you talking to other teams?

    GR: No.

    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

    Q: (Tom Slafer – DAZN, Spain) Question for George considering this topic. It feels like it’s been your best season in Formula 1 or one of the highest level seasons you’ve had in Formula 1. Do you feel it’s a little bit unfair that you’re in the middle of all these rumours?

    GR: I mean, that’s for you to judge. For me, I feel quite thick-skinned, and I don’t really read much news or listen to rumours. I just focus on the facts, and I focus on the driving. I said it at the beginning of this year, you can have a contract, but if you don’t perform, you’re out. And if you do perform, everything sorts itself out. So, yeah, from my side, not really much more to add really and just focus on the driving as I’ve been for this whole year.

    Q: (Mara Sangiorgio – Sky Sports, Italy) A question to George. You said no news about your renewal and no other option. But George, maybe knowing that your team is also speaking with another driver or other drivers, is it right for you to check out other options beside Mercedes for yourself?

    GR: I mean, every team has two seats available, and it’s normal that every team is considering what the future holds. And I don’t take that personally because I made it clear from the beginning. I’m happy to be team-mates with anybody. So of course there’s lots of conversations, lots of rumours, and all of these are being pointed towards me. But from my side, that isn’t really going to be the case. I want to continue with Mercedes into the future. The fact is, Toto has never let me down. He’s always given me his word, but he’s also got to do what’s right for his team, which includes me. But it also includes the thousands of people who work for Mercedes. For me, it’s nothing to worry about because I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere. And whoever my teammate will be, it doesn’t concern me either. So, just focus on the driving.

    Q: (David Croft– (Sky Sports) Still with you, George, but I’ll change the subject. There might be a candidate coming forward to seek election for FIA President. As the man who heads up the GPDA, do you welcome a competition to Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the FIA presidential elections later this year?

    GR: I think in life, competition is always good because it brings out the best in people. It’s something we’ve been vocal about in the past. It’s probably got a little bit too much airtime in the past. Things have seemingly been moving in a better direction, which I think is just good news for everybody involved in the sport. But at the end of the day, if there are two people fighting for one position, you bring your A-game. It’s a bit like a driver’s contract, I guess!

    Q: (Tim Hauraney – TSN) Question for George. Bringing it back to the contract, sorry, I had to ask you. But does Mercedes provide you with the best opportunity to win a Drivers’ Championship?

    GR: I think so. I think going into next year, there are so many unknowns. So many unknowns with the car, so many unknowns with the engine, with the fuel. And I think for us, from both sides, our best opportunity of winning is to continue as we are. We’re performing, I feel, at the racetrack at a very high level. I feel I’m performing at a high level. I’ve been working with the team now. Will be going into my fifth year next year. And I think for all of us, you know, Lando, Charles, drivers who have been with their teams for so long, when you’re going into such a fresh start, I think consistency gives you your best shot.

    Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) George, question for you, not about your contract. Silverstone is obviously such a spiritual home for F1, a very special weekend. For you, what’s your earliest memory of coming to this race or driving here, and just how important has this track been to your career and your progression?

    GR: Yeah. My very first memory is a real clear one. It was the race start of the 2009 Grand Prix. I was sat on the outside of Copse, which was Turn 1 back then. I just remember the noise and the speed, just sort of giving me goosebumps. I was racing in cadets at the time, and I knew that one day that’s where I want to be. Then it’s where I did my first race, my first win, my first ever test in an F1 car was here as well, so a lot of memories.

    Q: (Niharik Ghorpade – Sportskeeda) A question for Yuki. Given that Red Bull can be at times pressuring on the drivers, and now that you have had about eight races at least in that RB21, do you think it takes almost a season for the second driver to adapt with that car, or that a second driver who’s not Max would need more time in that car to match Max?

    YT: Yeah. I mean, I don’t know. It depends on the driver, but also at the same time, I didn’t see yet so far the driver who probably got used to it in that car straight away. So that’s probably the fact, but at the same time, I feel I’m in the right direction, at least on the short runs. Yeah, I missed out probably Q1 in Austria, but at the same time, gap was pretty small. Also in terms of the whole package, I know there’s something to come as well into this year compared to Max. So once I get full package, I still have good confidence that I can be in a level that they want. That’s what I’m working hard on. In terms of the long run is exactly the place that I’m still probably struggling at, but I’ll find a way. I saw a couple of driving styles that I can try that I never tried in my career in Formula 1. It’s just the learning stuff. Is it true that in terms of confidence, when the condition changes every session, maybe I’m taking a little bit more time compared to where I used to have at VCARB where for example, I knew exactly how the car was going to drive in each set-up, I can go flat out from the first push. But maybe in the Red Bull, I had to build up, which for me is the right approach. I don’t think it’s a wrong approach, but just takes a bit of time. I don’t know if it’s going to take a whole season or not, but at least it’s positive that I’m going in the right direction.

    Q: (Diletta Colombo – Automoto.it) Question for Charles. Do you think that the upgrades still in the pipeline are going to help you close the gap to McLaren?

    CL: I’ll be worried if I didn’t think that way because obviously we are doing everything in order to close that gap as much as possible. We are going to try and bring upgrades as soon as possible that will tackle some of the weaknesses we have. I’m sure it will close the gap. Whether it will close completely the gap, I don’t think so. It’s a significant advantage that they have at the moment, and it’s not down to only one upgrade or one part of the car. I think it’s a multitude of upgrades in order to get to the level. But little by little, at least if we are close enough to put them under pressure, I hope that we can force them into a bit more mistakes because at the moment, they’ve got too much margin for us to be putting any kind of pressure.

    Q: (Carlo Platella – FormulaPassion.it). Charles, you said that the first part of the season was more difficult than expected. Looking also at 2023, Ferrari finished the year on a high then started to struggle the season after. Do you think this is just a coincidence or there is an explanation behind this pattern?

    CL: I can definitely say that the two reasons of why we did a step back are definitely not related at all. But again, I felt like we learned from our mistakes. I just hope that at one point, we manage to build a strong car from the start and have a very strong season from start to finish, which hasn’t really been the case so far. But yeah, we’re working in the right direction. I just hope that we don’t end up finding another issue in few months. But this you never know. Especially with those cars, I think it’s not only us in this situation, but many teams are in this situation where it’s very difficult to find your way because you always tend to find another barrier along the development line. So, yeah, we’re working well, and I just hope that we find our way now.

    Q: (Jake Nichol – RacingNews365.com) Question for George on the contract, I’m afraid. Do you have a deadline for when you need to know what next year will bring for you? Or have you spoken with Toto about that at all?

    GR: I mean, there’s not really any deadline in place, to be honest. Obviously, naturally, you try and have stuff done before the summer break. From my side, Mercedes manage me as well, so it’s not really a deadline in my hands as such. So, yeah, not really. And I’m not even thinking about it right now. Obviously, there’s a lot of questions about it. But the more we speak, the less we speak about it, nothing really changes. It’ll happen when the time is right. I expect probably in the next couple of weeks, probably something to happen. But, yeah, we’ll need to wait and see.

    Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Premio, Brazil) Question for Yuki. Dr Marko indicated numerous times that Red Bull won’t switch you with anyone for the seat. Does it help to have that kind of support and to be relatively sure that the seat is yours for this year?

    YT: Yes, rather than him saying probably going switch in two races or whatever, for sure. But like I said, him and Christian are very supportive. He was not obviously happy with my race in Austria, but at the same time, he’s still willing to continuously help or support me. He still trusts my talent and the speed, so I just have to prove on track that I can do it. Helmut is just a direct guy. Some races if you do bad, he just tells me what was wrong and what was right. It’s a kind of pressure that he gives me. Sometimes brings me into the level that I never think about or extracts from me some performance. It’s just the way that he works since when I was a junior, and yeah, I appreciate the amount of support I’m getting so far.

    Q: (Brian Van Hinthum – GP Fans) Question to Yuki as well. Earlier this weekend, Zak Brown said that without Max, Red Bull would be behind Racing Bulls in the pecking order. I can understand that’s quite harsh to hear for you. Would you like to react on that?

    YT: Well, it’s the truth that probably we’d be behind. But he was saying that probably that [unclear]. I don’t know. I mean, the performances at this point I’m getting, probably we’ll be behind. But at the same time, I was not in the off-season tests there, so I don’t know. But VCARB so far, yeah, definitely performing well. I’ve shown good performance first two races. Probably if everything goes well with Australia, China was a bit hectic, and if the strategy, everything goes well, I was probably scoring a lot of points. So it’s good that they’re performing. But at the same time now, I’m fully focused on Red Bull, and it’s a car that definitely you can make it work. I just need, I guess, my opinion, just need more time, build the understanding, work hard to understand, work hard with the engineer as well. I just have to get his point more.

    Q: (Keith Collantine – RaceFans.net) Question to all three. A lot of people expected that in this final year of the regulations, the field would close up a lot, and as we saw last year, we’d see a lot of competition between the big four teams, but each of your three teams really has dropped back from McLaren. What’s your interpretation for why that’s happened? Why do you think you’ve fallen back relative to them? Who’d like to start? George?

    GR: If we knew, we wouldn’t have fallen back, to be honest. We don’t really know exactly why. They seem very good on the tyres. They seem very good in hot races. Clearly, their updates are working as they expect. And I think when you find yourself on the right tracks of this development slope, the rewards are endless, and they’ve clearly found that perfect path. Like Charles was saying before, these cars, these regs are not easy. I think we’re all looking forward to a change of regs. It’s not going to be easy next year, but the cars do seem a little bit more conventional. But then obviously we’re going to have the challenges with the PU and the batteries, so that’s a secondary factor.

    CL: I mean, I agree with everything that George said. I wish I knew what made McLaren so fast this year. For sure, they’ve done a significant step forward, something that I don’t think many of us expected, exactly for the reasons you mentioned because when you get to the last year of those regulations, everything tends to converge a little bit. But this year they just did a big step forward. I doubt that it’s coming from one thing. It never comes from only one thing. I think it’s just many different things that they are doing better than others, which makes a big difference at the end. But it is true that one of the characteristics that significantly improved since last year is hot weather. I think I remember there was an FP3 in Bahrain this year where I’m still wondering how did Oscar do that lap time in that heat, which was very impressive. There are these kinds of laps that you look and you say, you’re just a bit lost for words and you don’t really understand where the performance comes from. So they found something, especially whenever it’s warm and on tyres, that we’re still trying to figure out.

    YT: I didn’t drive last year in Red Bull, so yeah.

    Q: (Edd Straw – The Race) Another one for you, George. If you don’t get a Mercedes deal for next year for whatever reason, how confident are you in the contingency plans and alternatives that you would have, not just to seat in F1, but one that’s in line with your ambitions and status?

    GR: Yeah. Pretty confident, to be honest. Because I think what I’ve proven so far is plenty enough and not really much more to say. Any teams who did reach out in the past, I said, look, I am loyal to Mercedes. That’s where my future lies. Ultimately, Mercedes are my managers, so it has to be dealt through Mercedes in the first place. But there hasn’t been a lack of interest, let’s say. But I’ve been focused on my side. I am loyal to Mercedes. At the end of the day, everything will work itself out. And the likelihood I’m not at Mercedes next year, I think is exceptionally low.

    Q: (Jack Smith – Motorsport Monday/Motorsport Week) A question for Charles. You said recently that you’ve tried the 2026 car in the simulator and you weren’t a fan because of the way the car drives. Assuming that there’ll be more runs in that simulator soon, how difficult is it from a driver’s perspective to balance that whilst still racing a 2025 car?

    CL: Oh, it’s so different that for sure I don’t confuse which car I’m driving. But to put back into context my comments that I did, it wasn’t really specific to our team, which I’ve seen did headlines saying that we are struggling or whatsoever. I was just meaning that the new direction for us drivers is a little bit less attractive and a little bit less nice to drive overall. But it’s the way it is. I still find the motivation in the challenge of making these new regs as fast as possible. If we are competitive, I’m sure that I will start to like it a lot more. If not, then I’ll probably hate it a lot. But I hope it won’t be the case.

    Q: (Jérôme Porier – Le Monde) After Suzuka, Fred Vasseur said that this championship could be a championship for qualifications. Now since the beginning of the season, eight times the poleman won the race on Sunday. So we are exactly at half season. What do you think about that?

    CL: I mean, I kind of agree. It’s a big shame because we are very slow in qualifying. I wish it was the other way around, but I also think that it makes it look that way because McLaren is very often on pole position this year, and they are the fastest car by quite some margin in most of the tracks. So then they end up also winning on the Sunday, which makes sense. So, yeah. I don’t know. I mean, he has a point for sure. Numbers say so. I just hope looking at ourselves that we’re going to improve our qualifying in order to be a bit more in the mix for victories.

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