George Russell believes Max Verstappen’s imminent third world title will carry less satisfaction than his 2021 championship triumph over Lewis Hamilton because he has not been cornered into a proper fight. The imperious Dutchman, in his all-conquering Red Bull machine, has failed to win just three of the 16 rounds so far, and he is expected to sew up his latest championship in Saturday’s sprint round in Qatar. A sixth-placed finish in the 19-lap dash round the Lusail International Circuit is all he needs. Verstappen saw off Hamilton in a title battle for the ages two years ago before following up his controversial maiden world crown with a second last year. But on the eve of his third coronation, Russell, labelled a “d***head” by Verstappen after an on-track row in Azerbaijan earlier this year, said the lack of firm competition has allowed his rival to excel. “When it comes to any great in any sport, if the pressure is not turned up, you are in for a comfortable ride,” Russell told the PA news agency ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix. “And I am sure the 2021 championship fight was more satisfying for him because it was a true battle. “He has been exceptional this year, and there is no doubt about that. Week-after-week he has performed at such a high level. “But we see the strategy review before every race, and the prediction every weekend, is of him going off into the distance. He can drive at 90 per cent and still win with 10 seconds to spare, and he knows that.” Russell, 25, only five months younger than Verstappen, excelled in his first season with Mercedes in 2022. He landed the team’s only pole position, sole win, and out-scored team-mate Hamilton. But heading into the final six rounds of this campaign, he is eighth in the standings, 75 points and five places adrift of his fellow Englishman. Russell was close to tears after he allowed a rare opportunity to win slip through his fingers in Singapore – a race where he crashed out on the last lap – before he was embroiled in a number of spiky radio exchanges at the previous round in Japan as he duelled with Hamilton. Russell, on a different strategy to his team-mate, was ultimately ordered aside. However, the younger Briton insists Hamilton, 38, is not owed preferential treatment. He is also adamant that he can beat the seven-time world champion in a title fight if Mercedes provide him with the tools to do so. When it comes to any great in any sport, if the pressure is not turned up, you are in for a comfortable ride. George Russell “Absolutely,” said Russell, who will be paired with Hamilton until at least the end of 2025. “When you are going up against the best of all time, you are testing yourself. “People can easily criticise me, but every single Formula One driver has a direct comparison to their team-mate, and my judgement is against the best driver ever, so that is why I don’t mind what people say. “I took pride in last year’s performance. I took pride in taking the team’s only pole and only win, and I took pride when, at the start of the year in my first six races with the team, I was ahead of him (Hamilton) in almost every single qualifying session. “But that is not why I’m here. If I end my career tomorrow, I am not going to be singing and dancing about finishing ahead of Lewis Hamilton in the championship. “I am here to win world titles and I am here to fight. There is an equal respect between the two of us and we are on equal terms. It doesn’t matter if you are Lewis, who is a seven-time world champion and has been here for 10 years, or me who is 18 months into my time with Mercedes. “We are on a level playing field and you only gain that respect by the performances you show on track and that respect has been earned.” Hamilton may be on the longest losing streak of his career – 39 races have passed since he last entered the winner’s circle at the penultimate round in Saudi Arabia nearly two years ago – but he remains the grid’s biggest star. “It is challenging for him when there are always the lights and cameras around, and rightly so,” added Russell, speaking in the Mercedes motorhome with Hamilton a few tables away. “But we have had many occasions where we have just been one-on-one. Even in Suzuka last week we sat down and had dinner together for about two hours and chatted about things that two blokes would speak about down the pub. I feel like a normal person and when you take him out of the crazy environment he is just a normal person. “It can be difficult to let your hair down. You are always on guard. And he is obviously very conscious of that. But when you are in a safe environment he is a great bloke, we get along, and it feels very normal.” And what of next year? Will Russell, Hamilton and Mercedes be able to stop the Verstappen juggernaut? “There was quote from (four-time world champion) Sebastian (Vettel) where he said ‘enjoy it, because it doesn’t last forever’,” concluded Russell. “We will get our chance and we have to be ready for it. “What are Red Bull are going to do? Who knows? Of course they are favourites for next year. But it is down to us to wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and say ‘we need to bring our A-game every single day’, and if we do that we can give them a run for their money.” Read More Fernando Alonso lauds Max Verstappen as best F1 driver since Michael Schumacher Fernando Alonso lauds Max Verstappen as best F1 driver since Michael Schumacher Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan How Qatar plans to make F1 grand prix their ‘new World Cup’ Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team

Max Verstappen completed a practice double for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix by edging out Lando Norris. After leading the way in the first running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Verstappen – who has won 15 of the 18 rounds so far – set the fastest time in the day’s concluding running. The Red Bull driver finished 0.119 seconds clear of McLaren’s Norris, with Charles Leclerc a quarter of a second back in his Ferrari. Home favourite Sergio Perez finished fifth, three tenths behind Red Bull team-mate Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton took seventh for Mercedes, a third of a second down. Verstappen has dominated this year, and wrapped up his third successive world championship in Qatar earlier this month. And the Dutchman will head into the remainder of the weekend in the breathless Mexico City air as the man to beat. The high-altitude venue, which sits 2,200 metres above sea level, can often throw up anomalies, and Valtteri Bottas was a surprised fourth for Alfa Romeo, with Daniel Ricciardo sixth in his AlphaTauri, just three tenths off the top. Hamilton finished a close second to Verstappen in the United States a week ago before he was disqualified for running an illegal floor on his Mercedes. But despite his post-race exclusion, Hamilton hoped his speed in Austin would enable him to challenge Verstappen here. However, the seven-time world champion failed to challenge the top of the leaderboard on Friday, finishing 11th and seventh respectively in the two sessions. George Russell, who sat out the opening running as Mercedes blooded academy driver Frederik Vesti, finished 10th, half-a-second behind Verstappen. Earlier on Friday, Ollie Bearman made history by becoming the youngest British driver to take part in a Formula One weekend. Bearman, 18, competing for American outfit Haas, ended his F1 debut in 15th, only 1.6 sec slower than Verstappen and three tenths adrift of Nico Hulkenberg – a veteran of 200 grands prix – in the other Haas. Bearman also finished one place ahead of double world champion Fernando Alonso. F1 teams must run a rookie driver at least twice during the season and Chelmsford-born Bearman was handed his chance to impress, breaking the British record previously held by Norris. Norris was three months shy of his 19th birthday when he took part in practice for McLaren in Belgium in 2018 before he was promoted to a race seat the following season. Bearman turned 18 in May. The teenager, a member of the Ferrari academy, has taken four victories in F1’s feeder series Formula Two and is sixth in the standings ahead of next month’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Somewhere in the midst of after-work park hangouts and sunny trips abroad, the forecast has started to dip into fall territory (how dare it?!). While this may require us to remember additional layers in the morning (and, depending on where you live, regret them by the afternoon), fall’s arrival doesn’t mean that winter hibernation is here just yet.

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The Princess of Wales will likely keep a close eye on the catwalks this season, as she’s been known to champion clothes from London Fashion Week (LFW) designers. The upcoming season kicks off on September 15 and will see major labels – including Burberry, Richard Quinn and Erdem – debuting their spring/summer 2024 collections. These are just some of the times Kate has worn LFW designers for royal engagements… 1. Erdem For the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Abbey earlier this year, Kate stepped out in one of her go-to labels: Erdem. Helmed by designer Erdem Moralioglu, the brand is known for its romantic and floral aesthetic. For the service, Kate chose a navy ensemble featuring an all-over white flower print, made up of a peplum blazer with delicate chain detailing on the bodice, and a midi-length skirt. It was a well-chosen look, drawing upon a Commonwealth designer for the event – Moralioglu is originally from Canada. 2. Roksanda As a patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Kate is a familiar face at Wimbledon – and in 2022 she attended the iconic event in a sunny yellow dress. The outfit, which had capped sleeves and bow detailing at the shoulder, was from Roksanda – a label known for its vibrant use of colour, helmed by Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic. 3. Burberry Heritage brand Burberry is one of the most highly-anticipated shows on the London Fashion Week schedule, and Kate is obviously partial to its designs – she has even been spotted in one of the label’s iconic beige trench coats. She brought a bit of Britain to Canada on a 2011 trip, dressing down in an olive Burberry shirt during a visit to Blachford Lake near Yellowknife. 4. Stephen Jones Stephen Jones is often seen as the go-to milliner for the royals – his hats have been worn by the Duchess of Sussex, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as Kate herself. One of Kate’s more experimental fashion moments in a Stephen Jones creation came at the 2011 Epsom Derby, when she wore a beret-style brown straw hat with a bow detailing. 5. Temperley London Many of Kate’s royal engagements require her to wear an evening gown, and she’ll often choose LFW stalwart Temperley London for the occasion. At the National Portrait Gala in 2017, she wore one of creative director Alice Temperley’s designs – a floor-length forest green lace gown with long sleeves and a high neck. 6. Emilia Wickstead Emilia Wickstead is another LFW designer who often features in the Princess of Wales’ wardrobe. Wickstead’s designs are very much in Kate’s wheelhouse: classic and demure cuts, usually in interesting colours or with a quirky twist. Kate wore a lemon midi dress with long sleeves to the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, with the elegant dress given an added bit of interest thanks to twisted detailing at the waist. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Pro-gamer Jukeyz ‘died for two minutes’ after cardiac arrest which left him ‘scared to sleep’ Young people not snowflakes or wasters, says curator of rebellious fashion exhibition Meet the man who grows the biggest vegetables in the world

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Refinery29 Somos continues our preservation of customs that serve us and our retiring of those that don’t this Latine Heritage Month. In 2023, we’re exploring how Latines are pushing back on assimilation by resurrecting and remixing traditions to serve us today.