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Lewis Hamilton hits out at ‘bulls***' speculation on relationship with Ferrari engineer after awkward F1 radio chat

Lewis Hamilton hits out at ‘bulls***' speculation on relationship with Ferrari engineer after awkward F1 radio chat

The Irish Suna day ago

LEWIS HAMILTON has hit out at 'bulls**t' criticism of his relationship with Ferrari engineer Riccardo Adami.
The seven-time world champ was fifth at Monaco last weekend and on the cooldown lap thanked the team for repairing his car for qualifying
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Lewis Hamilton has hit out at the criticism of his relationship with his race engineer
Credit: Getty
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Hamilton insists he has a good relationship with Riccardo Adami
Credit: Getty
But there was radio silence from his team and Hamilton asked 'are you upset with me or something?', while there was still no response.
Hamilton had been given a
The British driver was informed that Verstappen was on a slow lap, so did not get out of the way when he was actually on a flying lap.
It comes after the ex-Mercedes star sarcastically
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Hamilton said: 'There were areas that we just had radio problems.
'I didn't get all the information I wanted — and that was it.
'There's a lot of speculation. I mean, most of it's bulls**t.'
Meanwhile, Brit
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Piastri leads Norris by three points at the top, with Verstappen 25 points off the Aussie driver in third place.
But McLaren star Norris said: 'Mathematically, the whole grid can win the championship.
'If you think it's just out of me and Oscar, you're a bit silly.'
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One of F1's most recognisable voices reveals Leclerc and Hamilton moments that will live with him forever

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Shelbourne's title defence continues to stutter as Ali Coote saves draw against Cork City in Premier Division clash
Shelbourne's title defence continues to stutter as Ali Coote saves draw against Cork City in Premier Division clash

The Irish Sun

time23 minutes ago

  • The Irish Sun

Shelbourne's title defence continues to stutter as Ali Coote saves draw against Cork City in Premier Division clash

SHELBOURNE'S title defence continues to flounder despite an Ali Coote moment of magic that grabbed a point against Cork City. The relegation-threatened Leesiders were dominant for long spells until Seáni Maguire found the net before the hour mark. 2 Seani Maguire put Cork City in frotn against Shelbourne Credit: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile 2 Damien Duff's team were saved by Ali Coote Credit: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile But City have not beaten Shels since 2013 and have not kept a clean sheet all season — and those records remain after Coote's sublime finish in front of 2,821 fans at Turner's Cross. Shels move up a spot to fifth for the mid-season break. Ninth-placed City edge a point above bottom side Sligo Rovers after ending a run of four straight defeats. Ger Nash's programme notes declared the City hotseat as 'the biggest job in the League of Ireland' ahead of his first home game in charge. The 38-year-old welcomed back Maguire for his first start in almost three months, while despite experienced pair Seán Gannon and Paddy Barrett becoming available, Read More on League of Ireland Nash was up and down the steps of the Derrynane Road Stand as he watched his team control the opening half. Cathal O'Sullivan and Milan Mbeng showed their trickery by nutmegging defenders, while Evan McLaughlin ran the show in midfield alongside Seán Murray. Maguire had an early penalty appeal fall on deaf ears and Freddie Anderson headed a couple of corners towards goal. But his best attempt saw Josh Fitzpatrick get in the way of the ball. In the 27th minute, Fitzpatrick battled to tee up McLaughlin for a dipping long-range strike that clipped the crossbar on its way over. Most read in Football Then, a rehearsed free-kick routine from McLaughlin saw Charlie Lyons denied at the front post by stand-in keeper Lorcan Healy. Maguire had one shot blocked by Kameron Ledwidge before stabbing at another effort. Cork City fans watch League of Ireland clash against Dundalk in cinema Play was delayed due to a drone hovering over Turner's Cross before Shels' only chance of the half arrived. John Martin's hard work set up John O'Sullivan but Lyons headed his shot away to safety . It was Shels' sole shot against City's 11 in the first half. Duff showed his displeasure with three half-time substitutions. Barrett and James Norris were called upon to bolster their defence. Mipo Odubeko came on to partner Martin up front. Odubeko soon got off a couple of scruffy shots. But City had their deserved goal in the 57th minute. Fitzpatrick won the ball from a loose Odubeko touch. Mbeng then went on a charge down the right and stood up a brilliant cross for Maguire to rise above Mark Coyle to head home. A third goal of the season for the ex-Ireland international. Odubeko could not find the target with a free header but Shels were level by the 71st minute. Coyle and Odubeko were involved but the goal was all about Coote. The substitute turned into space on the edge of the box before drilling a perfect low finish into the net via the far post. And Coote could have doubled his account within a minute but for a brave Lyons block. But the hosts had a big opportunity to win it on 90 minutes when Rio Shipston's fierce shot was palmed away by Healy. SUN STAR MAN Evan McLaughlin (Cork). CORK CITY : Troost 6; Mbeng 8, Anderson 6, Lyons 7, Crowley 6; O'Sullivan 7 (Nolan 89, 6), S Murray 7 (Shipston 73, 6), McLaughlin 8, Fitzpatrick 7 (Dijksteel 73, 6); Maguire 7 (Bolger 66, 6), Daniels 7. SHELBOURNE : Healy 7; Coyle 6, Ledwidge 7, Wilson 6 (Barrett 46, 6); O'Sullivan 6 (Norris 46, 6), Lunney 6, McInroy 7, Caffrey 6; Chapman 6 (Coote 65, 7), Wood 5 (Odubeko 46, 6); Martin 6 (Kelly 82, 6). REFEREE : M Lynch (Galway) 6.

Elsa Desmond: 'I might have to sell my car in the autumn, it'll be worth it'
Elsa Desmond: 'I might have to sell my car in the autumn, it'll be worth it'

Irish Examiner

timean hour ago

  • Irish Examiner

Elsa Desmond: 'I might have to sell my car in the autumn, it'll be worth it'

Elsa Desmond was just eight years old when she turned on the telly and found herself captivated by the sight of people launching themselves down an ice tube at what turned out to be the Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps. The sport was luge and she was hooked. The good news was that sport was already in her blood. Her dad Brendan once coxed an eight to victory at Henley. Her mum Martha is still a good enough swimmer to be competitive at Masters meets. And young Elsa had an open mind. She played hockey, rugby and water polo, and she threw hammer and tried gymnastics, but Berkshire wasn't exactly a hotbed for winter sports. There were no luge tracks in the UK, or in Ireland where her grandparents had come from. The saying goes that if girls 'can't see then they can't be' when it comes to sport. Desmond couldn't spot anyone wearing British or Irish gear that day in Turin in 2006. And it just made her think how cool it would be to change that. Years of emails followed to the Olympic federations on both sides of the Irish Sea, and she was already 16 when the decade of badgering everyone and anyone finally paid off with an invite to tag along on a British Army sporting expedition to Europe. 'I think they thought I was a pain in the ass. Like, I've been trying to get on that camp for years and I think they finally thought, 'right, let her have a go and then she'll leave us alone'. And that unfortunately didn't happen.' She started off from a low height, her speeds weren't frightening, and she only completed five or six corners on the first run. Baby steps, but the teenager didn't crash any more than anyone else. If anything, she stood out for all the right reasons. The wait had been worth it. That was it. She was up and running. Desmond has seen some impressive athletes try luge and fail but athleticism is very much a key ingredient. Luge isn't skeleton or bobsleigh, you can't career off a wall and still win an Olympic medal, and she saw the beauty in that. Spatial awareness is non-negotiable, and an ability to think quickly while travelling at anything up to 140 kilometres an hour. Resilience is the key, not least due to the inevitable crashes and the ice burn and the bruises that follow. Those are challenges and traits that plenty of Olympic athletes will recognise and be able to tick off their list. Desmond? She has faced obstacles off the track that would have cowed most people and brought this love affair to an end long ago. It was a change of coaching setup that prompted the move from Team GB to Ireland. The major problem with that was, well, Ireland didn't have a luge federation. If she wanted to wear green on the global stage then it was up to her to create one. She was 19. There were five boxes to tick: establish a company at Company House, and then a sporting federation. After that, recognition from the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI), the International Olympic Committee and the International Luge Federation (FIL). An Argentinian athlete's parent provided some guidance, so did some friends in the FIL. Her mother's background in human resources came in handy too, but it was a steep learning curve and almost two years in the making. 'It was a lot of trial and error,' she laughs. 'There were a lot of mistakes made.' That was eight years ago. The ultimate goal was the 2026 Games in Milan Cortina but this wait wasn't as long. Beijing in 2022 wasn't really on the agenda but she crept in under the qualifying criteria and the call from the OFI to confirm it is one she will never forget. 'I may have made her say it three or four times because I just didn't believe her. I really didn't think that that was possible. And then I remember her hanging up and I just cried for about 10 minutes before I was even able to call my mom.' She would be Ireland's first luge athlete at an Olympic Games. Desmond had answered her phone that day while sitting on a bus that would take 48 hours to get from one venue to the next. The bigger nations fly. Smaller nations like Ireland, with one or two athletes, rough it and club together to make things work. That Desmond was the one contacted and not a coach was another point of difference. Normal procedure is for the OFI to inform the coach first. She didn't have one. This is a singular and at times lonely path. And an expensive one with it. The sled she used at the Beijing Olympics came, more or less, from off the shelf via a manufacturer on the open market. It was, to be blunt, a junior beginner's sled modified as much as it could be to get the job done. Now she is working with a German technician to get a proper spec sled that 'could be a complete game-changer' in her career, but they don't come cheap. The final bill might creep up as high as €20,000. Sacrifices, more of them, might be needed. 'We're trying to see what we can lease and what we can buy and I'm working with a technician to try to bring the price down… I might have to sell my car in autumn to be able to afford this new equipment and, if I have to do that, I have to do that. It'll be worth it.' There seems to be no obstacle that can stop this woman of so many parts and so much drive. Currently 26 places higher in the rankings than when she qualified for Beijing, the 2026 Games are well within her sights. Still only 27, Desmond is also the junior development program director for the Irish Luge Federation and she has served as the coach to Lily Cooke who became Ireland's first ever luge competitor at a Youth Olympics last year. Even that isn't everything. The only winter sports representative on the OFI's athlete commission, she was wise enough to recognise her limitations when quitting a brutally tough role as an emergency medicine doctor with the NHS in Southend. Home now is the town of Akureyri at the base of Eyjafjörður Fjord in northern Iceland where she works a similar role for 36 hours a week instead of 70 and for twice the pay. The ultimate aim in her medical career is to be an air medic. This is someone who doesn't like heights and flying, but then she already rips down ice chutes while lying back on a small sled at frightening speeds, and learns Icelandic in her spare time while interfacing with patients there in a critical role. Spinning plates is just what she does. 'It's certainly not easy. I have so many lists stuck up all over my computer, you would not believe it, just trying to keep track of everything that has to be done every summer and preparing for the winter.'

Meet Elsa Desmond - Ireland's luge star who refused to give up on Olympic dream
Meet Elsa Desmond - Ireland's luge star who refused to give up on Olympic dream

Irish Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Meet Elsa Desmond - Ireland's luge star who refused to give up on Olympic dream

Very few people would go to the extreme of setting up a national sports federation to pursue their Olympic dream. That's exactly what Elsa Desmond did when she was 19, setting up the Irish Luge Federation after a long and then intensive period of lobbying the Olympic Federation of Ireland. From there it took almost two years for her to be allowed to race internationally. Her big ambition was to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina next February yet she squeezed into the 2022 Games in Beijing. "I'd had this sort of 48 hours of being utterly miserable because we thought I wasn't in," she explained. Desmond was travelling in a minibus from Sigulda in Latvia to Oberhof in Germany, a two-day journey of the kind that the smaller competing nations take as a matter of course on the circuit, when Ireland's chef de mission Nancy Chillingworth phoned her. "She said, 'I'd normally ring your coach but since you don't have one, I'll tell you, you've qualified for the Olympics'," Desmond recalled. "I may have made her say it three or four times because I just didn't believe her. I really didn't think that that was possible. Then I remember her hanging up and I just cried for about 10 minutes before I was even able to call my mom." Desmond has always lived a life less ordinary. She was raised in a family surrounded by Olympic rowers in Buckingham. Her father had competed internationally and her mother was an elite swimmer. "I didn't think being an Olympic gold medallist was that big a deal until I got older because so many of them were my family and friends, it's just something I grew up around," she said. Desmond fell in love with luge while watching the 2006 Torino Olympics. "I knew from then that it was what I wanted to do," said the 27-year-old, who qualifies for Ireland through her grandparents from Cork and Cavan. "Then I got on the sled as a teenager and there was no going back. My life has never been the easy path, so this just made sense." Luge riders speed down a slippery ice track, relying on reflexes for steering - and with no protection. "The danger wasn't really something I considered," Desmond reflected. "I always just thought Luge was this beautiful sport because it's a mix of power and precision. "Unlike bobsleigh and skeleton, where you can hit a wall and still win an Olympic medal, you can't do that in Luge. It requires perfect, and I always thought there was beauty in that." But there are no luge tracks in Britain and Ireland and so the first time Desmond got on a track was after extensive requests to accompany the British military to Innsbruck in Austria. "It was all these adult men and me, this teenage girl, and I was faster than all of them. And I just fell in love with it from that first run," she said. And if it had gone badly? "Knowing myself, I think I would have persevered for a while, to be sure that I was terrible at it," Desmond smiled. "But it's one of those sports you need a natural ability to start with. I've seen so many people who are naturally athletic, but you put them on a sled and they're useless. "You'd never know which way it's going to go with luge. But we started with me from a very low start height, I only did sort of five or six corners on that first run. "My speeds weren't very high but I didn't crash particularly more than anyone else that week. I think they thought I was a pain in the ass. Like I've been trying to get on that camp for years and I think they finally thought, 'right, let her have a go and then she'll leave us alone'. And that unfortunately didn't happen!" Still on the board of the Irish Luge Federation and also coaching Lily Cooke and Finnian Zimmerman, who are up and coming athletes, Desmond is also an emergency medicine doctor. She left behind the stress of life in the NHS system for a job in Akureyri, in northern Iceland, where she works half the hours for double the pay and that allows her to focus on her training. Now ranked 28th in the world - she was 54th going to Beijing and finished in 33rd place - Desmond makes her life as a luge athlete work despite the obstacles in terms of funding and resources. In Beijing she used a junior beginner sled and now, in the process of sourcing a new senior standard racing sled, she is looking at a €20,000 price tag. "I might have to sell my car in autumn to be able to afford this new equipment and if I have to do that, I have to do that, it'll be worth it," she said. That the next Games will be in Italy, where this journey began for her, is what everything is building towards for Desmond. "Italy would be huge, partly because I was inspired by an Olympics in Italy," she said. "I watched the women's event, and there were no Irish women. There were also no British women, so there was no one there that I felt represented me. So I decided I would do it. "And now the idea that there might be an Irish child the same age I was watching and seeing me would be really a dream come true."

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