Latest news with #Senna
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE A furious wife hurling his clothes into Indian Ocean, sex at county shows and all-nighters in immaculate riding gear: How Jilly Cooper's saucy showjumper Rupert Campbell-Black has got nothing on real life star Nick Skelton
Once the undisputed enfant terrible of show jumping, Nick Skelton has long put his wild days behind him. Boozy hi jinks, sexual shenanigans, punch ups with rivals, he was guilty of the lot in his time, his antics often eclipsing those of Jilly Cooper's fictional bounders. 'I'm too old for all that,' he sighs. 'They were fun times but I'm 67 now.' Age was never previously a barrier, though. Not for this old stager, the superstar horseman who broke his neck in a horrifying fall and was told he would never ride again - only to jump back in the saddle and win Olympic gold at the age of 58. We're discussing a documentary feature film about his colourful life and career - Big Star: The Nick Skelton Story - while sitting in a gazebo overlooking the arena at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the stage where he took his final bow in 2017, when, to cheers and tears, steed at his side, he raised his arm aloft as these words rang out over the public address system: 'The greatest show jumper the world has ever seen!' It is little surprise that a Hollywood producer came calling. One wonders why it took so long. 'It's been in the making for the past seven years, Covid got in the way,' Skelton explains. Like others of its ilk - an obvious comparison is Senna, a film about the life of Brazilian motor racing champion Ayrton Senna - the final result is a compelling story that demands of its audience no previous knowledge of, or interest in, the sport in question. A bit like a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster then. Well, not exactly. For one thing, comparisons between Skelton and her anti-hero Rupert Campbell-Black, the upper class show jumper who seduces his way around the countryside in fictional Rutshire, only go so far. The son of a chemist, Skelton projects unpretentious ordinariness. His Warwickshire burr, unchanged despite years of hobnobbing with royals, somehow makes the outstanding sporting achievements he recounts seem even more dazzling. He lists the injuries he suffered. I lose count. It seems he broke almost as many bones as equestrian records. As someone in the film notes: 'He has more titanium in his body than a Space Shuttle.' Today, wearing a cap and body warmer, he has the air of a man who's popped round to quote for a patio. Indeed, if he wasn't a professional show jumper he says he'd have been a builder. No, he's certainly no Campbell-Black, the blue-blooded cad who, in the opening scene of Disney's adaptation of Rivals reaffirms his membership of the mile-high club as Concorde hits Mach 1. Skelton is an earthy soul, too, but determinedly down to earth. In his autobiography, Gold, he recalls the racy delights of the county show circuit: 'There would be beer everywhere, farmers in their wellies and a few birds about.' On one occasion 'one of the lads pulled a bird who showed donkeys. They went off behind the hot-dog van to do whatever came natural to them and while they were at it the van packed up and drove off, leaving him with his backside going up and everyone cheering him on!' More redolent of Jilly Cooper novel was the time, much later, when his first wife locked him out of their Mauritius hotel room and threw his clothes into the Indian Ocean after discovering he was having an affair with the wife of a Swiss equestrian rider. Skelton tells me the sport has changed immeasurably in recent years and has 'got a lot more serious because of the huge prize money and sponsorship. The sponsors want their pound of flesh.' With a hint of regret, he says of today's show jumpers: 'You're more likely to find them in the gym than the bar.' The film - the Big Star in the title is the wonder horse who helped Skelton win gold - goes on general release at cinemas across the country next month. 'It feels really humbling,' says Skelton. 'It's great for the sport and I hope it will inspire others and make them realise, that its not just horse and rider, that there's a lot that goes on behind the scene.' And not just grooming, training and mucking out. As a fellow competitor notes of Skelton and his British teammates: 'Those guys together, they'd get themselves into trouble.' Skelton's partner for the past 19 years, US show jumper Laura Kraut, adds: 'They were just fun, you'd meet them in the bar and they had this uncanny ability to stay up all night then show up at eight o'clock next morning and go and win.' After graduating from the beery county shows, Skelton continued to ride hard and play hard. Once, an all-night drinking binge in Dublin earned him a dressing down from the manager of the Great Britain team, who threatened to report him to the stewards if his behaviour did not improve. During the course of a riotous night, Skelton had gone from the bar at a horse show to the Embassy, then to a party and, still clad in his boots and breeches from the previous day, back to the showground where he was due to compete later that day. 'We used to celebrate, of course we did, we were good at that,' laughs Skelton. Midway into the film, which includes contributions from mainly horsey folk, Bruce Springsteen and his singer-songwriter wife Patti Scialfa make an incongruous appearance. It turns out Skelton is a friend and coaches their daughter Jessica, an Olympic silver medallist. 'Nick is a rock star, only he rides a horse instead of carrying a guitar around,' says Patti. It is her husband who, of all the film's contributors, best articulates Skelton's iron will power and determination. Springsteen says: 'You've got to have a hot fire in the furnace in order to take you where you want to go. Nick has that, he's one of those guys... it's almost as if he wills his wins.' If Skelton's career had ended in 2000 when he suffered what was believed to be a career-ending neck injury, he would still be considered one of the sports all-time greats. But against the odds, he achieved so much more, including Olympic gold medals at London 2012 and in Rio four years later. In a fall at a show in Cheshire, he broke his C1 vertebra in two places and snapped a ligament which tore away a piece of his spine. Months in a metal neck brace followed and he was advised by surgeons to give up riding or risk a fatal injury. Reluctantly, he retired from the sport in 2001 but to the amazement of many, the following year he was told by a German specialist that the bones in his neck had healed beyond expectations so he returned to the saddle - and competing at the very top. It allowed him to continue a career that has spanned four decades and seen him win five World Championship medals and nine European medals as well as holding the British record for jumping the highest fence ever cleared over 7ft 7in in 1979. Does he miss competing? 'No, not really. I achieved everything I wanted to achieve.' These days he trains young riders and horses and keeps a keen eye on the careers of his partner Laura and sons Harry, a champion jockey and Dan, a top trainer. He says: 'Just the other day I was coming out of a reception at Windsor Castle and of the security guy's said, 'You're Dan Skelton's father, aren't you?'. I thought that was quite funny.' * Big Star: The Story of Nick Skelton will be in cinemas from June 6. 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Metro
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Metro
F1 25 review
Codemasters' latest Formula One sim includes the return of Braking Point mode, a movie tie-in, and the introduction of reverse tracks. This year's instalment of EA's officially licenced Formula One game arrives just as the real-life F1 season is starting to get into its stride. As is customary, the game, like last year's F1 24, was crafted in the exotic climes of Birmingham by veteran racing game specialist Codemasters. And while it remains as startlingly realistic as ever, F1 25 goes much further in adding elements of fantasy, that fit in surprisingly well. Perhaps the headline inclusion in F1 25 is the return of Braking Point, the story mode which returns for a third time, after a two year hiatus. Braking Point 3 is surely the best instalment yet, of the Konnersport story, with a twisty storyline that feels like a big budget TV soap opera. Its action is cleverly varied, too. At times, for example, you might have to hold up the cars behind you without being passed, while your teammate catches up on new tyres after a pit stop, or you have to set a sequence of fastest laps to reel in and pass the rampant Red Bull cars. With 15 – albeit sometimes short – chapters, it's quite meaty, too. Like the other recent F1 games, F1 25 is pretty complex in structural terms, offering a bewildering variety of play modes. This year, these modes have been arranged in a more logical manner and Codemasters has turned most of its attention to the key My Team Career mode, giving it such a major revamp that it decided to call it My Team 2.0. You still take on the role of the owner of a new team, but this time around you don't drive the car yourself, but can jump into each race as either of the two drivers you have hired. Which makes much more sense – and in general, My Team 2.0 feels much more logical and authentic than it used to. You can opt to start from scratch or with a more established factory, and as you improve your factory facilities (a key mechanic in the game) you actually see them grow more sprawling. Separating research and development, so that you often have to choose which driver gets upgrades, also aligns more with the real world. The Driver Career mode is more or less unchanged, although the addition of specialists – in subjects like manufacturing or strategy – gives you additional goals, bringing further perks as you seek to get one over your teammate. This time round, you can also play as a number of iconic drivers, including Button, Senna, and Schumacher, as well as fictional ones from Braking Point and the upcoming F1: The Movie. There's also a whole new Career mode entitled Challenge Career, which lets you work through scenarios which are available for a limited time and post your best effort to compete on a global leaderboard. Pre-launch, the only such scenario involved steering Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari through three race weekends, so the jury is somewhat out on whether Challenge Career might develop into something compelling. Speaking of Jerry Bruckheimer and Brad Pitt's F1: The Movie, F1 25 lets you play through scenes from the film, starting with Pitt testing his fictional car at Silverstone. Like Challenge Career, various playable episodes will be added after launch. The fun of a Formula One game is that it cannot only simulate the reality of the current season but also what-if scenarios of varying degrees of plausibility. F1 25 takes that fantasy element to a new dimension with the ability to drive around three tracks – Silverstone, Zandvoort, and the Red Bull Ring in Austria – in the reverse direction. More Trending That's something that isn't allowed in real life and involved more work than you might imagine, since pit lane entries, exits and so on had to be virtually remodelled. But the effect is stunning; the tracks' characters completely change when you drive the wrong way around them. Silverstone becomes even more high-speed, feeling like a longer version of Thruxton, while Zandvoort, with its banked corners, is bonkers in reverse. All the essential building blocks of a Formula One game feel impressively solid in F1 25. The cars' handling and tyre modelling is fantastically realistic – after a wobble in F1 24, when Codemasters improved the physics but had to make some tweaks when the game was released. And it looks simply magnificent, some tracks scanned in using Lidar technology, bringing a new level of ultra-realism to them. This year's game has the best Braking Point yet, the tweaks to My Team Career work beautifully, the Challenge Career is intriguing (albeit unproven), and the reverse tracks should prove irresistible to Formula One fanatics. It's difficult for any yearly sequel to truly break the mould but F1 25 provides a heady mix of both realism and fantasy, to appeal to every kind of Formula One fan. In Short: Startling realism mixed with clever fantasy elements create one of the most compelling motorsport games of the current gen. Pros: Great new Braking Point mode and astutely tweaked My Team options. Looks and feels fantastic, with more iconic drivers than ever. Reverse tracks work great. Cons: The jury is out on Challenge Career and the overwhelming number of options and complex handling can be intimidating for inexperienced players. Score: 8/10 Formats: Xbox Series X/S (reviewed), PlayStation 5, and PCPrice: £69.99Publisher: EADeveloper: CodemastersRelease Date: 30th March 2025 Age Rating: 3 Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Star Wars actor says the series has 'gotta give us Battlefront 3 ASAP' MORE: Massive PS5 discount and Call Of Duty bundle coming this week claims leak MORE: Two drivers die within hours of each other at Motorsport UK races
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Netflix Brazil Unveils a ‘Sintonia' Spin-Off, Soccer Shows on Brazil 1970, Ronaldinho and Neymar and a Scripted Series on Brazil's Biggest Ever Radioactive Disaster
Directors Fernando Coimbra ('A Wolf at the Door') and top production houses Gullane ('Senna'), O2 Filmes ('City of God') and Boutique Filmes ('3%') feature among 10 new productions announced Monday by Netflix. The new announcements matter. Netflix does not break out client figures for individual countries. Brazil ranks, however, as its second-biggest market globally with 20.6 million paid subscribers, according to global analyst Omdia estimates. That places it ahead of the U.K. (17.7 million), Germany (17.5 million), and France (14.6 million). More from Variety 'Cocomelon' Acquired by Disney+; Netflix Deal Ends After 60% Viewership Decrease Netflix Reteams with 'Eternaut' Star Ricardo Darín on New Movie as Streamer 'Doubles Down' on Argentina 'Sirens' Creator on the Power of Lilly Pulitzer, Michaela's Bird Obsession and Turning Greek Myth Into New England Nightmare One of Brazil's biggest challenges is to export its biggest swings. Save for a rare exception like 'Senna,' Netflix Brazilian shows are not global plays. Yet some achieve global viewership via Netflix, led in 2024 by 'Desperate Lies,' Burning Betrayal,' 'Senna' (which bowed Nov. 29), 'Bionic' and 'Good Morning, Veronica' according to PlumResearch. Further breakouts this year take in 'A Tragedy Foretold: Flight 3054,' 'Sintonia,' 'Senna,' 'Burning Betrayal' and 'Stranded with My Mother in Law,' added Jonathan Broughton, at PlumResearch.. The 10 new unveils were made on the eve of Rio de Janeiro mega creativity forum Rio2C, where the U.S. SVOD leader will host a panel on the technological legacy of 'Senna' and another on the power of reality show casting, underscored by its own 'Stranded With My Mother-in-Law' Seasons 1 and 2. O2 Filmes is producing high-tech doc series 'Brazil 70 – A Saga do Tri,' about the key match plays and journeys of Brazilian soccer players – Pele, Jarzinho, Carlos Alberto – during Brazil's probably greatest FIFA World Cup triumph. 'Sintonia,' Netflix's biggest Brazilian franchise whose final Season 5 dropped in February, will receive a movie spin-off continuing Nando's story. Johnny Araújo directs again, Gullane produces once more. Scribe-helmer Coimbra and Gullane ('Noah's Ark,' 'The Second Mother') reunite after 'A Wolf at the Door' and 'Carnival is Over,' on 'Emergencia Radiactiva,' a mini-series inspired by the biggest non-nuclear-plant radioactive accident in history. Further new Netflix Brazil highlights announced Monday include biopics on soccer greats Ronaldinho and Neymar and Boutique Filmes' fiction chronicle of a crime that rocked Brazil, the Elize Matsunaga case. To date in 2025, Netflix has already released island-set reality challenge contest 'Stranded With My Mother in Law' Season 2, and three documentaries: 'Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta,' a take on the person behind the pop supernova persona; 'A Tragedy Foretold, Flight 3054,' about the deadliest aviation accident ever in South America, which ranked No. 4 among Netflix global Top 10 non-English shows over April 21-27, and 'Baila, Vini,' a take on Real Madrid soccer star Vinicius Jr.'s career and his troubled battle against racism. Crime thriller 'Os Donos do Jogo,' a 'Brotherhood' spin-off and 'Stranded With My Mother in Law' Season 3 have all wrapped production. 'Netflix continues to strengthen its investment in Brazil's audiovisual market,' it said Monday. How is that playing out? Six ways in which Netflix is pushing the envelope in Brazil, followed by a brief drill down on the newly announced productions: Expanding Netflix's Horizons In its drive for transformation of Brazil's film-TV scene, Netflix is exploring little frequented genres or shooting firsts for the streaming giant. Among unveils are its first wildlife doc in Brazil and indeed Latin America, 'Marcha das Oncas,' and Netflix's first horror movie, 'Fazenda Colonial,' made by an all female writing-directing team. Continuing to broaden its output. 'We not only aim to offer variety to a diverse audience but to encourage the development of new stories in Brazil,' Netflix Brazil head of films Higia Ikeda said Monday. A Drive into Brazilian Original Reality Shows Also unveiled, Korea-set 'Meu Namorado Coreano' joins other Netflix Brazil original reality shows, one of its fastest-building growth axes, reflecting the growing interest of Brazilian audiences in reality formats, said Elisa Chalfon, Netflix Brazil lead of non-fiction. She called Netflix's backing 'Meu Namorado Coreano'as 'very meaningful,' 'supporting the growth of the market, building specialized teams and expanding Brazilian entertainment's repertoire with originality and cultural strength.' Production Values Pushing authenticity, Netflix and Zola Filmes drafted in Peter Lee Thomas, a trainer for Halle Berry, to choreograph fight scenes on 'Fúria,' another new show, which required intense physical preparation, rehearsals and workshops. Turning on Elize Matsunaga's murder of her husband, real crime fiction suspense drama 'Uma Garota de Classe' features a faithful and detailed recreation of the apartment where the Matsunaga couple lived. Cutting-Edge Technology Marking a major leap in technology, Netflix-O2 Filmes' 'Brazil 70' yokes archival image research to VFX, reconstructing games moves and moments that weren't captured in detail in 1970 due to the limited technology of the time, exploring those in ultra-detailed shots and angles. 'We are making a significant investment in visual effects to recreate the matches and historic plays with the highest level of realism, combining on-location shoots in Brazil and Mexico with meticulous image research and digital finishing,' said Haná Vaisman, Netflix Brazil's scripted series lead. Brazilian Relevance 'Documentaries and reality shows are a direct bridge to the reality of our country and our subscribers — and Brazil has countless stories that have yet to be told,' said Chaflon. Brazilian stories can hike local audience engagement through their emotional proximity, while boosting a sense of authenticity. Netflix's aim, it said in a statement Monday, is 'to play a transformative role in Brazil's audiovisual landscape, offering globally resonant content rooted in local authenticity.' 'Brazilian content performs best when it leans into local identity, music or true stories, builds emotional resonance over spectacle and uses urban realism and cultural specificity to feel universal,' said Broughton. The Move Into Real Life Inspired Action Thrillers That authenticity takes in action thrillers, Brazil's potentially biggest next international calling card. Netflix confirmed Monday completion of filming on series 'Os Donos do Jogo,' co-created and directed by Heitor Dhalia, inspired by Rio's gaming mafia. At January's Next on Netflix, it showed new first look photos of the second season of smash hit series 'Criminal Code,' its most watched Brazilian series of second half 2023 inspired by a 2017 heist and subsequent real-life events. The series was heavily researched, creator Dhalia has said. 'Jogo' is following suit. Of Netflix's 10 new productions announced Monday, seven are inspired by real-life events or figures. Here Are the 10 New Productions Series 'Emergencia Radiactiva,' (Fernando Coimbra, Gullane) Coimbra's sharp human observation wrapped in a thriller format were major merits of 'A Wolf at the Door.' He returns to the same mix in this mini-series, relating the 1987 Goiâna radioactive accident – where scavengers unwittingly sold to neighbors 40 TBq of Caesium-137 found in a hospital radiation-therapy machine. People were curious about its glow. The miniseries frames a race against time, spotlighting the battle between physicists and doctors to save thousands of lives. 'Fúria,' (José Henrique Fonseca, Zola Filmes) Director of Netflix hit 'Bom dia, Verônica,' on Netflix over 2020-24, Fonseca returns with 'Füria,' about an amnesiac MMA fighter battling for a place in the MMA world and the rediscovery of his true identity as he's embroiled in a dangerous web of crime, ambition, and secrets that threaten his life and that of his mentor. 'Brazil 70 – A Saga do Tri,' (Naná Xavier, Rafael Dornelles, 02 Filmes) The 1970 World Cup saw Brazil's greatest team and some of its greatest goals such as Pele's nonchalant pass into space for Carlos Alberto in the final against Italy. Such moments are now rooted in a generation's collective memory, Netflix noted. Produced by O2 Filmes and directed by Pedro and Paolo Morelli, behind Series Mania title 'Raul Seixas: Let Me Sing,' 'Brazil 70 – A Saga do Tri,' recreates such highlights while chronicling the troubled personal journeys of Brazilian players. Reality Shows 'Meu Namorado Coreano,' Five Brazilian women hit a bustling Seoul to find out whether 'their relationships can withstand distance, cultural differences, and a whole new routine,' said Netflix. 'Each new production is an opportunity to innovate, test new storytelling styles, and engage directly with the audience,' commented Netflix's Chalfon. Documentaries A Ronaldinho Bio-Doc Winning near every trophy out – a World Cup, Copa América, Copa Libertadores and 2005 Ballon d'Or – and author of goals of extraordinary technique, imagination and often sheer cheek, the doc-feature will tell Ronaldinho's career story with 'humor and lightness, revealing little-known episodes and never-before-seen interviews,' according to Netflix. It is produced by Floresta ('Shark Tank Brazil,' 'Lady Night,' 'Bugados'), part of Sony Pictures Television International Productions. Untitled Neymar-Santos Doc Another Brazilian soccer doc, catching Neymar as he returns to soccer club Santos, where he first made his name, bidding to regain its former glory, having been relegated in 2023 to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B for the first time in its 111-year history. It will prove no cake walk. Improbable and Ginga Pictures produce. 'Marcha das Oncas,' Described as the journey of three jaguars in Brazil's Pantanal using advanced technology to reveal challenges faced by the species and the vital importance of its conservation. Entirely conceived, created and produced in Brazil, directed by Lawrence Wahba and co-produced by Duo2 and France's Bonne Pioche, behind 'The March of the Penguins,' a 2006 best doc feature Oscar winner. Films 'Uma Garota de Classe,' (Vellas, Boutique Filmes) Elize Matsunaga case, which saw her shoot dead and dismember her husband, heir to the Yoki food empire, already inspired a 2021 Netflix true-crime docuseries. Here it receives a fiction film makeover, billed by Netflix as 'a thriller with melodramatic touches, exploring social class, ambition, and violence in a provocative way.' Directed by Vellas, who helmed Amazon Prime's 'DOM' and two episodes of Netflix's 'Crime Code,' the series is written by acclaimed crime novelist turned screenwriter Raphael Montes whose 'Perfect Days' inspired Anonymous Content Brazil's first scripted project. 'Sintonia' Nando Spin off Launched August 2019, set in São Paulo's outer-radius slums and created by music producer KondZilla, the driving force behind Brazilian urban funk, along with producer-writer Felipe Braga and Guilherme Quintella, 'Sintonia' made waves through its mixture of KondZilla's street cred, a potent mix of Brazilian funk, drug crime and teen ambition and a universal theme of bedrock friendship between by Season 5 incarcerated drug trafficker Nando, law school graduate Rita and music impresario Doni. The movie spin-off continues Nando's story, details to be revealed at a later date. 'Fazenda Colonial,' (Marcela Mariz, Renata di Carmo) A group of friends' take a celebratory trip to an old farm, which ends in a sinister reunion with the past. Kromaki ('Birthright') and Panda Filmes ('Los Terrines') produce, Mariz ('David Mirisch, The Man Behind the Golden Stars') and Di Carmo ('Senhoras') direct. 'The work subverts the genre by incorporating elements of Brazilian social history, a smart and subversive take on social issues such as racism, told through the lens of horror,' Netflix noted Monday. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Straits Times
Brazilian Bortoleto feels the weight of history in Monaco
MONACO - Gabriel Bortoleto can feel the weight of history as the Brazilian rookie prepares to race around the same metal-fenced Monaco streets once dominated by his Formula One idol Ayrton Senna. Triple world champion Senna, whose death at Imola in 1994 shocked the sport, won a record six times in the Mediterranean principality including five in a row with McLaren between 1989 and 1993. Bortoleto, also from Sao Paulo and last year's Formula Two champion who also won the Formula Three title the season before, will be the first Brazilian since Felipe Massa in 2017 to start the showcase race. The 20-year-old Sauber driver, whose team will become the Audi factory outfit next year, said his father had told him stories about Senna for as long as he could remember. "He was, he is, my idol," he told Reuters in an interview. "I believe he was the greatest. I think not only as a driver, but as a person, the Brazilian driver that did the most for the country, did the most for everyone." The legacy, he added, remained very much alive as well as the country's thirst to produce another winner and eventual champion. "Definitely I feel it, you know, and it's obvious because everyone that represents a country, and you are the only one doing that in this series, you end up feeling that from the fans and everyone," he said. "It doesn't matter what position we are in right now, because I'm sure we are going to get better in the future as a team and everything, but having someone on the grid is super important to keep our country alive in this sport." NO POINTS Bortoleto has yet to score a point in seven races with Sauber, currently last of the 10 teams, but he made light of his situation. He has the example of manager and mentor Fernando Alonso, a double world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006 who went through his 2001 debut season with tail-enders Minardi without scoring. Alonso, still racing at 43 with Aston Martin, has also yet to open his account in 2025. "It's not nice to not have points, but I really don't care because my target in Formula One is not to score one point and 'now I have a point in the season'," said Bortoleto. "My target here is to develop and grow as a driver like I see I'm doing and one day be fighting for a championship and win. "I'm not here to be a guy that scores a couple of points. Who remembers about these people that score a little bit of points and they finish P13 in the championship?" Bortoleto has a contract for 2026 and said this year would be a learning one. That includes having to move aside as a backmarker for faster cars -- such as his friend, simulator racing rival and four times world champion Max Verstappen -- when blue flags are waved. "I'm not used to that, you know, I've never got a blue flag in my life before Formula One," said Bortoleto. "I'm sure that one day, hopefully I will be blue flagging people... you know patience is everything and hopefully my career in Formula One is not a short one. "I'm here to stay for very long, and at some point I'm sure I'm going to have a good car to deliver strong results and to celebrate good things with this great team I have behind me." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
India Today
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Ajith's emotional tribute to F1 legend Ayrton Senna wins the internet. Watch
Tamil superstar Ajith Kumar visited the memorial of Formula One legend Ayrton Senna in Imola, Italy, to pay his respects. A passionate racer himself, Ajith was seen kissing Senna's statue at the very spot where the F1 icon lost his life during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. The emotional video is now going viral on social media.A three-time Formula One World Champion, Ayrton Senna, tragically lost his life in an accident at the Imola racetrack. Deeply moved, Ajith Kumar was seen offering a heartfelt tribute, kneeling before Senna's statue, kissing its feet, and bowing his head in a gesture of reverence and also placed his racing helmet at the base of the statue, symbolically honouring Senna's legendary legacy in motorsport. Watch the videos here: Fans admired Ajith's gesture and reacted to the heartfelt video. One user wrote, "Man's respect towards his idol (sic)." While, the other commented, "What a man. No words to say (sic)." A third fan noted Ajith seeking Senna's the comments here: In an interview with India Today, Ajith Kumar talked about his racing comeback. Calling it "organic", the superstar said, "I don't think it's fair on my part to be putting Shalini or my loved ones through this. I'm sure my family is worried, but my wife, Shalini, also realises that racing is something I have been doing since I was very young."advertisementHe added, "Even before I became an actor, it just happened organically. If you ask me how it happened, I can't pinpoint any one particular moment. It was there at the back of my mind that I needed to get back to racing. Of course, I am too old for single-seaters now."The 'Thunivu' actor stated that he feels happy when he is at the racetrack. On the acting front, Ajith Kumar was last seen in 'Good Bad Ugly', directed by Adhik Watch
