Lewis Hamilton insists his team are “almost there” as they look to agree a new contract with Mercedes – and has denied reports that Ferrari have approached him. The 38-year-old’s current contract with the Silver Arrows, where he has been since 2013, expires at the end of this season as he is set to take to the track on Friday in a revamped Mercedes car. COMMENT: Lewis Hamilton has shut the door on Ferrari – will he come to regret it? A report this week suggested Ferrari have offered the seven-time F1 world champion – who has won six of his titles with Mercedes – a £40m-a-year contract to join the Scuderia from 2024. Yet Hamilton, who covets a record-breaking eighth crown after missing out controversially in Abu Dhabi in 2021, revealed that his representatives are close to concluding negotiations with Mercedes over an extension. First practice at the Monaco Grand Prix starts at 12:30pm (BST) on Friday, with FP2 at 4pm (BST). Follow practice at the Monaco Grand Prix with The Independent. Read More Lewis Hamilton has shut the door on Ferrari – will he come to regret it? F1 Monaco Grand Prix: Why is practice no longer on a Thursday? Ferrari boss gives Lewis Hamilton update after reports of shock move

A Norwegian tradition at weddings. In the old days, in small towns in Norway, all the women would gather together to make really big potato pancakes to be eaten at wedding breakfasts!” says Trine Hahnemann, author of Simply Scandinavian. “This recipe takes a little planning because you need to prepare the potatoes the day before to allow their starch to settle, in order to be able to roll out the dough.” Potato pancakes Makes: 10 Ingredients: For the pancakes: 500g peeled potatoes 50g salted butter 50g full-fat crème fraîche 1 tsp sea salt flakes 175g plain flour, plus more to dust Freshly ground black pepper For the topping: 200g spinach 4 tomatoes 1 onion, sliced 1-2 tbsp salted butter 2-3 tbsp full-fat crème fraîche Method: 1. The day before you want to make the pancakes, boil the potatoes until tender. Drain them, then pass through a potato ricer into a bowl and add the butter, crème fraîche and salt, with some pepper. Mix well, then cover and refrigerate overnight. 2. Next day, mix the flour into the potato mixture and divide the dough into 10. Roll each piece out on a floured work surface into a circle 12 centimetres in diameter. Cook each one in a dry frying pan, turning it once. You will know they are ready when they are light brown on both sides, which will take two to three minutes on each side. 3. For the topping, rinse the spinach in cold water and drain well; it may take several rinses to get it properly clean. Cut the tomatoes in half and discard the juice and seeds, then slice them. Sauté the onion in the butter until golden brown, then add the spinach and wilt it, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the heat off, add the tomatoes and mix. 4. Serve the warm pancakes topped with the vegetables, with crème fraîche on the side. ‘Simply Scandinavian’ by Trine Hahnemann (Quadrille, £27). Read More Budget Bites: Three light recipes that sing of summer What the hell is Scandinavian food? Lighter fish pie: Comfort food you won’t feel guilty for eating Three quick and easy plant-based fakeaways to create at home The Union Rye, review: Finally, a decent restaurant in this charming East Sussex town Missing Glastonbury? Here’s how to have a festival feast at home

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