Lewis Hamilton raised the prospect of springing a surprise pole position at the Hungarian Grand Prix after finishing fastest in final practice. The seven-time world champion ended the concluding one-hour running before qualifying at the Hungaroring 0.250 seconds clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Verstappen, who has won eight of the 10 rounds so far and six in succession, complained about the handling of his Red Bull. “There is no f****** grip,” said the frustrated two-time world champion over the radio. Sergio Perez took third spot in the other Red Bull, 0.263 sec adrift of Hamilton, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and McLaren driver Lando Norris fourth and fifth respectively. Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate George Russell finished sixth three tenths back. Hamilton only finished 16th on Friday, describing his machine as “at its worst”. But the 38-year-old, who has won more times at the Hungaroring than anybody else and captured his first victory in Mercedes colours at this venue a decade ago, led the way on Saturday to suggest he might be a contender heading into the remainder of the weekend. Elsewhere, Daniel Ricciardo, back on the grid as a replacement for Nyck De Vries, clocked the 18th quickest time. His new AlphaTauri team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was 20th and last. Qualifying for Sunday’s 70-lap race starts at 4pm local time (3pm BST).

Melanie Sykes has revealed she’s been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome. The 52-year-old I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! star revealed the news of her diagnosis on her close friend Alan Carr’s podcast. Speaking of her diagnosis, Sykes said she’s “wired completely differently” and is “only now” understanding the impact of the neurological disorder on her life. Tourette’s syndrome may cause sudden unwanted and uncontrolled rapid and repeated movements or vocal sounds called tics. During the interview, when Carr assured Sykes that it was fine to swear during the conversation, she said: “Oh good, but I’ll try not to, because I’ve just discovered I have Tourette’s. “I describe in the book (Illuminated: Autism and all the Things I’ve Left Unsaid) how I laugh at really inappropriate things. I am wired a completely different way and I’m only just understanding it. “I used to think, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ Now I know it’s everything that’s right with me,” Sykes added. The new diagnosis comes two years after Sykes was diagnosed with autism. The presenter, who is known for shows like Let’s Do Lunch with Gino D’Acampo, said after the diagnosis that “finally, so many things made sense”. Sykes first revealed her diagnosis in an email to readers of her magazine, The Frank. She wrote that finding out she was on the autism spectrum, which can affect the way people with autism communicate and interact with others, was “life-affirming”. She has since been welcomed into the autistic community with messages from mothers of children on the spectrum and adults diagnosed late in life. “They’re so happy I’m talking about it, normalising it,” Sykes told the magazine. “Some people who were too embarrassed to tell anyone now feel they can. “It makes me extremely happy to know I’ve helped.” Sykes’ diagnosis comes after singer Lewis Capaldi recently announced he was taking a break from touring for the “foreseeable future” due to his Tourette’s. The “Someone You Loved” singer struggled with his performance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury this year because of his tics, and appeared visibly moved by the huge audience who helped him sing his song. Following the show, Capaldi said he is “still learning to adjust to the impact of my Tourette’s” and needed to spend time taking care of his physical and mental health before he could return to touring. Read More Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods reunite four years after Tristan Thompson cheating scandal Nicole Kidman defends her controversial Vanity Fair mini skirt cover Alan Titchmarsh warns against ‘ill-considered’ rewilding trend in domestic gardens These are the women making waves in the cycling world Nappy changes and tantrums over Michael Gove: I took my toddler to a music festival Demi Lovato says she still struggles with vision, hearing impairment after overdose

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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