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Haas boss Guenther Steiner is in line to be a producer on a new “single-camera workplace comedy” show on US broadcaster CBS. Steiner is a fan favourite among F1 fans, with his X-rated moments on Netflix’s Drive to Survive giving the Italian-American team principal a cult following. Now he will act as a non-writing executive producer for a comedy show in the early stages of development, according to Deadline. The fictional show will be set in sport, with the protagonist set to play a role as a team boss, based on Steiner. CBS is one of America’s biggest broadcast networks and has produced comedy series’ such as The Big Bang Theory and Everybody Loves Raymond. Steiner told The Independent in March that he is “not good at acting”, insisting the perception of him in Drive to Survive is authentic. “I just do my job and if they film it all that’s fine,” he said. “It’s all very transparent. We sometimes make a meal of things but very rarely. It’s real – and we can do that because our owner [Gene Haas] lets us do it. “I think the fact he’s American means he’s more open. I think people like the honesty too.” Steiner’s Haas team are currently bottom of the F1 constructors’ standings with one race to go this weekend in Abu Dhabi. Read More F1 Juniors broadcast an admirable idea – but all kids want to be is grown up Mick Schumacher returns to racing with Alpine in 2024 Lando Norris posts update from hospital after Las Vegas crash

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“Now it’s time to cross over to our F1 Juniors,” said Sky’s lead presenter Simon Lazenby, in a feel which became familiar throughout the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. Often the broadcaster striving for new avenues, never afraid of the status quo, Sky Sports took their television trials to a different avenue this weekend with the first-ever Formula 1 broadcast for children. An admirable experiment, it gave three teenagers a few days to savour as they started their summer holidays in Budapest alongside broadcasters Radzi Chinyanganya and Harry Benjamin. For Braydon, Scarlett and Zak – the latter a go-karter at junior level, the former duo presenters on Sky’s BAFTA-winning kids show FYI – it presented opportunities of a lifetime with interviews, quizzes and predictions with the best drivers and pundits in the paddock. And it provided some indisputably heartwarming moments. Like the segment where Zak met Lewis Hamilton and spoke to his hero about how inspiring the Mercedes star has been to black kids around the world, before then sitting in his Mercedes car. Or Scarlett and Braydon quizzing the “terrible trio” of George Russell, Lando Norris and Alex Albon about what ice cream they’d describe themselves as. “Vanilla”, Norris quipped, pointing at Russell. There’s something about the involvement of adolescents in a press environment which can bring some much-needed lightheartedness to what can sometimes be a sterile process for all involved. For example, who can forget the young boy, in awe of his sporting icon, who asked Roger Federer at the US Open in 2017: “Switzerland is really cool, right? There isn’t too much livestock. So why do they call you the GOAT [greatest of all time]?” Yet, away from one-on-ones with drivers, the core aspect to the alternative broadcast was the informal race coverage, live on free-to-air Sky Showcase, which presented an F1 race in an entirely different format. There were bright, 3D-augmented graphics throughout, with a colour-coordinated leaderboard which, frankly, seemed clearer than the usual feed at times. Explainers popped up at various points, defining key F1-focused terms for younger viewers. The use of avatars for each driver was a cute touch, though obviously best kept for this experiment. Overall, it provided something completely unique and distinctive for a 70-lap race which provided a common routine in the obligatory Max Verstappen victory. Sure, nobody was asking for an F1-kids broadcast. And inevitably, naysayers online will have been quick to roll their eyes at the initiative. It was notable that both Sky F1 and Benjamin turned off replies to their tweets involving F1 Juniors over the weekend. Less an indication of the general reaction to the initiative and more a sign of the times – and the highly-charged, often-abusive nature of social media. But that is not the point. F1 has for a while been a step ahead of other sports in the intuitiveness and creativity of its product, to the stage now where it is in the midst of a period of unprecedented worldwide popularity. The most obvious is the fly-on-the-wall nature of Drive to Survive on Netflix, a format only now being followed by the professional tennis and golf tours in search of extra eyeballs. It is a fine balancing act, though. During practice and the qualifying show, there were regular interspersions on the main feed to the Juniors, a process which may well have irritated petrolheads and fans of a sterner generation. While Sky like to push boundaries, their executives will be all too aware of trying to avoid alienating their core viewership. The one-off nature of F1 Juniors, at least this season, means this is unlikely to materialise. And there were moments of awkwardness. Like cutting to Christian Horner on the pit wall, seemingly in a baffled daze, who bluntly said: “Can we come back and do this in another 10 laps or so?” Like a selfie in the commentary booth with Danica Patrick, who had earlier stated the nature of sport “is masculine and aggressive” as she spoke about the lack of female racing drivers. There were obviously a few mistakes here and there – and it wasn’t completely crisp and clear-cut. But then it wasn’t meant to be. And, frankly, nor is David Croft and Martin Brundle’s expert commentary always error-free. In a sport as technical and fast-paced as F1, perfection is near-on impossible. Of course, unless you’re Verstappen at the moment. But the underlying takeaway is this: as a child, all you want to be is treated as a grown-up. The best way of learning about the intricacies of a sport like Formula 1 is to immerse yourself in the usual feed on a regular basis, creating a curiosity gap to discover more. As a one-off, F1 Juniors was worthwhile and undoubtedly a commendable initiative. For intrigued parents, showing their children an F1 race for the first time, who knows how many may have flicked on the coverage? Who knows how many might now flick on an F1 race in the future on a Sunday afternoon? Something different is not to be something dismissed. Article originally published on 24 July 2023 Read More Lewis Hamilton makes damning statement about his level after Hungarian GP Daniel Ricciardo is back - and this time he wants to go out on top Mick Schumacher returns to racing with Alpine in 2024 Lando Norris posts update from hospital after Las Vegas crash Las Vegas Grand Prix dazzles on debut with usual dose of Max Verstappen reality

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The birth of a rare rhino calf at Chester Zoo was caught on camera. A zookeeper captured rhino Zuri giving birth to an eastern black rhino on Sunday, 12 November. “So far, the pair have been inseparable and the little one is feeding regularly and already gaining in size and weight,” says Rhino team manager Emma Evison. The birth will help in preserving an endangered species. Fewer than 600 of the species are left across the African wild and are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Read More Wayne Rooney ‘couldn’t be bothered’ to meet rap icon at Glastonbury, Coleen reveals How to use your Apple Watch to calculate perfect restaurant tip Martin Lewis issues urgent warning to unmarried couples living together

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Mick Schumacher has been confirmed as a driver for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship next year. The 24-year-old has been present in the Formula 1 paddock this season as a reserve driver for Mercedes, driving in the simulator and providing cover for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. The German driver, son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, was dropped from his F1 race seat at Haas at the end of the 2022 season after two years but after experiencing a year without racing in 2023, Schumacher will race for Alpine in their Hypercar squad next season. “A new chapter is beginning for me with Alpine in the FIA WEC hypercar category,” Schumacher said. “The car is impressive, and I can’t wait to get started. “I’ve grown up with single-seaters, so driving a car with a closed cockpit and covered wheels is a great opportunity to hone my driving skills.” Schumacher recently completed a test for Alpine in their A424 hypercar as he takes his first racing steps outside single-seater cars. It is thought that any endurance racing would be in tandem with his role as a Mercedes reserve again next year, though Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff is yet to formally confirm that Schumacher will be staying with the team. Schumacher added: “I sorely missed racing this year; it’s what I’ve loved to do since I was a kid, and it was sometimes difficult to watch the other drivers take to the track. “Endurance racing is a new challenge for me, and I’m sure we will share great moments together next year with Alpine.” Schumacher has been linked with the only F1 seat unconfirmed for next year - Logan Sargeant’s spot at Williams. However, it is likely that the American will be given another year at the wheel by Williams, particularly after his strongest qualifying performance of the season to date in Las Vegas at the weekend. Bruno Famin, vice-president of Alpine Motorsports, added of Schumacher’s addition: “With [team principal] Philippe Sinault, we wanted drivers who are not only fast and reliable but also showing a real team spirit and good racing acumen to best represent the Alpine colours in the premier category of the World Endurance Championship. “It might be [Schumacher’s] first foray into endurance, but his enthusiasm for the project and his will to join us are palpable. I’m sure he will be a real asset.” Schumacher will be present in the F1 paddock this weekend at the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi.