The Toto Wolf-Hamilton marriage appears destined for a messy divorce

Lewis Hamilton has endured a difficult start to his final Formula 1 season within the Mercedes organisation – and it could get even worse as the campaign tapers on.

Lewis Hamilton’s start to his final season with the Mercedes squad could not have commenced in a worse way and it seems to be ever clearer that there will be no successful swan song to see out arguably the greatest driver/team pairing in Formula 1 history.

Mercedes has endured various struggles across the last two seasons and it appears no closer to reeling in Red Bull after the opening rounds of the current campaign.

Hamilton’s best grand prix result came at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, where he crossed the finish line in seventh.

The following four rounds have consisted of a trio of ninth-place results and a non-finish in Australia, adding up to the Briton’s worst start to a season in his entire career.

And it could get even worse from here.

Bump back down to reality
Hamilton’s gloomy start to the season was given a hint of a breather during last weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix as he qualified on the front row for the sprint race, before finishing the shorter outing in second place.

But the brief glimmer was not enough to diminish what has been a dismal few weeks, and the seven-time world champion was bumped back down to reality soon after he crossed the line in second, as he qualified towards the back of the grid for the grand prix.

Hamilton’s issues over one-lap this year have been apparent in the fact he has out-qualified team-mate George Russell just once this season, while he is yet to take the chequered flag ahead of his compatriot.

There was a strange exchange in China when Hamilton commented that his set-up went in a very different direction to Russell’s – a claim that the latter refuted.

Whatever truly occurred and whatever is behind Hamilton’s ongoing woes behind the wheel, nothing has swayed Hamilton from voicing his desire to see out his Mercedes tenure on a high note and provide his maximum effort until the very end – but just how realistic is such a scenario?

Phasing out
Should Hamilton be confined to competing at the lower end of the top 10, a sense of resignation and a switch in focus could soon become a reality for him.

While there is no reason to question his commitment, Hamilton is moving to pastures new next year with a lucrative move to the Ferrari squad to pair himself alongside Charles Leclerc in what is one of the biggest driver transfers in F1 history.

Very soon, the realities of the decision will kick in and Hamilton will start to feel like something an outsider when he is phased out of meetings over the 2025 car.

Such policies are traditional when any driver is leaving a team for a rival, but Mercedes has been his home, his nature even, for so long that it will create an unnatural scenario for him when he is not central to discussions.

Throw in the prospect of circulating far away from the front-running competition and the situation could soon get uncomfortable for Hamilton.

The circumstance will soon turn into a frighteningly unfamiliar one for the 39-year-old.

It could very well be the case that Hamiton hopes his final Mercedes outing comes sooner rather than later – as emotional as it will be, it will bring an end to the agonising period that looks set to lie ahead.

Humiliating moment for Toyota as Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin as another NASCAR story unveiled

Toyota’s Tyler Reddick secured the team their fourth win of the 2024 season at Talladega after surviving a multi-car wreck on the final lap. But the victory was the only positive thing for Toyota on the day as four of their drivers were involved in a big wreck, with three of them doing it to themselves.

The final stage of the race witnessed a really embarrassing moment for the Toyota teams. The team after pitting together, formed a single file and started producing a massive run. Tyler Reddick led the pack with Erik Jones, Bubba Wallace, John Hunter Nemechek , Martins Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs following them in the respective order.

A caution on Lap 157 for this incident in Turn 3. pic.twitter.com/t1I5uEen0L

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 21, 2024
Coming into Turn 3, Jones lost control of his No:43 car after slightly lifting up and Wallace’s No:23 Camry bumped him. Jones crashed hard onto the wall alongside Wallace. Hamlin, who was behind them wasn’t able to avoid the chaos and was caught in the incident, while other two JGR driver was able to get out without any damages.

Replays of the incident suggest that three drivers played major role in the incident. Jones’s car suddenly moving to the left and slowing down started it all. Wallace wasn’t able to keep control of his car and Nemechek aggressive pushing of the 23XI Racing car was vital as well. No one can be predominantly blamed for the chaos.

Denny Hamlin gives his perspective of the incident
The No:11 Toyota driver was the innocent by stander in the incident. He pointed out that he is unsure what happened, and hinted that a bad push towards the front was the reason for their crash. He sees the incident as poetic considering their strategy.

I just saw the No. 43 get turned and then I got turned. I’m really not sure which one happened first. Obviously, there was a bad push towards the front and wiped us all out. It’s just poetic. Denny Hamlin said.
It was fortunate that a Toyota driver was able to come out victorious, otherwise the incident would’ve hunt them for long. The three TRD team has to have a discussion over what happened and needs t find solution before the Daytona race towards the end of the regular season.

This is Hilarious “That Shoe Guy” – Dale Earnhardt Jr Broaches Michael Jordan’s Unfortunate

Michael Jordan is not known because he played in the NBA, but it’s somewhat the other way around; the NBA (sport) is known because of him. In the ’80s and ’90s, he wasn’t just a basketball player; he was a global phenomenon, helping to shoot basketball and the NBA into international fame. While some might debate it, many hail him as the greatest to ever play the game, racking up six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.

However, folks who were either too young or not even born when he retired in 2003 might not fully grasp the scale of his impact. Today’s youngsters, like Tyler Reddick’s son Beau, might find it hard to understand just how monumental Michael Jordan was. Dale Earnhardt Jr recently shared his thoughts on this in his podcast, expressing a bit of sympathy for the new generation that didn’t witness MJ in action.

Does Dale Earnhardt Jr feel bad for the kids today who don’t really know Michael Jordan as the legendary athlete?

After Tyler Reddick nailed his sixth career win at Talladega, Michael Jordan celebrated with Reddick’s little guy, Beau, who didn’t quite grasp how famous Jordan really was. This cute moment caught everyone’s attention and even made its way into the post-race presser. Bob Pockrass threw a question at Reddick, asking if Beau thinks of Jordan as a basketball legend or just the sneaker guy. Reddick’s guess was, “Probably, with as young as he is, more is the guy with the shoe company, for sure.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr picked up on this during his podcast, reflecting on how it’s a bit of a bummer that today’s youngsters recognize the “Jordan” brand but don’t fully appreciate the man’s epic legacy. Dale Jr pointed out, “It’s interesting man uh talking to you know listening to some of the conversations in the industry how a lot of people like Tyler maybe even know him mainly by the shoes man, and not the game. That is fascinating. […] That’s crazy! That’s wild! That’s insane! Because I mean there’s no uh you know there there’s no debate about who was the greatest basketball NBA player of all time it’s Michael Jordan.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr really digs having Michael Jordan at the track because it means NASCAR is getting popularity in spots it usually doesn’t reach. While NASCAR had its old haunts, with MJ around, the impact is off the charts—you just can’t quantify his influence. We’ve all been hyping the importance of having him as an owner these past few years, right?