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    • Max Verstappen again the man to beat in F1 in 2023

    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the Bahrain International Circuit, on Feb. 23, 2023. (Frank Augstein / AP) Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the Bahrain International Circuit, on Feb. 23, 2023. (Frank Augstein / AP)
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    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen was so far ahead last season that catching the Formula One champion may feel like scaling a mountain.

    So that's exactly what Ferrari's Charles Leclerc did to get himself ready for the challenge, which starts next Sunday at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

    The 25-year-old from Monaco headed up to the Italian Dolomites for some "extreme training" that left him "fully recharged and ready for" another crack at Verstappen, his former junior karting rival.

    Lewis Hamilton has long been a perfectionist when it comes to physical fitness. But this time the Mercedes veteran tried something new: a week in Antarctica whale-spotting.

    "Winter was great, amazing, (the) highlight was Antarctica seeing the whales," the 38-year-old said. "Definitely, if anyone has an opportunity to go, pack warm. But otherwise (it's) pretty spectacular."

    Whether this makes any difference when it comes to stopping Verstappen remains to be seen, and if pre-season testing is anything to go by, it might not.

    Verstappen thinks his RB19 may be even better than last year.

    "Overall I think it's definitely an improvement to last year," he said during testing. "Very positive days for me."

    Ferrari will hope things improve under new leadership.

    Frenchman Frederic Vasseur replaced team principal, Italian Mattia Binotto, whose relationship with Leclerc had become increasingly tense.

    Leclerc opened 2022 with two wins in three races and seemed poised to challenge Verstappen. But he finished nearly 150 points adrift, without a win since July and just finished second overall.

    "What to expect from Fred? It's very early days, but what I can say is that it was impressive how quickly he (blended) into the team," said Leclerc, who worked with Vasseur at Sauber. "Straight away he felt quite at ease and understood a team like Ferrari."

    Without criticizing Binotto, he alluded to the need for change.

    "He's really, really good at putting everybody in the right conditions in order to extract the best out of people," the 25-year-old Leclerc said. "I think this is going to be a big plus."

    Binotto's management led to poor team orders, botched pit stops and odd strategy calls that cost Leclerc wins. It generated conflict within F1's most famed team and led to Binotto's departure.

    Hamilton's relationship with Mercedes remains strong as he negotiates a new contract and with team principal Toto Wolff pledging to give him a winning car.

    Hamilton is F1's record-holder with 103 wins, but didn't win a race last year and now must also beat teammate George Russell.

    Russell surprised many observers in his first season with Mercedes by finishing ahead of Hamilton in the standings. Russell was fourth, compared to sixth for Hamilton, and won the team's only race.

    "Every point of my career, I've always gone in believing," Russell said.

    Asked about his rivals, Verstappen was very brief.

    "It's more important we focus on ourselves," said Verstappen, who has won a record 15 races last year to take his career tally to 35.

    The 25-year-old Dutchman is already sixth all time for wins. The late F1 great Ayrton Senna is fifth with 41 wins and well within reach this season.

    Red Bull will start sleeker and lighter than last year and, Verstappen hopes, with no reliability problems.

    "The main issue we had last year was the car was massively overweight, so at the beginning the car was very lazy and wasn't turning in," Verstappen said. "This year it's just a continuation, but also things we found and put on the car that were clearly better."

    Last year became plain-sailing for Verstappen until some tension crept in near the end. Teammate Sergio Perez was unhappy that Verstappen didn't let him through in Brazil when Perez was fighting with Leclerc for second place in the championship.

    SPEAKING UP

    Lewis Hamilton will keep speaking out on social justice and race, human rights and other issues close to his heart.

    Motorsport's governing body FIA in December updated its International Sporting Code to require prior written permission for drivers to make or display "political, religious and personal statements or comments" during race weekends.

    The crackdown on free speech was condemned by most drivers. It led to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali saying drivers won't be gagged and prompted FIA to backtrack somewhat by saying drivers are free to express themselves outside of competition on their own platforms or in media interviews, and when directly asked questions in news conferences.

    But FIA insists the sport must remain neutral, and potential sanctions range from fines, a grid drop, time penalty or -- worst-case scenario -- suspension.

    Hamilton is confident Mercedes and F1 won't let him and other drivers down.

    "I know the team is in constant communication with the FIA and it's been really positive to see Stefano (Domenicali) and Formula One stepping up and supporting us," said Hamilton, the only Black driver in F1.

    NEW AND OLD

    Fernando Alonso is still confident in his ability to win a third world title even though he's 41 years old. He joined Aston Martin after an acrimonious split with Alpine and the Spaniard likes what he's seen so far.

    "At Aston Martin for sure there is this energy and trying to become a contender for the future," he said. "New factory coming together will be ready, new wind tunnel, a lot of investment. They look pretty good."

    NEW FACES

    The 21-year-old Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren), 22-year-old American Logan Sargeant and Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri) are the new faces.

    De Vries raced once last season and impressed with ninth place at the Italian Grand Prix when he stepped in for Alex Albon when he had appendicitis.

    "I'm getting the opportunity to live my dream," the 28-year-old De Vries said.

    F2 champion Felipe Drugovich could replace Lance Stroll for Aston Martin in Bahrain if Stroll fails to recover from a wrist injury sustained in a bicycle accident.

    There's also a rumor that Aston Martin could recall Sebastian Vettel as a one-off. The four-time F1 champion retired last season.

    Alonso and Vettel -- former title rivals in the same team -- would add spice, even for only one race.

    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    Canada

    • Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • The RCMP is seeking the dismissal of three officers who have been suspended from the Coquitlam detachment since June 2021 over allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic comments made in a group chat.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    Sports

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West. When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    • The RCMP is seeking the dismissal of three officers who have been suspended from the Coquitlam detachment since June 2021 over allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic comments made in a group chat.

    • Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    • On the day he spoke to one of his largest audiences to date, the leader of the BC Conservatives made an exceptionally misleading statement around a well-publicized funding model for political parties that’s been in place since 2018.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • One person was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a multi-vehicle collision in Milton, Ont. on Friday night.

    • The man charged with fatally stabbing lifelong Banff resident Ethan Enns-Goneau in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder.

    • Environment Canada issued a frost advisory for Calgary late Friday afternoon.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • For years, the commute to Ottawa's west end was one of the biggest complaints for attending fans. But those who live in Kanata and in the immediate LeBreton area say the move would be a big change their respective neighbourhoods.

    • Ottawa police are investigating a shooting downtown Friday afternoon.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • A man who asserted his right to work in French has won his case before the Tribunal, invoking the new provisions of the province's French-language law (Bill 96) to that effect.

    • Two Edmonton Police Service officers have been criminally charged in connection with an assault.

    • Roughly 100 people gathered in an Edmonton intersection on Friday in support of – and against – the 1 Million March for Children.

    • The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge announced Friday it is now accepting reservations from guests for accommodations beginning Oct. 1.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Air travel is back in full swing at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A plane approaches the grass runway at Harv’s Air School south of Steinbach. Nothing is getting in the way of a clear, smooth landing, but owner Harv Penner worries, that could soon change.

    • The University of Manitoba's College of Dentistry is dealing with some unexpected consequences from the federal government's new Canadian Dental Care Plan

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    • Regina police are responding to a collision involving a motorcycle on Friday evening.

    • Five Regina schools were placed into lockdown or secure the building mode following a report of a weapons investigation at Miller High School on Friday.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • The provincial government is considering new rules to restrict a municipality’s ability to install new bike lanes if it means traffic lanes would be removed.

    • A new scam is being reported in communities across the country.

    • Hospital beds in hallways, supply shortages in the neonatal intensive care unit, and operating rooms being put on hold are some of the concerns nurses are voicing, according to the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN).

    • The Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a 29-year-old man died in hospital.

    • A garage fire in Saskatoon’s Willows neighbourhood on Friday narrowly missed igniting an attached home, according to the fire department.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    • A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle on Friday afternoon.

    • NEW

      NEW

      Under intense cross-examination from Crown Attorney Jennifer Moser, the embattled former Mayor of Woodstock stuck to his story denying that he ever did anything inappropriate to his female accuser.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    • A jury has found a Barrie man guilty of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of a man at a Banff bar two years ago.

    • The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is searching for the occupants of a vehicle caught on security cameras during a fatal police-involved shooting on Goyeau Street.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family’s backyard pool.

    • The federal government is investing $18.4 million dollars into the region.

    • A home has been transformed for the benefit of a B.C. neighbourhood, by a man who was transformed by the caring of his community.

    • When the federal government announced all open net fish farms on the British Columbia coast need to be out of the water by 2029, it also promised to produce a draft transition plan by the end of July. It missed that target by seven weeks.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls – including one that gave birth to 10 puppies – from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • After a summer of preparation, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are ready to open the 2024-25 season.

    • As a new semester is underway, Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge say the number of students on campus is on the rise.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

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