#red team signs lh

[thepotentialof2007]

“A bolt of lightning you don’t expect. A rare flower that seemed like it would never bloom again. The parable of Ferrari, the most prestigious and successful team in the three-quarters of a century of history of F1, and that of the baronet Lewis Hamilton, the driver with a cabinet full of trophies like no other, will truly intersect.”

_ Il Messaggero as quoted in Motor Sport Magazine

[georgegraphys]

To be honest, I would not fully trust Ola Kallenius either despite his words backing George. Why? Because he's a part of this big multinational corporation and this multinational corporation is FAR from the word 'good'.

But what we're talking about is taking advantage of George being favorable in their eyes for now. Read that 'for now' again. To manipulate the long terms, you need to take advantage of what is happening in short terms first. You can't be thinking too far ahead, overthinking and speculating about things, and making rash decisions over some speculations. That'd be a self-fulfilling prophecy. You can't play the short game when you're in a position like George. You have to play the long game.

If I were to be REAL honest here, I do want George to take Red Bull's offer back in 2021 because they're great, they're fast, they're amazing. But looking at the other aspects here, you wouldn't want him to be there. You should stop seeing things from just a two dimensional perspective. Moving teams solves nothing and i think we learnt enough from several drivers who made the wrong choice due to greed and being impatient.

In every part of an organization, there is something called homeowners. Just like Max's home is RB and Charles' home (might be) is Ferrari, George's home is Mercedes. And that is a solid thing for 2-3 upcoming years unless something happened. Why do i say so? Because these teams aren't the backmarkers where everyone is replaceable, they are the frontrunners with big brands behind them that not only values winning and racing but also values loyalty, brand image, and more. What they're also trying to find is someone who could be the face of the team for a long time not just 2-3 seasons and dip.

And let's take things real here. If Mercedes did NOT value George, they wouldn't pressure him to make a decision between choosing BMW or Mercedes very early in his formula series career. Why is it important? Because if George is not important to them, the moment George rejects Toto for Carlin Volkswagen is the moment they back out and move on. But they didn't. That is exhibit one.

Exhibit two is that in 2018, Mercedes is torn on who to give an F1 seat. Ocon or Russell? We all know the answer in 2019. Exhibit three, in 2020 when George's 2021 seat is threatened with Williams, Red Bull allegedly offered Mercedes to 'lend' George out to them for a year but Mercedes REFUSED because they do not want George outside of their institution even for a year (even if that 'lend out' move benefits Mercedes because from there Mercedes can see how George performs in better car). They'd rather George go jobless and drive in DTM for a year rather than lending him out to Red Bull. If Mercedes does not care about him, they would let him leave just like they let Ocon leave to go to Alpine.

And fourth, we have Kallenius basically on Toto's neck about how he wants George on that seat and not Max or Valtteri or whoever Toto wants. Then we also have Mercedes literally going feral on the mention of George going somewhere else (read: RBR). This happened on the same day as the British GP

My point here is if they do not give a shit, if they do not at the very least back George up, they would have let George go in 2021. And if you're saying "but that's 2021, Ari. We're talking about now", then look at his previous contract renewal. We're supposed to have George's silly season THIS YEAR because his original contract with Merc is supposed to end this year but we DIDN'T! Why? Because the contract is already renewed somewhere in December 2022 or Spring 2023! Again if they're planning to replace him, they would not make him sign a contract just for several months to his Merc career. And to add on top of that, George literally talks about how his contract is so EASILY signed and Mercedes and him were giggling over it like a married couple while LH and Mercedes (read: Kallenius) were in trenches, fighting endless war for a contract negotiation.

We cannot be 100% sure on the long run on who backs who even with Max in Red Bull. There is NOTHING certain in F1. Things change drastically. This is a very dynamic sport. But to manipulate the longer term, you need to take a hold of shorter terms first. If Kallenius, for now, sees George in a favorable place, that's good. But if in the future, he doesn't then it is what it is. It's business. You can't be idealistic about it. Moving teams is NEVER the solution unless you want George to make a decision blunder like other drivers who weren't patient enough.

It is painful but we have to play the long game.

[writingmochi]

! "songs you actually listen to(?)" tag game !

rules: when you get this you have to put 5 songs you actually listen to, and post it! then, send this to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) < that is actually part of the rule i didn't make it up

tagged by: ilem aka @lovejoshua love how you tagged me but the tagging link doesn't work... it's very fortunate that i saw your post on my timeline

i'll do you all better... i'm doing 5 artists i'm currently listening to instead! and this will be full of tone indicators because people will get offended even by the minuscule things + because this is music i will freaking ramble so i'm sorry for the incoming long post

&team, specifically firework

this song is such a surprise for me and to be honest i hadn't even thought that hybe could make another good song for any other artists than newjeans /pretty srs. it has a bit of txt's thursday's child 80's vibe to it. it definitely makes much more sense than what the walmart twilight concept enhypen is doing /nm /criticism (believe me, i'm still stuck in the tamed-dashed era. also bring back the composer who makes given-taken pls /gen) i also want to give my two cents and say that i like the korean version better. i think this song was meant to be sung in korean before japanese imo

radiohead

what is 2023 lissie without radiohead? from creating and planning a 20-part anthology series based of their discography to buying my favorite albums of theirs on vinyl (which are the two albums that i plaster above), they've climbed up my ranks of favorite artists of all time. i choose jigsaw specifically because i rekindle my love of playing bass from that song and climbing up the walls because of the seonghwa fic i'm planning (it is exceptionally one of the most underappreciated songs in ok computer...)

billlie

they are the children of f(x) i'm telling you!!!!!!!!! just like how i consider the boyz as the children of exo and txt as the children of shinee. they are the siblings of 2016-2019 loona and gwsn. they are the product of sm ent's music prodigy sibling and i love them for that. they also are the junior of brown eyed girls, aka one of the most iconic kpop 2nd gen gg and the one that releases bops such as brave new world, kill bill, sign, and abracadabra! i love their discography so much and they have the potential to have one of the best kpop discographies in the industry alongside red velvet. i'll gatekeep them until the end along with onf because only people with taste can enjoy their songs /lh /gen aaaaaaaaaaa

triples aaa

the unit that could be if modhaus don't make such a strict rule because they disbanded for not having 100k album sold (womp womp) generation is such a high-quality debut track from a small company and dimension having their own versions within the subunits is a great concept. i mean, jaden jeong is the head of the 2016-2019 loona sound and i gotta have to appreciate him for picking good tracks man. their songs are also one of the bases of sound for my oc kpop group sound in @interactivemochi. also a discussion starter question: will modhaus actually be able to do the multi-unit many-member group that sm ent wanted with nct? i actually think they will because indie labels are more experimental than the big corporate ones (aka nct will be great with their infinite concept if they're committed and take those risks) just look at jaden jeong's print on onlyoneof and loona, they're pretty small but their fans are loyal af. yet, i'm merely just a casual listener of triples because they play around with nfts (and i am a biz student who doesn't like crypto and nft)

depeche mode and other new wave and 80s experimental musicians

when you have a gen z kid who likes older songs rather than new ones, they have to listen to new wave and synth-pop, specifically depeche mode. people usually associate them with post-punk along with talking heads, joy division, new order, kate bush etc and i can definitely agree. new wave is one of my favorite genres because of how experimental they are and it is exactly what depeche mode is doing + i love the resurgence of old brit bands like the shoegaze bands that includes slowdive, mbv, and siouxsie and the banshees

don't forget that this is meant to be 5 songs and i wanted to be extra because i can be extra *wink*

tagging: @ujunxverse (you could definitely do it on @/orochxi if you want), my fellow untag people from ilem's post @boba-beom @robin-obsessed, also others such as @dim-sun @tyunlatte @heart2beom @itz-yerin @txt-yaomi @talesofyuan @euphor1a + anyone who wanna join cuz i would love to hear new music :D

[raewritesf1]

WAG George!! Imagine established relationship Gax where Max is still an f1 driver but George isn’t. George coming to the Grand Prix and staying at the Red Bull garage. Them not trying to hide their relationship but they never outright said that they are in one. George wearing Max’s clothes. George in parc ferme and Gax hugging after Max is p1 and Max looking down at George from the podium.

-LH

(Am I going to make George Toto’s son daughter . Yes, yes I am because I cannot help myself)

But George who is not is a driver but is still pretty well known in Motorsport world. Who’s Toto’s daughter, and still friends with the quartet, and who is still a massive Lewis fan, who the camera will pan for time to time in the back of the Mercedes garage (with occasional appearances in the Williams, McLaren, and Ferrari garages), and who is not know for having a great relationship with rb and especially Max.

And people start noticing weird things when George moves back to Monaco. Photo of her at home with evidence of someone else being there (two half filled cup, two plates, random body part or the silhouette of another person) despite her supposedly living alone. Cat toys occasionally in sight despite her not ever saying she has a cat, helmets in the back of pictures that look nothing like quartet member or any of Toto’s old racing helmets. Evidence of a relationship though she never mentions anything about seeing anyone (sort of like the whole soft launch trend but she just never acknowledges it and it goes on for way too long to be an actual soft launch)

So imagine everyone surprise when she’s spotted one day arriving to the paddock with Max all smiles and shoulders brushing and everyone confused cause when did these two become friends. But everyone initially brushes it off as nothing cause maybe they just ran into each other while arriving and started talking, and you can still be professional with someone you don’t like.

That is until later during the lead up to the race when the cameras pan to George in the back is the Rb garage joking around with Christian who is offended that she would ever wear a Lewis Merc hat in the rb garage and instead make a whole show of replacing it with a Max hat and she just laughs but doesn’t fight it. And social media kind of blow up cause um what the hell is going on????

But everything dies down because the race is starting and we have more important things to focus on. the feed does make a point to switch to the rb garage whenever they can partially cause Max is in a fight for first partially because it means they can catch a shot of George, still very much wearing the Max hat, watching Max and Lewis battle it out. (They ofc then pan to Christian before immediately switching to Toto because drama)

That is until the end of the race Max comes home p1 and does the usual celebrations with his team and such. And as he’s taking off his helmet and talking to Horner and team members he just pauses, pulls George into a hug gives her a kiss of side of the head, and just continues on with his conversation like that was nothing. And everyone swear that he spends his entire podium celebration just looking at her??? And neither of them acknowledge anything. Max just completely sidesteps the question in the post race, Christian gives smug non answers, and Toto is just as confused as everyone else.

People obviously start coming through both of their social media to find out what tf is going on and the signs of a relationship just become more and more obvious.

Vacation photos that are just so obviously taken in the exact same location at the exact same time, instance of Max talking off camera to someone else during streams, George photos where she’s wearing clothes that are so obviously Max’s. All the helmets people had been spotting are his, the silhouettes and occasional body part match up with him. Like they are very much dating, have been dating for a while, and definitely just moved in together.

Max and George despite having their entire social media flooded with questions about their relationship say literally nothing. They don’t say no they just never acknowledge the questions.

[oh-cramity-its-amity]

Oh shit there’s a new one okay. I thought the most recent was liek a week ago. Imma watch that rq

Okay I watched it I’m going feral I’m just gonna yell my opinions in yr inbox rq don’t mind me

Did they actually kill all of the fucking council memebers. They wouldn’t right. There’s no way <in denial. But no literally I will sob if they’re all dead. It looks like Mel is dead from mommy abassarda (🤤) seeking revenge and stuff. Would they kill golden boy and viktor tho? Unlikely. I’m also assuming Caitlyn’s mom is dead for that trauma

“you finally got the name right” I’m going to vomit

I know this is not an original opinion at all but I really hate the outfit 😭. Why does she look like that. What happened to my vi with her good outfits. Maybe it’s supposed to be symbolic that it doesn’t fit her but like

Istg if jinx dies I’m cutting off every riot persons heads

I’m a little mad they’re cutting it off at 2 seasons but it makes sense ig :/ I’m just like my lesbians. Why

YES! omg. i absolutely dont mind at all 😭. i was losing my mind!!! literally just WHAT.

i dont know if they did or not to be honest?? i remember seeing people discuss about them killing the members, and they debated about them killing champions. i dont think jayce is dead?? hes a champion. and if arcane is canon to LoL lore then like he wouldnt be?? not too sure about everyone else but i dont think the champions are dead or will die. cassandra however- i think fandom kinda considered her dead for a good majority of time. i dont know league lore so dont take me seriously 😭. BUT- i dont believe jayce is dead. idfk if viktor is, mel potentially. hmm... IM SURE like someone survived... they wouldnt do that to caitlyn... come on... kill her mom and then her childhood friend...? thats... ykw kinda on brand for the emotional turmoil.. BUT COME ON.

again- dont think they killed any champions but everyone else... yeah... probably rip. :(.

wondering how this is going to affect caitlyn tbh too. how is she going to handle herself. is vi going to comfort her?? uh... WILL WE FINALLY FUCKING GET A KISS?? istg anyway.

I KNOW!! oh mannnnn NO THATS NOT THE WORST PART

the "my sister is gone" had me like wanting to literally go insane because OUCH!!! someone please save vi from this turmoil 😭. shes gonna be put through it and IM not ready.

the red jacket was HER :(. i think its kinda a metaphor too like u mentioned about her not belonging on the team and feeling uncomfortable but then again the LoL players *were* clowning on the discourse of people being upset over vi being a cop. I DO LIKE THE GOGGLES THO. those r sick. but the outfit? girl what did they do to my favorite lesbian. who is she.

dont think jinx is gonna die thoughhhhh.... i mean... why would she... die... they wouldnt... right? ...right??

..right???????

please i just NEED them all to be okay i cant do this!!! /lh but also /srs. i do need them to be okay. IK I SIGNED UP FOR THIS BUT OW.

honestly im a little shocked about it being just 2 seasons too but i think its good just because of how long it took between 1-2. i have maaaad respect for the people working on it. swear as long as we get a physical release of the season season too ill be down. first we had news about s1 getting a physical TO A FUCKING TRAILER... we are eating SO good this week.

short and sweet though. tbh im sure theyll be able to tell what they need to cause 45 min per an ep. doesn't seem that surprising. but still 2 seasons is crazy. AS LONG AS THERES NO CLIFFHANGERS ILL BE FINE.

i justttt need caitvi in s2. i need them to kiss. i am not asking for a lot. need them to kiss and for literally jinx, and several people to NOT die.

anyway whoops. thanks for sending me your thoughts aaaaa

[gossipgirloff1]

signing checo actually seems logical on red bull's part and not just because of money and sponsorships. i feel like the media perspective has become such that checo is portrayed as a very bad driver but that RB20 is really undriveable if you're not max verstappen. alex albon had also said this in an interview, how the car is very agressive on the front wing and is generally undriveable unless you have the skills to match. people underestimate checo's ability. he's able to drive and get decent results in such an agressive car. and hot take but carlos is not better than checo. everyone in the media bills him as the second coming of verstappen or hamilton but he's just not. he's a great midfielder (don't take it as me undermining him, he's a very good driver who deserves a seat next year). and i think a big slight on red bull's part is depending too much on max to get results. max is not going to be around forever, they need to find a young talent to take over once max retires. carlos is older than max and no one really knows how many years one has left in the sport. he's not at the level of alonso or hamilton. and daniel should've been out just like they dumped nyck. i don't know what kind of blackmail he has on red bull or how much dick riding he has done to horner but he should've never been brought back. and if the rumours of renewal are true then that's an error on visa team's part. they don't rate Yuki seriously even though he's carrying that team on his back since Pierre left in 2023. Liam should've been given the seat, in that way they could atleast gauge how well he's going to perform.

the carlos fans (or fans in general) calling Lewis Hamilton, 7x time world champion washed really do have some audacity when their fav is a 3x race winner who is consistently beaten by his teammate in race h2h. the reason teams are betting on an "aging" hamilton instead of Sainz is not just because of the brand value he brings with himself, it's because he's proved that he really is one of the greats in the sport (emphasis on 'one of the' before fans come and call me a delulu team lh fans(team lh is sometimes delulu tho 🙈) carlos will surely get a seat but his only hope at a no 1 driver seat is Audi and if him signing to Williams is true then yeesh. he pretty much had a seat at audi and he threw that away in hopes of getting signed at a top team.

now don't take this as me ragging on him but just the constant shoving down of his greatness by the media is getting a bit too much. he'll get a seat but I don't think it'll be a top seat

Yeah I agree with your statements anon you summed it up perfectly 👍🏻

[pressradio]

I’m excited because I like to watch racing in f1.

I’m confident for Charles but also I remember what Ferrari is, and they can turn around quickly. I really hope Charles has a great deal and Ferrari a great plan. But I don’t see him wasting his prime years just for a red car. Even if he loves the team. He is there to win for himself and not just the team. He was able to make Seb look not so good, he is a top driver.

I think they took a long time to sign CL because CL had leverage there. And maybe LH also waited for CL to sign, as a hint that the faith in the team was restored. We know CL almost left in 2022, and that’s why Ferrari let go of Binotto and many « big » names (for Ferrari). The changes were done quietly but just the way the press was hearing nothing from Ferrari in 2023, the way they played with the contracts négociations and let Carlos speak in the press to finally sign LH. They are cooking. And I truly think CL is part of it. Of course he has to peform. But the rumor of is contract being 2+2 says a lot about his leverage also. Ferrari not that long ago could have make him sign a much tighter deal. And we know big teams tried to get him. I’m sure Toto thought about him to replace LH (before all this, Lewis didn’t have a long term contract also for a reason). rb tried several times. All teams want him. Same for Lewis.

Twitter might sometimes say he is not that great. Some « journalists » might write a piece on how Carlos is better (!). But the ones who matter know.

I think having L wish there with CL will put pressure on everyone to succeed. No more excuses. It can help CL too. Because previously the TP lack confidence in him, almost as if he resented him (because he was young ? Too loved by tifosi ?)

For me the hard year is this one. CL has to outdo himself, whatever the car ends up to be. Constant fight and form, no mistakes (not saying he makes a lot of them at all but he goal is zero to stop the comments), leadership etc.

Thank you for sharing!

I like racing when it’s not inside my team, they kill my nerves without racing, if there will be constant fight I won’t survive haha.

And as I said I have no doubts in Charles’ abilities to win on track. But I saw mismanagement in 2019, and I saw mismanagement that cost Ferrari any chances for championship in 2022. Yes it had been Binotto and his team that got fired later. But it happened. And all reaction was a post-reaction. Yes, Fred did a lot or great things in a year. But I’m not Charles and Ferrari as a team hasn’t got my trust back. When I witness this healthy exciting rivalry (well at least from Ferrari side, because it will never be in general healthy - British press is involved) with my own eyes, then I’m into it. Maybe I’ll even love it, who knows. I still love Sebchal and I liked Charles-Lewis relationship before.

If it is fair and square, then OK, no problem. If somehow Charles can’t win in this h2h, then it’s his problem, but I’ll believe till the end.

I hate that we need to wait the whole season before we get any confidence in what is going on. I really hate it.

[russilton]

i reread the post a second time and i am absolutely barking at your george characterization. it's george in a different font but it still feels like him, and the way he reacts to everything just feels so real and human— although i am also in pain thanks 😭😭 /lh

but agh. him getting that merc contract feels CATHARTIC. i can't wait to see how it gets announced and publicized and how george is gonna rub it in redbull's faces. my god if this was real i swear the entirety of the internet would EXPLODEEE - @ruszhou

*through welling tears* thanks bro

It… God it means so much to me to hear he’s still in character. Writing George and Lewis for that AU is such a mixed experience. They’re sharper, meaner, they don’t hold back, and while it’s so fun it’s also weird as hell! It’s all fun and games saying they hate fuck till you have to write the hate… but like it’s a very weird kinda hate too, it’s skin deep, George doesn’t ever hate lewis he just wants his attention. Lewis doesn’t hate George either, he’s honestly deeply impressed by his driving skill, he just wishes george would be skilled somewhere out of his way sometimes. They are the personification of “the line between love and hate is paper thin”

Redbull George au spoilers below the cut

I was actually trying to plot all that out last night on my au timeline (I know, it’s painfully nerdy, but it helps develop the fic lmao) and George is going to sign just before Brazil for the sheer “fuck you” power it gives Lewis over Red bull that weekend, but his signing won’t be announced till WELL after the season ends. They don’t want to risk George getting possibly physically retaliated against by RB before the season is over. Lewis has to impress upon George how important it is he still fight Lewis on track, they all need to play the part. George humourlessly points out that Red bull have been deliberately using his car as a test car since Hungary, so he couldn’t fight Lewis if he tried. Lewis restrains all his angry sad feels about that.

I haven’t started on my points spreadsheet yet so I can’t say how George effects the WDC standings fully, but I still intend for them to go into AD on equal points, but George DOES assist Lewis ever so slightly by not fighting him as hard as Perez did, allowing Lewis to build a better lead gap. It’ll probably go that when his car craps out he drags it round to the pits so he doesn’t risk causing Lewis a safety car. Red bull can’t accuse him of anything, they’re the one that nerfed his car after all. Latifi does what George did in irl AD and limps his car to the pits too, there’s no safety car, Lewis wins and George finally feels like he can breathe.

He can’t celebrate with Merc even though he wants to, he just has to watch from afar. Red bull can’t know till he wants them to, but he does let Lewis catch his eye and grin at him.

George doesn’t really want to go back to the Red bull booked hotel that night, they all still hate him and they’re sulking. He and max cross paths once as final speeches are given, and max shoulder checks him hard. George is used to it but he’s so fucking tired, bruised, he wants to sleep this all off. As George is leaving the paddock Lewis greets him with a PR level driver handshake and back slap, but he presses a hotel keycard into George’s hand before leaving.

It’s a clear message, or at least George thinks it is. He and Lewis haven’t slept together since around silverstone bc of what Redbull were doing to George, but George figures this is a signal. He’s not sure he really wants to have sex, he just wants to sleep, but he doesn’t want to be alone surrounded my people who are mad at him. He heads to lewis’ hotel room without even going back to his own.

Lewis of course surprises him by rocking up with champagne and something horribly unhealthy they can’t eat during the on season, tells George he figures George needs something to celebrate getting 3rd and his new seat since his team won’t do it. It’s painfully tender and domestic in a way George doesn’t really understand, he keeps looking for signals of something from Lewis, but Lewis just talks to him. When George asks why he isn’t out celebrating with his team, Lewis shrugs and says it gets old after the 6th championship. George knows he’s lying but he can’t call him on it, so he just lets himself get tipsy on hotel champagne and finally let the weight of RB off his chest.

They share a bed, it’s some king size monster bc of course it is, Lewis doesn’t have to scrimp on size or cost in his bookings. They both sleep in their underwear on opposite sides of the bed, George knows he could go back to his hotel alone but he doesn’t want to. He’ll stay here till morning, grab his stuff and get on his flight back to London. It’s fine.

They wake up tangled together because of course they do, Lewis spooned up behind George, strong and steady, holding him tight. They end up having tender, slow morning sex, face to face and embarrassingly vulnerable. A polar opposite to their last angry rough fuck, here Lewis winds a hand with his and presses slow, soft kisses into his jaw while he takes George apart. Lewis praises him for all he’s gone through and George comes so hard he might pass out. He’ll be embarrassed by it all later but right now he just tucks his head into Lewis collar and rocks lazily with his thrusts.

They don’t announce Georges move immediately. They all head back to England, and wait. They don’t want People to think George manipulated redbulls end results, or jumped ship, they want to wait until he’s ready, but then around dec 16th or so redbull tell George they want to sign his AT contract, since he kept in line for the end of the season. They think they’re being so gracious and kind for it. George says sure sure Monday? I’m needed at some family events this weekend. Christian and Marko agree bc sure, they don’t think George has anything else going on. Mercedes announce they’ll be holding a press conference on their new driver line up on Sunday, one week out of AD. Christian even ends up on camera bc itv or something want to interview him for the end of the season and to react to the Merc press news. Nobody knew who Merc would be using to replace Val, it’s been completely silent behind the scenes.

So imagine of course, Christian’s sucked lemon face caught in 4k as Toto announces Lewis and George, who walk out in their contrast matching Merc shirts. Lewis looks like the cat who caught the canary. George looks like he’s terrified but trying to grin through it when Lewis gently bumps his shoulder in support. Toto sing’s George’s praises and announces how excited they are to welcome him to the team. When asked George will say he’s excited to work with a team that puts their drivers first. Christian has to grit his teeth as the itv hosts quiz him on it.

[valleyfthdolls]

Ooh here is some angst. Amy meets the Sonic Team for the first time and she says that she is a hedgehog. But Sonic’s response is “You don’t look like a hedgehog to me.” It was supposed to be a playful jab but the words cut deep for Amy and she starts remembering the comments people had made about her being an “unusual” hedgehog. I love to see her hyperventilating because I’m sure being bullied by not looking like a proper hedgehog would mess her up.

Ooof you're making me feel so bad for my girl /lh

Esp 'cause in my own AU this sort of stuff is what she had to deal with, feeling ostracized because she's not like other hedgehogs. A comment like that would totally hit pretty hard for my Amy so y'know I had to follow thru this prompt

"So, if you're gonna be... tagging along, again, I should introduce you to my team."

His voice was crackly, a bit husky. Amy smiled and nodded, feeling her face heat up. It wasn't a big deal, she knew, but she could feel the pink creeping into her cheeks. It felt like acceptance. Sweet as raw sugar. He turned around, facing Amy but closer to his friends.

"Well, I'm Sonic the Hedgehog, you know me. This is Tails, that's what we call him at least." He tossed an arm around the orange fox cub's shoulder. "My little brother."

Tails laughed, his two tails- two tails?- thumping lightly against the ground. "Brother from another mother," He said. "Nice to meet you."

"And then here we've got everyone's favorite redheaded powerhouse, Knuckles the Echidna."

The red echidna's quills were in a similar shape to her own. He gave a small nod and waved, and she saw his hands- thick, white gloves with no specific holes for fingers, covering two huge spikes protruding from his knuckles.

"What about you?" Sonic asked finally, giving her a slight smirk that made her chest flutter. "Care to introduce yourself?"

"Oh! R-right. It's nice to meet you all, I'm Amy Rose, the hedgehog."

Knuckles nodded again.

Sonic snickered. "Really? You don't look much like a hedgehog."

Amy bristled. Visibly. The spikes on her hairline flared as she tensed at the words.

You don't look much like a hedgehog.

And then, she was eight years old again, sobbing at her reflection in the mirror because she wasn't normal. She wasn't right. Normal hedgehogs didn't look like this. Normal hedgehogs had normal quills and normal bodies that acted the way they were supposed to. Normal hedgehogs didn't get made fun of by their crush in front of his friends for not being normal.

She didn't even realize she had started to hyperventilate until she saw the others react. Guilt crossed deep on Sonic's face.

They never wanted her to hear it. They never wanted her to hear the things they said about her behind her back. The speculation, the whispers of confusion and fear, pity for her caregivers, pity for her, mockery of her choosing to call herself a hedgehog despite the uncertainty. The other children had nothing against making it her problem, but everyone older than that knew better. Their parents told them, don't gawk at her for being different. I thought I told you it was rude to stare at people. She's just different from us. The people who really cared about her would keep their voices low, whisper and mutter to themselves when they thought she wasn't listening. Those who didn't care, whose parents would gossip to Amy's own right before her, well...

(Sonic snickered. "Really? You don't look much like a hedgehog.")

Her body twitched with the urge to turn and run.

"Amy..."

"What?" She snapped, louder than she'd intended.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Sonic said.

Amy balled her hands into fists and scanned his eyes for any sign of a lie. That was what they always said. They didn't mean anything they said. They didn't want to upset her. They didn't want her to make a fuss.

"I only said anything because I've never seen a hedgehog with quills like that."

"I know," Amy retorted. "I know no one has, okay? Not even my parents. I don't know why I'm different! Has no one ever taught you not to make fun of others for their differences?!"

Guilt dug deeper into his expression, but Amy didn't back down. She saw his eyes shift to Tails.

To his second tail.

Something different bubbled in Amy's chest for a second. A feeling she couldn't place at first- not anger, almost like a sense of dread. Guilt. Tails was different, like her, and she was making a scene in front of him, the same way she hated when others did around her.

He took a few steps closer to her.

"Look, I'm... sorry, Amy. I didn't realize."

Sonic stuttered, struggled to remedy what he'd said. Apologies clearly weren't his strong suit. She almost felt pity for him.

"There's nothin' wrong with being different, y'know. I'm sorry I said anything."

...Amy hesitated again, bristling at his words. Not because they hurt this time, though.

She'd never been told there was nothing wrong with being different. She'd been assured falsely by her mother that she was normal, even when she clearly wasn't. She'd been told nothing was wrong with her, but it was always fully removed from the notion that she was unlike anyone else, and no one had ever told her there was nothing wrong with the fact that she was different.

She was panting again, unsure of how to respond, how to feel.

Suddenly wondering why, why she'd never been told before that it was okay to not be normal.

Angry, hurt, not at Sonic's words anymore, but at the weight behind them, and how she'd never heard them from anyone else.

[maxemilianverstappen]

Are people here who claim to be Seb fans even his fans lmao... I followed blogs in hopes there'd be photos/gifs of Seb and discussions of his career... Had to unfollow a bunch of them after one them typed out a whole ass essay mentioning how the two drivers have become friends overcoming their rivalry and even though Seb got beaten... And I was like hold up, I didn't know Seb has only been in the sport since 2015 when he started driving for Ferrari, and that F1 has only existed since 2014, because according to quiet a few Tumblr users there is only one driver capable of winning races🥴 like darling, some of us saw Sebastian Vettel win 4 championships in one of the most competitive eras of the sport while fighting off multiple world champions, including the driver you think is unbeatable lol, and on a grid where the difference in pace between the top 3 and sometimes top4 was less than 4-5 tenths of a second, and not like the hybrid era, where even this year while Mercedes and Red Bull were within a tenth of each other on most race weekends, everyone else behind them was slower by over half a second... like with most of these Seb's fans or those who claim to also be Seb fans, I feel like they also probably believe the bullshit the media has fed the audience... Literally saw someone claiming to be his fan quoting Fernando Alonso from his interview with Lee McKenzie in 2013, and I was like babes, nando was just jealous and talking out of his ass, why are you using that as the parameter to judge someone you claim to be a fan of??

Most of these people are definitely here for the grid dad vibes lol, and to fetishize him, like I wouldn't wanna kink shame people, but if the entirety of your Sebastian Vettel fan existence is just making him an object of your own shipping fantasies, and then acting all baffled and offended when he does not give fodder to your delusional ship, then may as well not call yourself a Seb fan blog and confuse people into following you.

Most of them just gave me brain rot, and it was even more hilarious seeing some of them type out PSAs about how they don't agree with what Seb has to say and give him a benefit of doubt, and he is saying it because he was a RB driver... And I am like, man he just named the driver he'd like to see win the championship, why are you lot acting like he has just given a statement on something worldly important that is problematic and is harming a community? Get a grip... Team LH and Sewis ain't any minority 🤭

And the buffoons saying he is jealous, sorry honey, my man wanted to fulfill his childhood dream of winning a championship with Ferrari, and not statpad wins and poles, and rejected Mercs advances in 2017/18&19, with a signed pre-contract being thrown in the bin... He is much happier and content with driving for the team he wanted to since he was a kid, and not for a team that comes in and leaves the sport depending on the head start they can get over the others so they can build dominant machines and lobby regulations according to their whims.

Anon, absolutely all this and then some more!! I am sure most of these people are new fans who have no idea what the hell has gone down between Seb and all his rivals in the past. Or if they really claim to know it all, then they just don't care about it and ship people for the aesthetics and brownie woke points of it.

Look, I seem like I am hating on those Seb bloggers and the sudden Seb supporting LH fans because S/ewis is popular here and I don't like one part of the pairing due to reasons. True, this is a reason, but not the main one. I hate some other Seb pairings just as much, but most of the Seb bloggers from that side and the ''sudden Seb supporting LH fans'' are creating a narrative and not only believing it but also are serving it as the truth to the other new fans. And that's a huge disservice to Seb and how he actually must be feeling after everything that has ever happened.

They ignore history, they ignore blatant happenings of today and past and say that "They are the bestest of friends on the grid because Seb supports BLM and Lgtbq+ and environmental causes" as if the guy doesn't have enough brains to figure stuff out on his own or just can't support his colleague without being chummy chummy with him.

They say "Seb and Lewis look out for each other/protect each other/get angry for each other's sake" This one really requires some insanity to be mixed in. They say "They are the best bromance that ever happened" No Jan, they aren't even friends as they repeated many times and 2017-2018 seasons were quite nasty, but you need to read/watch some pre/post race interviews but you don't care, I know.

They say "They are together every race weekend and they must be meeting up out of the paddock, too." I think they are mistaking Lh with Kimi 😬 Oh, but Kimi's existence and his real bromance and friendship and history doesn't fit into their narrative, so they pretend Kimi doesn't exist.

The LH fans say they like Seb as Lewis' only rival. Sure Jan, because for reasons Seb wasn't able to win that fucking 2018 title, so he is harmless now and of fucking course he is his best rival. Btw, you should go eat Fernando and Nico's asses... They say they like Seb, but they post Seb's pics together with Lh's and body shame him because of his hair and pecs just like they did to Max. They love him until he says he supports the other driver for the title fight. Meanwhile the Seb blogs side ignore what Seb said and how much rapport is between him and Max in their previous encounters and even feel possibly ashamed of it, ahahaha. Fuck...

Fuck I really hate this. I am so sick of their narrative and so sick of it being force fed down my throat. Shows the power of demagogy. So, I am only following a handful of Seb bloggers now.

[thepotentialof2007]

But who made Lewis do it, to bet on a Ferrari that's been losing for almost two decades?

Leo Turrini interviews Aldo Costa about working with Hamilton and Schumacher

A vegan menu is already ready at [Ristorante] Montana. Guess for whom.

While waiting to enjoy it in the company of the person to whom it will be dedicated (the menu), I chatted with a gentleman who has known those two up close and personal. Aldo Costa, my dear friend.

Costa: "Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton have a lot in common. But there are also significant differences between them. However, it is beautiful that the two most successful drivers in F1 history have chosen to link their name to Ferrari."

Aldo Costa, now technical director of the wonderful Dallara ("From the Parma hills we deal with 17 automotive projects, from IndyCar to Formula E"), Aldo Costa, I said, is the only Top engineer to have worked with both Schumi and with Hamilton. At Maranello he was part of the Dream Team of Montezemolo and Todt. In Mercedes, he won everything and more with Lewis.

Engineer, who is better between the two?

Costa: "I refuse to answer, this is a provocation. I want to say right away that Michael and Lewis are less far apart than you might imagine. Both have always had a very analytical approach to things off track. They are meticulous, very professional. They know that at certain levels it's the details that shift the balance, that determine the outcome."

From the outside Schumi looked like a robot, an alien....

Costa: "Wrong impression! Michael was very human in the work. He would sit there with the engineers and calmly convey his feelings about the car he was driving. He was never obsessive, that's it."

In contrast, Hamilton?

Costa: "Same dough. Lewis I got to know better, because in Mercedes I had a role that put me in more direct contact with the driver. He and I were symbiotic. Hamilton, like Schumi, asks for trust and trusts you."

That must be why the two of them won 14 world titles.

Costa: "So. Then, of course, they are also distinct and distant from each other."

In what sense?

Costa: "You see, they belong to non-overlapping cultures. Can I give an example? Schumacher was the last driver of an era when cars were developed on the track, through continuous testing on the asphalt. And in this he was formidable, unique I dare say."

Hamilton was not.

Costa: "No. Lewis belongs to the time of the simulator.They changed the rules. In short: Michael was always behind the wheel, Hamilton almost never because he can't. Not surprisingly, Schumi when he returned to racing in 2010, with no more circuit testing, he had a bad time. He, the simulator, just really hated it."

But other than that, the substance, I mean as achievements and victories, has not changed.

Costa: "Indeed, because we are talking about two Phenomena! I will give you another example. Schumi determined tire development with his testing, because he could do it. In Hamilton's era, the tires are baptized first by the sole supplier, and the greatness of the driver lies in his ability to make the most out of tires right away that he does not know, that he did not have a hand in choosing beforehand. And in this he is an absolute master, as Michael was in his world."

But who made Lewis do it, to bet on a Ferrari that's been losing for almost two decades?

Costa: "Well, he is an instinctive one. He followed his heart. It's not a turn dictated by the God of money."

But what are the chances that...

Costa: "I won't answer here. In Maranello they know they have a lot of things to fix..."

Does he think Hamilton will pull in technicians he trusts from the Mercedes school?

Costa:"I don't know. When he came over to Mercedes in 2013, leaving McLaren, he presented just himself. They called him crazy, but you know how it went."

One last thing, dear Costa. Since everyone understood that in 2011 the Ferrari made an own goal by torpedoing you from the role of technical director, in short , yes, would you go back to Maranello with your friend Lewis?

Costa: "No. I am happily ... married to engineer Dallara, by the way we collaborate with the Cavallino on the Le Mans project."

Hamilton will win without Costa.

Costa: "For the good it brings him, I wish him well."

[georgegraphys]

The media and him and whoever else have claimed him and Elkann have already begun speaking about all the things Ferrari can do to be more inclusive and how to accommodate for his well everything. Do you reckon it'll actually play out the way he thinks it's going to play out?

Unless they had specific contracts about it with the DURATION signed, yes. If it's only a vague clause, a vague promise, no.

But let's be HONEST here. Ferrari has their own organizational culture for DECADES. Elkann can speak all the time about it but for it to change will take YEARS not just in a matter of months (less than twelve months even to his official move to Ferrari in the 2025 season). To be honest, I think it'll be messy? Charles is 27. Let's say LH stayed for 1-2 years. He'll be 28/29 atp. He doesn't have all the time in the world to wait and let Ferrari prioritize someone's eighth WDC while he himself has yet to get his first. It's not going to be all flowers and gardens. Especially if Elkann is openly favouring one side over the other, it won't be pretty.

Ferrari is Charles' team just as Mercedes is going to be George's and Red Bull is Max's. For this rich oligarch mf who holds 70% of the voting shares in the board to suddenly choose someone else is not going to be pretty. So far we don't know Piero Ferrari's stance, the non-exec directors stance, and stuff. But judging by how things go in Mercedes, it won't be all pretty and flowers for their PR team too as LH is definitely not a Carlos Sainz who is willing to do those PR contents with Charles 24/7. Their strategy has to change and it'll cause a bit of a chaos too.

Back to Elkann's sugary sweet promises, my point still stands. This is a team that is very strong and holds their culture tightly to themselves (Mercedes is more of like a... melting pot?). For them to suddenly change in >1 year to welcome his arrival in Ferrari, BIG ASS DOUBT. Organizational cultures don't change that fast and Ferrari seems to be filled with traditionalist proud people so opposition to the change will appear. For the ambassadorships and philanthropic promise? As long as there is a contract, yes. If it's a sweet promise, no. But honestly I find so much slack in their brands that I can't believe they're together because they just don't fit?? Not in a racing way but in culture, norms, values, PR, branding ways. In Mercedes, they mold to whatever LH wants. But in Ferrari, where the saying goes "no one is bigger than Ferrari"? 😅😅 I'm sure everyone knows what I meant.

Take this lightly as it is my personal opinion. I don't think it's long term. Ferrari looks like a very traditionalist fixed culture company. Doubt anything would change for one man. No matter who it is or whether they're important or not, I don't think it'll change/they'll adapt the philanthropy stuff LH brings forever. But the ambassadorship? Idk unless it's a contract, Ferrari might've pulled a Mercedes

[calacuspr]

Calacus Weekly Hit & Miss – Lewis Hamilton & Nadine Dorries

Every week we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the previous week.

HIT - Lewis Hamilton

The growth of Formula One is down in no small part to the popularity and legacy of the drivers, who are competing in an increasing number of locations across the globe.

The meteoric rise on the track from Sir Lewis Hamilton has certainly contributed to the growing interest in the sport.

From modest beginning as a go kart driver in Hertfordshire to being signed by McLaren in 2007, Hamilton has broken down barriers as the first – and only – black  driver in Formula One history.

With seven titles, Hamilton is the joint all-time World Champion, and it’s to his credit that he has championed a variety of causes that his platform has afford him the opportunity to promote, such as racial equality, the Black Lives Matter Movement, justice for Breonna Taylor; and LGBTQ+ rights.

Just a few weeks ago, he was having to defend his activism against criticism from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who argued the sport had become ‘too political’.

As we often discuss, representation in sport has never been more crucial to inspire the next generation and Hamilton is a shining example of how athletes can use their platform.

So it was disappointing that former racing driver Nelson Piquet made racist comments about Hamilton on a Brazilian podcast last November, where he was discussing the collision between Hamilton and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen during the 2021 British GP.

The remarks have come to light on social media and Piquet was found to have used a racially offensive expression in Portuguese saying: "The [racist term] put his car there to hit him on purpose.”

Later, he was asked if he felt Hamilton would not make the corner at Copse, Piquet went on to say: "Him? Never! He wanted to take him out no matter the cost.

“The [racist term] left the car there to hit him. It's because you don't know that bend. It's a very fast one, and two cars can't get through. There's no way two cars can go side by side there. It was a dirty trick! He's just lucky that the only other guy got screwed."

When the remarks surfaced, they were justifiably met with wide condemnation and disgust.

Racism has, in particular, been a constant during Hamilton’s career, and something he is thankfully not afraid to speak out against. Hamilton put out a series of tweets in reply, the first of which was a message in Portuguese, that said: “Vamos focar em mudar a mentalidade” which translates to ‘Let's focus on changing the mindset.’

He later tweeted: “It’s more than language. These archaic mindsets need to change and have no place in our sport.

“I’ve been surrounded by these attitudes and targeted my whole life. There has been plenty of time to learn. Time has come for action.”

Hamilton’s team, Mercedes, were swift to support their driver by sharing their own statement that said : “We condemn in the strongest possible terms any use of racist or discriminatory language of any kind.

“Lewis has spearheaded our sport’s efforts to combat racism, and he is a true champion of diversity on and off the track.

“Together, we share a vision for a diverse and inclusive motorsport, and this incident underlines the fundamental importance of continuing to strive for a brighter future.”

Fellow Mercedes teammate George Russell was also quick to condemn the remarks, and said: “Huge respect to LH. He has done more for the sport than any driver in history, not just on track but off it.

“The fact that he and so many others are STILL having to deal with this behaviour is unacceptable. We all need to stand together against discrimination of any kind.”

Other Formula One teams also showed their support for Hamilton, with Ferrari and Aston Martin tweeting that they stand with Hamilton.

The governing body, the FIA, also denounced Piquet’s racism and said: ““The FIA strongly condemns any racist or discriminatory language and behaviour, which have no place in sport or wider society.

“We express our solidarity with Lewis Hamilton and fully support his commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in motor sport.”

An F1 statement soon followed, which said: "Discriminatory or racist language is unacceptable in any form and has no part in society.

"Lewis is an incredible ambassador for our sport and deserves respect.

"His tireless efforts to increase diversity and inclusion are a lesson to many and something we are committed to at F1."

Brazilian novelist and lyricist Paulo Coelho showed support for Sir Lewis and tweeted: “Dear Lewis Hamilton, Piquet is currently the driver of the worst president in our history. His racist remarks shows the desperate need to return to the spotlight.

"I apologise in the name of the Brazilian people, who respect and love you."

In the wake of the backlash from the racist remarks made, Piquet issued a public apology to Hamilton, which said: “"I would like to clear up the stories circulating in the media about a comment I made in an interview last year.

"What I said was ill-thought-out, and I make no defence for it, but I will clarify that the term used is one that has widely and historically been used colloquially in Brazilian-Portuguese as a synonym for 'guy' or 'person' and was never intended to offend.

"I would never use the word I have been accused of in some translations. I strongly condemn any suggestion that the word was used by me with the aim of belittling a driver because of his skin colour.

"I apologise wholeheartedly to anyone that was affected, including Lewis, who is an incredible driver, but the translation in some media that is now circulating on social media is not correct.

"Discrimination has no place in F1 or society and I am happy to clarify my thoughts in that respect."

Bernie Ecclestone, the former chief executive of the Formula One Group and a man considered the architect of modern F1, then poured oil on the fire by defending Piquet’s racism.

Ecclestone said: “I've known Nelson for an awful long time. I was with him a couple of weeks ago. It's not the sort of thing Nelson would say meaning something bad.

"He probably thinks lots of things he says which might upset us or might feel a little bit offensive.... to him it's nothing. It's just part of conversation.

"Nelson would never go out of his way to say anything bad, certainly. I think what probably happened, knowing Nelson as I know him, as his daughter is the girlfriend of Max Verstappen, probably after seeing the accident, he probably exploded and carried that forward.

"People say things... if people happen to be a little bit overweight, or undersized like me, I'm quite sure a lot of people have made remarks about that. If I'd have heard it, I'd have been able to deal with it myself without too much trouble.

"I'm surprised Lewis hasn't just brushed it aside. Or, better than that, replied. But he's now come out and Nelson has apologised so everyone should be happy."

Graciously, Hamilton responded to Ecclestone and he said: “"Discrimination is not something we should be giving a platform. We need people to be bringing people together.

"We are all the same and the comments we are seeing are not helpful. There needs to be some accountability. You know what you're going to get [with Ecclestone].

"But I'm still here. Lip service is not good enough, we need to push for action. I've always tried to take the high road and be respectful. Why do we give these guys a platform?

"They are clearly not willing to change and these undertones of discrimination and micro-aggressions in today's world are not helpful, it is creating more division. I love when Michelle Obama says: 'When they go low, I go high,' and that's what I try to do.

"We are living in the world and there is still discrimination all around the world, you see it all around you,. These micro-aggressions come out., enough is enough, no-one should have to brush off racism and it shouldn't be for me to have to brush it off. We need big organisations to take a stand."

When climate change protestors broke through the barriers during the British Grand Prix last Sunday, in which Hamilton finished third, the Mercedes driver was quick to support the protests while warning of the dangers of circuit incursions.

He said: “As we’ve seen today, this is a dangerous sport,” said Hamilton in a social media statement.

“I wasn’t aware of the protests today, and while I’ll always support those standing up for what they believe in, it must be done safely.

“Please don’t jump on to our race circuits to protest, we don’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

With the help of Mercedes, Hamilton has also set up The Ignite partnership, to promote diversity and inclusion in motorsport.

The first two grants awarded by the programme will be granted to Motorsport UK in support of the FIA Girls on Track programme and to the Royal Academy of Engineering, to increase representation of students from minority ethnic and economically disadvantaged backgrounds in the British motorsport industry.

The Ignite partnership grant is expected to help expand the programme’s reach to 8,000 girls and young women aged from eight years old to 24.

Hamilton has shown throughout his career that hate never wins.

It will be interesting to see what the FIA do to punish Piquet for his racist comments. Indeed, actions speak louder than words.

MISS – Nadine Dorries

Competence and proper planning are vital when making a speech or talking to the media.

Failing to plan is planning to fail and can lead to a PR disaster if one isn’t careful, especially in an age of social media. One wrong step can go viral and create a media storm in an instant.

Step forward Nadine Dorries MP, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who has a habit of making gaffes when being interviewed, be that by a Select Committee (LINK to Channel 4 gaffe) or by the media, who she often treats with great disdain.

At a Rugby League World Cup event she attended in St. Helens to speak about the findings of a report which claims the 2021 Rugby League World Cup – delayed by the pandemic until later this year – has already made £25m worth of positive change in communities across the north of England through its social impact programme, it happened again.

The event was going smoothly for Dorries. When asked about the report, she said: “We know that some of the towns and cities that will host Rugby League World Cup 2021 matches are amongst those hardest hit by the pandemic and increases in the cost of living and the Government has backed the tournament with over £15m investment to bring world-class sport to these communities.

“The findings published in this report today are vindication of the decision taken to prioritise the Social Impact Programme from the very outset. It has been trailblazing in both its inception and delivery, laying the groundwork for future sporting events in this country and beyond to follow in its footsteps.”

The report reinforces the success of mental health and volunteering programmes that the World Cup has brought about for communities throughout the north of England.

However, when reminiscing about her favourite Rugby League memory, she mistakenly used Jonny Wilkinson’s iconic drop goal in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup Final as her answer.

Dorries said: “I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league – my long-standing memory is that 2003 drop-goal.

“We were drinking Bloody Marys at the time, it was 11 o’clock in the morning. But wow, what a moment that was.”

She didn’t realise her mistake and kept going.

Dorries said: “I’m not going to say I’m an expert who watches it all the time, that it’s an increasingly physical and sometimes brutal sport and it often ends up in a scrum which actually reminds me very much of politics.

“I think we have a lot in common and given a lot of the media like to call me the Prime Minister’s attack dog, I wonder sometimes if I should give rugby a go.”

There are several major differences between the codes of rugby league and rugby union. Most obviously, rugby league is played with 13 players whereas rugby union is played with 15 players.

The point-scoring system is also different, as is the number of permitted substitutes. These are facts that a government minister in charge of sport in the UK should know when making a speech to a specific audience.

The gaffe completely overshadowed the event and it didn’t take long for the mistake to go viral on social media.

Dorries was quick to clarify her comments and she tweeted: “Like Jason Robinson I may have switched codes in my speech.

“Both league & union have a rich heritage in the UK. Obviously I've followed rugby league much less in my lifetime, but I'm looking forward to watching England (& all the home nations) in the RL World Cup this Autumn.”

The Rugby League World Cup chief executive Jon Dutton was sympathetic to Dorries when asked for his reaction to the comment from BBC Sport editor Dan Roan.

He said: “Clearly the Secretary of State made a mistake with her comment. But we’re delighted that she’s come here today to support the tournament, to support the publication of the social impact report and to see first hand the difference this tournament is making for communities.

“The sport is 127 years old but needs a tournament like this to have more visibility. We want more people to be educated on what a wonderful sport rugby league is - and also, what a wonderful sport rugby union is.

"We've had a conversation and we look forward to her coming to the tournament."

This isn’t the first time that Dorries has got herself confused with different sports and their terminologies.

Back in April, she went viral when she appeared in fellow Tory MP Dr Luke Evans’ TikTok explaining her role in the government.

In the video she said: “We’re responsible for everything to do with sport in the country. From making sure you’ve got football pitches and you have tennis pitches in your communities, where you can play and exercise your sports.”

As the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, it should be a prerequisite that you’d know they were called tennis courts, not pitches.

Again, she had to clarify her original mistake and said: “I have dyslexia, which means that when I speak I often run my words together and say things that sound like the words I’m trying to say.

“Sometimes it’s funny and I laugh it off… but mostly, it’s just difficult.

“I’m OK with that. I’ve been in politics a long time and you grow a thick skin. It’s why I haven’t spoken publicly much about how it affects me.

“But I’ve found it tough seeing commentators and media outlets mock me for something that is beyond my control.

“For other dyslexia sufferers, we learn that it’s what you achieve in life that counts, not what those who mock you say.”

In public positions, you have to be held accountable for what you know and what you say.

Dorries would certainly do well to remember that, and educate herself on the various sports she goes to speak about in advance.

[doyumacy]

FALLOUT |LH| THREE

gif not mine

PAIRING: donghyuck x reader bodyguard!donghyuck

WARNINGS: mentions of taeyong. swearing, blood (i’ll let you know when there are parts with blood mentions), smut (let you know), violence, angst

WORD COUNT: 2,7K

ONE TWO THREE FOUR

“Thank you for meeting me at a late hour,” said the man in front of Donghyuck.

“Sure, no problem,” Donghyuck nodded. “What can I do for you, sir?”

“I saw you’re getting along with my daughter, and before you say something I saw you two getting along pretty girl this morning,” he looked at him.” And to be honest, I don't care how you do your work, but I needed to remind you why I hired you,” your father stared at him.

“I haven’t forgotten it, sir. I’m going at my own pace, besides it would be very suspicious to kill her right after I spend 12 hours with her a day,” Donghyuck let him know. “I’ll get the job done. You don't have to worry.”

“I do worry though,” your father placed a hand on his chin. “She’s supposed to meet with the Prime Minister in 2 months. I’m sure he’ll work with her, I mean, the UN is doing so, why wouldn't he as well?

“I don’t care what you have to do. I want her dead. She’s getting bigger and bigger and stealing my best clients,” he groaned. “This is my business and she suddenly thinks she can come over and take what’s mine? No. Get fucking rid of her.”

Donghyuck nodded. “I will.”

…

After another long week, you decided to meet with Taeyong and Lena and have dinner with them since it had been so long since you saw them.

When you arrived at the restaurant, you turned to Donghyuck and smiled kindly to him, “you can go now. Take the night off. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I don’t think I should leave you here alone,” Donghyuck said to you.

“I’m not alone, Taeyong’s bodyguards are here and Lena’s security team will stay as well,” You informed him. “I’m well secured.”

“I still don’t feel comfortable by leaving you,” he confessed.

You  grinned and put a hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder, “I’ll be fine, Donghyuck. Really.”

Donghyuck looked at you directly in the eye for a couple of seconds and wished he could kiss you. He nodded, “fine, I’ll have my phone with me all night in case you need something.”

“Noted,” you smirked, “goodnight, Hyuck.”

“Hyuck?” Donghyuck beamed.

“Well, since you won't stop calling me ‘ma’am’ I decided to give you a nickname as well,” you shrugged.

“But ma’am is not a nickname…” Donghyuck looked at you.

“You don't want me to call you Hyuck?” you pouted.

“You can call me whatever you want, (Y/N)” He winked at you.

You bit your lip and smiled at him. “Maybe I will.”

Donghyuck smirked and turned, but before he started to walk, he turned again to you, “let me stay. I don't feel good leaving you here all alone.”

You pressed your lips for a moment and then nodded. “But you’re staying as my friend, not my bodyguard.”

“Deal.”

You didn't remember when was the last time you had fun and even got tipsy. A year ago maybe? You were not a bad drinker and you could take some shots with Lena, but not with Taeyong. His alcohol tolerance was so low.

By almost 1 am, you hugged your friends goodbye and Donghyuck had one arm around you as he half-carried, half-guided you to the car. Maybe you had more shots than the ones you could take.

"I signed up to be your bodyguard, not your designated driver." Donghyuck joked as he looked for the car keys inside his suit jacket.

"You could be both," You said slowly, having to put more effort into your words than usual since you were sloshed.

Donghyuck  laughed. "Maybe so, but I preferred just doing one."

"Heeeey, you could do the partner thing soon."

"I don't remember mentioning a partner thing."

You licked your lips as you tried to remember what the phrase he'd first used was. "Designated driver. Only, instead of just dragging me to a car, we'd be getting sloshed together."

"That does sound more fun,” he said as he helped you to get in the car and fasten the seat belt.

You smiled dumbly and looked at him. “Have I told you you’re gorgeous? God, I love your skin and oh! Your moles in your cheeks are beautiful, I wanna plant some kisses on them.”

"Thanks," he said, trying to hide his smile. "It's nice to be appreciated."

"In all my life, I've never met someone that made me feel like you do," You said, speaking a foreing language.

"I don't know what you just said, but I'm going to assume it was complimentary."

You nodded. You kissed Donghyuck's left cheek because it was there. "The prettiest thing I've ever seen."  

Donghyuck swallowed thickly. He didn't need to understand the language to know that whatever you said was something he would appreciate. The kiss sent tingles down his spine, and your mouth was still resting close enough to him that you could feel his breath hot against your skin. "As much as we would enjoy that, we need to stop. It’s not correct.”

"You're right. But you're just so pretty," you whined. "It's really not fair. You should try to be less pretty; it would make my life easier."

"You can live with it," Donghyuck said.

The ride to your place wasn't long. He finally found the keycard and put it in the door for him. He unlocked it and pushed the door open. You looked pretty comfy where you were, and it made shuffling him inside your big modern flat roof house. "C'mon baby, you've got to get in bed."  

"But you're not there," You said, sounding awfully petulant about it.

Donghyuck chuckled. "No, but you'll get to sleep just fine without it."

"That's what you think."

"Love, you're drunk enough that you'll definitely pass out before the night's through."

"Aww, you called me 'love'. No ma'am."

Donghyuck was still right next to you though, so he was able to keep you from falling over. "My last boyfriend, well, Yuta was never my boyfriend, but he called me 'doll' but I sort of hated it."

"You do seem like you'd prefer the sweeter pet names. Sweetheart, things like that."

"Feel free to call me sweetheart as much as you want. Sounds beautiful coming out of your mouth."

"I think I will. After I stop working on protecting you, that is."

"Boring." You yawned. "You sure I can't convince you to stay?"

"Not while I'm working for you, and definitely not while you're sloshed." Donghyuck brought you to your room and took off your shoes when you collapsed back on the bed. "If you want to get undressed more, you're going to have to do it yourself, sweetheart," he said, then kissed your forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."

“I’m coming!” You groaned, walking to the front door where someone was ringing the doorbell. You opened it and you found a smiley Taeyong holding a kraft delivery bag. How did he look all shiny after leaving the restaurant in the same state as you?

“Good morning, sunshine,” he greeted you. “You look terrible this morning.”

“I was looking forward to hearing that, ass,” you grunted. “Come on in, the sunlight is killing me.”

“I’m not gonna find a naked Donghyuck, am I?” Taeyong looked at you.

You rolled your eyes and he entered your house. You shut the door behind him. “By the way, where is he? I didn’t see him in the entrance.”

“He has the day off,” you said, walking to the kitchen.

“So, you fucked with him?” Taeyong placed the food bag on the counter and he took off his jacket.

“No… but I did try to seduce him,” you grimaced.

“You did what?” His mouth gaped open.

“I told him he has the prettiest man I’ve ever seen and kissed his cheek,” you laughed a little. “Not that I lied. And then I invited him to stay over and he said it was not correct.”

Taeyong chuckled. “Oh my, God, this is so good. And then what happened?”

“Nothing, he left!” You sighed and then goggled. “What if he sues me? Did I harass him?”

“Woah, woah,” Taeyong shook his hands in the air, “he likes you, I can tell by the way he looked at you all night and he would’ve totally fucked you if he wasn't your bodyguard.”

“I don't even know how to look at him now,” you ran a hand through your hair. “He’s so hot that it makes me mad. All I want is him to pin me to a wall and fu-”

“I don't need the details, thanks,” Taeyong shut you down, “but what I can tell you is that you will end up pinned to a wall, any day now.”

You giggled. “Hopefully.”

Monday. Long day at the office. You barely had seen Donghyuck since you spent all day inside your office and he stayed right outside the door. You felt… sad? You missed his voice that day and his gorgeous face. You suddenly hated Mondays.

Lia knocked at your door right before the lunch break and left some papers for you to read and sign and some correspondence as well. When you finished reading and signing the papers, you opened a few envelopes where some people and companies were inviting you to some events. The last envelope was different from the rest since it was red and had a black stamp on it. You frowned and pursued to open it.

Inside the envelope there was a note written with letters clippings from a magazine and said:

IF I WERE YOU, I WOULD SLEEP WITH ONE EYE OPEN AT NIGHT.

YOU’RE DEAD.

You put the letter on the desk and swallowed. You weren't usually scared of hate comments, but this wasn't a hate comment. It was a letter. Threatening you.

You felt dizzy and your entire body started shaking. Who had sent you that? And why? You took a deep breath and stood up trying to walk to your bathroom in your office but failed. You tripped on your heels and hit the ground.

Then it hit you. They were inside the building. You weren't even safe in your own office. You wanted to throw up. You wanted to cry.

You tried to stand up but couldn't. Your legs weren’t responding and seconds later, you bursted into tears. You were scared. So scared.

Donghyuck had been replaying Friday’s night in his head during the whole weekend. He couldn't stop thinking about you and how good your lips felt against his skin. He hated himself so much for not being able to forget it.

On Monday he barely saw you and he hated it. He got you were busy but Donghyuck needed, at least, to talk to you and hear your voice and he didn't get that.

After he ate lunch, he returned and stood in the same place he had been standing all morning, hoping you’d get out of your office and going somewhere where you two could talk but didn't happen.

Donghyuck checked his watch on his left wrist and frowned. It was almost 2 pm and you hadn't had lunch yet. He turned and knocked at the door twice and he didn't get any response. He knocked one more time and decided to open it when you didn't respond again.

And that's when he saw you on the floor, crying and shaking. Donghyuck almost ran to you and kneeled in front of you cupping your face. “(Y/N)? What happened? Are you hurt?”

You choked on your words and got closer to him, holding him tight. He held you instantly and placed a hand on your head. “Talk to me, what happened, baby?” Donghyuck whispered in your ear.

The letter still sat on your desk.

Sungho was on the phone to the police while you sat with your arms wrapped around Donghyuck who was simply staring at the offensive stationary. Less than twenty minutes later the entire apartment was invaded by police, looking for clues to who had left it for you.

“Miss (Y/LN)” the Captain took the seat across from you, “Are you okay?”

You lifted your chin slightly, “I’m better, Captain. Just angry and scared at whoever sent this.”

He didn’t miss the way you kept your eyes averted from the piece of paper.

“They didn’t send it, (Y/L/N),” he stated, “It was an inside job"

You took in a sharp breath and Donghyuck held you tighter.

“I suggest you hire more security. My men will be here as well,” he  told you, “But I can’t leave them here indefinitely.”

You nodded. "Thanks, captain."

When the police left, Donghyuck and Sungho decided it was the best to leave the office and you obeyed them. When you got home, Donghyuck told you to change the passcodes of every door in your house and he’d stay there until they knew who had sent the letter. You agreed since you didn't want to be alone in your house.

When you got home you did what Donghyuck told you and changed every passcode. You sighed and hugged yourself. You felt exhausted.

Donghyuck approached you and looked at you. “You feel better?”

“Kinda,” you admitted. “My head is killing me.”

“Why don’t you go and take a bath while I make something for you to eat?” He caressed your cheek with his right thumb. “You need to eat something.”

You nodded. “Thank you. I’ll be right back.”

“Take your time,” he placed a kiss on your forehead and you wrapped your arms around his waist.

“Is there a chance you could come with me?”

“Not even the slightest,” he now kissed your cheek.

You sighed. “Fine. I’ll be right back.”

You looked at yourself in the mirror and furrowed. Did you deserve this? Maybe. Was he maybe behind the letter? You didn't think so.

When you sold Kim Doyoung that powerful software one year back he was clear he wouldn't even bother you. Did he maybe hear about your meeting with the Prime Minister? Did he know you were about to sell him off so you could do business with the government?

Donghyuck was chopping some vegetables and couldn't stop thinking who could be behind the letter. It was not certainly your father since he had hired him to kill you, but who was it?

You were clean. Way too clean.

Unless… you werent.

You came back downstairs and smiled when you found Doyoung in your kitchen. You could get used to that.

"What am I protecting you from (Y/N)?" he asked softly after you two finished eating, trying to meet your gaze as you looked at him over the brim of your glass. "What is it that you're not telling me?"

You blinked a few times. "What do you mean?"

Donghycuk sighed and repeated his question.

You didn't reply. You just stood up, placing your glass down silently before you walked towards the kitchen.

Donghyuck followed you without second thought, cornering you again in the hallway leading towards the kitchen. "What are you hiding from me?" he demanded, his hand pushing against your chest and pressing you against the wall. "I want the truth."

"It's... nothing," you came in the response and it only served to infuriate him more.

Donghyuck wanted to scream at you until you told him the truth, but as you stood there, staring into his eyes and standing close enough to feel your breath on his face... Instead, he did something that surprised both of you.

Lee Donghyuck kissed you.

It was impulsive and it was reckless. It took you a second to come to terms with what was happening but your lips were moving against Donghyuck in perfect synchronisation, your lips slotting together like they’ve always meant to be like that.

Donghyuck felt like his entire body was doused in gasoline and you had the match, every inch of him ready to combust. His heart raced as the adrenaline ran through his veins and he couldn't help but note that this feeling was so addictive he didn't think he would ever be able to stop if he didn't right now.

Donghyuck loved how heavenly his lips felt against yours, how warm your touch was and how it sent electricity coursing through his vein each time your soft fingers explored a new part of his body.

You were the one to pull apart and as much as Donghyuck hated it, he felt a pang of disappointment. "Trust me."

Donghyuck swallowed and looked at your swollen red lips. "I would never forgive myself if something happens to you."

"I'm gonna be fine. You're with me." You looked at him.

[mistressemmedi]

Meeting the drivers - Canadian GP

Ferrari

Charles - he came out first of all the drivers. There was a group of guys that had a massive Ferrari flag and a Monaco flag and you could tell he was super happy to see it. He always has this look of “I can’t believe these people are here for me omg” on his face. He’s 10 times more cute and adorable in real life. Bless

Sebastian - he came out with Lewis, which caused the crowd to go CRAZY. They were bantering with each other, which was fun to watch. He went through the crowd as quickly as he could because everyone was pushing and screaming. He still took the time with everyone, and was super nice to @lookitsbee when her phone got stuck trying to take a selfie. His legs are so skinny (also, he has a scar?), someone feed him!

Mercedes 

Lewis - ok he is so cute in real life? He was sooo happy to see team LH there, especially when everyone was chanting “VETTEL, VETTEL” in his face. He was very gracious and took his time with the two kids that had Merc gear at our corner. 

Valtteri - DAT ASS THO. Ok, he came out last and we were all like “???? Where he at???” and then realized that he probably had press conference duties. I think everyone fell in love a little bit with him after he talked to us. I’m surprised by the amount of people that were telling him “I hope you win this weekend”. I think he was surprised too. Very nice dude though, although his beard power is too powerful for even me. His PR guy is a riot, we talked shoelaces.

Red Bull 

Max - very business-like. Poor guy was probably not having the greatest time, he barely spoke a word. Although I managed to get him to smile and crack up a bit when I yelled “YO HAVE FUN THIS WEEKEND”. I even got a thank you. Mission accomplished.

Pierre - I still would like to throw myself into the sun after our interaction. FML. I was talking to his PR lady, her shoes were lit, and I don’t know how we ended up talking for a few seconds ABOUT SHOES. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. I barely got a picture, I think he thought I was hilarious. Or crazy. Or shoe obsessed. Excuse me while I jump in the canal.

Alfa Romeo

Kimi - he is every bit the guy you see on TV. No bullshit, no PR face. He still took his time with everyone, and he is very much loved still. Amazing. 10/10 would drink vodka with him

Antonio - MY LIL BABY. We chatted in Italian while he was signing for the people around me, told him to enjoy the race and that he’s making us Italians proud. Also, boy loves his skinny jeans (emo boy at heart lmao). He was absolutely adorable, and he was so pleased when the people next to me tried to wish him well in broken Italian. 

Renault 

Nico - he is so soft. Him and Daniel get along so well, you can see by the way they interact. He was cracking jokes all around, high fiving all the kids on the way. Stopped for a selfie, great dude. Zeus is doing great btw. 

Daniel - y’all, someone got him to sign a shoe. I KID YOU NOT, everyone was cheering. This guy took off his shoe and was holding it up and the entire corner started chanting “sign the shoe!”. When he did it sounded like a bomb went off because everyone started cheering all at the same time. Good banter all around, he’s a great sport. 

Haas 

Kevin - soft viking boy. Fact, he’s a lot smaller than he appears on tv? He is such a soft boy tho. Smiles all around, especially for the kids. Second time meeting him and chatting with him, 10/10 he’s a soft dog dad

Romain - he LOVES kids. He’s such a dad and you can tell. He is so patient and graceful with the mob of people yelling at him. He singled out every kid, made sure to thank them for being there, high fives and pictures all around. The little boy on the corner was ecstatic. Him and Kevin were out there the longest because they wanted to make sure they got to everyone. 

Williams 

Robert - there was a polish squad out there for him, and you could tell he was happy about that. Otherwise he is a real quiet guy, he said even less words than Kimi 

George - I almost scream-laughed when he spoke because he sounds so british and so posh. Legit, think of the stereotypical British accent and that’s George. 20$ says he stops everything he does at 5 and has tea NO MATTER WHAT. Probably has a picture of the queen in his car #confirmed. Good sport though

McLaren 

Lando - fucking yeeted out of there because he forgot he had a press conference. Didn’t talk to him, I’m quite sad. Yes, he is quite short. 

Carlos - he is giving Fernando a run for his money re: luscious hair. He didn’t say much, but this have a bit of a conversation with the Mexican squad next to us. 

Force India Racing Point 

Checo - ok, so we had a bunch of Mexican fans right next to us. Hilarious people, they brought a selfie still and were here to partyyy. Some of them dressed up as Pink Panthers lol. I quickly got my autograph and stepped aside because I wanted these people to have their moment, you know? Checo was soooo fucking happy to see the Mexican flag. He took his time, had a few laughs with them, and was generally in a great mood. He’s very proud of who he is, and his country. It was lovely to see.

Lance - poor guy looked to dazed. I can just imagine the amount of PR he has to do at his home GP. He didn’t say much but he did make a point to sign for everyone around us. 

Toro Rosso 

Alex - he is such a happy kid omg. His face is literally the :3 emoji. He laughed when I told him to go for it and enjoy the track. He took a bit of extra time with us gals, great sport all around.

Dany - my boy. Honestly. First off, he is as much of an awkward dork as you would imagine. The support for him was amazing in our area, I think people are quite happy to see him back for real. I chatted with him in Italian, my brain short circuited and I could not English at that point. He was super nice about it haha. He saw the guys with the Mexican flag next to me and greeted them in spanish. Then talked to someone else in French. Then English again. Daamn Dany, showoff. 

Overall experience was a m a z i n g. I’m glad I got to chat with some of the drivers. And some of the staff too, it’s nice to see the PR teams let loose.

Looking forward to next year. 

[scifigeneration]

NASA's TESS spacecraft is finding hundreds of exoplanets – and is poised to find thousands more

by Daniel Apai and Benjamin Rackham

This artist’s impression shows a view of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the solar system. ESO/M. Kornmesser

Within just 50 light-years from Earth, there are about 1,560 stars, likely orbited by several thousand planets. About a thousand of these extrasolar planets – known as exoplanets – may be rocky and have a composition similar to Earth’s. Some may even harbor life. Over 99% of these alien worlds remain undiscovered — but this is about to change.

With NASA’s new exoplanet-hunter space telescope TESS, the all-sky search is on for possibly habitable planets close to our solar system. TESS — orbiting Earth every 13.7 days — and ground-based telescopes are poised to find hundreds of planets over the next few years. This could transform astronomers’ understanding of alien worlds around us and provide targets to scan with next-generation telescopes for signatures of life. In just over a year, TESS has identified more than 1,200 planetary candidates, 29 of which astronomers have already confirmed as planets. Given TESS’s unique ability to simultaneously search tens of thousands of stars for planets, the mission is expected to yield over 10,000 new worlds.

These are exciting times for astronomers and, especially, for those of us exploring exoplanets. We are members of the planet-hunting Project EDEN, which also supports TESS’s work. We use telescopes on the ground and in space to find exoplanets to understand their properties and potential for harboring life.

Undiscovered worlds all around us

Worlds around us await discovery. Take, for example, Proxima Centauri, an unassuming, faint red star, invisible without a telescope. It is one of over a hundred billion or so such stars within our galaxy, unremarkable except for its status as our next-door neighbor. Orbiting Proxima is a fascinating but mysterious world, called Proxmia b, discovered only in 2016.

Scientists know surprisingly little about Proxima b. Astronomers name the first planet discovered in a system “b”. This planet has never been seen with human eyes or by a telescope. But we know it exists due to its gravitational pull on its host star, which makes the star wobble ever so slightly. This slight wobble was found in measurements collected by a large, international group of astronomers from data taken with multiple ground-based telescopes. Proxima b very likely has a rocky composition similar to Earth’s, but higher mass. It receives about the same amount of heat as Earth receives from the Sun.

And that is what makes this planet so exciting: It lies in the “habitable” zone and just might have properties similar to Earth’s, like a surface, liquid water, and — who knows? — maybe even an atmosphere bearing the telltale chemical signs of life.

NASA’s TESS mission launched in April 2018 to hunt for other broadly Earth-sized planets, but with a different method. TESS is looking for rare dimming events that happen when planets pass in front of their host stars, blocking some starlight. These transit events indicate not only the presence of the planets, but also their sizes and orbits.

Finding a new transiting exoplanet is a big deal for astronomers like us because, unlike those found through stellar wobbles, worlds seen transiting can be studied further to determine their densities and atmospheric compositions.

By measuring the depth of the dip in brightness and knowing the size of the star, scientists can determine the size or radius of the planet. NASA Ames

Red dwarf suns

For us, the most exciting exoplanets are the smallest ones, which TESS can detect when they orbit small stars called red dwarfs – stars with masses less than half the mass of our Sun.

Each of these systems is unique. For example, LP 791-18 is a red dwarf star 86 light-years from Earth around which TESS found two worlds. The first is a “super-Earth,” a planet larger than Earth but probably still mostly rocky, and the second is a “mini-Neptune,” a planet smaller than Neptune but gas- and ice-rich. Neither of these planets have counterparts in our solar system.

Among astronomers’ current favorites of the new broadly Earth-sized planets is LHS 3884b, a scorching “hot Earth” that orbits its sun so quickly that on it you could celebrate your birthday every 11 hours.

Artist’s impression of an exoplanet transiting a red dwarf star. ESO/L. Calçada

No Earth-like worlds yet

But how Earth-like are Earth-sized planets? The promise of finding nearby worlds for detailed studies is already paying off. A team of astronomers observed the hot super-Earth LHS 3884b with the Hubble Space Telescope and found the planet to be a horrible vacation spot, without even an atmosphere. It is just a bare rock with temperatures ranging from over 700 C (1300 Fahrenheit) at noon to near absolute zero (-460 Fahrenheit) at midnight.

The TESS mission was initially funded for two years. But the spacecraft is in excellent shape and NASA recently extended the mission through 2022, doubling the time TESS will have to scan nearby, bright stars for transits.

However, finding exoplanets around the coolest stars — those with temperatures less than about 2700 C (4900 F) — will still be a challenge due to their extreme faintness. Since ultracool dwarfs provide our best opportunity to find and study exoplanets with sizes and temperatures similar to Earth’s, other focused planet searches are picking up where TESS leaves off.

Illustration of TESS, NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The worlds TESS can’t find

In May 2016, a Belgian-led group announced the discovery of a planetary system around the ultracool dwarf they christened TRAPPIST-1. The discovery of the seven transiting Earth-sized exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 system was groundbreaking.

It also demonstrated how small telescopes — relative to the powerful behemoths of our age — can still make transformational discoveries. With patience and persistence, the TRAPPIST telescope scanned nearby faint, red dwarf stars from its high-mountain perch in the Atacama desert for small, telltale dips in their brightnesses. Eventually, it spotted transits in the data for the red dwarf TRAPPIST-1, which — although just 41 light-years away — is too faint for TESS’s four 10-cm (4-inch) diameter lenses. Its Earth-sized worlds would have remained undiscovered had the TRAPPIST team’s larger telescope not found them.

Two projects have upped up the game in the search for exo-Earth candidates around nearby red dwarfs. The SPECULOOS team installed four robotic telescopes – also in the Atacama desert – and one in the Northern Hemisphere. Our Exoearth Discovery and Exploration Network – Project EDEN – uses nine telescopes in Arizona, Italy, Spain and Taiwan to observe red dwarf stars continuously.

The SPECULOOS and EDEN telescopes are much larger than TESS’s small lenses and can find planets around stars too faint for TESS to study, including some of the transiting Earth-sized planets closest to us.

This artist’s concept shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data about the planets’ diameters, masses and distances from the host star, as of February 2018. NASA/JPL-Caltech

The decade of new worlds

The next decade is likely to be remembered as the time when we opened our eyes to the incredible diversity of other worlds. TESS is likely to find between 10,000 and 15,000 exoplanet candidates by 2025. By 2030, the European Space Agency’s GAIA and PLATO missions are expected to find another 20,000-35,000 planets. GAIA will look for stellar wobbles introduced by planets, while PLATO will search for planetary transits as TESS does.

However, even among the thousands of planets that will soon be found, the exoplanets closest to our solar system will remain special. Many of these worlds can be studied in great detail – including the search for signs of life. Discoveries of the nearest worlds also represent major steps in humanity’s progress in exploring the universe we live in. After mapping our own planet and then the solar system, we now turn to nearby planetary systems. Perhaps one day Proxima b or another nearby world astronomers have yet to find will be the target for interstellar probes, like Project Starshot, or even crewed starships. But first we’ve got to put these worlds on the map.

Timeline of discoveries of exoplanetary systems within 50 lightyears of the Sun. Credit: Project EDEN/ Daniel Apai and Benjamin Rackham.

About The Authors:

Daniel Apai is an Associate Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona and Benjamin Rackham is a 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

This article is republished from our content partners over at The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.