But not everyone pays the same. Deals can be struck for the right drivers. In multi-car teams, it’s not uncommon for less-talented rich drivers to fund the seats of quicker, less wealthy ones.

Russell – earmarked for the top – says he paid £800,000 for his title-winning F2 season in 2018.

But even so, those numbers are out of reach for all but a tiny proportion of society.

Budgets have increased significantly in real terms in the past 30 years.

Back in 1994, a season of British Formula 3 – which then was the leading international championship – cost about £250,000 in a top team. The equivalent in Formula 3000 – what has now become F2 – was £500,000.

Adjust those numbers for inflation, and they are the equivalent of £500,000 and £1.1m today. So why have costs effectively increased threefold?

The answer to that is rooted in how the championships have developed. Within 10 years, the cost of an F3 season had almost doubled to £500,000. That’s the equivalent of about £1.1m now.

In 2005, F3000 became GP2 and was taken over by then Renault F1 team boss Flavio Briatore and his business partner Bruno Michel.

F3 and F3000 had competition between chassis and engine companies. GP2 and GP3, and their successors F2 and F3, are one-make formulae; everyone has to use the same chassis and engine.

The idea is to ensure equality of equipment, the better to compare drivers. Michel negotiates a supply price with F2 and F3’s chassis and engine partners, and says he demands the best offer.

“I’m trying to diminish as much as possible the burden of the cost of the cars on the teams,” he says.

But the circumstances of those championships have changed significantly.

British F3 was held entirely in the UK. F3000 was European, and generally held at its own standalone events – quite often at lesser-known tracks – only occasionally joining the bill at a grand prix.

Now, both F3 and F2 are part of the F1 package, and the number of races involved in a season has increased significantly. Every extra race costs money – even if it’s on the same weekend at the same track – not least in crash damage.

Racing alongside F1 brings significant benefits in terms of exposure, but also a downside when it comes to cost.

The championships have become international, and while F2/F3 covers freight costs centrally, being on the F1 support bill means personnel have to travel to cities hosting grands prix.

As the cost of F1 has increased, it has a knock-on effect for the junior categories. Flights and hotels are more expensive. And the cost of labour has gone up, because the junior categories are competing for personnel with the likes of Formula E and the World Endurance Championship. So the packages engineers and mechanics are offered have to be more competitive.

On top of that, the cars have been made more similar to those in F1, so are more expensive to produce. And safety standards have also improved significantly, as they have in F1. But that also comes at a cost.

Karun Chandhok – now a Sky F1 commentator – says he paid 1.7m euros for his F2 season in 2008. That’s the equivalent of 2.2m euros now.

So, give or take, that means F2 has tracked inflation since then.

Although the prices of equipment and spares go up about 15% each time a new car design is introduced, F2 and F3 CEO Michel says he considers the wider economic environment when decisions are made about upgrading cars and insists: “We used to make a bigger margin at the time of GP2 on the spare parts than we do now.”

It’s karting where costs have really exploded in recent years, insiders say.

The Covid-19 Inquiry is set to release its fourth report on Thursday, which will examine the development and roll-out of vaccines during the crisis.

It is expected to highlight the unequal uptake of the vaccine and the government’s response.

Inquiry chair Heather Hallett will also address the concerns of the groups representing those who died or suffered harm related to vaccines, which are calling for improvements to the vaccine damage payment scheme.

Campaigners have called on the government ahead of the report’s release, urging it to be better prepared for another pandemic and improve its vaccine readiness.

A YouGov poll revealed that 69 per cent of NHS workers believe the health service is poorly prepared for another pandemic.

Nicola Brook, a solicitor from Broudie Jackson Canter, which represents more than 7,000 families from Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, said: “Despite living through the horrors of the pandemic, we find ourselves in the unbelievable situation of being less equipped as a nation to make vaccines today than we were at the start of the pandemic.”

More than 184 million Covid vaccinations have been administered in England, according to the NHS.

A damning report from the inquiry in November found that Boris Johnson’s government and his failure to take Covid seriously led to 23,000 deaths.

What can be expected from today’s report?

The inquiry’s fourth report is set to make a series of recommendations about the development of the Covid vaccines and its rollout in the UK.

It will also examine the treatment of Covid-19 through both existing and new medications.

One of the issues to be highlighted in the report will include unequal uptake of the vaccine and the government’s response.

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Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 11:24

Victims of Covid vaccine-related harm demand more compensation

Baroness Heather Hallett, who chairs the inquiry, is set to address the groups representing people who were affected by Covid vaccine-related deaths or harm on Thursday.

Lawyers representing the groups have called for improvements to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, which sees people vaccinated in the UK awarded £120,000 if they have been harmed as a result.

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Sarah Moore, who is representing 48 claimants, said: “The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, in its current form, fails to provide timely or adequate support to those who have been seriously injured or bereaved due to vaccine side effects.”

Solicitor Terry Wilcox from Hudgell Solicitors, which represents a number of vaccine injured groups, said people who have been harmed or died “deserve acknowledgment of the impact on their lives, which for many has been life-changing illness and loss of loved ones, and changes made to ensure they are properly supported, and that lessons are learned for the future”.

Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 11:08

Hunt apologises for pandemic failings in wake of Covid inquiry report

Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 10:52

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‘We need leaders to lead’: Readers have their say on the UK’s delayed Covid pandemic response

The Independent community largely agreed with the Covid inquiry findings that Boris Johnson’s government was chaotic and poorly prepared, though many also stressed the broader context of conflicting scientific advice, years of underfunding, and systemic failings that compounded the crisis:

Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 10:36

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In pictures: Britons receiving Covid jabs amid global pandemic

Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 10:28

How was the Covid-19 vaccine rolled out in the UK?

In early 2020, scientists across the world were desperately searching for a new drug or treatment for Covid as the virus continued to spread.

The government deployed a Vaccine Task Force in the UK to find the most promising vaccines and pre-order them for speedy deployment once approved by regulators.

In November that year, Pfizer/BioNTech announced that its Covid-19 vaccine was both safe and effective, with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine also announced to be effective just days later.

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Grandmother Margaret Keenan, then 90, became the first person in the world to be given a Covid-19 jab outside of a clinical trial when she received the Pfizer vaccine in Coventry.

The NHS began rapidly administering vaccines, prioritising the most vulnerable in society.

Thousands of vaccination sites were set up across the UK including in football stadiums, shopping malls and cathedrals. Clinics operated 24 hours a day to get people vaccinated as quickly as possible.

More than 184 million Covid vaccinations have been administered in England, according to the NHS.

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Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 10:18

Covid inquiry to release fourth report at midday

The UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry is releasing its fourth report at midday, which will examine vaccines and drugs during the crisis.

It will make a series of recommendations about the development of Covid vaccines and its rollout. It will also examine the treatment of Covid through existing and new medications.

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The report is expected to discuss the unequal uptake of the vaccine and the government’s response.

Harriette Boucher16 April 2026 09:48

The following article contains spoilers from the episode of Emmerdale dated April 16. It hasn’t aired on ITV1 yet, but can be viewed on ITVX and YouTube.

Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb) finally returned home in today’s episode of Emmerdale, and quickly realised the life she left behind when she went to prison no longer exists.

Moira was thrown behind bars for double murder and supposed involvement in Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) operation. The beloved character was totally innocent, but framed after some clever work from Celia, and the planting of some ID cards by Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley).

For ages, it seemed as though Moira was going to go to prison for years. The police struggled to find evidence that proved she’s didn’t commit any crimes and eventually, Moira’s hope faded away. She told Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley) that she’d plead guilty at the hearing, believing she’d get a shorter sentence if she chose that option.

Fortunately, a miracle happened and it was produced by Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) of all people, who managed to find out from Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards) that he once hid a number plate for Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) while on the farm. The number plate was traced to a storage unit in Hotten, which contained piles and piles of documents the police needed to go over.

Moira wasn’t released straight away due to the evidence needing to get logged, but the news got to her in time which meant she pleaded not guilty at the trial. Yesterday, Cain learnt the charges had been dropped and today, she was back home.

In the time Moira has been away, Cain and their children have moved out of Butler’s Farm and into Wishing Well. The family have suffered a great deal of loss in a short period of time, but Moira tried to ignore the sadness of losing her home as she hugged her loved ones.

The family then told Moira about the launch of the Dingle Farm, and how it was created especially for her. Moira was surprised and grateful, but the likes of Cain, Lydia and Sam Dingle (James Hooton) knew that what Moira really wanted was her old farm.

She then headed to what used to be Holly Barton’s memorial tree. It was destroyed by Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) a few days ago, and now all that remains is a stump.

Moira was devastated by what was in front of her. In a quiet moment by herself, she cried beside Holly’s tree and said that she was sorry.

Her journey of processing everything that’s happened while she’s been away then took Moira to the kitchen of her old house. She told Robert that she wasn’t really sure what she was doing, her legs just took her back to the place she used to belong.

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The time for reflection was over quickly, as Moira, Robert and Matty Barton (Ash Palmisciano) started smelling smoke from a barn.

Outside, Moira quickly took control of the situation and put a fire out that had started within one of the barns. Watching this unfold was Joe, who took pleasure in pointing out the fire probably started because someone had heard about Moira – who got charged for modern slavery – getting released.

Terrified, Moira feared what may happen next – but was a stranger responsible for this?

Or was it someone Moira knows?

A mum shared how she was saved by The Archers as she appeared on the BBC’s Morning Live

A fan of The Archers has credited the long-running radio drama with saving her life.

Mum Julia Evans fell ill with sepsis after having her son in 2019, but said she spotted the symptoms because of a storyline on the BBC radio soap. In 2018, the character Nic Grundy (Becky Wright), a young mum of three, died suddenly of sepsis after scratching herself on a rusty nail.

Julia shared her experience on Morning Live, with the BBC show’s reporter explaining: “Away from the drama on the show, the stories can have a real impact. Julia Evans, who has listened to the series since 2016, credits the soap with saving her life.”

The radio fan then told how she became unwell after having her baby. She said: “Really suddenly, just felt absolutely terrible. Felt freezing, freezing cold. Didn’t know what was happening.

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“I said to my husband, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong.’ And he said, ‘Well, I’ll get a thermometer.’ And he said, ‘Oh, your temperature’s like 42.’ It was really, really high. But I felt really cold.”

She went on: “In the story, Nic has cut herself. And she just feels very, very unwell very, very quickly. And that was definitely something that I related to.

“I was sitting on the sofa, and then five minutes later, got into bed and just felt like I was going to die. And I said to my husband, ‘I’ve got to go back to the hospital.’ And they treated me on the sepsis pathway. And thankfully I made a full recovery.”

During the segment on the show, which was hosted by Gethin Jones and Michelle Ackerley, Julia explained how she had learned about the illness from Nic’s story.

“I do think that story really helped educate me about the symptoms, about how badly things can go, and about how quickly you feel really, really unwell,” she said.

“And I didn’t really know any of that before. So I think it is amazing.”

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The Archers has been on air since 1951, and Julia has been listening in for a decade.

“I put the children to bed, come downstairs, and put my headphones in and listen everyday, and it’s just a part of my life,” she shared.

BBC Morning Live airs weekdays at 9:30am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

England’s Hannah Botterman and May Campbell will play no part in the Women’s Six Nations as they require surgery.

Prop Botterman will have a second operation on an ankle injury sustained while in action for Bristol in December, while Saracens hooker Campbell will have a knee operation next week.

Bristol lock Delaney Burns and Saracens prop Liz Crake have been added to the squad as cover.

Back row Alex Matthews has been ruled out of Saturday’s game against Scotland at Murrayfield because of a shoulder injury sustained in the 33-12 win against Ireland last Saturday.

The first episode of the BBC series aired in 2024 and was a big hit with viewers

Ludwig fans could scarcely contain their excitement as the BBC released a first glimpse of its eagerly anticipated new series.

The detective comedy, starring David Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin, proved a resounding success when its debut series aired in 2024, with viewers hailing it as “perfect TV”. The show is due to return for a second series later this year, with reports suggesting a third run may already be in the works, reports the Mirror.

Posting images from the forthcoming episodes on Instagram, the broadcaster teased: “Ready for Ludwig Series 2? Here’s your first look at David Mitchell, Anna Maxwell Martin and the crew. Mark Bonnar and Sian Clifford are among the new faces joining the cast for the second series, coming to #iPlayer.”

In the first series, David portrayed reclusive puzzle maker John Taylor, who assumes the identity of his twin brother James, a accomplished detective chief inspector in Cambridge, following James’s sudden disappearance. He infiltrates the police station to investigate his brother’s whereabouts, while finding himself drawn into other cases along the way.

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According to an official synopsis, the second series will follow John, now working as a Crime Scene Consultant alongside DCI Russell Carter (Dipo Ola), tackling “impossible” crimes for the Cambridge Police Authority.

With James still missing, and John now an official member of staff at the station, he is prohibited from using police resources to search for his brother or uncover precisely what James had been investigating.

“Of course, John won’t stop and neither will Lucy (Anna Maxwell Martin), John’s sister-in-law and wife of his missing brother James – a puzzle needs solving and a husband and father needs bringing home,” the synopsis continued. “One masquerade may have ended, but a new one has just begun.”

Fans of the series were delighted by the first look images, with one declaring on Instagram: “Hells yes.”

“Amazing news,” said another, as someone else posted: “Loved the first series. So good. Can’t wait to see what the new series will bring.”

“Fantastic show so glad it’s back,” said another, as one fan commented: “Dreamy teamy.”

Someone else remarked: “Oh so so so SO good.” “Can’t wait for this,” added another fan.

Other viewers praised the “impressive” ensemble, which features newcomers Mark Bonnar, portraying newspaper editor Gareth Fisher, and Sian Clifford as local MP Joanne Kemper.

“The STAR POWER of it all,” said one, as another chimed in: “Cannot wait for this!! Great line-up.”

Ludwig will air later this year on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

No.1 Record Sleeves is the latest venture from Andy Hudson, Founder and Managing Director of the Maximise Group, which has supplied niche printed packaging to global creative industries for over 15 years.

The announcement comes as the vinyl community prepares to celebrate Record Store Day on Saturday April 18 – an annual event that both reflects and fuels the ongoing popularity of vinyl.

UK vinyl sales reached a three-decade high in 2024, growing by 9.1% to 6.7 million units, according to the British recorded music industry’s trade association, BPI.

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Revenue from vinyl has grown by more than 650% since 2014, rising from £19.4 million to £145.7 million – a trajectory that Andy has been watching with both professional interest and personal satisfaction.

Andy said: “”I’ve collected records all my life. So I’ve had a front-row seat to the vinyl revival – long before it showed up in the sales figures. As someone who has spent decades in specialist print and packaging, it felt like a natural step to bring that expertise to an industry I genuinely love.”

No.1 Record Sleeves sits alongside Maximise PM Ltd, which Andy founded over 15 years ago and incorporated as a limited company in 2016.

Maximise is one of the world’s leading suppliers of scent blotter strips and fragrance testing materials, working with manufacturers and retailers in over 60 countries.

Clients include Space NK, Penhaligon’s, Molton Brown, L’Occitane, Perfume Shop & Pernod Richard. In 2019, Maximise were a finalist in the Press business awards.

The move into record sleeves draws on the same strengths that built Maximise: precision manufacturing, reliable UK production, and a deep understanding of the niche markets being served.

1. Andy Hudson DJing as Rocky, Sweat Box club nights, York, 1990s — Credit: [Photographer Hugo Platt / courtesy of Andy Hudson] (Image: Hugo Platt)

For Andy, No.1 Record Sleeves is as personal as it is professional. A dedicated collector and DJ, he co-founded and performed at York’s legendary Sweat Box club nights under his DJ name Rocky, and has been immersed in funk, soul and house music since his youth. That insider knowledge, he believes, gives the business a different quality of understanding.

He explained: “A record sleeve isn’t just packaging. For the people who make and buy vinyl, it’s part of the experience – it’s the first thing you see, and it protects something that genuinely matters to them. We bring the same attention to detail to every sleeve we produce that we bring to everything else we make.”

Clifton-based No.1 Record Sleeves manufactures its products in the UK, offering everything from plain white covers and inner sleeves to fully custom-branded and bespoke designs.

The company says it is built to serve independent artists and small labels as well as larger commercial clients – straightforward to order, competitively priced, and backed by decades of professional print expertise.

For details, go to:  www.no1recordsleeves.com

Three in five Australian fathers surveyed said that no health professional asked about their mental health during pregnancy or in the 12 months after birth. That, boys, is because the focus at this time is properly on the babies and the mothers, who may suffer from actual, biology-related post-natal depression, not on fathers feeling out of it. But for Harry it was a chance to tell the audience, “You’re not alone. For me, [going to therapy] was a sign of strength, not weakness.” Oh please.

During the sit-down chat, Meghan told the group: “When I think of all of you and what you’re experiencing, I think so much of that is having to realise that you know that industry, that billion-dollar industry, that is completely anchored and predicated on cruelty to get clicks – that’s not going to change.

HONG KONG (AP) — China’s economy accelerated in the first quarter of this year, expanding 5% from a year earlier as it largely shrugged off impacts from the Iran war so far, according to data released Thursday.

The January-March data released by the government, covering a period during which the Iran war began, was better than what economists expected and was up from the 4.5% growth seen in the October-December quarter.

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, China’s economy grew 1.3% in the first three months from the final quarter of last year, the fastest pace in a year.

Economists expect China, the world’s second largest economy, to be able to weather short-term impacts from the Iran war, now in its seventh week. The war is pushing energy prices higher, worsening inflation and impacting global economic growth. But longer term, areas including global demand for Chinese exports could take a hit.

The International Monetary Fund this week trimmed its economic growth estimates for China to a 4.4% expansion for 2026 as it lowered its global growth forecasts over Iran war shocks. Chinese leaders last month set an economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for this year, the slowest since 1991.

“China can likely weather short term disruptions, but a protracted war and higher for longer energy prices would likely start to bite into growth by the second half of the year,” said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at Dutch bank ING.

Also on Thursday, government data showed industrial output in China rose 5.7% in March year-on-year, better than market expectations, as global demand for Chinese exports of electronic equipments, autos, semiconductors and robotics remained strong.

Retail sales were up 1.7% from a year earlier, worse-than-estimates and slower than the 2.8% growth in January and February, reflecting sluggish domestic demand for consumer goods.

A years-long real estate sector slump in China has dragged consumer and investor confidence, but the country managed to achieve its targeted “around 5%” growth last year, powered by robust exports that drove its trade surplus to a record nearly $1.2 trillion despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s higher tariffs.

China’s exports will continue to be key in propelling its economy this year, economists believe, but reliance on export growth could now increasingly become a problem.

“The lack of a speedy resolution to the Iran war is likely to dent global growth, which will negatively impact other economies’ ability to absorb Chinese exports,” said Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University.

“At a time when all countries are trying to protect their firms, households and economies from the fallout of the Iran war, the appetite for Chinese imports is clearly shrinking,” he explained.

On Tuesday, China reported its exports grew 2.5% in March from a year ago, significantly slowing from the previous two months although some analysts partly attributed that to seasonal distortions.

China could likely still attain its full year economic growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026 through policy stimulus measures, economists say, but there are other concerns.

A boost in public sector investment, Prasad said, would stabilize headline growth but, unless household demand strengthens significantly, could intensify underlying deflationary pressures and increase the economy’s reliance on exports down the line.