Author: Agence France-Presse - AFP
Max Verstappen declared his Red Bull “came alive” after securing pole for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a blistering track-record lap, edging McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just one-hundredth of a second in a thrilling qualifying session Saturday. Meanwhile, Piastri’s teammate and championship leader, Lando Norris, crashed out during the top-10 shootout and will start from the fifth row Sunday. Verstappen, in unstoppable form under the floodlights of the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit, seized the front spot with a 1:27.294 lap, narrowly beating Piastri for the top position on the grid. It was a huge turnaround for the Dutchman after…
Max Verstappen declared his Red Bull “came alive” after securing pole for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with a blistering track-record lap, edging McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by just one-hundredth of a second in a thrilling qualifying session Saturday. Meanwhile, Piastri’s teammate and championship leader, Lando Norris, crashed out during the top-10 shootout and will start from the fifth row Sunday. Verstappen, in unstoppable form under the floodlights of the high-speed Jeddah Corniche Circuit, seized the front spot with a 1:27.294 lap, narrowly beating Piastri for the top position on the grid. It was a huge turnaround for the Dutchman after…
Ollie Watkins powered Aston Villa to a dominant 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Saturday, reigniting their Champions League qualification hopes just days after their dramatic exit from this season’s tournament. Villa’s European dreams were dashed Tuesday as they fell short of completing a stunning comeback in the quarterfinal second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. However, Unai Emery’s side quickly shrugged off the disappointment, determined to secure a spot in next season’s elite competition. Newcastle, arriving at Villa Park on the back of five consecutive wins, were overrun by a brilliant performance from Watkins. He opened the scoring in the first minute…
Harry Kane netted his 24th league goal of the season as Bayern Munich cruised to a 4-0 win at Heidenheim on Saturday, pushing the Bavarians closer to securing the Bundesliga title. Kane was joined on the scoresheet by Konrad Laimer, Kingsley Coman, and Joshua Kimmich. The win extended Bayern’s lead to nine points over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who face St. Pauli on Sunday. “It was a very important step toward the title,” Kimmich told Sky Germany. “We’re now nine points ahead – and Leverkusen has to win. But we’re not really looking at them. We have to win at least…
Barcelona staged a sensational comeback to edge Celta Vigo 4-3 on Saturday, overturning a two-goal deficit and stretching their La Liga lead to seven points over Real Madrid. Trailing 3-1 with under 30 minutes to play – thanks to a Borja Iglesias hat trick – Barça roared back as Dani Olmo sparked the fightback and Raphinha delivered the knockout punch, scoring twice, including a dramatic 98th-minute penalty. Second-place Real Madrid host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, with a potential title-deciding Clasico looming in May. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who railed against his team’s intense schedule on Friday, rested teenage star Lamine…
Barcelona staged a sensational comeback to edge Celta Vigo 4-3 on Saturday, overturning a two-goal deficit and stretching their La Liga lead to seven points over Real Madrid. Trailing 3-1 with under 30 minutes to play – thanks to a Borja Iglesias hat trick – Barça roared back as Dani Olmo sparked the fightback and Raphinha delivered the knockout punch, scoring twice, including a dramatic 98th-minute penalty. Second-place Real Madrid host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, with a potential title-deciding Clasico looming in May. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who railed against his team’s intense schedule on Friday, rested teenage star Lamine…
Barcelona staged a sensational comeback to edge Celta Vigo 4-3 on Saturday, overturning a two-goal deficit and stretching their La Liga lead to seven points over Real Madrid. Trailing 3-1 with under 30 minutes to play – thanks to a Borja Iglesias hat trick – Barça roared back as Dani Olmo sparked the fightback and Raphinha delivered the knockout punch, scoring twice, including a dramatic 98th-minute penalty. Second-place Real Madrid host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, with a potential title-deciding Clasico looming in May. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who railed against his team’s intense schedule on Friday, rested teenage star Lamine…
Spain’s Formula One veteran Fernando Alonso confirmed Thursday that he won’t race at 50, signaling a clear end to his illustrious career. At 43, Alonso leads Aston Martin into their 100th F1 race this Sunday at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, bringing the energy and passion of a driver half his age. The experienced racer, whose age surpasses that of rookies Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman combined, holds an open-ended contract with Aston Martin, a team backed by Lawrence Stroll, father of his teammate, Lance. Though recent results have been modest, Aston Martin’s ambitious project was enticing enough to bring…
Max Verstappen has shrugged off speculation about a potential Red Bull departure, calmly dismissing concerns raised by team advisor Helmut Marko. Marko recently told Sky Germany he had “great concern” Verstappen might jump ship if Red Bull fails to raise its game – a worry sparked by the reigning champion’s underwhelming sixth-place finish in Bahrain, where McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stole the spotlight. But Verstappen isn’t biting. “I’m just focusing on driving and don’t think about any other scenarios,” he said Thursday, brushing aside the noise as Red Bull works to bounce back. “I just keep working, keep trying to improve…
Argentine football icon Diego Maradona’s daughter told a court Tuesday that his death “could have been avoided” if the medical team overseeing his post-surgery recovery had done their jobs properly. Maradona died Nov. 25, 2020, at age 60, while recuperating at home from brain surgery to remove a blood clot. He had long struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction. Seven members of his medical team are now on trial, accused by prosecutors of turning the football legend’s final days into a “horror theater.” If convicted of criminal negligence, they face up to 25 years in prison. Maradona was found to…