LAS VEGAS: George Russell of Mercedes took pole position for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Friday while title-chasing Max Verstappen was fifth as the Dutchman closes in on a fourth successive world championship.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was second ahead of Pierre Gasly of Alpine with Red Bull’s Verstappen finishing one spot ahead of title rival Lando Norris of McLaren who was sixth.
Verstappen, who won the Las Vegas race in 2023, leads Norris by 62 points with three races remaining and needs simply to finish ahead of him on Saturday night to become only the sixth man to win four world titles.
Norris has to beat Verstappen by three points to keep his slim championship hopes alive.
“At least we are ahead of the McLarens. I didn’t expect that so it’s good,” said Verstappen, hampered by Red Bull’s error in bring the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas.
“We’re just a bit too slow. We have been struggling to get the tires to work over a lap and we’re too slow on the straights.”
Charles Leclerc, in the second Ferrari, was fourth fastest in qualifying and will share the second row with Gasly whose impressive performance on the Las Vegas street circuit followed a shock third-place finish in Brazil last time out.
Yuki Tsunoda of RB was seventh with Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren, Nico Hulkenberg in a Haas and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes completing the top 10.
Russell clocked a best lap in one minute and 32.312 seconds to outpace Sainz by 0.098 seconds for his third pole this year the fourth of his career.
“It feels incredible to be back on pole,” said Russell, who clipped a wall in the third and final qualifying run.
“I had a bit of a moment on my first run and we had to change the front wing so for a while I didn’t think we were going to make the flag, but I am just so happy.”
Norris felt the “top four was out of reach” for him.
“But I will keep going to the end and will do my best in every race whether I am fighting for the championship or not.”
On a cool night in America’s gambling capital, with a track temperature of 13 degrees Celsius, it was Gasly who set the pace as the rest slithered in early pursuit.
Having been quickest in the earlier final free practice, Russell topped Q1 ahead of Hamilton.
Unfortunately for Red Bull, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez’s miserable season continued as he was eliminated along with Aston Martin’s two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, Williams’ Alex Albon, Valtteri Bottas of Sauber and Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin.
Hamilton set the Q2 pace in 1:33.136. After his dismal outing in Brazil where he finished 10th in the rain, this was evidence of a revitalized Hamilton ahead of a move to Ferrari next year.
Verstappen briefly went top with an edgy lap before Mercedes responded with Russell taking control as both he and Hamilton delivered improved laps, Russell clocking 1:32.881.
At this stage, Verstappen was showing enough pace to stay ahead of Norris before the Q2 segment ended with a yellow flag as Franco Colapinto hit the wall at the penultimate corner in his Williams, climbing out of the wreckage unhurt.
It was his second consecutive crash in qualifying and left the team with a big repair and rebuild job — the British team’s sixth in three Grands Prix.
The Argentine driver was already heading for a Q2 exit in 14th place along with RB’s Liam Lawson, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen of Haas and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon.
Hamilton topped Q2 to lead the way into the top ten shootout with a best lap in 1:32.567 ahead of Sainz and Russell.
The Q3 action resumed after a 25-minute delay for repairs, Verstappen leading the way followed by both McLarens before Russell clocked an early marker in 1:32.811 ahead of Sainz while Hamilton locked up and aborted his first lap.
Russell on pole position at Las Vegas GP, Verstappen ahead of Norris
https://arab.news/7jvhy
Russell on pole position at Las Vegas GP, Verstappen ahead of Norris
- Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was second ahead of Pierre Gasly of Alpine
Rashford stars in Barcelona win as De Bruyne loses on Man City return
Marcus Rashford proved the perfect replacement for Lamine Yamal in Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday and Kevin De Bruyne watched mostly from the sideline as Napoli lost 2-0 at his former club Manchester City.
With Yamal missing through injury, Rashford — a loan signing from Manchester United — got a start on his return to England and scored both of Barcelona’s goals at St. James’ Park. The second took the breath away, a piledriver from 25 meters that flew in off the crossbar.
De Bruyne was also back on English soil, at the club where he spent 10 years before an emotional farewell in May. But his Etihad Stadium return lasted 26 minutes before he was substituted following a red card for teammate Giovanni Di Lorenzo and City wound up a comfortable winner thanks to second-half goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku.
Haaland’s header put him on 50 goals in 49 Champions League appearances, with the Norway striker reaching that milestone quicker than any other player in the competition’s history.
Kairat, a tournament newcomer from Kazakhstan, made what is thought to be longest ever trek for a Champions League fixture — across three time zones and more than 7,000 kilometers — and lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon. Sporting scored its final three goals in a four-minute span in the second half and also had a penalty saved.
The comeback of the night went to Eintracht Frankfurt, which recovered from conceding in the eighth minute to beat Galatasaray 5-1.
Rashford’s double
England coach Thomas Tuchel was in the stands of a raucous St. James’ Park to witness Rashford showcase his finishing abilities that Man United could do with right now.
His first goal was a header off Jules Koundé’s cross in the 58th to put Barcelona ahead before he created space for himself with some clever footwork and blasted a right-footed shot from outside the area off the underside of the bar in the 67th.
“100 percent, I’m full of excitement,” Rashford said after his first goals for Barcelona. “I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team, that excites me alone. It’s so refreshing to play with these guys.”
Anthony Gordon pulled one back for Newcastle in the 89th, putting in a low cross from substitute Jacob Murphy.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe left record signing Nick Woltemade — the replacement for Alexander Isak — on the bench until the 63rd.
De Bruyne’s return
Napoli’s defensive reorganization following Di Lorenzo’s red card for fouling Haaland as the last man meant De Bruyne was sacrificed. Ever the team player, the Belgium playmaker took the decision well, jogging off to applause from a home crowd that once cheered his every assist and goal.
“It was the only option I could do,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte said. “I was really, really sorry for him.”
By the end of the game, City fans were chanting De Bruyne’s name, confident the three points were safe and their former hero — perhaps the club’s greatest-ever player — couldn’t hurt them.
“He’s a legend of the club,” City midfielder Phil Foden said. “I can’t thank him enough for what he has done.”
City’s undoubted star is now Haaland and the Norway striker has started the season in red-hot form, with his clever header in the 56th from Foden’s flick into the box making it 12 goals in seven matches for club and country.
“He seems to break every record going,” Foden said of Haaland. “It’s unheard of what he’s doing.”
Doku’s goal was a superb solo run and finish through the goalkeeper’s legs in the 65th as City eventually wore down Napoli and took the opportunity to take off key players, like Rodri and Haaland, for a big Premier League game at Arsenal on Sunday.
Monaco blown away
Club Brugge proved too hot to handle for Monaco.
The visitors were beaten 4-1 a day after their flight to Belgium was aborted because the air conditioning on the plane malfunctioned and players were forced to take their clothes off due to the excessively hot conditions.
Monaco, which ended up flying out Thursday morning instead, was blown away by a three-goal burst in a 10-minute spell late in the first half, when Nicolò Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and Hans Vanaken were the scorers.
Hjulmand’s return
Kasper Hjulmand returned to Denmark for his first Champions League match in charge of Bayer Leverkusen — and a first in over a decade — and saw his new team escape with a 2-2 draw at FC Copenhagen thanks to a stoppage-time own-goal.
Pantelis Hatzidiakos deflected the ball into his own net from substitute Claudio Echeverri’s cross to gift Leverkusen a second equalizer, with the first coming from Álex Grimaldo’s stunning free kick in the 82nd..
Hjulmand, the former Denmark coach, replaced Erik ten Hag at Leverkusen just three games into the season. Ten Hag only took over from Xabi Alonso in the summer.
Late own goal rescues Leverkusen in 2-2 draw at Copenhagen
- The Danish hosts got the perfect start after nine minutes
- Leverkusen offered little in the first half
COPENHAGEN: Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw at FC Copenhagen in their Champions League opener on Thursday, rescued by a Pantelis Hatzidiakos own goal in stoppage time.
The Danish hosts got the perfect start after nine minutes when Jordan Larsson met Elias Achouri’s cross to score and light up the Parken Stadium.
Leverkusen offered little in the first half, struggling to break down Copenhagen’s defense, while the home side created several chances, with only some fine goalkeeping from Mark Flekken preventing them doubling the lead.
After the break, Leverkusen found more openings but were repeatedly denied by Copenhagen keeper Dominik Kotarski.
But eight minutes from time Leverkusen pulled level from a free kick as Alejandro Grimaldo curled the ball over the wall into the net off the underside of the bar.
The visitors’ relief was short-lived, however, as Robert restored Copenhagen’s lead five minutes later with a precise low header from a cross.
Leverkusen pressed for another equalizer and in stoppage time substitute Claudio Echeverri broke into the box and his attempted cross deflected off Hatzidiakos into the net.
Afghanistan crash out of Asia Cup after six-wicket loss to Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka wrapped up their Group B fixtures unbeaten
- Sri Lanka march into second round, with Bangladesh joining them
ABU DHABI: Sri Lanka chased down a daunting target of 170 with six wickets in hand to knock Afghanistan out of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Sri Lanka wrapped up their Group B fixtures unbeaten, with the former champions getting home with eight deliveries to spare.
Having topped the group, Sri Lanka marched into the second round, with Bangladesh joining them as the other qualifier.
It was quick Nuwan Thushara who set the tone, rattling through the Afghan top order with four wickets.
Then it was wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis who stole the limelight in the chase, crafting an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls with 10 boundaries.
Opening the innings, Mendis dropped anchor against Afghanistan’s much-vaunted four-pronged spin attack. He later shifted gears in a blistering 52-run stand off just 23 balls for the fifth wicket with his namesake Kamindu Mendis.
Sri Lanka had their noses in front from the moment Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Thushara struck twice in his second over, eventually finishing with four for 18.
At 137 for seven heading into the final over, Afghanistan looked dead and buried, but veteran Mohammad Nabi turned the script on its head.
The all-rounder bludgeoned 32 runs off the last over, lifting his side to a fighting 169 for eight.
Dunith Wellalage, playing his first T20 since November 2024, dropped Nabi on five, a mistake that cost dearly. Thrown the ball for the final over, the left-arm spinner was carted for five sixes, conceding the second-most expensive over by a Sri Lankan in T20 history.
Nabi finished with a whirlwind 60 off 22 balls, peppered with three fours and six sixes, his half-century equalling the record for the quickest by an Afghan batter.
Isack Hadjar on Red Bull rumors: ‘I didn’t sign anything’
- Telling reporters this week that he “couldn’t care less” about the rumors, Hadjar added, “I think it’s very funny. Because I didn’t sign anything“
- While no official announcement has been made yet, Hadjar acknowledged that earning a seat with the main team has been his goal since signing with the Red Bull Junior team
BAKU: Isack Hadjar downplayed rumors that he is set to replace Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen in 2026, saying “I didn’t sign anything.”
Tsunoda has struggled to consistently generate points since being promoted to the main team ahead of the third race of the season, and enters this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix with just 12 . Meanwhile, the 20-year-old Hadjar has recovered from a crash in his first race in Australia to produce 38 points for the junior team.
With Tsunoda currently 19th place in the driver’s standings and Hadjar in ninth, speculation has been rampant that the young Frenchman is set to be Red Bull’s next attempt to find a consistent points producer alongside Verstappen.
Telling reporters this week that he “couldn’t care less” about the rumors, Hadjar added, “I think it’s very funny. Because I didn’t sign anything.”
Liam Lawson lasted just two races into the season before being replaced by Tsunod, and Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies, who replaced the ousted Christian Horner, said recently that there will not be another midseason change in the second Red Bull seat.
While no official announcement has been made yet, Hadjar acknowledged that earning a seat with the main team has been his goal since signing with the Red Bull Junior team.
“I think it is quite clear,” he said. “It (driver decisions) has always been decided, at least for me, at the very end of the season. I think it makes sense, because there are eight races to go, so I need to keep pushing.”
Tsunoda is the third driver to struggle to effectively race the notoriously difficult to drive Red Bull car, following Lawson and Sergio Perez, who parted ways with the team over the offseason. Lawson, who got only two races before being replaced, was asked what advice he would give Hadjar should he be the next in line to be teamed with Verstappen.
“I would honestly just say ignore everything that’s being said,” Lawson said. “At the end of the day, we’re all racing drivers, we all have to have enough self-confidence to be in the sport in the first place. We don’t come here thinking that other people are better than us, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. So I think to just have faith in yourself.
“He’s done a good job this year and I think he needs to just focus on the job and focus on preparing the best he can. Not listening to everything that’s said about what it’s going to be like because, at the end of the day, nobody actually knows. Only the guys that have done it (know).”
Mourinho appointed at Benfica as he returns to Portugal
- Mourinho has signed a contract “to run until the end of the 2026/27 season,” Benfica said in
- He will soon face reunions against former sides Chelsea and Porto, in the Champions League on September 30 and in the Primeira Liga on October 5 respectively
LISBON: Benfica appointed Jose Mourinho as their coach on Thursday, with the Portuguese returning to work in his homeland 21 years after leaving Porto for Chelsea.
The 62-year-old, who also coached Real Madrid and Manchester United among other clubs, was sacked by Turkish side Fenerbahce in August after Benfica beat them in the Champions League play-offs.
Mourinho has signed a contract “to run until the end of the 2026/27 season,” Benfica said in a statement, with an option for either party to end the deal at the end of the current campaign.
The two-time European champions sacked Bruno Lage after a shock defeat in their Champions League opener against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag on Tuesday.
Mourinho will soon face reunions against former sides Chelsea and Porto, in the Champions League on September 30 and in the Primeira Liga on October 5 respectively.
“I come to Benfica at a different stage in my career, and as a person... we transform for the better,” Mourinho told reporters, sitting alongside Benfica president Rui Costa.
“I’m more altruistic, less self-centered, I think less about myself and more about the good I can do for others, the joy I can bring to others. I’m not the important thing — Benfica is important.”
After starting out his coaching career as an assistant to Bobby Robson and then Louis van Gaal at Barcelona, Mourinho made the step up to head coach at Benfica in September 2000.
He quit after just 11 matches and then, after impressing at Uniao de Leiria, he joined the Eagles’ fierce rivals Porto and guided them to back-to-back league titles and the Champions League crown in 2004.
That set him on the path to a successful career coaching Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid before his fortunes dived after joining Manchester United in 2016.
More modest stints then followed at Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce.
“In some people’s minds, I have two resumes — one that lasted a certain period and another that represents, let’s say, a less happy phase of my career,” said Mourinho.
“My misfortune is that in the last five years, I’ve played in two European finals. The negative part of my career... is two European finals in the last five years.”
- ‘My mission’ -
Mourinho won three Premier League titles across two spells at Chelsea, as well as the Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010, and a La Liga title with Real Madrid among other trophies.
However, since 2017, when he won the Europa League with Manchester United, Mourinho’s only silverware was the Conference League with Roma in 2022.
Mourinho’s first game at the helm of Benfica will be a visit to face AVS on Saturday in the top flight.
“It’s been 25 years in which I’ve had the opportunity to work for the biggest clubs in the world,” said Mourinho, of the time since he first departed Benfica.
“I’d like to say that none of the other giant clubs I’ve had the opportunity to coach have made me feel more honored, responsible, or motivated than being the coach of Benfica,” he added.
“The promise is very clear: I will live for Benfica, for my mission.”
Mourinho said he was more “mature” now than when he previously coached the club, and insisted his team had the quality to win the title.
Sporting Lisbon won the last two titles, with Benfica’s last triumph in 2023.
“Benfica have enough potential within that dressing room to be champions,” said Mourinho.
