Formula One drivers unite to say ‘Danke Seb’

All 20 drivers of the F1 grid line up for a photo. (Instagram/George Russel)
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Updated 18 November 2022
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Formula One drivers unite to say ‘Danke Seb’

  • Between 2010 and 2013, Vettel dominated the sport, winning four consecutive championships with Red Bull

ABU DHABI: If there was one driver that could unite the entire 2022 F1 grid and have his peers set aside any differences they may have to come together for one night to celebrate him, it had to be Sebastian Vettel.

Emotions will run high this weekend in Abu Dhabi as the four-time world champion bids farewell to Formula One.

Proceedings have already kicked off in the most iconic way as all 20 drivers went to dinner together on Thursday evening at Emirates Palace’s Hakkasan to pay tribute to Vettel.

“We’ve come a long way as drivers and continue to grow as men. Despite whatever may happen on the track we grow and become better each day. Us all coming together to celebrate life and Seb’s amazing career in F1 is truly a night I’ll never forget,” wrote Lewis Hamilton on his Instagram in a post that featured a photo of all the drivers, and one with just him and Vettel.

In a press conference on Thursday at Yas Marina Circuit, three world champions and veterans of the sport sat side by side: Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Vettel, who wasn’t too ready to reflect on his 17-year F1 career just yet.

Between 2010 and 2013, Vettel dominated the sport, winning four consecutive championships with Red Bull.

“When I think of Seb… he was a bit of a nuisance back then!” joked Hamilton on Thursday.

“I’m actually quite sorry,” Vettel cut in. “It’s your answer but I think Baku wasn’t a great moment, because what I did wasn’t right. But actually from that moment onwards…”

“Our friendship got better!” said Hamilton, completing the German’s sentence.

On the track, Vettel is as fierce as they come, but over the years, he somehow managed to combine his sheer competitiveness with a kind and open personality that earned him the respect of his peers.

Daniel Ricciardo revealed earlier this month that Vettel, his former teammate at Red Bull, frequently picked up the phone to check on him when news broke in August of McLaren terminating the Australian’s contract early.

“As a person, I can speak so highly of him. On a personal level, some things that he’s done for me, I’m just very, very appreciative of,” said Ricciardo on Thursday.

“I think he’s a very caring individual. He cares about the sport as a whole but also cares about us drivers. We’re all competitors for sure but he’s definitely able to separate that and just look out for us ultimately.

“As a competitor, I think back to 2013 when he won every race in the second half of the season, it was like a relentless approach, like he just wasn’t satisfied, like he ultimately just wanted to destroy the competition.

“You could just see the raw competitor in him and that drive to, not win, but to destroy if you will; you had to admire and respect that.”

Almost every younger driver on the grid has a personal anecdote that involves an act of kindness from Vettel.

2021 and 2022 world champion Max Verstappen, another former teammate of Vettel, is excited about swapping helmets with the 35-year-old this weekend, and shared a story from after his crash at Silverstone last season on Thursday.

“He’s had a career which a lot of people could only dream of. But at the end of the day that’s not everything,” said Verstappen.

“I think as a person he’s always been very caring. Of course I had many heated battles with him, especially in the beginning of my career. But for me one thing I will always remember for the rest of my life, last year Silverstone I came back from the hospital to get to my motorhome to get all my stuff and he was there waiting for me when I got out of the car and he was like, ‘Max, how are you doing? Are you okay?’ and that just shows how he is, a super nice, caring person, who’s not only there for performance, but means well. I think that’s also really nice to be remembered like that.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Charles Leclerc recalls the time he received a special thank you note from Vettel for all the work he was doing on the simulator at Ferrari’s headquarters.

“He’s been incredible. I remember already in F2, I was doing the simulator work, which okay it’s not easy work to do because it’s really, really tiring and I thought that Seb probably didn’t even know I was on the simulator and I received a letter one day just thanking me for all the hard work and that meant a lot for me at that time. But that was only a small thing,” said Leclerc.

“We became team-mates in 2019 and 2020, where he has taught me a lot of things. We’ve had our tense moments on track but the respect off the track has never changed.

“He’s always been there for me whenever I’ve had difficult times. That was very different to what I was used to with my previous teammates. Obviously in Formula One it’s normal there is inner competition inside the team but he’s always been super caring and trying to help me whenever I was going through more difficult times. He will definitely be missed.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Pierre Gasly, who drives for Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri but is moving to Alpine next season, is expecting an emotional weekend in the UAE capital and also sang Vettel’s praises.

“I think he’s been a great player and a great icon and figure for all of us F1 drivers. Personally for me he’s been a great help before I made it to Formula One when I was a reserve driver for Red Bull, I managed to get close to him and ask for some direction and some advice at the time. Definitely he’s going to be massively missed in the paddock,” said the 26-year-old Frenchman.

Alonso, who will take Vettel’s seat at Aston Martin next season, will be wearing a special helmet in Abu Dhabi that features a German flag stripe and the words, ‘Danke Seb’ on either side in honor of Vettel.

“It’s going to be strange to not have him next year in the first race,” said the 41-year-old Spaniard.

“We shared so many things over the last 15 years. Sometimes we fought for championships, sometimes for seventh place, even in Japan until finish line and we still always enjoyed every single battle and respect each other as much as we could.

“I think my career is going to be linked to Sebastian in a way, because we fought for many great things in the best seasons of our life probably. Even though it was on his side the outcome always, I think our names will be linked to other.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

Updated 23 May 2025
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Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

  • Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain

LONDON: England manager Thomas Tuchel insists Ivan Toney “deserves” his surprise recall for the forthcoming internationals against Andorra and Senegal.
It is a first call-up for the 29-year-old since he left Brentford to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli last August.
Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.
“Ivan deserves to be with us, I think, and I’m convinced because he scored over 20 goals this season,” Tuchel said.
“He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, in goals and assists made a huge contribution.
“I thought, why not bring him over and let him travel to us? It’s a good occasion now to also test new players, see new players, meet Ivan first and see him in the environment.”
Tuchel has also given a first senior call-up to Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
The Sierra Leone-born Chalobah has played 32 times for Chelsea this season as they chase Champions League qualification and target victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.
“He played a fantastic second half of the season with Chelsea. He is very, very consistent on a very high level,” Tuchel said.
Manchester City star Phil Foden was left out just days after opening up about his mental health struggles.
Foden, who is struggling with an ankle injury, revealed his mental state has suffered throughout a difficult season for the forward.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was selected despite reports that he needs surgery on a shoulder problem after the Club World Cup.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher are among eight players in the squad who will also be involved in the Club World Cup in the United States.
England face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona on June 7 before a friendly with Senegal in Nottingham three days later.
The Club World Cup starts just five days after England’s second game of the international break.
“I could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad,” Tuchel said.
“We had a good discussion over if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players.
“Very quickly we understood that it’s also important for us. It’s only one year to go until the World Cup.
“So why send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day that we have together, and what signal will be sent to the group to send players away?“
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka are back in the international fold after injuries ruled them out of England’s wins over Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers in March.
There was no place again for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, with Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke and West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen also left out.


Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

Updated 23 May 2025
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Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

  • Pedro did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool
  • “With Joao we had a small issue in training,” Huerzeler told reporters

LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion will be without their joint top-scorer Joao Pedro when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with manager Fabian Huerzeler saying the Brazil striker has been left out due to a “small issue in training.”

Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool, with a report by The Athletic later attributing the 23-year-old’s absence to an altercation he had with a teammate during training.

“With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed,” Huerzeler told reporters on Friday.

“Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That’s why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.

“Joao is still a young player, and (there’s) still a lot of potential that he will grow. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and come back stronger next season.”

Pedro last played for Brighton on April 19, when he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ face during a 4-2 loss, an act which got him a three-match suspension for violent conduct.

With ninth-placed Brentford three points below Brighton, a draw at Spurs will ensure Huerzeler’s men finish eighth, which could earn them a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League provided some other results go their way.


Alexander-Arnold ‘deserves’ his part in Liverpool title party: Slot

Updated 23 May 2025
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Alexander-Arnold ‘deserves’ his part in Liverpool title party: Slot

  • Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season

LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season.
The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid.
He was booed by Liverpool fans when he came on as a second-half substitute in last week’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield and did not play in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday.
Liverpool, who wrapped up the Premier League title last month with four games to spare, will be presented with the trophy after Sunday’s game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
Slot was asked by reporters on Friday whether he had concerns that the celebrations would be overshadowed by an negative reaction to Alexander-Arnold.
He said he had yet to make a decision on the extent of the right-back’s involvement.
“I haven’t decided on that one yet but I think this should be a day that everybody is going to enjoy,” Slot said.
“It’s been 35 years everybody is waiting for this moment.”
Liverpool lifted the 2020 Premier League trophy behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.
Slot, in his first season at Anfield, said celebrations after Liverpool sealed the title against Tottenham were special.
“I’m hoping that we can add a moment like this to it and I think everybody that’s in this stadium deserves to be there, the fans, the staff, but also the players,” he said.
“One of my players is Trent so he definitely deserves to be there as well because he’s been part of an incredibly successful season and an incredibly successful (few) years at this club.”


While Slot hopes Alexander-Arnold gets a fond farewell from fans, the Dutchman was critical about the right-back’s efforts in training during his early weeks as Liverpool manager.
“He’s going to leave either way so maybe it’s already a first gift I can give Xabi (Alonso, expected to be the new Real Madrid manager),” he said.
“But I wasn’t completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. So, in my opinion, in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.
“I said to him ‘You are a much better defender than everybody tells you, but unfortunately you don’t show it all the time’.”
Slot said he told Alexander-Arnold, 26, that if he was focused there were not many players that could go past him because he is “fast, he’s agile, he has a great mentality.”
“It’s about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games that we don’t do so well,” he said.


Al-Ain set to host fourth UAE National MMA Championship

Updated 23 May 2025
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Al-Ain set to host fourth UAE National MMA Championship

  • The event will take place on May 24-25 at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation will host the fourth UAE National MMA Championship at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain on May 24 and 25.

The event is expected to draw around 300 male and female athletes from across the UAE, representing various age categories and clubs.

The federation’s decision to organize the event in Al-Ain Region is part of an initiative to popularize mixed martial arts across the UAE. It also seeks to expand the sport’s grassroots base and provide a professional setting for young athletes to improve their technical and physical talents.

The championship features multiple divisions, including Youth D (ages 10–11), Youth C (ages 12–13), Youth B (ages 14–15), Youth A (ages 16–17), and the adult category (ages 18 and above), offering athletes a platform to compete, improve, and progress toward elite-level representation.

Mohammed Jassim Al-Hosani, a member of the federation’s Mixed Martial Arts Committee, said: “The UAE National MMA Championship, which has five rounds throughout the year, is vital to our championship calendar. Its growth in participation and geographic variety highlights the success of our nationwide development initiatives.

“Hosting this round in Al-Ain shows our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity for athletes nationwide. With the inclusion of the adults division, the championship’s intensity is increased, and athletes are exposed to a variety of competitive methods and skill sets.”


France’s Caroline Garcia says will retire from tennis

Updated 23 May 2025
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France’s Caroline Garcia says will retire from tennis

  • Caroline Garcia is an 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion

PARIS: France’s former world number four Caroline Garcia said on Friday she will retire from tennis, with the French Open starting this weekend her last time at Roland Garros.

An 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion, Garcia wrote on social media that she has “a few tournaments left” and will then call it quits.

“Dear tennis, it’s time to say goodbye,” the 31-year-old said.

“After 15 years competing at the highest level, and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it, I feel ready to start a new chapter.”

Garcia has earned nearly $19 million in prize money and won the season-ending 2022 World Tour Finals, seen as the next rung down from Grand Slams.

That same year she won the French Open doubles title for the second time with compatriot Kristina Mladenovic.

Her best run in singles at a major was the semifinals of the US Open, also in 2022.

She reached a career-high four in the world but is now ranked 145th.

“My tennis journey hasn’t always been easy. Since my early days, tennis has been much more than just winning or losing. It’s been love or hate. Happiness or anger,” she wrote.

“But now it’s time for something else. My body and my personal goals need it.

“Still, this is not over — not just yet. I have a few tournaments left,” she said.

The first will be at Roland Garros when the tournament starts on Sunday.