LE CASTELLET, France: World champion Max Verstappen took full advantage of Charles Leclerc crashing out of the lead to extend his advantage in this year’s title race with a crushing victory ahead of Lewis Hamilton in Sunday’s sun-baked French Grand Prix.
The 24-year-old Dutchman drove with flawless control in the searing heat to guide his Red Bull home 10.587 seconds ahead of Mercedes’ Hamilton, in his 300th race, with George Russell, in the second Mercedes, beating Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull, for third.
It was Verstappen’s seventh win this season and the 27th of his career and a blow to Leclerc’s challenge in the opening race of the second half of the season.
After 12 of the 22 races, Verstappen leads Leclerc by 63 points in the drivers’ standings.
“We had good pace, but it was hard to follow here with the tires overheating so we stayed calm,” said Verstappen.
“You never know how it is going to go... It was unlucky for Charles and I’m glad he is ok.”
Perez finished fourth ahead of a rampant Carlos Sainz, who drove from the back of the grid to finish fifth for Ferrari ahead of Fernando Alonso of Alpine and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Esteban Ocon was eighth in the second Alpine ahead of Daniel Ricciardo of McLaren and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.
Hamilton was delighted to be second.
“It was a tough race as my drinks bottle didn’t work so it was a great result for us, especially considering we’re so far off the pace,” he said. “Great reliability from the team and George did an amazing job.”
On an afternoon of searing heat, with a track temperature of 52 degrees and the air 34 at the start, Leclerc made a clean start to lead into the first corner ahead of Verstappen, with Hamilton leaping clear of Perez into third.
Leclerc led by a second after the opening lap, which saw Yuki Tsunoda spin and recover while Sainz, from the back of the grid, began his charge.
Verstappen’s superior straight-line speed powered him close behind Leclerc’s Ferrari at the end of the Mistral Straight, but the leader held firm, his car squirming for grip in the heat.
Having resisted Verstappen’s early attacks, Leclerc held a lead of nine-tenths by lap 13.
Sainz, praised for his progress by Ferrari, reached 10th on lap 14.
At the front Leclerc increased his pace to draw 1.7 seconds clear by lap 15, when the track temperature was recorded at 55 degrees.
“We are planning Plan B,” Ferrari told Leclerc, refocusing on tire wear and strategy.
Verstappen came in on lap 17 for a stop in 2.4 seconds, rejoining seventh. As he came back, Ferrari warned Leclerc his tires were over-heating, but he held a 10-second lead ahead of Hamilton with Perez third, three seconds adrift.
Verstappen passed Norris swiftly for sixth, but Leclerc stayed out and then, on lap 18 crashed at Le Beausset, going heavily into the tire barrier.
He climbed out, apparently unhurt despite the estimated 175 kph impact.
The distressed Leclerc shouted that he had a throttle problem. It was his third exit from the lead this season, just as he looked capable of scoring Ferrari’s third consecutive victory.
A safety car was deployed, Hamilton pitted and Verstappen took the lead.
Leclerc emerged later to admit the crash had been his fault.
“It was a mistake, my mistake,” he said. “I was pushing too much and I lost the rear.”
Verstappen made a smooth restart to lead from Hamilton and Perez as Sainz climbed to fifth. The Spaniard was then handed a five-second penalty for an unsafe release from his pit stop.
By lap 34, Vertappen led Hamilton by 6.499 seconds with Perez third, 1.475 adrift, but blisters emerging on various tires, notably Sainz’s front right after he had passed Russell for fourth.
With 15 laps remaining, it posed problems for the Italian team’s pit wall crew and others as the swirling wind increased.
Frustrated in fourth, Sainz asked Ferrari for fresh tires who told him to go for Plan D, then to stay out and finally, in mid-overtaking of Perez to pit.
“Not now,” shouted the Spaniard who muscled through to third and then, on lap 43, pitted for tires and to serve his penalty.
It seemed Ferrari, bafflingly, had thrown away a solid chance of third as Sainz rejoined ninth, while Russell and Perez battled for the final podium spot.
Max Verstappen wins French Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc crashes out
https://arab.news/cz6wt
Max Verstappen wins French Grand Prix after Charles Leclerc crashes out
- The 24-year-old Dutchman drove with flawless control in the searing heat to guide his Red Bull home
- Lewis Hamilton was delighted to be second in the Mercedes
Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m
“Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time”
LONDON: Liverpool delivered a huge statement of intent after winning the Premier League title by signing Germany star Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.
The transfer fee could climb to 116 million pounds ($156 million), which would make the 22-year-old Wirtz the most expensive player in the history of British soccer.
“I feel very happy and very proud,” Wirtz told the official Liverpool website. “Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time.
“I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.
“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”
Liverpool, determined to keep moving forward despite securing a record-tying 20th English top-flight title, splashed out a club record to bring in not only one of the best players from Germany, but one of the top youngsters in the world.
Wirtz has been a key first-team player for Leverkusen since he was 17. He was the outstanding attacking player in the team that won the Bundesliga and German Cup in 2023-24 without losing a game, and is a regular in Germany’s national team.
It’s why Liverpool were ready to pay a guaranteed 100 million pounds, plus 16 million pounds in potential add-ons. Wirtz had two years left on his contract, giving Leverkusen leverage in negotiations.
The Premier League record for an initial fee was set when Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for 106.7 million pounds ($131.4 million at the time) in 2023, before the London club agreed to pay up to 115 million pounds ($146 million at the time) for midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton later that year.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot arrived last summer and signed just one outfield player — forward Federico Chiesa — for the 2024-25 season.
Chiesa barely played and the Reds won the league by 10 points, after which Slot and some of his players — including Virgil van Dijk — spoke about there being big plans for this transfer window.
Having already signed right wing back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for a reported 35 to 40 million euros ($39.7 million to $45.4 million), Liverpool have returned to the German club to take Wirtz, who rejected an opportunity to join Bayern Munich — a Bundesliga rival which have long pursued him.
One obstacle to that move was the size of the fee Leverkusen wanted. Another was concern over how Wirtz might fit into the same lineup as Jamal Musiala, Germany’s other standout young attacking midfielder.
Losing Wirtz leaves Leverkusen and their new coach, Erik ten Hag with an even bigger rebuild following the departure of Xabi Alonso for Real Madrid.
Just after his 17th birthday, Wirtz became the youngest player in Leverkusen’s history when he made his debut against Werder Bremen in May 2020, in an empty stadium at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A month later he was the youngest player to score in Bundesliga history, though that record has since been topped.
Wirtz’s versatile attacking midfield play was a vital ingredient in Alonso transforming Leverkusen into a team that could win the Bundesliga and German Cup without losing a game.
He and Alonso stayed for another sometimes-disappointing season which ended with second place to Bayern in the league and a loss to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16.
Wirtz showed he can deal with adversity when a cruciate ligament tear in his knee ruled him out for almost all of 2022 — including Alonso’s first games as coach — before he returned to power Leverkusen to their league and cup double in 2023-24.
Wirtz has become a vital player for the German national team with 29 caps. He played all five of their matches at Euro 2024 on home soil.
He’s also had to contend with hostility from fans of his boyhood club Cologne, which he left for nearby Leverkusen at 16. Liverpool and Bayern were reportedly interested then, too.
Cologne claimed that deal broke an agreement between the clubs not to pursue each other’s youth players. Leverkusen argued Wirtz was so talented that he counted as a first-team player despite his age.
Cologne and Leverkusen are barely 10 kilometers (6 miles) apart, so going to Liverpool will be the first time that Wirtz has moved away from his roots.
His parents Hans Wirtz and Karin Gross have played a big role in his career — they were also his agents until last year — and he’s close to his older sister Juliane, a professional player for Werder Bremen in the women’s Bundesliga.
Wirtz’s decision to turn down Bayern and the Bundesliga for Liverpool has caused some raised eyebrows in Germany.
“I wouldn’t have thought Florian would make this switch so early,” former Germany great Lothar Matthäus told broadcaster n-tv last month. “But he wants to get out of his comfort zone.”
Wirtz seems likely to slot in as the No. 10 at Liverpool, a more creative solution in that role compared to the hard-running Dominik Szoboszlai.
Whether Slot also now pushes for a new striker as an upgrade to current options Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez remains to be seen.
Szoboszlai could drop back into one of the two deeper midfield positions, competing with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones.
Pakistan beat France 3-2 in penalty shootouts to reach FIH Hockey Nations Cup final
- PM Shehbaz Sharif congratulates team on their win, paying tribute to players and the management
- Pakistan boasts proud hockey legacy by winning three Olympic gold medals and four World Cup titles
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national hockey team advanced to the FIH Men’s Nations Cup final in Malaysia after defeating France 3-2 in penalty shootouts, the International Hockey Federation said on Friday.
The FIH Men’s Nations Cup is being played in Kuala Lumpur from June 15 to 21 at the National Hockey Stadium that brought together eight top-ranked teams competing with each other.
“Pakistan edge France to make it to their first FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup final,” International Hockey Federation said in a post on X.
“Excellent goals in the second half followed by amazing goalkeeping in the shootout,” it continued, “This is Pakistan’s first FIH final in more than a decade.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised and congratulated the Pakistan hockey team on their victory, paying tribute to the players and team management.
“The national hockey team delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament,” he added. “The team has made the nation proud and won our hearts.”
Sharif said he would also pray for Pakistan’s victory in the final scheduled for June 21, expressing hope that the country will soon regain its lost glory in the field of hockey.
Pakistan will play the winner of the second semifinal between New Zealand and South Korea.
Hockey is Pakistan’s national sport.
The national team boasts a proud legacy with three Olympic gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984 along with four World Cup titles in 1971, 1978, 1982 and 1994.
Hockey in Pakistan has faced a sharp decline in recent decades due to administrative challenges, underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.
Renewed efforts are underway to revive the game with increased government support, youth development initiatives and greater international engagement aimed at restoring Pakistan’s former glory in the sport.
Acclaim for Bounou, Al-Dawsari as world reacts to Al-Hilal’s performance against Real Madrid
- New coach Simone Inzaghi’s tactics praised after Saudi club’s impressive 1-1 draw in FIFA Club World Cup
- It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most
DUBAI: An impressive 1-1 draw by Al-Hilal against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the FIFA World Club Cup has drawn praise from football fans and media alike, with goalkeeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou and captain Salem Al-Dawsari receiving particular attention.
Al-Dawsari caused a stir among the media, who recalled his heroics in scoring Saudi Arabia’s winner against Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, while Bounou was a key player for Morocco who reached the semifinals in the same tournament.
There was also recognition of the role played by Simone Inzaghi, the new Al-Hilal coach, who took over the reins following his departure from UEFA Champions League finalists Inter Milan.
“For Al-Hilal, many foreign players who now play for the club have experience at top teams and stages of tournaments, like Manchester City and World Cup semifinals,” wrote the Washington Post after the encounter at Hard Rock Stadium in Washington.
“Inzaghi has made a big step after guiding Inter Milan to two Champions League finals, now stepping out of his comfort zone.”
Al Jazeera said Real Madrid had labored to the 1-1 result draw against a spirited Al-Hilal and that “Simone Inzaghi’s men showed defensive grit and enough attacking intent to rattle their illustrious opponents.”
The BBC compared the Al-Hilal coach’s debut to that of opposite number Xabi Alonso, saying: “Inzaghi will likely be the more satisfied, with his unfancied Al-Hilal side impressing and threatening to deliver a remarkable result even without a prolific marksman of their own, given Aleksandar Mitrovic was ruled out through injury.”
It was on social media, however, that the impact of Al-Hilal’s performance reverberated most.
Many commenters highlighted the challenges posed by 33-year-old Al-Dawsari to Real Madrid debutant Trent Alexander Arnold, who was involved in one of the most high-profile transfers of the summer when he joined the Saudi club from Liverpool just weeks ago.
“I was raving about Salem Al-Dawsari during the Arabian Gulf Cup as one of the best players I have ever seen. An unbelievable talent and Real Madrid found that out for themselves,” journalist David Rhys Williams wrote on X.
Seb Stafford-Bloor of The Athletic echoed the sentiments in his own tweet: “Salem Al-Dawsari is a super player — and he’s had an excellent half. Causing all kinds of problems down Real’s right.”
One user said: “Trent getting dunked on by Salem Al-Dawsari,” while another commented: “Trent getting cooked by Al-Dawsari.” Others posted memes of the Al-Hilal player’s success in the head-to-head battle.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois praised Bounou after a stoppage-time penalty save against Frederico Valverde secured a precious point for Al-Hilal.
“Fede has a very strong shot but he does not look at the keeper. Bounou moved early and could reach it. Bounou is good at penalties,” said Courtois.
On X, @Medias24, with over 180,000 followers, said: “A world-renowned drill specialist, Yassine Bounou, once again demonstrated his instincts against Real Madrid. Marca praises him, FIFA celebrates him, and the numbers confirm: the Moroccan goalkeeper has become a global icon.”
Meanwhile Moroccan football account @MoroccanGrinta proudly tweeted: “Penalty in the 90th minute against Real Madrid? Not a problem when you have Yassine Bounou. The Atlas Lion delivers a masterclass and secures a crucial point for Al-Hilal.”
Sports News Africa posted a video of Bounou’s save and said: “We’ll let you watch yet another save from the best African goalkeeper in history against the GREAT Real Madrid. Yassine Bounou…”
Olympic leader Bach got 10 percent raise in 2024 payment that trails far behind soccer’s elected leaders
- Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry
- The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission
GENEVA: The International Olympic Committee paid its president Thomas Bach $350,000 in 2024, the Olympic body said Friday — a 10 percent raise for his final full year in office after a two-year freeze.
The payment, or “indemnity” in Olympic language, revealed in its annual report is small compared to soccer bodies that, like the IOC, are based in Switzerland and count annual revenue in billions.
Bach on Monday will formally hand over to President-elect Kirsty Coventry, who will start an eight-year initial term as the Olympic body’s first female leader and first from Africa.
The IOC has classed the 71-year-old Bach as a volunteer on a full-time executive mission who “should not have to finance activities related to his function from his personal savings.”
Bach, who also gets living allowances, was paid from 12 percent to 15 percent what soccer gives its top elected officials.
FIFA paid its president Gianni Infantino $5.2 million in taxable salary and bonus last year, plus other expenses. Infantino also is among the 109 IOC members and so can claim $7,000 each year for office costs and $450 daily allowance when on Olympic business.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin got almost $4.3 million in taxable income last year, including $300,000 from FIFA as one of its vice presidents.
It is unclear if the 41-year-old Coventry will be a salaried president of the IOC instead of officially a volunteer. The IOC was asked for comment.
The two-time Olympic champion in swimming left her job as sports minister of Zimbabwe after winning the seven-candidate IOC election in March.
Bach’s annual payment has been decided by the IOC’s ethics commission on the stated principle “the president should not financially benefit from his position.”
The German lawyer held a series of business consultancies and board of director seats before being elected in 2013 to lead the IOC.
The IOC paid Bach 225,000 euros ($259,000) in 2020. It rose to 275,000 euros ($317,000) in the year of his re-election, 2021, then was frozen for each of the next two years.
International sports bodies have typically published details of leadership pay as part of governance reforms, particularly after corruption scandals in soccer.
Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers postponed, relocated due to Israel-Iran conflict
- Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday
- The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19
BEIRUT: Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers scheduled for next week in Jordan have been postponed until July and moved to Qatar due to the air war between Iran and Israel, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed on Friday.
Preliminary matches involving Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Bhutan and Singapore were due to kick off on Monday and run through to July 5.
The Group A qualifiers will now take place from July 7 to 19, with further details regarding venues and match timings yet to be confirmed by the regional body.
The Football Association of Singapore had earlier said that the matches had been postponed by the AFC due to the “ongoing situation in the region and logistical concerns” raised by several participating member associations.
Qualifiers for the competition will begin elsewhere in the region on Monday, with the draw for the finals to be held on July 29. The 12-team tournament will be played in Australia next March.
Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, saying it aimed to prevent its longtime enemy from developing nuclear weapons.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israel. It says its nuclear program is peaceful.
