NÜRBURGRING, Germany: Valtteri Bottas produced a blistering track record on his final qualifying lap on Saturday to edge Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton and claim pole position for the Eifel Grand Prix.
Bottas clocked a best lap of one minute and 25.269 seconds to beat the championship leader by two-tenths of a second in very cold conditions following only one practice session after Friday’s running was canceled due to fog.
It was Bottas’s third pole this year and the 14th of his career, a feat that he hopes can help him keep alive his championship challenge. After winning in Russia two weeks ago he lies 44 points behind Hamilton.
The two ‘black arrows’ were pushed all the way by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who lost grip on his final run and wound up third ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and Alex Albon in the second Red Bull car.
“It is such a nice feeling when you do it on the last lap — my last lap was spot on,” said Bottas.
“It’s been pretty tricky with short practice and these conditions getting the tires in the sweet spot, that was one of the bigger things today.
The chilly autumn weather has shaped practice and qualifying. Friday’s practice sessions were wiped out by fog and rain.
“I believe I can win,” said Bottas. “That’s the only goal for tomorrow and hopefully we can have a good start.”
Both Bottas and Hamilton suggested F1 can do away with Friday practice, condensing race weekends into two days.
“I don’t think we need to be in on Fridays,” said Hamilton. “Currently, in a normal weekend, I feel like there is too much practice,” agreed Bottas.
Hamilton, who needs just one victory to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of 91 Grand Prix victories, had to settle for second on the grid.
“Valtteri is two-tenths ahead and he did a good job, so congratulations to him,” he said. “There is plenty of time for me to regain.”
Leclerc surprised himself with his speed to make the second row.
“Since the start of the season, we have struggled to make our tires work whenever it has been cold, but today it just seemed like it worked out for us.
Team-mate Sebastian Vettel qualified 11th after being out-qualified by Leclerc for the eighth consecutive weekend.
“You know, Seb is a four-time champion and I am sure he will come back to where he needs to be.”
Daniel Ricciardo was sixth ahead of his Renault team-mate Esteban Ocon, Lando Norris of McLaren, Sergio Perez of Racing Point and Carlos Sainz in the second McLaren.
Shortly before qualifying, Racing Point announced that Nico Hulkenberg would step in for Lance Stroll who was “unwell.”
Hulkenberg, who covered for Stroll’s teammate Sergio Perez at Silverstone, was called at short notice from a Cologne cafe. After a dash up the autobahn he made it to the track and without any practice, qualified at the back of the grid.
The session began in bright, cold conditions with the air temperature struggling to exceed 10 degrees, but no repeat of the fog and rain that led to the cancelation of both practice sessions on Friday.
Hulkenberg was one of the drivers out early in the session to familiarise himself with Stroll’s settings.
Hamilton soon laid down a marker in Q2 in 1min 26.183sec before Verstappen trimmed that by almost half a second. Albon took third while Bottas slipped to eighth.
On their second Q2 runs, Hamilton regained top spot while Verstappen held off an improved Bottas in third.
In the top ten shootout, Verstappen was fastest on his first run in 1:25.744 ahead of the two Mercedes men, with Bottas topping Hamilton and Albon fourth in the second Red Bull.
Hamilton responded by going quickest but it was not enough to resist Bottas who stormed through to take pole.
’Spot on’ Bottas edges Hamilton to take pole at Eifel GP
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’Spot on’ Bottas edges Hamilton to take pole at Eifel GP
- It was Bottas’s third pole this year and the 14th of his career
Pakistan and Bangladesh begin T20I series today
- 2009 world champions Pakistan have endured significant downturn in last 12 months, crashed out in first round of World Cup in 2024
- Bangladesh, ranked ninth, have won just four of last 12 T20Is, lost series against lower-ranked US last year and UAE earlier this month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are all set to take on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series commencing from today, Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.
The second T20I will be held on Friday, May 30, while the third and final T20I of the series is scheduled on June 1.
Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan, while Litton Das will captain Bangladesh. All three T20Is will be played at Lahore’s Qaddafi Stadium, which will host its first T20I series after going through a complete renovation earlier this year.
“The boys are doing well as a unit. A lot of our players are coming off strong performances in the HBL PSL X, which is one of the most competitive T20 tournaments in the world. That form and momentum are something we are hoping to carry into this series,” Agha was quoted as saying in a PCB statement.
“Bangladesh are a quality side with talented players and we are expecting a good challenge from them. I believe fans are in for some thrilling cricket over the next few days.”
Das, the Bangladesh captain, said his team was “focused and understands the challenge Pakistan poses, especially in their home conditions.”
“This series is a great opportunity for every player to step up. We are trying a few combinations in the build-up to the T20 World Cup next year and this tour is a valuable part of that process,” the PCB statement quoted Das as saying.
The 2009 world champions Pakistan have endured a significant downturn in the last 12 months and crashed out in the first round of the World Cup in 2024.
They have won only three of their last 13 T20Is, two against minnows Zimbabwe, and slumped to eighth in the T20I rankings.
With a new head coach in New Zealand’s Mike Hesson they are looking to younger players with the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka just eight months away.
Star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, have all been axed.
Salman Agha will lead the side, having lost a series in New Zealand 4-1 two months ago.
Bangladesh, ranked ninth, are in the same boat.
They have won just four of their last 12 T20Is and lost series against lower-ranked United States (2024) and United Arab Emirates earlier this month.
They also have a new coach in West Indian Phil Simmons, who will be missing senior players including Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, all either fully retired or from the T20Is.
Frontline fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman are nursing injuries while new pace sensation Nahid Rana withdrew from the tour over security fears following the cross-border conflict between India and Pakistan.
With inputs from AFP
Pacers beat Knicks to move one win shy of reaching NBA Finals
- Indiana, who blew a 20-point lead in a Game 3 home loss, seized a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals with the home triumph
- Haliburton: Guys put me in position to make plays and play my game and man, it’s a big win for us
WASHINGTON: Tyrese Haliburton delivered his second career playoff triple double to power Indiana over New York 130-121 on Tuesday, lifting the Pacers one win from the NBA Finals.
Haliburton scored 32 points, passed off 15 assists and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds while making no turnovers over 38 minutes becoming the first player in NBA playoff history with 30-15-10 and no turnovers.
Indiana, who blew a 20-point lead in a Game 3 home loss, seized a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals with the home triumph.
“I was just trying to be aggressive, trying to respond,” Haliburton said.
“I felt like I let the team down in game three so it was important to come out here and just make plays.
“Guys put me in position to make plays and play my game and man, it’s a big win for us.”
Game 5 is set for Thursday in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“I’m excited about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Haliburton said.
“It’s a tough environment to play in. We’ve got to be ready. Just one more game, take what we can from this and be ready for game five.”
The East winner will face either Oklahoma City or Minnesota in the NBA Finals starting June 5.
Haliburton’s father was in the arena after a month-long ban following an on-court incident with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier in the playoffs.
“Hell yeah. I’m glad pop is in the building,” Haliburton said. “It makes it that much more sweet. Had a little bit to do with it.”
Haliburton, who also had four steals, made 11-of-23 shots from the floor and 5-of-12 from three-point range.
“We tried giving him different looks,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’ll look at the film. We just have to do better.”
Pascal Siakam added 30 points for the Pacers while Bennedict Mathurin scored 20 points off the bench for Indiana.
“We just wanted to come out with more energy, more urgency,” Siakam said.
“I thought we did that from the beginning. They made runs but we stuck to our game plan.”
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle praised Mathurin. “He was great. He gave us a huge lift,” he said.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 31 points while Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds, O.G. Anunoby had 22 points and Mikael Bridges netted 17 points. New York gave up 17 turnovers.
“Our defense wasn’t good enough. Our defense and turnovers probably hurt us,” Thibodeau said. “The important thing is to reset. We’re not playing the series. We’re playing the game.”
Towns suffered a left knee injury defending a drive by Myles Turner with 2:10 remaining but stayed in the game.
“He was able to go back in. That was a good sign,” Thibodeau said. “We’ll see how he is after he’s evaluated.”
“I’m only thinking about the loss. I’m not thinking about that right now,” Towns said when asked about his knee.
The Pacers last made the NBA Finals in 2000 and have never won the NBA title.
The Knicks, on the brink of elimination, have not reached the NBA Finals since 1999 and their last crown was in 1973.
“You’ve got to give it your all,” Brunson said. “It’s that simple.”
Indiana led 43-35 after the first quarter as Haliburton had 15 points, six assists and five rebounds to start his no-turnover night.
“To not have any turnovers is pretty remarkable,” Carlisle said. “I know he takes great pride in it. That’s a motivating factor.”
The Pacers led 69-64 at halftime and stretched the lead to 102-91 entering the fourth quarter.
New York went on a 10-2 run to pull within 115-109, but could not catch Indiana and Obi Toppin’s three-pointer with 46 seconds remaining to establish a 126-116 Indiana lead sealed New York’s fate.
Eala sees ‘new era for Filipino sport’ after first Grand Slam match win
- Eala: I’m feeling good, it’s my debut in Grand Slam doubles so I’m feeling happy to be playing with Renata and to have my first Slam win
- Eala is part of a new generation of Filipino sports stars
- She lifted the 2022 US Open girls’ singles trophy and reached the semifinals at Miami in March when, ranked 140th in the world, she beat three Grand Slam winners in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and world No. 2 Iga Swiatek
PARIS: Alexandra Eala on Tuesday achieved a first Grand Slam match win for a Filipino woman, saying she hoped her doubles success at the French Open was part of “a new era for sport” in her country.
She teamed up with Mexico’s Renata Zarazua to defeat Britain’s Emily Appleton and Spain’s Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers 7-5, 6-4 and book a place in the second round.
The win came two days after the 20-year-old, the first woman from her country to compete in a Grand Slam, was eliminated in the first round of the singles by Emiliana Arango of Colombia 6-0, 2-6, 6-3.
“It’s so heartwarming,” Eala told AFP of her Grand Slam match win.
“Of course, it’s always good to come back and compete well after a singles loss, especially after a tight one.
“I’m feeling good, it’s my debut in Grand Slam doubles so I’m feeling happy to be playing with Renata and to have my first Slam win.
“Of course, it was a difficult (singles) loss but in the end I think there’s things to take away and I try to do better in the doubles.”
The support from home has been “positive,” she said.
“They’re happy to see a Filipino competing in the main draw in Paris.”
Eala is part of a new generation of Filipino sports stars. She has trained since the age of 13 at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca, Spain.
She lifted the 2022 US Open girls’ singles trophy and reached the semifinals at Miami in March when, ranked 140th in the world, she beat three Grand Slam winners in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and world number two Iga Swiatek.
“I think we’re entering a new era for Filipino sport,” the 73rd-ranked player said, pointing to the success of gymnast Carlos Yulo who took two gold medals at the Paris Olympics last year.
“Filipinos are very talented and very hard workers. There’s a support, a community, because it’s not often you (have) seen Filipino athletes excel on the international stage, so every time someone does good we’re very happy for them.”
Nicklaus surprised by McIlroy skipping his PGA Memorial event
- Nicklaus said he has not heard from McIlroy since the Northern Ireland star captured his fifth major title and first Masters to complete a career Grand Slam
- McIlroy will miss the Memorial for the first time since 2017, instead playing next week’s Canadian Open as his tuneup for the following week’s US Open
WASHINGTON: Jack Nicklaus said Tuesday that he was surprised Masters winner Rory McIlroy did not tell him in advance that he was not playing in this week’s Nicklaus-hosted PGA Memorial tournament.
Nicklaus, an 18-time major winner, predicted McIlroy’s triumph last month at Augusta National after hitting his own ceremonial opening tee shot.
Nicklaus said he has not heard from McIlroy since the Northern Ireland star captured his fifth major title and first Masters to complete a career Grand Slam.
McIlroy will miss the Memorial for the first time since 2017, instead playing next week’s Canadian Open as his tuneup for the following week’s US Open at Oakmont.
“I didn’t have a conversation with him, no,” Nicklaus said, calling that “a little bit” of a surprise.
“It surprised me. But guys have got schedules and got things they do. And I haven’t talked to him for him to tell me why or why not. It’s just his call,” Nicklaus said.
“I made a lot of calls that I had to make when I played to play or not play... sometimes you have to make those calls.
“I don’t hold anything against Rory for that. I know he likes to play so many in a row. He likes to play the week before a US Open. And so that’s what he’s doing.
“I mean, I’m a big Rory fan, I always have been. I’m sure that I will remain that way. I just, I was a little surprised, yes.”
Nicklaus said he had no problem about McIlroy not giving him advance warning about his absence.
“I’m not going to throw Rory under the bus. I like Rory too much,” said Nicklaus. “He’s got to make his own calls on things. Could he have done ‘em differently? Probably. But that’s all right. I probably could have done some of mine differently too. So I’m not complaining about Rory.”
Nicklaus said he sent McIlroy a congratulatory letter shortly after the Masters victory last month.
“I told him I don’t think anybody has won by having four double bogeys,” Nicklaus said. “And I said, ‘But that just showed me how much talent you have to overcome that to win and how you played some unbelievably spectacular shots.
“I was very happy for him. It was a great win.”
Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi team up to launch a soccer club in Uruguay
- Suarez announced on Tuesday he has founded a professional soccer team in his native Uruguay
- The team formerly known as Deportivo LS will now be called LSM
MONTEVIDEO: Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi have been partners on the pitch for several years. Now they’re teaming up off it as businessmen.
Suarez announced on Tuesday he has founded a professional soccer team in his native Uruguay, and he is bringing his Inter Miami teammate along on the project.
Suarez, the all-time scoring leader of Uruguay’s national team, explained in a video posted on his social media accounts that the team formerly known as Deportivo LS will now be called LSM and will start playing professional soccer in the Uruguay’s fourth division.
“Deportivo LS are a family dream that began in 2018. We have grown a lot with more than 3,000 members,” Suarez said. “I want to offer Uruguayan soccer, the place I love and where I grew up as a child, opportunities and tools for teenagers and children to grow.”
The 38-year-old Suarez retired from international soccer last September, played with Messi at Barcelona for six seasons, and they’ve been teammates the past two years with Inter Miami.
“I’m proud and happy that you chose me, so I hope to contribute everything I can to continue growing and, above all, to be by your side in this,” said Messi, who was sitting alongside Suarez in the video.
It’s still unclear what Messi’s role will be in the project, although local media reported that he will be a partner. It was also reported that Álvaro Recoba, a former player for the Uruguay national team and Inter Milan, will be the team’s coach.
The announcement also launched the club’s Instagram account, which had over 40,000 followers two hours after its creation.
Suárez and his family opened an 20-acre sports complex in 2018 in Ciudad de la Costa on the outskirts of Montevideo. It has numerous activities for more than 3,000 members.
The club have a synthetic turf stadium with a capacity for 1,400 spectators, among other fields.
