LAS VEGAS: Max Verstappen, needing just three points over Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix to seal a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship, is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied the crown Saturday night.
The most jarring sign of trouble came in Thursday night’s second practice when the Dutchman was a dismal 17th on the speed chart compared to Norris, who was among the top three fastest drivers in both sessions.
Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions with Lewis Hamilton. Red Bull said it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England in time.
Verstappen, however, proved two weeks ago in Brazil that adversity is nothing he can’t overcome. He started 17th on a wet and rainy circuit and still managed to win his first race since June by nearly 20 seconds.
Verstappen, whose eight wins this season are his fewest since 2020, has not won back-to-back races since Canada and Spain in June. But the Brazil win widened his lead over Norris in the standings to 62 points and the championship is his barring a complete collapse over the final three races.
He is not sure what to expect Saturday night.
“I just want to focus on the weekend and try to have a good performance. Brazil was a very welcome victory for us after a while, but this is again very different,” said Verstappen, who won the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix last year.
Prior to discovering the rear wing issue, Verstappen felt decent about his chances in Las Vegas.
“Three races left, you’re getting close to the end of the season and it’s looking good in the championship, but we still need to score a lot of points so we’ll just focus on that,” he said. “Once we are doing that then you get closer to the end result.”
Norris not giving up
Norris was admittedly downtrodden after Brazil, where he started on the pole but finished sixth and lost ground to Verstappen after first cutting the lead to 44 points by winning the sprint race.
“This was almost a defining moment for the championship. It was a defining moment for the championship. The doors are almost shut,” Norris said. “For a week, I was pretty down because I had that realization of things pretty much out of my control now, not within reach necessarily. That’s a tough realization when your hopes and belief are so high. For it to get knocked down so much all of a sudden was pretty demoralizing.”
Even so, Norris is convinced he will one day be F1 world champion.
“I have what it takes,” Norris said. “I think it’s the first time in the last six years of F1 when we’ve had a chance to fight at the front. This is our, and my, first opportunity to do so, and my first opportunity to see where I stand. I definitely was not at the level I needed to be at the beginning of the year.
“I still need to make tweaks and I still need to improve on things, that’s clear. I’m not completely satisfied with how I’ve done and I definitely know I need to make improvements,” he added. “But, for the first time, I’m confident to say I have what I think I need to fight for a championship.”
Norris has the first three wins of his career this season and has McLaren currently atop the constructor championship standings. He knows he’s got more work to do to be champion, especially against Verstappen.
“It doesn’t mean I’m complete, it doesn’t mean I’m perfect. When you’re competing against drivers who are close to that, like Max, you have to be close to perfect if you want to challenge him,” Norris said.
Constructor championship
McLaren is still clinging to a 36-point lead over Ferrari in the battle for the constructor championship, a title worth a bonus estimated to be $150 million.
McLaren last won that title in 1998, while Ferrari last won in 2008. Red Bull has won the last two titles. Ferrari could chip away at McLaren’s lead at Las Vegas.
“Ferrari have been strong for a long time,” said Norris. “They have two very good drivers, they’re a very good team, they’ve clearly improved their car a good amount and found a better direction to head down. We do know that Vegas is probably a track that will suit the Ferraris a bit more, it suited them well last year, but Qatar we know maybe will be more favorable to us.”
Carlos Sainz Jr., in his final three races for Ferrari before he is replaced by Hamilton and moves to Williams, wants to close his tenure by helping the team win the constructors title.
“I would love to win the championship for Ferrari this year,” Sainz said. “I think it would be a great way to sign off the season.”
He predicted that McLaren will be stronger in the final two races of the year, at Qatar and Abu Dhabi. But at Las Vegas? Sainz expects he and teammate Charles Leclerc to be stronger.
“This (track) is more Ferrari than McLaren, but at the same time, the temperature is not, so we’ll see how it pans out,” Sainz said of temperatures expected to be in the 40s Fahrenheit (5-10 degrees Celsius) on Saturday night.
Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen’s title chances
https://arab.news/ytvfz
Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen’s title chances
- The most jarring sign of trouble came in Thursday night’s second practice when the Dutchman was a dismal 17th on the speed chart compared to Norris
- Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes
Saudi Dodgeball Federation hosts introductory event for wheelchair users
- First-of-its-kind event in the Kingdom is part of federation’s efforts to promote and expand participation in the sport across the country
- Organization says it is committed to helping disabled persons develop their talents and abilities in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030
RIYADH: The Saudi Dodgeball Federation this week hosted an event to introduce wheelchair users to a version of the sport they can take part in.
The federation said the first-of-its-kind event, which took place on Monday at Riyadh Club for Persons with Disabilities, was an example of the social programs and activities it offers as part of its efforts to promote and expand participation in the sport across the Kingdom.
This reflects the organization’s commitment to helping disabled persons develop their talents and abilities, it added, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the national plan for development and economic diversification.
Federation officials present at the event included its president, Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz, and its executive director, Abdulaziz Al-Hazani.
Prince Saud thanked the Riyadh Club for its constructive cooperation with federation in staging the event, and praised it for the work it does to support and train athletes with disabilities.
“The event is a continuation of the federation’s ongoing efforts and commitment to working with various entities and organizations across the Kingdom to serve Saudi sports and contribute to the realization of Vision 2030 objectives,” he added.
Liverpool to unveil new Heysel memorial marking 40th anniversary of disaster
- "Titled 'Forever Bound', the new memorial will replace the existing plaque
- The memorial will be unveiled later in the English summer
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool will unveil a new memorial at Anfield to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster where 39 supporters were killed, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The fans, mainly Italian Juventus supporters, were killed when a wall collapsed after Liverpool fans charged them before the European Cup final in Brussels in 1985.
More than 600 were also injured in one of the worst disasters in soccer stadiums, leading to a five-year ban for English clubs from European competition.
"Titled 'Forever Bound', the new memorial will replace the existing plaque currently situated on the wall of the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand and will move to a new location at the stadium," Liverpool said in a statement.
"The newly designed memorial will feature two scarves knotted together and gently tied - symbolising the unity and solidarity between the two clubs and the bond formed through shared grief and mutual respect in the aftermath of the disaster."
Liverpool said the plans for the new memorial were shared with Juventus and the families who lost loved ones.
The memorial will be unveiled later in the English summer. Juventus are unveiling their own near their Allianz Stadium on May 29, the anniversary of the disaster.
"To see a new memorial created with such care means a lot and it's incredibly important to have a fitting tribute to remember the 39 fans who lost their lives," the Liverpool statement cited Ian Rush, who played for both clubs and also witnessed the tragedy in 1985, as saying.
"We must never forget why this matters and why we continue to stand together in solidarity, all these years later."
Zamzam Al-Hammadi: UAE teen fighter making history in the cage and beyond
- Martial artist prepares for professional debut in PFL MENA as she inspires a new generation of Arab female athletes
Riyadh: At just 17, Zamzam Al-Hammadi is rapidly emerging as one of the Middle East’s most promising athletes and a trailblazer for women in combat sports.
The Emirati martial artist recently took center stage at the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh, where she joined an elite panel of regional sports pioneers to discuss the evolving role of women in athletics.
The summit, hosted at the St. Regis Riyadh, was aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and brought together more than 125 influential women from across sectors.
Al-Hammadi spoke during the “Playing to Win: Women, Sports, and Breaking Barriers” panel alongside motorsport driver Mashael Al-Obaidan, boxing advocate Rasha Alkhamis, and Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of the women’s football department at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
A decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts competitor, Al-Hammadi has already clinched global youth titles under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and JJIF World Youth Championships. Now, she is poised to make history as the first female fighter from the UAE to sign a professional MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League.
“Joining the PFL is a dream come true,” Al-Hammadi said. “Being a part of the PFL MENA roster means that I’ll be competing on a bigger platform, and more eyes will be on me. That reach opens the door for global sponsorships, endorsements and partnerships, and that’s going to be a massive deal for me and my family.”
Her rise reflects a broader momentum in women’s sports across the region. With an unbeaten amateur record and a growing following, Al-Hammadi is set to debut in the second season of PFL MENA, a league that has already reshaped the regional MMA landscape.
Being the first female fighter from the UAE to become a professional in MMA comes with a responsibility, Al-Hammadi said. “I want to be one of the best to ever step foot inside the PFL SmartCage. I want to become a champion, and I want to be able to inspire young athletes, young girls like myself, to follow their dreams and work toward achieving their goals, especially in an industry where there aren’t a lot of female fighters that come from the Middle East.”
Al-Hammadi’s passion for martial arts runs deep. She comes from a family of fighters, with her sister Ghala also training in combat sports and her mother, Nada Al-Nuaymi, a seasoned judo and jiu-jitsu practitioner. This generational dedication emphasizes her position as both a pioneer and a role model.
Speaking at the summit, Al-Hammadi highlighted the rapid growth of MMA, particularly for women. She said that the sport has never let them down. “Now, if we watch, all around the world, the fans are cheering for the females more than the males, so this is something good,” she said.
She also praised SURJ Sports Investment, whose partnership with the PFL has been central to the success of the league’s expansion into the Middle East.
“For me, SURJ Sports Investment is really helping the PFL to organize, especially now that we have four events in the Middle East,” Al-Hammadi said. “When it comes to martial arts, most people are thinking outside of the Middle East, but now after seeing and discovering the talent that we have here in the Middle East, and also in Africa, for me it’s just awesome.”
As she prepares for her professional debut in the PFL SmartCage, Al-Hammadi remains focused on both performance and purpose. Her goal: Not only to win titles but to pave the way for a new generation of female fighters in the Arab world.
“More than just making history,” she said, “I want to make an impact.”
Wild Padel shines light on sporting community in Qatif
- Established in 2023, the club went on to win the inaugural edition of the Barn’s Saudi Padel League for men a year later
RIYADH: Wild Padel, a family-owned club in Qatif, is doing more than just riding the wave of a fast-growing sport but rather redefining the essence of community in it.
Established in 2023, Wild Padel is led by the Al-Bayat family members of Ahmed Muneer, Hassan Ali, Abdullah Jamal, and Abdullah Muneer.
Ali told Arab News that although Wild Padel is not the first padel club in Qatif, it has quickly distinguished itself through its high-quality facilities, engaging community events, and strong commitment to promoting padel in the region.
“Despite not being the pioneer, it has become one of the most recognized and active clubs in the area,” he said. “Much of this success is thanks to the dedicated Wild Padel team and the supportive Wild Padel family who continue to train and play at the club.”
In December 2024, Wild Padel won the inaugural edition of the Barn’s Saudi Padel League for men against the highly competitive and respected team Padel X.
“While the challenge was intense, the strength, unity, and determination of our players brought home the title,” Ali said.
A sign of the community and camaraderie established at the club is the list of colorful nicknames that the members have developed.
The victorious team featured Captain Hassan Al-Abdullah, Abdullah “Mystro” Al-Faraj, Abdulaziz “The Engineer” Al-Abdullah, Abdullah “GOAT” Al-Abdullah, Qassim “The Golden Boy” Al-Obaidan, Ali “MVP” Dawani, Jose “Fighter” Arcos, Ali “The Talented” Hassan, Kumail “Leader” Al-Abbas, and Ali “Team Spirit” Al-Nasir.
Ali highlighted that the idea to set up Wild Padel was inspired by the rapid growth of the sport and its strong potential for future expansion in the Kingdom.
“The club was established to align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by promoting active lifestyles, supporting community engagement, and building a strong base of local talent. One of Wild Padel’s key goals is to develop skilled players through its academy, ultimately contributing to the Kingdom’s sporting success on both national and international levels,” he said.
Ali notes that with a growing number of passionate players and rising young talents, the Kingdom is well-positioned to become a regional and global hub for padel in the coming years.
“Padel has a promising future in the Kingdom, driven by strong support from the Ministry of Sports under the leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal. The efforts of the Saudi Padel Committee, led by Mugren Al-Mugren, alongside contributions from both governmental and private clubs, are accelerating the sport’s development.”
Pakistan drop stars Shaheen, Azam and Rizwan for Bangladesh T20s
- Batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticized for slow scoring
- Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look to next year’s Twenty20 World Cup hosted by India and Sri Lanka
KARACHI: Pakistan dropped stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan on Wednesday as they named a new-look squad for three home Twenty20 internationals against Bangladesh.
Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson will take charge for the first time after being appointed last week, replacing Aaqib Javed.
Salman Ali Agha will captain Pakistan as they look toward next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Fast bowler Shaheen had played in Pakistan’s last T20 series in New Zealand in March, but batsmen Azam and Rizwan were omitted for the second consecutive T20 series after being criticized for slow scoring.
“The squad has been selected based on players’ performances in the ongoing Pakistan Super League, which concludes on May 25,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement.
Shaheen has taken 12 wickets for Lahore Qalandars in 10 PSL matches at an economy rate of 8.20.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan earned a recall after topping the PSL batting charts with 394 runs.
Batsmen Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman return after missing the New Zealand tour with injuries.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali is back after being sidelined with multiple injuries since May last year.
The PCB said that the series match schedule, which has been affected by a 10-day delay to the PSL caused by the deadly India-Pakistan conflict, will be announced soon with all three matches to be held in Lahore.
Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub.
