LONDON: This year’s Formula One season gets under way on Friday with two practice sessions in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. And it begins with everyone asking the same question they were pondering at the beginning of last season. And the season before that. Can Mercedes be beaten?
The simple answer is “no.”
Despite all the fanfare of a new era surrounding the return of motorsport’s most illustrious championship, there is a palpable air of familiarity.
The only two teams even remotely capable of getting ahead of Mercedes and winning a Grand Prix have conceded that the Silver Arrows are the team to beat — Lewis Hamilton, in particular.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who, like Hamilton, can match the great Juan Manuel Fangio on five world titles with a championship victory this season, has made all the right moves and said all the right things in pre-season to at least give the impression he can challenge Mercedes.
But the German driver is a realist and knows Hamilton and his teammate Valteri Bottas have a distinct advantage heading into the new season.
This time last year, there was hope of a changing of the guard as Vettel took victory in Australia and was leading the drivers' championship standings until the Italian Grand Prix about six months later.
Slowly but surely, however, Mercedes ironed out their early issues with what was undoubtedly a quick car, but one that had issues on certain tracks. Hamilton went on to take nine victories, Bottas obediently assumed his position as No. 2 driver, and Mercedes’ procession to the drivers’ and constructors’ championships was complete. With lessons learned, it seems unlikely the German outfit will make the same early errors.
It is not all doom and gloom, however, and there are glimmers of hope for the F1 faithful.
While nowhere near the performance of the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, Red Bull will become more competitive as the year goes on after an upgrade to its hybrid system becomes available in time for the Spanish Grand Prix in May.
With the reliable Daniel Ricciardo and prodigious talent Max Verstappen in the cockpits, Red Bull will be looking to improve on their three Grand Prix victories last season and perhaps prolong Mercedes’ wait for the title at least.
More importantly, Ferrari — which had arguably the best car on the grid in 2017, but threw away the title with team errors and questionable driving — appear to have adopted some of Mercedes’ pre-season ideas and improved their power and speed.
Come Sunday, we will know if Ferrari have been successful and whether they can be in the mix for a first constructors’ championship since 2008.
If they cannot, while F1 has undergone monumental change off the track, there will have been a depressing lack of change on it come the season-ender in Abu Dhabi in November.
Lewis Hamilton still the one to beat as Ferrari gamble in bid to end Mercedes dominance
Lewis Hamilton still the one to beat as Ferrari gamble in bid to end Mercedes dominance
Tiger in family golf event but has ‘long way’ before PGA return
The 36-hole parent-child tournament at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando will be the first quasi-competitive event for Woods since he underwent back surgery in September.
Back trouble and leg injuries from a 2021 car crash have limited Woods’ ability to play in the regular tournaments he once dominated.
“My leg is what it is. It’s still here,” said Woods, who turns 49 on December 30. “But this year I struggled a lot with my back and it’s a lot better, but I still have a long way to go.”
Woods was 60th at the Masters and missed the cut in the year’s other three majors, struggling to recover form between rounds. In his only other start this year, Woods withdrew after one round at the Genesis Invitational, the February event he hosts at Riviera.
“The recovery has gotten to be the hardest part,” Woods said. “But over the course of rounds, weeks, months, it gets harder.”
Even getting his surgically repaired body ready to compete is difficult.
“Preparing for competitive play is different. That takes months, weeks,” Woods said. “But it starts with each and every day. You just do the little things correctly and they add up.
“It’s frustrating. It’s hard. I have an amazing team, amazing support. But I have to do the little things on a daily basis and away from everybody. It’s hard.”
Woods has been impressed with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, who won nine times this year including a second Masters and Paris Olympic gold. It’s a domination unseen since Woods in his heyday.
“How he has handled the pressure and the expectations for he and his family, I think he’s doing an unbelievable job,” Woods said. “He’s just coming into his own. This is the fun part of watching him develop. This is going to be the start of an unbelievable year.”
Woods said a commonality in their success styles is avoiding errors.
“It’s not making that many mistakes,” Woods said. “Over the course of big events, lots of play at an elite level, not making mistakes adds up.”
Woods, who shares the record of 82 PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead, has a new rival to challenge him in Charlie Woods, who recently defeated his dad over nine holes.
“He beat me for nine holes. He has yet to beat me for 18 holes,” Woods said. “That day is coming. I’m just prolonging it as long as I possibly can.
“We have so much fun out there. It’ll be a fun atmosphere tomorrow and we’re just going to have a blast.”
This week marks the fifth time the Woods duo has played in the event, with a runner-up finish in 2001 their best showing. They were fifth last year.
Woods hopes playing this week can be a step back to competing once more.
“I’m not competitive right now, but I just want to be able to have the experience again,” Woods said. “This has always been one of the bigger highlights of the year for us as a family.
“We want to win, but it’s about the bond. It’s about having the family. It’s about us having a father-son moment together.”
His next competition is planned for January’s launch of TGL, the six-team tech-golf league developed by Woods and Rory McIlroy. It features a specially built arena with video screens and rotating greens.
“It’s absolutely incredible. The rotating green blew me away,” Woods said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for not just us but also the fan experience.”
Monika Staab steps down as technical director of women’s football in Saudi Arabia
- A former player from Germany, she came to the Kingdom in August 2021 as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team
- Appointed technical director in February 2023, she is credited with transforming the women’s game in the country and inspiring a new generation of players
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced on Friday the departure of Monika Staab, its technical director of women’s football, after more than three years with the organization.
She was credited with transforming the women’s game in the Kingdom during her tenure and for inspiring a new generation of players to take up the sport.
Staab, a former player from Germany, joined the federation in August 2021, initially as the first head coach of the Saudi women’s national team. The federation said her leadership and vision played a pivotal role in shaping its strategy for women’s football, driving growth both on and off the pitch. She was appointed technical director in February 2023.
She coached the women’s national team in their first-ever match, a landmark 2-0 victory over the Seychelles in February 2022. Under her guidance, the Kingdom launched its first regional league for women in 2021, followed by a national football championship in 2022.
Staab also spearheaded the introduction of under-17 and under-20 women’s national teams, laying the foundations for the development of future talent.
In March 2023, she helped the Saudi women’s national team secure its first-ever FIFA ranking, and this month they reached their highest-ever position, climbing eight places to 166th. The team is now about to begin its campaign to qualify for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Staab leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of milestones that have shaped women’s football in Saudi Arabia, the federation said.
“We bid farewell to Monika and thank her for helping to transform women’s football across Saudi Arabia,” said Lamia Bahaian, the organization’s vice president, as she expressed her deep gratitude for Staab’s contributions.
“Her vision, passion and tenacity have inspired us all. There are young girls across Saudi Arabia now playing football at all levels thanks to the work she has done and the impact she’s had.
“Although her time with SAFF has drawn to a close, her legacy will continue for generations.”
Bayan Sadagah, the captain of the women’s national team, said: “Monika has inspired both myself and all my teammates to believe in ourselves and our team. Our journey as a team is inspiring so many girls across the country to play and follow football, and I know we all wish her the very best for the future.”
The federation said women’s football has become a cornerstone of its strategy to grow the sport at all levels and participation has surged, with more than 70,000 schoolgirls playing football across the country.
Game Changers Falcons defeat Kites in World Tennis League thriller
- Falcons lead the way in table after second successive win
ABU DHABI: The Game Changers Falcons continued their impressive run in the World Tennis League’s third season, claiming a hard-fought 24-21 victory over the Kites in their match at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
The win marked the Falcons’ second successive triumph, placing them atop the points table with 53 points.
The TSL Hawks, victorious in the day’s earlier match, trail in second with 47 points, followed by the Kites with 46 points and the HonorFX Eagles with 34.
The evening began with a dramatic women’s doubles encounter as Simona Halep and Jasmine Paolini gave the Kites an early advantage, breaking the Falcons’ serve to lead 2-0.
However, the Falcons’ pairing of Elena Rybakina and Caroline Garcia regrouped to level the score and eventually pulled ahead to lead 5-3. The Kites mounted a comeback to tie the score at 6-6, forcing a tiebreak. Displaying resilience, Rybakina and Garcia prevailed, securing the set 7-6 and giving the Falcons an early lead.
In the women’s singles, Rybakina extended the Falcons’ momentum, dominating Halep throughout the set. With powerful and consistent play, Rybakina secured a 6-4 victory, pushing the Falcons’ overall lead to 13-10.
The mixed doubles match showcased intense competition, as Paolini and Nick Kyrgios faced off against Caroline Garcia and Denis Shapovalov. The set remained evenly matched at 5-5 before Paolini and Kyrgios broke serve and held their own to win 7-6, reducing the Falcons’ lead.
Then Andrey Rublev delivered a decisive performance for the Falcons. Building on his stellar form from the season opener, Rublev broke Kyrgios’ serve to lead 4-2. While Kyrgios attempted a comeback, Rublev held firm, closing out the set 6-4 and sealing the Falcons’ 24-21 win.
Speaking after the match, Kyrgios expressed his enthusiasm for the World Tennis League’s format.
He said: “Every game counts in the World Tennis League. When you look at the statistics, it doesn’t matter if a match seems lopsided — you want to fight for your team, and I love that.
“For me, this is the perfect return because it’s not overwhelming; (it’s) just the right amount of tennis. I also love the mixed doubles format. I never imagined seeing myself and Paolini on the same court, on the same side of the net, and that is really cool to witness.”
Bulked-up Tyson Fury promises ‘war’ in Usyk rematch in Saudi Arabia
- Their first unification bout of the four-belt era was decided by a narrow split-decision
RIYADH: Tyson Fury weighed in at the heaviest of his career on Friday as he vowed to go to war with Oleksandr Usyk in their world title rematch.
The Englishman, albeit fully clothed, tipped the scales at 281 pounds (127.4kg) — 19lb heavier than when he lost to the Ukrainian in their unification bout in May.
Usyk, also dressed against the winter chill at Riyadh’s Wonder Garden amusement park, weighed 226lb, 2.5lb heavier than seven months ago.
Fury’s added weight shows he’s out to physically dominate the smaller Usyk on Saturday. He offered only one word — “war” — to the interviewer as he left the stage.
“When a 20 stone (280lb) man hits you on the jaw, compared to a man at 17 stone, it’s a bit different,” Fury told Sky Sports earlier.
The 36-year-old “Gypsy King” desperately needs the win to erase his sole career defeat at the hands of the mobile, elusive Usyk in Riyadh in May.
The first unification bout of the four-belt era was decided by a narrow split-decision, although Fury was saved by the bell after a standing eight count in the ninth round.
Only three belts — IBO, WBC and WBO — are up for grabs after Usyk vacated the IBF title to focus on the rematch, instead of facing mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois.
The Ukrainian has already amassed one of the great boxing careers after winning Olympic gold and becoming undisputed cruiserweight champion before stepping up to heavyweight.
A low-key build-up ignited on Thursday when the two fighters faced off for a marathon 11 minutes at their press conference, despite attempts to separate them.
On Friday, they faced each other for just a few seconds before parting.
Usyk, 37, comes in undefeated at 22-0 with 14 knock-outs, while 6ft 9ins (206cm) Fury, the taller man by six inches (15cm), is 34-1-1 with 24 KOs.
Victory for Usyk — briefly a soldier after the Russian invasion — would be a fillip for his embattled country after nearly three years of war with its giant neighbor.
Saturday’s fight is just the latest high-profile sports event bankrolled by oil money in Saudi Arabia, confirmed this month as host of the 2034 football World Cup.
Formula One, LIV Golf, top tennis and a parade of senior football stars are among the recent acquisitions as the world’s top oil exporter tries to diversify its crude-reliant economy and update its ultra-conservative image.
Earlier, according to reports, there was good news for Fury when the pre-fight rules meeting decided he would not have to shave off his bushy beard, despite concerns from Usyk’s team that it could cushion punches.
“He has a beard and there’s been a lot of fighters over the years who’ve fought with beards, and that’s it,” promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports.
Saudi Arabia conclude preparations for 26th Gulf Cup
- The camp, which ran from Dec. 12 to Friday, put the Green Falcons through an intensive training program under the guidance of head coach Herve Renard
RIYADH: The Saudi national football team on Friday completed its preparatory training camp in Riyadh ahead of the start of the 26th Gulf Cup, set to take place in Kuwait from Saturday to Jan. 3 next year.
The camp, which ran from Dec. 12 to Friday, put the Green Falcons through an intensive training program under the guidance of head coach Herve Renard.
The final training session, held at Al-Shabab Club Stadium, included warm-up drills, possession exercises, and a mini-game played on half the pitch.
Star player Salem Al-Dawsari, who is returning from injury, participated in the warm-up exercises alongside his teammates and underwent additional specialized training with the fitness coach to fine-tune his readiness for the tournament.
Following the training session, the Saudi delegation departed for Kuwait.
Head coach Renard will hold a press conference on Saturday at the tournament’s media center at the Crown Plaza Hotel, where he will outline the team’s strategy and expectations ahead of their opening match against Bahrain on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia have won the Gulf Cup on three occasions — with the first title in 1994 and the last win coming in 2004 — and have been on the losing side of four finals since 2009.
