SILVERSTONE: Lewis Hamilton made the most of a favorable safety car intervention on Sunday to claim a record sixth British Grand Prix victory at a packed Silverstone.
The defending five-time world champion clocking fastest lap on his final lap to finish 25 seconds clear of Mercedes team-mate and nearest title rival Valtteri Bottas after an action-packed contest.
The Briton moved 39 points clear of the Finn behind in the title race, but Bottas was unlucky with the timing of the safety car which effectively gave Hamilton a free pit stop.
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was third.
Pierre Gasly finished fourth ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen, whose race was compromised by a late collision when Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari drove into him, and Carlos Sainz of McLaren.
It was Hamilton’s seventh win in 10 races this year and the 80th win of his career. He had shared the British Grand Prix record of wins, on five, with fellow-Briton Jim Clark and Frenchman Alain Prost.
Daniel Ricciardo was seventh for Renault ahead of Kimi Raikkonen of Alfa Romeo, Daniil Kvyat in a Toro Rosso and Nico Hulkenberg in a Renault.
“What a day,” said Hamilton. “To all the crowd, thank-you so much for coming out.”
Hamilton, who stopped on his slow-down lap to collect a British ‘Union Jack’ flag, added: “I love you Silverstone. I appreciate everything and the opportunity to be a part of this.
“I couldn’t have done this without these guys or without my team.”
A glum Bottas said: “Congrats to Lewis...It wasn’t my day.”
A much happier Leclerc said: “It’s probably the race I’ve enjoyed the most in my career.”
The safety car was deployed when Antonio Giovinazzi spun into a gravel trap in his Alfa Romeo — gifting Hamilton a ‘free’ first, and only, pit stop. The luckless Bottas, on a two stop strategy, had already pitted before the incident.
On an overcast and cool afternoon, Justin Whiting, the 12-year-old son of the late Charlie Whiting, the official Race Director who died suddenly in Melbourne in March, started the race. before a crowd of 141,000 at Silverstone.
As the lights went out, the Mercedes pair pulled clear, Hamilton chasing Bottas throughout the first lap ahead of Leclerc and Verstappen with Vettel fifth.
By lap 10, the lead was three-tenths, Hamilton oozing confidence could not pass Bottas slithering to protect his lead. Behind them, Leclerc blocked attacks from Verstappen.
But on lap 17, Bottas came in for a new set of mediums and Hamilton inherited the lead ahead of Vettel, the pair delaying their stops as long as possible. Then Giovinazzi beached his Alfa Romeo at Club.
Hamilton took advantage and pitted for hards, followed by Vettel and Verstappen, making a second stop. Ferrari, reacting slowly, called in Leclerc, who emerged sixth behind Gasly and Verstappen. All this left Hamilton leading Bottas with Vettel third.
Racing resumed on lap 23, the field, backed up by Hamilton, swarming like bees at the re-start.
Bottas, on mediums, traded fastest laps with Hamilton, knowing he had to make a second stop. Verstappen, helped by quick thinking from Red Bull, rose to fourth when Gasly moved over on Hangar Straight and began his pursuit of Vettel.
The Dutchman caught and passed him at Stowe only for the German to ram into the rear end of the 007-branded Red Bull, who had Bond actor Daniel Craig in their garage, both spinning into the gravel but surviving to re-join the fray.
A stewards’ investigation followed, but both races were compromised.
Leclerc rose to third and Gasly to fourth. Verstappen regained fifth while Vettel pitted for a new nose, fell to 17th and was then given a 10-seconds time penalty.
With eight laps remaining, Hamilton was told to pit, but ignored the call, persuading Mercedes to bring in Bottas for softs, a tilt at fastest lap and a secure run to the flag.
Hamilton wins record sixth British GP, extends F1 lead
Hamilton wins record sixth British GP, extends F1 lead
- It was Hamilton’s seventh win in 10 races this year and the 80th win of his career
Man City rally to avoid Champions League exit, face Madrid or Bayern next
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Manchester City saved themselves from an embarrassing early Champions League exit with three second-half goals to beat Club Brugge 3-1 on Wednesday.
However, it may be a stay of execution for Pep Guardiola’s men as they will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-off round.
Despite a first defeat in 22 games for Brugge, they also sneaked into the next round in 24th place and will take on Atalanta or Borussia Dortmund next.
The Belgian champions were on course to send City packing before the knockout stages for the first time since 2012 when Raphael Onyedika fired the visitors into the lead just before half-time.
City needed all three points after winning just two of their opening seven matches in the competition’s new format and turned it around just in time.
Mateo Kovacic levelled from the edge of the box before the unfortunate Joel Ordonez turned in Josko Gvardiol’s cross.
Substitute Savinho then drilled in the third to ease the nerves of Pep Guardiola, who anxiously prowled the touchline throughout and was booked for protesting toward the officials.
The drama at the Etihad on a nervous night began before the action even got underway as a merchandise stand caught fire on the perimeter of the stadium shortly before the teams arrived.
Brugge were not daunted by the task that faced them against a diminished version of the English champions and started brightly with Christos Tzolis a constant menace.
City slowly warmed to their task as Ilkay Gundogan slotted home but was flagged offside from Bernardo Silva’s header.
But Brugge remained a persistent threat on the counter-attack and got their reward just before half-time.
Tzolis was again the creator as the Greek’s cross was this time swept home by Onyedika.
Guardiola responded by introducing Savinho for Gundogan at the break in what proved to be an inspired change as City posed far more attacking threat in the second period.
John Stones headed wide a glorious chance to equalize just seconds after the restart.
Kovacic then provided much-needed drive from the City midfield as the Croatian powered forward and slotted in from the edge of the box to level on 53 minutes.
But in the nine minutes between City’s first and second goals, Brugge could have sent the 2023 champions to an early exit.
Tzolis fired too close to Ederson, drilled a shot inches wide and was prevented another clear sight of goal by Gvardiol’s last-ditch intervention with a hat-trick of big chances.
At the other end, it was Brugge who did the hard work for City as Gvardiol’s low cross was turned into his own net by Ordonez.
Guardiola furiously kicked a water box during his celebration.
The City boss’ mood was not helped when Erling Haaland wasted his one huge chance of the evening as Simon Mignolet saved a one-on-one and Savinho’s follow-up effort was cleared off the line by Brandon Mechele.
But Guardiola was finally able to offer a smile of relief 13 minutes from time when Savinho took down Stones’ cross on his chest and blasted in his first Champions League goal.
Guardiola even embraced his counterpart Nicky Hayen before the match finished as the two exchanged a handshake during stoppage time.
But the City manager will be under no illusions that his side will need to be much better if they are to have aspirations of conquering Europe again in the coming months.
Battle for powerful IOC presidency enters final stretch
- IOC boss is most powerful person in global sport
- Sebastian Coe highest-profile name of aspirants
- IOC has huge revenues and dominates decision-making
BERLIN: Only a few people around the world know the name Thomas Bach and even fewer can rattle off those of the seven candidates out to replace him in March after 12 years as president of the International Olympic Committee.
Yet despite that low profile, there is no bigger or more influential job in sport, and Bach’s successor will wield extraordinary political and financial clout across every country in the world.
When the IOC’s 100-plus members, who include billionaires, global captains of industry, federation chiefs and royalty, go to the ballot in Greece on March 20 they will be effectively deciding on the direction much of the world of sport will take for the next eight years.
World Athletics chief and former Olympic 1,500 meters champion Sebastian Coe is the biggest name of the seven candidates.
Standing against him are Zimbabwe’s sports minister and former Olympic swimmer Kirsty Coventry, the late former IOC president’s son Juan Antonio Samaranch, and international cycling chief David Lappartient. Completing the lineup are Prince Feisal Al Hussein of Jordan, international gymnastics federation head Morinari Watanabe and Olympic newcomer and multi-millionaire Johan Eliasch.
They will each present their case to replace 71-year-old Bach to the membership in Lausanne on Thursday, ahead of a final two-month push of behind-the-scenes lobbying.
Richest organization
The IOC is by far the biggest and richest sports organization in the world, dwarfing even world soccer’s ruling body FIFA, and wields its influence over almost every major international federation, new sports and national Olympic Committees.
With multi-billion revenues from sponsors and broadcasters, it is far from limited to just hosting the summer and winter Olympics. The IOC has a direct or indirect say in every major international decision on sport, whether financial, political or structural.
Sports do not only depend on Olympic funding over the Games’ four-year cycle, they are also reliant on the Olympic spotlight. New sports battle for Olympic recognition which brings a significant boost in publicity and awareness and can trigger new streams of revenue to fund growth.
In Bach’s 12 years in charge, the German lawyer also developed close ties with many political leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country hosted the 2024 Olympics, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin was the first to congratulate Bach immediately after his election back in 2013, calling minutes after the vote as his country prepared to host the Sochi Winter Olympics, with an unprecedented cost of $51 billion.
Sochi was subsequently tarnished by revelations of a massive state-backed doping system in Russia that turned into the biggest international drugs scandal in decades and forced the country’s athletes to compete as neutrals in several Olympics.
Dealing with Russia, and the issue of trans and DSD (differences in sexual development) athletes in sport, featured in most of the candidates’ manifestos. But anyone thinking they will be primarily judged on their ability to bring peace and harmony, and promote sport and health around the world, is sadly deluded.
“In this presidential election everyone votes for themselves. It is about money. The share for each stakeholder. It is no surprise that there are four federation presidents campaigning,” an international federation chief, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
“Maybe it would have been more effective if there was only one representing the federations. But everyone has their own agenda in this election.”
Robust finances
The IOC collected revenues of $2.295 billion from its top sponsors for the period 2017-2021, the second-biggest source of income for the Olympic movement, with broadcasters paying $4.544 billion over the same period.
Bach’s departure comes with the organization in a financially robust position, having secured $7.3 billion for 2025-28 and $6.2 billion for 2029-2032. More deals are expected for both four-year periods.
The IOC says it pumps about 90 percent of its revenues back into sports with payments to each Olympic federation, to national Olympic committees and athletes’ scholarships among others.
Many of the smaller federations depend on that IOC contribution to get through the four years until the next Olympics.
More than half a billion dollars was split among the federations from the Tokyo Olympics, with the share from the Paris 2024 Games to top $600 million.
Top earners like athletics, gymnastics and swimming get more than $50 million. National Olympic Committees also received a total of $540 million after the Tokyo Olympics.
The IOC covers 50 percent of the costs of running the World Anti-Doping Agency which it helped to set up more than 25 years ago.
Much of what cash goes where, though, is down to the president’s personal Olympic vision and in a matter of weeks that extraordinary global power is about to change hands.
Fire breaks out ahead of Man City’s Champions League match against Brugge
- Security staff had cordoned off the area and kept supporters away
MANCHESTER: A fire broke out at a concession stand outside Manchester City’s stadium ahead of the team’s Champions League match against Brugge on Wednesday.
Videos shared online showed large flames and smoke coming from the stand, located near the players’ entrance at the Etihad Stadium.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the smell of smoke remained in the air for some time afterward as supporters waited to be let inside.
Security staff had cordoned off the area and kept supporters away.
City play Brugge in a must-win game as the new-look league phase of the Champions League reaches its conclusion.
The 2023 champion City are 25th in the standings. They need to win to secure a place in the playoffs for the round of 16.
French police arrest Feyenoord fans at the border ahead of Champions League match in Lille
- 86 fans of the Dutch team have been refused entry to France and that 30 have been arrested
- Police officers seized pyrotechnic devices and various objects
LILLE, France: Dozens of Feyenoord fans banned from traveling to Lille for a Champions League game between the two clubs have been turned away or arrested at the border, French authorities said Wednesday.
The Prefecture du Nord, which represents the French state in the Lille region, said 86 fans of the Dutch team have been refused entry to France and that 30 have been arrested.
Police officers seized pyrotechnic devices and various objects that could be used as weapons during their checks, the prefecture said.
France’s interior ministry said the travel ban was introduced because of a “real and serious risk of confrontation” between fans of the two teams ahead of Wednesday’s match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
The French authorities said Feyenoord’s travels are often marred by “public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team,” and they cited several examples of fan violence.
In May 2022, there were violent clashes in France between Marseille and Feyenoord fans outside the Stade Velodrome stadium before their Europa Conference League semifinal game.
There were also violent clashes in Lille city center when the club played Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in the Europa League in 2010.
Man City and PSG face unexpected early exit from Champions League in dramatic round of 18 games
- Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain each faces a shocking early exit from the Champions League for the first time in more than a decade
- Man City starts against Club Brugge outside the top-24 places that advance to the knockout stage
GENEVA: Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain each faces a shocking early exit from the Champions League for ,the first time in more than a decade when the final round of games Wednesday decide the new 36-team standings.
When the 18 games kick off at the same time, 9 p.m. Central European Time (2000 GMT), to complete the inaugural league-phase format, Man City is outside the top-24 places that advance to the knockout stage and 22nd-place PSG risks dropping out.
Man City must beat Club Brugge at home to rise safely from 25th place. A draw for PSG at 24th-place Stuttgart should be enough for both teams — barring a freakish big win for Dinamo Zagreb over AC Milan to take the tiebreaker on goal difference among teams that end on 11 points.
A PSG loss in Germany risks ending a run of 12 straight years playing in the knockout stage.
The final-day jeopardy also was unexpected for Man City, the Champions League winner two years ago, which let a two-goal lead slip in a 4-2 loss at PSG last week.
The English Premier League champion advanced 11 years in a row from the old group stage since going winless in the 2012-13 edition.
It is the kind of scenario Champions League organizer UEFA hoped for when approving the new format under severe pressure from storied clubs who demanded more lucrative games and more of them against high-end opponents.
Those same influential clubs — including the super-wealthy state-backed pair of Man City and PSG — hardly imagined they would miss out on the knockout phase that brings global brand-building attention and tens of millions of euros in extra prize money from UEFA.
Real Madrid had to play just 13 games to win the Champions League last season, and now faces playing 17 to retain the title.
Madrid is 16th in the standings before going to play unheralded Brest after losing three of its seven games, including on its previous trip to France against Lille.
The record 15-time European champion can still rise to a top-8 finish — earning direct entry to the round of 16 in March — by beating 13th-place Brest, though needs other results to go its way.
Teams that finish from ninth to 24th enter Friday’s draw for the two-leg knockout playoffs played on back-to-back midweeks in February.
That shapes as an unwanted burden in the congested calendar for teams also chasing domestic titles, rather than bonus games to earn more revenue.
Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich is in 15th place, also on 12 points with Madrid, before hosting Slovan Bratislava, which has been overmatched losing seven straight games.
A 15-point tally, with a strong goal difference, could be enough to take eighth place currently held by Bayer Leverkusen, which heads a group of six teams on 13 points. Leverkusen hosts already eliminated Sparta Prague.
Bayern and Madrid can be helped by the tough schedule for teams ahead in the standings: Atalanta in seventh goes to Barcelona, 10th-place Monaco is at Inter Milan, while Lille and Feyenoord — 12th vs 11th — cannot both reach 15 points.
League-leading Liverpool has let most star players skip the trip to 19th-place PSV Eindhoven because it is one of the few teams with certainty.
Seven wins guaranteed Liverpool a top-two seeding in the tennis-like bracket for the knockout rounds. That draw will be made Feb. 21 after the playoffs round, setting up pairings through to the May 31 final in Munich.
Only Liverpool and Barcelona have already sealed their top-8 places, though Arsenal and Inter — both on 16 points — likely will join them. Atletico Madrid and Milan start Wednesday’s games on 15 points.
