Diriyah E-Prix fuels historic first race for Saudi female driver

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Britain's Sam Bird had to fight for his victory during a race in which dusty conditions tested the grip of the cars and the bravery of the drivers. (AN photo/Ziyad Alarfaj)
Updated 24 November 2019
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Diriyah E-Prix fuels historic first race for Saudi female driver

  • Britain's Sam Bird had to fight for his victory during a race in which dusty conditions tested the grip of the cars and the bravery of the drivers
  • The 32-year-old driver showed that the independent Envision Virgin team are not in the championship to make up the numbers and has a car with serious speed coming into the new season

Britain’s Sam Bird won the opening round of the ABB Formula E Championship in Diriyah on Friday, beating off the challenge of Porsche’s Andre Lotterer and Mercedes’ Stoffel Vandoorne to take the chequered flag for Envision Virgin Racing.  

Bird, who had to fight for his victory during a race in which dusty conditions tested the grip of the cars and the bravery of the drivers, came from fifth on the grid to take the win.  

The victory continued the British driver’s record of winning an E-Prix in every single season of the Formula E championship since its inception in 2014. The win was also Bird’s ninth in Formula E, the third most of any driver. 

Bird put his win down to his pre-season transformation, saying on the podium: “The team did an amazing job in the off-season — it is an amazing car. 

“Last year was difficult and I went through a bit of a transformation. I did a lot of thinking and mental stuff — I’m fitter than ever before, and had massive weight loss. The team has learned a lot as well,” he added.  

The 32-year-old driver showed that the independent Envision Virgin team are not in the championship to make up the numbers and has a car with serious speed coming into the new season. 

Much of the pre-race talk was about the entrance of Porsche and Mercedes into the series — which now make up part of a German quartet of teams with BMW and Audi — and whether defending back-to-back champion Jean-Eric Vergne could get his bid to become a three-time winner off to a good start.  

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Bird beat Porsche’s German ace Andre Lotterer and Mercedes’ Belgian driver Stoffel Vandoorne to the checkered flag.
  • The entrance of Porsche and Mercedes into the series helped to make up a German quartet of teams along with BMW and Audi.
  • Round two of the championship and the second day of the Diriyah E-Prix gets underway today.

But Vergne started well down the grid after a poor qualifying session and retired from the race, while it was the British Envision team that took the glory ahead of their German rivals. 

Porsche and Mercedes will have been happy with their first day’s work in Formula E, however, with Lotterer and Vandoorne’s podium finishes. 

The two rookie teams said before the weekend that they would need time to adjust and make an impact in the championship, but Mercedes in particular had a dream start having seen two of their drivers qualify in second and third on the grid in the pre-race session. 

The drivers get a second chance at glory when round two of the championship and second day of the Diriyah E-Prix gets under way today. 

Saudi Arabia is hosting the first two rounds of the championship this weekend at the UNESCO World Heritage Site circuit, as part of the month-long Diriyah Season.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened the event during a flypast by race sponsors Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Royal Saudi Air Force.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, General Sports Authority chairman, said: “Once again Formula E makes history in the Kingdom with its biggest race ever, more cars, more drivers and more action. And once again the Diriyah Circuit has proven it is one of the finest Formula E tracks in the world. 

“Saudi Arabia has taken this event to our hearts and it is now a calendar event for the Kingdom, one which everyone looks forward to. My congratulations to Sam Bird and my thanks to all the drivers for giving us such a thrilling day of action. 

“Now they have to prepare to do it all again,” he added. 

Earlier in the day Saudi Arabia’s Reema Juffali made history becoming the first woman to compete in the Kingdom, driving in the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, the support race to the Formula E championship. 

After a respectable qualifying lap, the young racer from Jeddah finished her first-ever electric street race having climbed up to eighth place before focusing on crossing the finish line.  

Waving at a cheering crowd as she completed her first race in the Kingdom, a smiling Juffali may have finished at the back of the pack but that did not dampen her joy at fulfilling a dream. 

“Many (people) are surprised by all the changes happening in Saudi. 

“Seeing me in a car, racing, for a lot of people it is a surprise, but I am happy to surprise people,” she said. 

Prince Abdulaziz touted her achievement as a “watershed” moment for the Kingdom. 

“Reema will have thousands cheering her on as a professional racing driver,” he said.


Tickets for 2025 World Pool Championship in Jeddah now on sale

Updated 13 sec ago
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Tickets for 2025 World Pool Championship in Jeddah now on sale

  • This year’s competition, running from July 21-26, is expected to be the largest in the 35-year history of the event
  • 128 of world’s top players, led by reigning champion and world No. 1 Fedor Gorst, will compete for a $1m prize pool

JEDDAH: Tickets for the 2025 World Pool Championship are now on sale.

For the second year in a row, the event is taking take place in Jeddah, from July 21 to 26 at the Green Halls, as part of the Jeddah Season festivities.

Organizers said this year’s competition is expected to be the biggest in the 35-year history of the event, which is also known as the World Nine-ball Championship, with 128 of the world’s top players competing for a $1 million prize pool.

Fans can look forward to top-tier action led by reigning champion and world No. 1 Fedor Gorst, they added. His challengers will include a stellar lineup of former world champions and other top players, including Shane Van Boening, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Joshua Filler, Ko Pin-Yi and Carlo Biado.

In addition, 16 specially invited players from the Kingdom and the wider region will have a chance to compete at the highest level and test themselves against some of the best in the world.

The tournament will run in parallel with the Saudi Junior Championship, as part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to nurture the next generation of sporting talent in line with the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification.

Visit webook.com for more information about the event and to buy tickets.


Brazil coach tells Neymar to prepare well for World Cup

Updated 26 June 2025
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Brazil coach tells Neymar to prepare well for World Cup

  • “He must prepare well and he has the time to do that,” Ancelotti said
  • “He’s a very important player for us regarding the World Cup“

SAO PAULO: New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti considers Neymar “a very important player” and has urged the injury-prone star “to prepare well” for the 2026 World Cup.

“He must prepare well and he has the time to do that,” the Italian said in an interview with the South American football federation on Thursday.

“He’s a very important player for us regarding the World Cup,” Ancelotti added.

Neymar, 33, extended his contract with Brazilian side Santos to the end of the year this week.

Neymar’s career has been dogged by injury, and he has only played 12 matches in five months for Santos, scoring three goals.

Brazil’s top scorer with 79 goals was missing from Ancelotti’s first squad at the end of May.

With Neymar absent five-time world champions Brazil qualified for next year’s World Cup with a 1-0 win over Paraguay this month.


Jeddah E-prix double-header becomes most-watched Formula E weekend in history

Updated 26 June 2025
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Jeddah E-prix double-header becomes most-watched Formula E weekend in history

  • Formula E CEO Jeff Dodds hails ‘phenomenal’ record 65m viewers
  • Digital audiences showed impressive growth, with social video views and engagements up 13% and 12% respectively

JEDDAH: The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship has confirmed that the 2025 Jeddah E-Prix double-header became the most-watched Formula E weekend in history with a record 65 million viewers, according to data analysis released by Kantar Media on Thursday.

Held under the lights of the iconic Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 14-15, the races marked the championship’s thrilling debut in the Red Sea city after six successful seasons in Diriyah.

Jeddah’s unique night racing spectacle, coupled with a state-of-the-art circuit and electric atmosphere, has cemented Saudi Arabia’s growing reputation as a premier destination for world-class motorsport, said a media statement.

It added that Jeddah is confirmed to once again host the only double-header night races on the Formula E calendar in Season 12, which will be held on Feb. 13-14, 2026.

According to Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, the latest figures from their external providers are truly phenomenal and show the tremendous momentum behind the growth of the sport.

“They highlight that not only do we have world-leading technology and acceleration in the cars, but that it’s producing some of the best most-competitive racing that old and new fans can’t get enough of,” said Dodds.

He revealed that they are building fan bases and fan loyalty in key and new markets, with Mexico and the US examples of where their investment and longevity in the market is paying dividends.

“As the world’s fastest growing motorsport though, we know we can’t stand still. We know we need to continue offering the best racing, the best rivalries and the best most-inclusive events to continue on our steep trajectory and build a strong community of electric super fans,” added Dodds.

In addition to the record-setting Jeddah rounds, Formula E has seen exceptional growth this season with the data analysis showing unprecedented audience growth across TV and social media for the first half of the 2024-25 season, with its cumulative audience due to surpass 500 million by the end of Season 11.

Digital audiences analysed through Emplifi have also shown impressive growth, with social video views and engagement up 13 percent and 12 percent respectively, underscoring the vibrant and interactive fan community the series continues to build.

The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship’s 11th season — which started in Sao Paulo in December 2024 and will culminate in London on July 26-27 — has so far delivered some of the most exciting racing action in world motorsport, while continually pushing the boundaries of electric performance.

So far this season, its 22 world-class drivers have engaged in intense, head-to-head competition, captivating fans with epic battles on iconic circuits and nail-biting finishes at new venues.

Fans around the globe have tuned in and turned up in greater numbers than ever before, drawn by compelling racing and a shared vision for sustainable and cutting-edge innovation, added the statement.


Dubai’s ISD Sports City partners with Real Madrid in landmark deal

Updated 26 June 2025
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Dubai’s ISD Sports City partners with Real Madrid in landmark deal

  • Real Madrid Foundation will bring its unique program that combines education and sports to ISD’s world-class facilities, including its state-of-the-art pitches

DUBAI: ISD Sports City has announced a landmark partnership with the Real Madrid Foundation to manage a new branch of the Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program in Dubai.

The deal was announced with a commemorative photograph taken with Daniels Petrovs, CEO of ISD Sports City, and the Real Madrid Ambassador Roberto Carlos, marking the official launch of the collaboration.

Real Madrid Foundation will bring its unique program that combines education and sports to ISD’s world-class facilities, already home to state-of-the-art pitches. These include the latest hybrid-generation football fields, with all-natural pitches slated for hybrid conversion by the end of the year, an upgrade that positions ISD as a premier destination for international teams and events.

“Dubai is increasingly becoming the global epicentre for sport and youth development,” said Petrovs. “Partnering with the Real Madrid Foundation allows us to elevate our football offering to high-quality standards while giving children across the UAE access to an unique experience and facilities.

“Our goal is simple: to build a center of excellence that sets the benchmark globally.”

Petrovs, who has led ISD for the past 15 months, brings his expertise in building modern sports facilities, including converting all pitches to hybrid surfaces and also embedding sustainability and performance into every inch of ISD’s infrastructure.


All 4 Brazilian clubs advance at Club World Cup, one is guaranteed to make the quarterfinals

Updated 26 June 2025
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All 4 Brazilian clubs advance at Club World Cup, one is guaranteed to make the quarterfinals

  • Flamengo and Palmeiras topped their groups — Flamengo stunned Chelsea 3-1 to be the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds
  • Botafogo, which shocked Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain, and Fluminense qualified in second place

SAO PAULO: One clear and unexpected force has surged as the group stage of the Club World Cup comes to a close: Brazil.

Flamengo, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Fluminense — all Copa Libertadores winners in recent years — all advanced to the second round. All offered tough competition to the powerful European clubs, and all have excited tens of millions of fans at home.

There’s renewed hope for Brazilian fans after years of defeats against European teams in FIFA competitions.

Flamengo and Palmeiras topped their groups — Flamengo stunned Chelsea 3-1 to be the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds. Botafogo, which shocked Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain, and Fluminense qualified in second place.

“Our first objective was the Round-of-16, but that isn’t the end objective,” Fluminense midfielder Jhon Arias said Wednesday after a 0-0 draw with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. All four clubs from Brazil have similar expectations for the knockout stage.

Botafogo and Palmeiras will face off Saturday, a game which guarantees at least one Brazilian club a spot in the quarterfinals. Flamengo take on Bayern Munich on Sunday and Fluminense will face Inter Milan on Monday.

Corinthians were the last Brazilian club to win the world club title, beating Chelsea in 2012. That tournament format was much smaller than the current 32-team competition which features clubs from five continents.

New optimism

Copa Libertadores champion Botafogo produced the biggest group-stage upset with the June 19 win over PSG. Before that encounter, Brazilian fans and soccer pundits expected the French club to bulldoze the carioca side, which have had ups and downs this year.

“Botafogo were the team that best defended against us in the entire season,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “They deserved it.”

Two factors have helped Brazilian clubs: they’re halfway through their season, unlike the European clubs which have finished, and they’re familiar with the kind of heat that has blanketed the tournament.

Still, Brazilian coaches, executives, players and fans weren’t showing much optimism before the tournament began. That has also changed, as Flamengo fans showed in Philadelphia by chanting “the time is coming” for Bayern Munich after the German club were confirmed as their next opponent.

“The cemetery of football is full of favorites,” Botafogo coach Renato Paiva said after victory over the European champions. “Almost nobody can openly face PSG. Could I try that? I could, but that was a big risk in a competition of this kind.”

Atletico Madrid’s late 1-0 over Botafogo was the only defeat for a Brazilian club in the group stage.

South American power

Brazilian teams are so competitive in South America that they have won the past six editions of the Copa Libertadores, including five all-Brazil finals. Their regional superiority can also be seen in this Club World Cup as their two Argentinian rivals in the tournament, Boca Juniors and River Plate, failed to get through the group stage.

Much of that success for Brazilians comes from talent of the rest of South America, as it has happened in the Club World Cup.

The Brazilian league attracts young footballers from across the region before they move elsewhere for money and more prestige. But some choose to stay and grow in a tough league outside of Europe, with up to six serious contenders for the trophy every year.

Flamengo playmaker Giorgián de Arrascaeta is Uruguayan. Botafogo’s key player is Venezuela’s Jefferson Savarino. Fluminense highly depend on Arias. Palmeiras are trusting more goals will come from Argentina’s Flaco López. And none of those have ever played in Europe.

“Many good things in all history that happen in football come from South America,” Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said Sunday. “The greatest players come from there.”

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said ahead of Thursday’s game against RB Salzburg that European teams will benefit from “seeing the competitive level from outside.”

“Adapting is important, but we can see teams that we don’t have to day-to-day and they are very good,” said Alonso, who mentioned the Brazilian teams and River Plate among those who caught his interest. “Before the start we said it was going to be in a way with the Europeans, and now we have opened our eyes.”

Brazil has also brought in several Portuguese coaches, with success. Paiva took over Botafogo from his countryman Arthur Jorge. And Abel Ferreira has won almost every title with Palmeiras since he joined the club in 2020. That has also made Brazilian clubs more competitive.

“I am very proud to be in Brazil. I had many chances to leave and I did not,” Ferreira said at the start of the tournament.

Asked how big the gap is between his team and European clubs, Ferreira said: “It is minimal. We have to compete.”

The knockout stage of the Club World Cup will tell whether he is right.