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)
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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)
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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.


ICC Champions Trophy schedule announced, matches split between Pakistan and Dubai

Updated 37 min 16 sec ago
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ICC Champions Trophy schedule announced, matches split between Pakistan and Dubai

  • The tournament is set to begin on 19 February in Karachi, with Pakistan taking on New Zealand
  • ICC says Lahore will host the final match of the cricket contest on 9 March, unless India qualify

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromise decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
“The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures and groupings have been announced by the ICC ... with the tournament set to begin on 19 February in Karachi with the final on 9 March,” the global governing body of cricket announced in a statement on its website.
“The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai,” it added. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semifinals and the final will have reserve days.”


In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal.
Meanwhile, Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on February 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy and its return after an eight-year hiatus, the last tournament having taken place in England in 2017. The event will feature the top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
The hybrid model, while a logistical challenge, aims to strike a balance between accommodating geopolitical realities and ensuring the integrity of the tournament, which cricket fans worldwide await.


West Indies cricket team to arrive for first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6

Updated 24 December 2024
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West Indies cricket team to arrive for first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6

  • West Indies to play two Test matches against Pakistan in Multan from Jan. 17-29, says PCB 
  • West Indies last toured Pakistan for a Test series in November 2006 for three-match series

ISLAMABAD: The West Indian national men’s cricket team will arrive for their first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday, during which they will play two Test matches. 

The last time the West Indies played a Test series on Pakistani soil was in November 2006, when they played three Tests. Their last Test away Test series against Pakistan was in the UAE in October 2016, which was selected as Pakistan’s home venue for cricket series after 2009 when a militant attack in Lahore scared away international cricket teams from touring the country. 

The former two-time ODI World Cup champions have, however, thrice toured Pakistan since April 2018— one for an ODI series in June 2022 and twice for a bilateral T20I series in April 2018 and December 2021. 

“The West Indies cricket team will arrive in Islamabad on 6 January and after playing a three-day match against Pakistan Shaheens from 10-12 January at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, they will take on Pakistan in back-to-back Tests in Multan,” the PCB said. “The first Test will be played from 17-21 January, while the second Test will be held from 25-29 January.”

International cricket teams refused to play cricket in Pakistan for years after militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, wounding six players and killing two civilians and six security officials.

International cricket and its stars, however, slowly returned to playing in the country as the security situation in Pakistan gradually improved. The South Asian country is gearing up to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February to March next year. 

This will be the first time that Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament on its home soil since 1996 when it co-hosted the ICC ODI World Cup won by Sri Lanka. 


Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta

Updated 24 December 2024
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Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta

  • Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone

MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan saw off Como 2-0 on Monday to stretch their unbeaten run in Serie A to 11 games and move back to within three points of leaders Atalanta.
Defender Carlos Augusto headed in from a corner early in the second half before Marcus Thuram wrapped up a fourth successive league win with a thumping finish in stoppage time.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a crucial save on the hour to deny Nico Paz an equalizer as Simone Inzaghi’s side showed signs of weariness at the San Siro in what was their third outing in a week.
Thuram’s goal was his 12th of the season and sent him level with Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui for the league lead.
“Marcus is a high-class player who always trains well and has adapted very quickly to the way we play,” said Inzaghi.
“You have to congratulate Como for coming here and giving it their all, but we stayed focused and showed great maturity.”
Third-placed Inter are a point behind Napoli but have played a game less than the top two teams after their match with Fiorentina was called off at the start of December following Edoardo Bove’s sudden collapse.
Reigning champions Inter visit lowly Cagliari this weekend and could put the pressure back on Atalanta, who are away to Lazio in the late game on Saturday.
Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Fiorentina lost more ground in the title race after falling to a 2-1 home defeat by Udinese.
Moise Kean’s early penalty gave Fiorentina the lead as they sought to shake off last weekend’s loss to Bologna that snapped the club’s eight-match winning streak in Serie A.
However, Udinese equalized shortly after half-time through Lorenzo Lucca and former France international Florian Thauvin curled in the winner from outside the area.
“The most important thing for me is not the goal but the victory. These are three important points against a very strong team,” said Udinese captain Thauvin.
Udinese stayed ninth and are eight points off the European places.


Complete lineup for February UFC event in Riyadh announced

Updated 24 December 2024
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Complete lineup for February UFC event in Riyadh announced

RIYADH: Organizers confirmed on Monday the complete list of fighters for the UFC Fight Night event in the Saudi capital on Feb. 1.
Israel Adesanya versus Nassourdine Imavov is the main event for the second UFC event held in the Kingdom.
The card features Dagestani fighter Said Nurmagomedov (18-3-0) will face Brazilian Vinicius “Lok Dog” Oliveira (21-3-0), while Tajik Muhammad Naimov (11-3-0) squares off against Australian Kaan Ofli (12-3-1).
In another bout, American Terrance McKinney (15-7-0) will clash with Denmark’s Damir Hadzovic (14-7-0), and Austrian Bogdan Grad (14-2-0) will meet Brazilian Lucas Alexander (8-4-0).
Highlighting Arab representation, Egyptian Hamdy Abdelwahab (5-0-0) will take on American Jamal Boggs (11-4-0), while Bahraini Shamil Gaziev (13-1-0) faces a tough challenge against American Thomas Petersen (9-2-0).
The excitement continues as Americans Jordan Leavitt (11-3-0) and Abdul Kareem Al-Selwady (15-4-0) battle it out, and Russian Sergei Pavlovich (18-3-0) faces Surinamese fighter Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik (15-5-0).
Dagestani Ikram Aliskerov (15-2-0) will take on Brazilian André Muniz (24-6-0) in a blockbuster bout.
Adesanya, the Nigerian-born New Zealander, is one of UFC’s all-time greats, making a return after a title fight against Dricus du Plessis earlier this year. He is determined to reclaim his dominance with a decisive victory over Imavov.
In June the UFC hosted the first ever event in the Kingdom, bringing the premier fighting championship to Saudi fans of MMA.
Tickets are available for the event at the anb Arena on Jan. 3.


Saudi striker Saleh Al-Shehri out of remainder of Gulf Cup after injury in first match

Updated 23 December 2024
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Saudi striker Saleh Al-Shehri out of remainder of Gulf Cup after injury in first match

  • Loss of the player, a standout performer recently, after picking up a muscle injury in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Bahrain is a significant blow

KUWAIT CITY: Saudi national team striker Saleh Al-Shehri has been ruled out of the remainder of the 26th Gulf Cup after sustaining a muscle injury during the Green Falcons’ opening match against Bahrain on Sunday.

Head coach Herve Renard made the decision to send Al-Shehri home from the team’s training camp after medical reports confirmed the injury will require treatment and rehabilitation.

Saudi Arabia suffered a 3-2 defeat in the match against Bahrain. The loss of Al-Shehri, a key player and standout performer for the team in recent months, will be a significant blow for the squad as they attempt to get their Gulf Cup campaign back on track against Yemen at Jaber Stadium in Kuwait on Wednesday.

During a training session on Monday evening, Renard divided the squad into two groups, with the players who started on Sunday focusing on recovery exercises in the gym while the remainder of the squad trained on the pitch at Al-Nassr Club Stadium.