BARCELONA: Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth successive Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after a Mercedes pit-stop masterstroke.
Hamilton moved on to 98 career wins after a surprise second change of tires hoodwinked Red Bull to lift him 14 points clear of Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.
“It was a really great strategy by the team. What a day!” beamed Hamilton, who was quick to acknowledge the smattering of fans allowed in to watch, a rare occurence in the time of coronavirus.
“It is great to see. I saw a British flag out there which I haven’t seen for a long, long time. I feel great after this. I feel like I could go again.”
Hamilton had set off from pole for the 100th time but was beaten to the first corner by Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc for Ferrari dishing out the same treatment on Valtteri Bottas on turn two.
On lap eight Yuki Tsunoda’s Sunday drive in Catalonia suffered a premature end when his AlphaTauri came to a grinding halt.
“Engine stop” the Japanese rookie lamented as the safety car emerged briefly to remove the immobile obstacle.
Verstappen held off Hamilton comfortably on the restart on lap 11, with Leclerc continuing to split the two Mercedes.
With a third of the race completed the first round of pit stops began, with all eyes on which of the front two with less than a second between them would blink first.
Verstappen it was who came in on lap 25, but the pit stop was slow by a couple of seconds in another minor but potentially critical error by the Red Bull title pretenders.
The Mercedes pit wall pulled Hamilton in for a lightning stop a few laps later as they pinned their hopes on fresher medium tires making the difference toward the finish.
At the midway point Hamilton set the fastest lap to go less than two and a half seconds behind his Dutch rival. The gap was less than a second shortly after.
On lap 43 Mercedes played their ace card.
Hamilton, half a second off the lead, came into the pits for a second new set of mediums.
He reemerged with under 23sec to make up on Verstappen, who with tire wear was in danger of becoming what he would describe afterwards as “a sitting duck” for the man in pursuit of a record eighth drivers’ title.
Hamilton asked his pit wall: “How far have I got to catch up?“
“Currently 22 seconds... we’ve done it before...” came back the reply.
There was a note of desperation on Red Bull’s radio with Verstappen suggesting “I don’t know how we are going to make it to the end.”
Hamilton moved into second but there was no hint of team orders with Bottas forcing his teammate into full overtaking mode.
Ten laps to go and Hamilton had only three seconds to make up on Verstappen and on lap 60 he did it, surging past the Dutchman on turn one — Toto Wolff, his team boss, punching the air with delight as their masterstroke paid off.
Hamilton said he was in two minds as to whether to obey the order to come in.
“I was about to get a shot to get past him as I pitted. I was really conflicted — ‘do I come in or ignore the call?’.
“I did what the team asked because there is a great trust between us. Remarkable job by everyone in this team. What a day.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was magnanimous in defeat, saying: “In fairness, hats off to Mercedes and Lewis.”
Verstappen said: “We’re not where we want to be and we still need to push hard and catch up because at the moment we are a little bit slower. But compared to last year, it has been a jump for us.”
Bottas took third in the second Mercedes with Leclerc’s Ferrari in fourth and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull completing the top five.
Formula One takes a breather next weekend before returning for the Monaco Grand Prix with Hamilton possibly having a tilt at his century of wins in Azerbaijan at the start of June.
Mercedes masterstroke in Spain helps Hamilton deny Verstappen
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Mercedes masterstroke in Spain helps Hamilton deny Verstappen
- Hamilton moved on to 98 career wins after a surprise second change of tires hoodwinked Red Bull to lift him 14 points clear of Verstappen
- Bottas took third in the second Mercedes with Leclerc’s Ferrari in fourth and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull completing the top five
Gold Cup: Mexico into semifinals with shutout of Saudi Arabia
Defending champion Mexico found the scoring touch in the second half and advanced to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals with a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia on Saturday night in Glendale, Arizona
Mexico will face Honduras in the semifinals Wednesday in Santa Clara, California Honduras ousted Panama after a 1-1 draw in regulation with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks in a quarterfinal earlier Saturday in Glendale.
Alexis Vega got Mexico on the board in the 49th minute after his initial shot was stopped by Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Vega put in the rebound and the goal was confirmed following a VAR review that there was no offside violation.
Abdullah Madu of Saudi Arabia tried to reroute Mexico’s crossing pass in the 81st minute, but he instead put it past his goalie for an own goal and a 2-0 deficit.
Mexico controlled 60.3 percent of the possession time against Saudi Arabia and that was reflected in more shot attempts (18-1), shots on goal (5-0) and corner kicks (7-2).
Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Al-Aqidi made four saves, while Mexico’s Angel Malagon had none.
Mexico had advanced through the group stage with a 3-2 win over the Dominican Republic, a 2-0 shutout of Suriname and a scoreless draw with Costa Rica to win Group A with seven points.
Saudi Arabia defeated Haiti 1-0, lost to the United States 1-0 and tied Trinidad and Tobago 1-1 to finish second in Group D.
Baniyas extends lead on Day 2 of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship
- Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club are in second place with Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club following in third
ABU DHABI: The Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship continued its fourth round on Saturday, as Day 2 saw competitions in the U-14 and U-16 categories at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City.
The event brought together top talent from across the UAE, with wide participation from clubs and academies and strong support from families and jiu-jitsu enthusiasts.
Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club claimed the top spot in the overall standings, followed by Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club in second place and Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club in third.
Organised by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, the championship continues to reinforce its role as a key driver for developing grassroots talent and promoting the country’s national sport. More than 1,800 male and female athletes are taking part in the fourth round, which has drawn strong community engagement and attendance.
Mohammed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, commented: “The championship is special because it bears a name that is very dear to everyone in the country. The decision by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed to double the prize money made the players more ambitious and encouraged them to aim for top positions.
“Jiu-jitsu gets strong support from the UAE leadership because it teaches important values and helps shape the character of young people. It has become a key part of sports in the UAE and plays an important role in developing the next generation,” he added.
“The championship is a big part of the federation’s plan to build a strong base of young talent. The younger age groups are the foundation for producing future champions. The ranking system in the championship helps clubs compete and pushes them to improve and invest more in their athletes.”
Among the day’s standout performances, Baniyas athlete Salma Rashid Al-Mansoori claimed gold in the Girls U-14 -44 kg gray belt division. Her mother, Sarah Al-Mansoori, said: “This gold medal is the result of her hard work and focus. Winning in a tournament that carries such a respected name makes it more meaningful. We are also thankful to the leadership for increasing the prize money. It was a huge motivator.”
Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club’s Noura Nasser Al-Ghilani, who won the Girls U-16 -80 kg gray belt gold, said: “This win means a lot to me and my team. Jiu-jitsu has given me so much: confidence, discipline, and a drive to succeed. I thank the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation for the incredible support and promise to keep training hard to represent the UAE internationally.”
The championship concludes on Sunday with the Kids and U-12 divisions, where another strong turnout is expected from the local jiu-jitsu community.
Reed, 4Aces enter final round on top of leaderboard at LIV Golf Dallas
- On a challenging Maridoe Golf Club course, Reed moved to 9 under and takes a three-shot lead after two rounds
CARROLLTON, Texas, US: Since joining LIV Golf, Patrick Reed has 11 top-5 finishes, including five podium results. He has also celebrated seven team victories with his 4Aces GC, including the inaugural 2022 Team Championship, and has twice finished inside the top six in the season-long points race.
But he has yet to win an individual LIV Golf title in his first 41 regular season starts, making him arguably the best league player without a win. And he has yet to win a professional tournament in his home state of Texas, where he was born and still lives.
Now he is 18 holes away from changing both narratives on Sunday at LIV Golf Dallas presented by Aramco.
Thanks to a solid 4-under 68 on a challenging Maridoe Golf Club course, Reed moved to 9 under and will take a 3-shot lead entering the final round. This is his first 36-hole lead since joining LIV Golf for the league’s first US event in Portland in 2022.
“To get my first LIV victory as well as doing it in my home state would mean a lot,” said the Houston resident, who was born in San Antonio. “But really, at the end of the day, instead of trying to focus on what happens on the 54th hole, it’s stay in the moment. Stay in the present.”
His 4Aces team also hope to stay in the present as they seek a first victory since the 2023 tournament in London. The club, captained by Dustin Johnson, has a four-shot lead over Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII and Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC, who have won the previous two LIV Golf team titles. No other team is within 13 shots of the lead.
Reed, meanwhile, has plenty of pursuers, many of whom — like Reed himself — are hungry to win their first individual LIV Golf title.
The Crushers’ Paul Casey shot a 5-under 67 and is tied for second at 6 under with Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer, who shot a second consecutive 69. In a four-way tie for fifth at 5 under are Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland, Fireballs’ David Puig, 4Aces’ Harold Varner III and Legion XIII’s Tyrrell Hatton, who produced the low round of the day with a 65. His captain Jon Rahm is alone in eighth at 4 under.
Four of the top seven players have yet to win an LIV Golf tournament — Reed, Casey, Bland and Puig. And Puig is the only player who ranks inside the top 20 in driving distance average this season. Maridoe, despite its 7,533-yard layout, is rewarding the shot-makers this week in the Texas heat.
“If you’re not in the fairway, you’re going to struggle,” Ancer said. “You’re going to make big numbers. Bogeys come really, really quickly, even if you’re in the fairway.”
Ancer should know. He had a rollercoaster round that included seven birdies — including four in a row on his first nine — along with four bogeys and one up-and-down par after an approach shot bounced off the flagstick and rolled off the green at the eighth hole. “I felt like I stayed in it mentally really well,” said the San Antonio resident.
Casey’s round had less drama and ended on a high note with three consecutive birdies. Hatton’s round, on the flip side, started with three straight birdies.
Reed also produced three consecutive birdies and was among the steadiest of performers, hitting 78 percent of his greens in regulation. His challenge on Sunday will be to stay focused on the task at hand.
“The golf game feels pretty solid,” Reed said. “Everything seems to be tight and where I want it to be. The biggest thing is going out there and not trying to press, not trying to force anything and really just go out and try to win the day as if it’s a Monday qualifier.”
And his chasers?
“Looking like the way he’s playing, he’s not going to go backwards,” Bland said. “We’ve got to go get him.”
Team scores
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season means all four scores count in every round in the team competition. Here are the results and scores for each team after Saturday’s second round of LIV Golf Dallas presented by Aramco.
4ACES GC -12 (Reed 68, Pieters 71, Varner 72, Johnson 74; Rd. 2 score: -3) T2. LEGION XIII -8 (Hatton 65, McKibbin 71, Rahm 72, Surratt 72; Rd. 2 score: -8)
T2. CRUSHERS GC -8 (Casey 67, Howell III 71, DeChambeau 72, Lahiri 73; Rd. 2 score: -5)
T4. STINGER GC +2 (Burmester 71, Grace 71, Oosthuizen 71, Schwartzel 74; Rd. 2 score: -1)
T4. FIREBALLS GC +2 (Ancer 69, Puig 69, Garcia 74, Ballester 76; Rd. 2 score: E)
CLEEKS GC +7 (Bland 69, Rottluff 70, Meronk 72, Kaymer 74; Rd. 2 score: -3) TORQUE GC +14 (Niemann 66, Munoz 70, Ortiz 70, Pereira 79; Rd. 2 score: -3) T8. RIPPER GC +15 (Leishman 70, Herbert 71, Smith 71, Jones 75; Rd. 2 score: -1)
T8. HYFLYERS GC +15 (Steele 69, Tringale 73, Mickelson 74, Ogletree 78; Rd. 2 score: +6)
MAJESTICKS GC +16 (Horsfield 72, Stenson 73, Westwood 75, Poulter 78; Rd. 2 score: +10) RANGEGOATS GC +18 (Campbell 70, Watson 73, Uihlein 75, Schniederjans 78; Rd. 2 score: +8) T12. SMASH GC +22 (Gooch 70, Kokrak 74, McDowell 74, Carrera 77; Rd. 2 score: +7)
T12. IRON HEADS GC +22 (Kozuma 70, Lee 76, Jang 79, Na 79; Rd. 2 score: +16)
Wildcards: C. Lee 71, A. Kim 74
Lucky number 3? 76ers bring V.J. Edgecombe to Abu Dhabi as a new era dawns
- The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 host the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers twice at Etihad Arena on Yas Island
DUBAI: For the Philadelphia 76ers, the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft has proven to be a lucky number.
It was at No. 3 in 2014 that the Sixers selected Joel Embiid, a decision that reshaped the franchise. Embiid went on to become the face of the team and the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2023. More than a decade later, Philadelphia is again looking to strike gold at No. 3 with the selection of V.J. Edgecombe, made during last night’s NBA Draft.
The Sixers are expected to bring the new addition to the international stage in October when they head to Abu Dhabi for two preseason games.
The National Basketball Association and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi have officially announced that The NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2025 presented by ADQ will feature the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams will meet on Thursday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 4 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
These games will offer Philadelphia an opportunity to test their revamped lineup and start building chemistry for the upcoming season. More importantly, it is a chance to see if Edgecombe can continue the Sixers’ No. 3 draft tradition of finding franchise-changing talent.
Edgecombe, selected third overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, arrives in Philadelphia with high expectations. Many believed the Sixers would trade out of their draft position, but when top prospects Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper were taken early, and Ace Bailey canceled his workout, Philadelphia stayed put and took the dynamic guard from Baylor.
At just 19 years old, Edgecombe brings elite athleticism, strong defensive instincts, and plenty of long-term potential. He averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists during his freshman season and is known for his explosive finishes at the rim and impact in transition. While his shot creation still needs development, his energy and defensive presence make him a key addition to the Sixers’ backcourt.
Edgecombe also carries deep Bahamian pride.
“It’s crazy because my island is only seven miles long. I don’t think anyone on that island would dream of playing in the NBA, let alone making it. It would just sound so crazy, being able to make it. I’m just truly blessed to be in that position.” he said.
Edgecombe believes he will complement the Sixers’ lineup well.
“I feel like I’ll be able to play off them,” Edgecombe said. “They’re great players. Embiid is the MVP of the league … I just feel like I fit in well with them. And even coach (Nick) Nurse. He’s a defensive-minded coach. And I feel like I play a lot of defense.”
The Abu Dhabi Games will give Philadelphia the chance to test their chemistry and rotations in a high-profile international setting, while giving Edgecombe valuable time to play off the 76ers’ stars and build his defensive presence, as they face the Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference Finals this year but fell short against the Indiana Pacers in a tough six-game series.
With history on their side and team chemistry still taking shape, the No. 3 pick could again define Philadelphia’s future and push them closer to championship contention.
YouTuber Jake Paul cruises past Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
- YouTuber-turned-boxer dominated from the outset to win by unanimous decision
- Influencer has earned millions from a string of lucrative contests in his ring career
ANAHEIM, United States: YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul cruised to victory over Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on Saturday in a one-sided cruiserweight bout in California.
Paul, whose last fight was a controversial clash with 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in November, dominated from the outset to win by unanimous decision.
The 28-year-old influencer, who has earned millions from a string of lucrative contests in a ring career that has spanned 13 fights, had too much speed and power for Chavez Jr.
The three judges at ringside scored the 10-round fight 99-91, 97-93, 98-92 in Paul’s favor.
Chavez Jr., the 39-year-old son of Mexican boxing great Julio Cesar Chavez, barely looked capable of mustering a response during a one-sided bout.
Chavez Jr. failed to land a single punch in the opening round, a pattern that followed the remainder of the contest, with Paul easily outscoring the veteran of 63 professional fights.
Paul, who reportedly pocketed around $40 million for his made-for-Netflix fight with Tyson last year, received around $300,000 guaranteed from Saturday’s bout.
However the American is expected to earn around $8 million-$10 million from the fight once earnings from pay-per-view and sponsorships are taken into account.
