LE CASTELLET, France: Max Verstappen won the French Grand Prix on Sunday to extend his lead over Lewis Hamilton in the drivers' title race and leave the world champion's Mercedes team “with a big fight” to retain control of their Formula One fiefdom.
The Red Bull driver hunted down and overtook the world champion with over a lap to go at a gusty Le Castellet to claim his third win out of seven races this season.
“Towards the end I enjoyed it! At the beginning it was super difficult out there with the wind,” said Verstappen.
This was a massive statement by the Dutch driver and his resurgent Red Bull team who won their third successive race after Monaco and Baku.
It pushed Verstappen 12 points clear of Hamilton ahead of back-to-back races on Red Bull turf in Austria.
Mercedes, for so long used to ruling the roost, are relishing the two-team title battle.
“We're in for a big fight this season and we'll have to dig deep as a team. We are up for it!” they tweeted.
Sergio Perez in the other Red Bull came in third with Valtteri Bottas in the second Mercedes finishing fourth at the circuit where the mesmerising light blue and red striped contours evoked a trippy psychedelic 1960s album cover.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner had said before the race “if we can beat them here we can beat them anywhere” of Mercedes, who were itching to get back onto a regular track like the circuit Paul Ricard after getting lost on the streets of Monaco and Baku.
But things got off to a bumpy beginning for pole sitter Verstappen, who went off the track in a horror start coming out of turn one, Hamilton accepting the unexpected gift to take the lead.
“I couldn't keep the car under control,” complained Verstappen.
Hamilton had led 105 of the 106 laps for his wins here in 2018 and 2019, and he set about extending his near total stranglehold at the Provencal track.
Approaching a third of the 53-lap race Hamilton had established a near three second gap back to Verstappen, with Bottas and Perez in pursuit.
With drivers starting to complain of tyre wear Charles Leclerc was the first to come into the pits for a change of footwear for his Ferrari.
Verstappen wasn't far behind, with Hamilton coming in for a slick stop on lap 20, coming out as Verstappen flashed past with Perez, still to pit, the new leader.
The Mexican, winner in Baku last time out, was hauled in on lap 25, leaving Verstappen in the lead and Hamilton half a second behind.
“We can't keep this up until the end of the race that's for sure” Verstappen told his pits over the team radio referring to tyres on lap 29.
And on lap 32 in he came in again, resuming in fourth, 25sec behind Hamilton, but with better grip he was only seven seconds behind in third by lap 40.
With nine laps to go Verstappen muscled past Bottas, the gap ahead to Hamilton just five seconds.
Hunting his prey down it made for an epic end for the 15,000 fans allowed in due to the easing of coronavirus restrictions in France.
And he duly picked off the Silver Arrows on the penultimate lap to trigger wild celebrations in the Red Bull garage.
“The whole race me and Lewis were fighting each other, so it will be like this the rest of the season,” Verstappen said.
Horner, the architect of Red Bull's revival, hailed “a great race.”
“You only having to look how close it is between the teams. It's nip and tuck for the championship.”
He added that “today was payback for Barcelona!” in reference to how Mercedes had hoodwinked them with a two-stop strategy at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton was generous in his praise for Verstappen.
“Congrats to Max he did a great job today, they had the better strength all weekend.”
The Briton, stuck on 98 career wins, added: “Considering we had such a difficult Friday I am really happy with today's result of course we didn't win and we was in the lead but I had no tyres left at the end so unfortunately lost the position but still it was a good race.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull deny Lewis Hamilton in French Grand Prix thriller
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Max Verstappen, Red Bull deny Lewis Hamilton in French Grand Prix thriller
- The Red Bull driver hunted down and overtook the world champion with over a lap to go
- Christian Horner, the architect of Red Bull's revival, hailed “a great race”
George Russell wins in Canada after McLarens collide, Lando Norris out
Russell takes Mercedes first win of season
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McLaren drivers Norris and Piastri collide three laps from end
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Piastri stretches lead to 22 points after 10 of 24 races
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Antonelli takes first podium in F1
MONTREAL: George Russell took Mercedes’ first win of the Formula One season in Canada on Sunday while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri went 22 points clear in the championship after teammate Lando Norris smashed into him and retired.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who had hoped to win for a record fourth year in a row at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, took second.
Russell’s 18-year-old Italian rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli finished third for his first F1 podium.
Piastri was fourth with the safety car leading the final lap before peeling off to clear the way for Russell to take the chequered flag.
An uneventful afternoon erupted in headline drama when Norris hit the rear of Piastri’s car three laps from the end — a clash long predicted in the title battle — while trying to overtake.
The Briton, who ended at a standstill by the side of the track with no front wing and a broken car, was quick to blame himself.
“I’m sorry. All my bad. All my fault. Stupid from me,” Norris said over the team radio.
Piastri pitted as the safety car was deployed and rejoined with a tire advantage over Antonelli that he could not use as the racing never resumed.
“Glad I didn’t ruin his race. In the end apologies to the team,” Norris told Sky Sports television.
“This wasn’t even like a ‘that’s racing’, it was just silly from my part.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth with Fernando Alonso seventh for Aston Martin and Nico Hulkenberg bringing in more solid points for Sauber in eighth place.
Esteban Ocon was ninth for Haas in their 200th race with Carlos Sainz 10th for Williams.
“Well done team. That made up for last year,” said Russell, who also started on pole last year but finished third. His last win before Sunday was in Las Vegas last November.
“It’s amazing to be back on the top step.
“I felt last year was a victory lost and probably got the victory today due to the incredible pole lap yesterday.”
Third place made Antonelli the third youngest driver ever to stand on the F1 podium.
“I had a good start, managed to jump into P3 and just stayed up there at the front,” he said of passing Piastri for third on the opening lap.
“The last stint I pushed a bit too hard behind Max and I killed a bit the front-left (tyre), and struggled a bit at the end, but really happy to bring the podium home.”
Russell led away cleanly from pole, with Verstappen slotting in behind.
Behind them, Williams’ Alex Albon tracked across the grass after starting ninth with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto moving briefly up from 10th before losing out to Hulkenberg and then falling down the order.
Norris, who started on the hard tires to go longer in the opening stint, was leading by lap 16 after others who started on mediums came in for pitstops. He then pitted on lap 29 and came out fifth, behind Piastri in fourth.
Leclerc also came in that lap but then questioned why Ferrari had made the call, with his hard tires still in reasonable shape.
Hamilton was behind his teammate, with reported damage to his car, and wondering out loud where the performance had gone.
“I’m nowhere in the race, mate, I don’t know what’s happened,” the seven-times world champion told his engineer over the team radio.
Qualifier Maria completes fairytale run to Queen’s title
- The 37-year-old’s victory secured the fourth singles title of her career
LONDON: Tatjana Maria completed her fairytale run at Queen’s Club as the German qualifier beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 6-4 in Sunday’s final to become the oldest winner of a WTA 500 event.
The 37-year-old’s victory secured the fourth singles title of her career, and her first since 2023 on the clay in Bogota.
World number 86 Maria is the first German to win a WTA 500 title since Angelique Kerber in 2018 in Sydney.
In the first women’s tournament at Queen’s since 1973, Maria is the event’s first female champion since Russia’s Olga Morozova 52 years ago.
When Morozova won in west London, the prize money was just £1,000 ($1,353).
Maria banked a cheque for £120,000 and more importantly earned a huge confidence boost ahead of Wimbledon, which starts on June 30.
The mother of two arrived at Queen’s on a nine-match losing streak and had to survive two rounds of qualifying matches to reach the main draw.
Deploying her slice-heavy style to devastating effect, she stunned sixth seed Karolina Muchova, fourth seed Elena Rybakina and reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys en route to the final.
Maria, who has taken two maternity breaks from the WTA Tour, has never been past the second round of any Grand Slam except Wimbledon, where she reached the semifinals in 2022.
But once again she proved a formidable force on grass, brushing aside Anisimova to secure her second title on the surface as her husband and young daughters Charlotte and Cecilia watched from courtside.
“A dream come true. I came here I was never thinking I could hold the trophy at the end,” Maria said.
“When we arrived my little girl said: ‘Wow that’s a nice trophy, so big’ and I said: ‘OK let’s go for it, I will try to win it’. And in the end I’ve won it, it’s incredible.
“Everything is possible if you believe in it. You go your way, doesn’t matter which it is but you have to keep going. I want to show this to my kids and hopefully they are proud. It’s amazing.”
Asked if she planned to celebrate with her family, Maria said: “For sure. This doesn’t happen every week so we have to celebrate with something.
“I think the kids will probably want some crepes with Nutella!“
Anisimova has struggled to live up to her early success after reaching the French Open semifinals aged 17 in 2019.
She took an eight-month break from tennis and dropped out of the top 400 after suffering with depression bought on by the scrutiny and expectations that came with being a teen prodigy.
The 23-year-old returned last year and won the Qatar Open this February, reaching a career-high 15th in the rankings before underlining her renaissance by defeating Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach her first grass-court final.
However, Maria was too savvy on grass for Anisimova, who said: “It’s incredible to see Tatjana playing at this level. To have her family here, it’s super special.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see her in the Wimbledon final. She really had me running out there today.”
Merciless Bayern hit 10 against amateurs Auckland City at Club World Cup
- Kingsley Coman, Michael Olize and Thomas Mueller all netted twice, while Sacha Boey was also on target for the German champions
CINCINNATI: Bayern Munich showed no mercy to amateurs Auckland City at the Club World Cup on Sunday, beating the minnows from New Zealand 10-0 in their opening game as Jamal Musiala came off the bench to score a second-half hat-trick.
Kingsley Coman, Michael Olize and Thomas Mueller all netted twice, while Sacha Boey was also on target for the German champions in the game in Group C, which also features Boca Juniors and Benfica.
Harry Kane started but didn’t find the target before being replaced just after the hour mark by Musiala, who netted his three goals in the space of 18 minutes toward the end.
It was a stroll in the park in the midday sun in Cincinnati for Vincent Kompany’s side, with France winger Coman scoring twice in the opening 21 minutes either side of goals by compatriots Boey and Olize.
Coman’s sixth-minute breakthrough goal was the first of the tournament following the 0-0 draw between Inter Miami and Al Ahly in Saturday’s opening game.
Mueller got the fifth and Olize’s second of the afternoon made it 6-0 in first-half stoppage time for the Bundesliga heavyweights.
Auckland City managed to stem the tide for much of the second half before Musiala came on and took center stage, his three goals including one from the penalty spot.
Mueller made it 10-0 in the 89th minute for a Bayern side who won the Club World Cup twice in its former seven-team guise, in 2013 and 2020.
They have recorded bigger victories in the past in the German Cup, but the 10-goal winning margin equals their best ever win in the Bundesliga, when they beat Borussia Dortmund 11-1 in 1971.
Bayern, who gave new signing Jonathan Tah a debut in central defense following his recent arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, play Boca in their next match in Miami on Friday.
Auckland City take on Benfica earlier the same day in Orlando.
Saudi Arabia complete final preparations ahead of Gold Cup opener against Haiti
- Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group D of the regional tournament, where they will face the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Monday’s opponents Haiti
SAN DIEGO: Saudi Arabia’s national team have wrapped up their preparations ahead of their opening match against Haiti in the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Monday.
Herve Renard’s side held their final training session on Sunday at the Performance Center in San Diego, ahead of Monday’s Group D clash at Snapdragon Stadium.
The session began with warm-up drills before moving into possession-based training and a half-pitch practice match. Players concluded with stretching exercises.
Midfielder Muhannad Al-Saad was absent from group training due to muscle discomfort in his thigh, team officials confirmed.
Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group D of the regional tournament, where they will face the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and Monday’s opponents Haiti.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly battle to scoreless draw in Club World Cup opener
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Lionel Messi was denied on a long shot in extra time and Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al Ahly settled for a scoreless draw in the opening game of the Club World Cup on Saturday night.
Argentina’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner kicked a long, curling shot from the right side that was tipped by diving goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy and brushed off the crossbar in the 96th minute front of a crowd of more than 60,000 at Hard Rock Stadium. Messi also shaved the post with a free kick in the 60th minute in the second half.
Miami had its own good fortune, surviving a first half onslaught by 12-time African champion Al Ahly, with goalkeeper Oscar Ustari saving a penalty from Trezeguet just before the break.
Key moment
Miami had to rely on veteran Argentine goalkeeper Ustari to keep the game level in the first half, with the 38-year-old pulling off a number of saves as Al Ahly dominated the chances. He produced a crucial double save just before halftime — blocking Trezeguet’s 43rd-minute penalty and then getting up quickly to deny the forward again on the rebound.
Takeaways
A draw leaves both teams with a battle to advance from Group A with tougher tests likely to come against Brazilian giant Palmeiras and Porto from Portugal. The top two advance to the round of 16.
Miami can be encouraged by its performance in the second half after being dominated in the first half. Inter Miami had the better chances after the break, with Messi’s free kick and curling long shot both hitting the woodwork.
What they said
“It was a good party for football. It’s a new competition and the chance to play teams we don’t play normally in our league, so it can be very good for us. You can prove what we can do.” – Javier Mascherano, Inter Miami coach.
“I’m disappointed with the result. We could have taken all three points. We respect Inter Miami and their big-name players, but we could’ve finished the game in the first half by scoring three or four goals.” — Wessam Abou Ali, Ah Ahly forward.
