SINGAPORE: Max Verstappen’s historic run of 10 Formula One wins in a row looks set to end after he qualified down in 11th place on Saturday for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jr. took pole for the race for Ferrari on Sunday ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and the second Ferrari of Charles Leclerc as Verstappen’s Red Bull team had its worst qualifying results of the season.
“It’s the best opportunity since the beginning of the season, for sure” for other teams to stop a Red Bull sweep of winning every race in 2023, Leclerc said.
Verstappen, the runaway championship leader after his record-breaking 10th straight win at the Italian Grand Prix, was eliminated by .007 seconds in the second session by rookie Liam Lawson of sister team AlphaTauri.
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was 13th after a spin. The two drivers have won every race this season between them.
Verstappen told his team over the radio that it was an “absolutely shocking experience.”
He later added: “It is of course very hard to pass in Singapore on the street circuit so I’m not expecting a lot tomorrow. We’ve had so many successful weekends this year, we can be proud of what we have achieved so far. It’s more important that we understand where we are going wrong this weekend.”
Verstappen has won races this season from sixth on the grid in Belgium and ninth in Miami, but the Red Bull car performed better on those tracks than it has so far in Singapore. He and Perez — who called qualifying a “complete disaster” — have repeatedly said the car feels unbalanced in the many slow corners in Singapore.
Verstappen avoided a grid penalty despite being under investigation in three cases of allegedly impeding other drivers. He received a reprimand — the first he has had this season — for stopping near the pit exit and another reprimand and 5,000-euro ($5,340) fine for slowing down Yuki Tsunoda of AlphaTauri. Verstappen was found not at fault in a case of impeding Williams driver Logan Sargeant. He said he had been trying to avoid a crash in heavy traffic.
Sainz took pole — for the second straight race — by .072 seconds from Russell. Sainz, who finished third in Italy behind Verstappen and Perez, said it might be easier to win in Singapore than in Italy despite concerns over Ferrari’s race pace.
“I’m more confident mainly because of the track layout. I think it’s a bit easier to hold onto a track position,” Sainz said. He added that Ferrari might have less pace in the race than other teams including Mercedes. “It could be that tomorrow we have to run, yet again, a bit of a defensive race but I don’t discount that even around this track we could hold on to our P1.”
Russell said the hot, humid conditions in Singapore were “like you’re sat in a sauna,” and praised Mercedes for finding the right setup for the city streets.
“This is a great opportunity this weekend to get a victory,” said Russell, who added Mercedes had conserved tires over the weekend to give it more strategy options in the race than rival teams.
Lando Norris starts fourth for McLaren, ahead of Lewis Hamilton in fifth for Mercedes. Kevin Magnussen is sixth for Haas, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon eighth, the second Haas of Nico Hulkenberg ninth and Lawson 10th.
The first qualifying session was red-flagged when Lance Stroll lost control of his Aston Martin and speared into the wall on the final corner. The Canadian was able to walk away and said he was unhurt.
The crash caused a lengthy delay as crews worked to clear away the debris and repair the barrier.
One of those to lose out was McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who only narrowly missed the wreckage of Stroll’s car and couldn’t complete his lap before the red flag came out leaving him 18th. Stroll was 20th and last.
With Alonso qualifying seventh, the incident was a reminder of Stroll’s underwhelming record this season at the team headed by his father, Lawrence Stroll. Alonso has racked up 170 points to Stroll’s 47 and the Canadian has not reached the podium this season.
Verstappen’s winning run in F1 is in doubt after qualifying 11th in Singapore with Sainz on pole
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Verstappen’s winning run in F1 is in doubt after qualifying 11th in Singapore with Sainz on pole
- Carlos Sainz Jr. took pole for the race for Ferrari on Sunday ahead of George Russell of Mercedes
- “It’s the best opportunity since the beginning of the season, for sure” for other teams to stop a Red Bull sweep of winning every race in 2023, Leclerc said
South African Lategan wins Dakar Rally prologue in Saudi Arabia
- Lategan, driving a Toyota Hilux, finished a second clear of Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom over the 29km run in Bisha
- The sixth edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia will stretch nearly 8,000 kilometers across 12 stages
BISHA: South Africa’s Henk Lategan won the Dakar Rally prologue in the cars category Friday, kicking off the sixth edition in Saudi Arabia that will stretch nearly 8,000 kilometers across 12 stages.
Lategan, driving a Toyota Hilux, finished a second clear of Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom over the 29km run in Bisha, with five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar third.
The prologue times do not count toward the overall standings but those in the top 10 get to choose their starting position for the first stage on Saturday, a 499km route featuring 413km of timed sectors.
Sebastien Loeb came seventh but Carlos Sainz, who became the oldest winner of the race last year at the age of 61, was down in 25th place.
Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion, is chasing a first Dakar crown in his ninth attempt.
Australian Daniel Sanders was the quickest of the motorbikes on his KTM, ahead of Botswana’s Ross Branch and Spanish teenager Edgar Canet.
Reigning champion Ricky Brabec of Honda came home fourth fastest.
A 434-strong colorful caravan made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks set out from Bisha for the opening prologue.
Twelve stages now await the 778 competitors from 72 countries, with a January 17 finish in Shubaytah, on the border of the United Arab Emirates.
This year’s route includes a second 48-hour stage in the Empty Quarter, a vast sea of sand with dunes as far as the eye can see.
The 47th running of the event may be called the Dakar, but the last time the Senegalese capital actually hosted the finish was way back in 2007 — the security situation in Mauritania forced the 2008 cancelation.
It moved then to South America until finding a new home in Saudi Arabia since 2020.
Sainz set to step out of comfort zone to defend Dakar Rally title
- Five-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and France’s nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb will be piloting Dacia Sandriders, while Spain’s one-time Dakar winner Nani Roma will also be in a Ford
- One notable absentee from the action will be France’s ‘Mr Dakar’, 14-time champion Stephane Peterhansel, who hung up his keys last year
- A 434-strong colorful caravan made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks sets out from Bisha with an opening prologue on Friday
BISHA, Saudi Arabia: Veteran Spanish driver Carlos Sainz made history when he won his fourth Dakar Rally last year and is confident that he has what it takes to challenge for victory in this season’s grueling race in Saudi Arabia.
Sainz’s fourth title came when he was 61 — the oldest winner of the race and the first Dakar victory for German outfit Audi.
Now 62, the Spaniard — the father of Ferrari Formula One driver Carlos Sainz Jr — recently became a grandfather, but the two-time world rally champion known as ‘El Matador’ professes to be in fine form.
“Personally I’ve done everything I can to arrive in a good physical condition and I will give everything to try to have a good race,” Sainz said at the launch of his new Ford Raptor car.
“We are comfortable, we have done all the jobs we can.”
Sainz added: “I expect first of all to enjoy, to have really good fun driving.
“I expect to have not so many problems and I expect to fight for the victory. I’m happy to help to try to win this challenge, the Dakar.”
No one has managed to take a machine fresh from the factory to victory since Ari Vatanen, who triumphed with the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 in 1987 and then with the 405 — its technical heir — in 1989, followed by the Citroen ZX in 1991.
But that hasn’t stopped Sainz’s rivals also choosing to blood new cars over the 5,115 kilometers (3,178 miles) of specials mapped out over 12 stages between Bisha and Shubaytah.
Five-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and France’s nine-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb will be piloting Dacia Sandriders, while Spain’s one-time Dakar winner Nani Roma will also be in a Ford.
One notable absentee from the action, however, will be France’s ‘Mr Dakar’, 14-time champion Stephane Peterhansel, who hung up his keys last year.
In the bike section, two-time winner Ricky Brabec (Honda) will be back to defend his title, with the American’s main rival likely to be Botswana’s Ross Branch (Hero), second last year.
A 434-strong colorful caravan made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks sets out from Bisha with an opening prologue on Friday.
Twelve stages then await the 778 competitors from 72 countries, with a Jan. 17 finish in Shubaytah, on the border of the UAE.
This year’s route includes a second 48-hour stage in the Empty Quarter, a vast sea of sand with dunes as far as the eye can see.
Introduced last year, organizers said the concept of the stage, during which competitors have to bivouac on the sand and are not allowed outside help, was simple: “Juggling the twin challenges of endurance and performance while blasting through a thousand kilometers of desert in two days.”
“It’s the rally of maturity,” race director David Castera told AFP. “There’s a real level of difficulty, it’s a real, tough Dakar, which will push everyone beyond their limits, beyond their comfort zone.”
The 47th running of the event may be called the Dakar, but the last time the Senegalese capital actually hosted the finish was way back in 2007 — the security situation in Mauritania forced the 2008 cancelation.
It moved then to South America until finding a new home in Saudi Arabia since 2020.
Winners of 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship honored at season awards
- Kingdom’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi wins for dominance in car category
- Championships a ‘landmark’ on sports map, says Prince Khalid
JEDDAH: The Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation hosted its annual awards here on Sunday to honor the winners of the 2024 Saudi Toyota Championship.
The ceremony was attended by Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal, the SAMF’s chairman and CEO of the Saudi Motorsport Co.; Khalid Al-Suwaidan, the SAMF’s CEO; officials from the Ministry of Sports; and local and regional media representatives.
In his keynote address, Prince Khalid said: “The Saudi Toyota Championship has become a landmark on the Saudi sports map, reflecting a new history and a promising future.”
“With your efforts and support, the championship has grown to become the largest motorsports competition in the Kingdom. Today, we celebrate the success of this year’s edition and honor the champions who excelled throughout the season,” he added.
Prince Khalid also thanked King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Minister of Sport for their support.
Al-Suwaidan added that the SAMF was committed to fostering growth and innovation in Saudi Arabia’s motorsports industry.
The awards recognized excellence across various categories, which included Yazeed Al-Rajhi who continued his dominance in the car category of the Rally Championship.
In the Drag Racing Championship, UAE racer Saeed Al-Balooshi was recognized for his win. Others honored were Jordan’s Mustafa Al-Attari for his performance in the Autocross Championship, and Fadi Hamada in the Time Attack Championship and Hill Climb Championship.
In addition, Mohammed Al-Orabi and Malik Mustafa were recognized for their wins in the Drift Championship and Karting Championship respectively.
The event also honored Saudi Arabia’s motorsports icons including Yasser bin Saidan, FIA World Rally Raid champion in the side-by-side vehicle category; Hani Al-Noumasi, FIM Baja World Cup champion in the quad category; Dania Aqeel, FIA Middle East Baja Cup champion; and Fahad Al-Sufyani, FIA Middle East Baja Cup co-drivers’ champion.
F1 Academy ‘wild card’ entry for Saudi driver Farah Al-Yousef in Jeddah next year
- The all-female event is a support race at the 2025 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in April
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian racing driver Farah Al-Yousef will take to the same track as stars such as Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton when the Formula 1 World Championship returns to Jeddah next year.
The 22-year-old from Riyadh has been selected as the “wild card” entry in the F1 Academy support race during the 2025 Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, which will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit from April 18-20.
Al-Yousef will compete in the all-female F1 Academy races against experienced drivers from countries around the world.
She recently qualified for the Formula Woman World Qualifiers in Dubai, where 50 women from 26 countries competed to qualify for the FW Nations Cup Festival. The event is scheduled to take place in the emirate shortly after the 2025 Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix.
Having studied aerospace engineering in the UK, Al-Yousef now plans to focus on her motorsport career. Over the next few months she will test and race behind the wheel of a Formula 4 single-seater car, the same type she will drive in April’s race.
“I’m delighted and so proud to represent my country as the wild card entry for the GP and be the only Saudi Arabia entry for both the GP and the FW Nations Cup,” she said.
“I am so grateful to Saudi Motorsport for assisting me with their support and my training. I can’t wait to start testing again and look forward to having a look at the amazing Jeddah Corniche track.”
President Mohammed Ben Sulayem announces FIA’s return to profitability
- ‘Improvement in financial health due to significant reduction of operating costs through an increase in revenues and savings’
DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA president, has lauded the organization’s return to profitability due to a significant reduction of operating costs driven by an increase in revenues and savings.
The Emirati former professional rally driver, who was appointed FIA president in December 2021, was speaking after financial results to date for 2024 were unveiled at World Council meetings during the FIA General Assemblies Week in Kigali, Rwanda.
The FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) is the governing body of motorsport, including Formula 1, and promotes safe, sustainable and accessible mobility for all road users across the world.
The FIA forecasts an operating result of $2.3 million (SR8.6 million) profit in 2024 — a remarkable improvement given that it stood at just over $25 million loss in 2021. The forecast operating result would be the best of the last seven years and the first positive one since 2018.
This accomplishment is the product of a wide-ranging reform of the FIA introduced by 63-year-old Dubai-born FIA President Ben Sulayem. This included a fully independent financial audit of the organization.
“This achievement is a result of our commitment of reform of the organization in the areas of governance and finance,” Ben Sulayem said.
“The new FIA leadership inherited a financial situation which was not sustainable in 2022. We have worked hard to reduce a sizeable deficit and have stabilized the overall financial health of the federation.
“We have implemented cost-containment measures and revenue-generating strategies to put the FIA on a more sustainable financial footing to meet our primary purpose of supporting our member clubs.”
Several measures have been introduced to streamline the FIA’s accounting and reporting procedures to create a sustainable financial model.
Ben Sulayem said that the future of motorsport was being “driven by innovation and purpose,” noting significant investment from the FIA across global grassroots activities alongside substantial research and development in the safety, volunteers and officials spaces.
The Vision 2030: FIA Motorsport Strategy, which provides a substantial platform for growth and further success, was also unveiled in Kigali during the FIA General Assemblies Week, with more details to be shared in 2025.
“This year has been a time of change and growth,” Ben Sulayem said. “We have built a stronger organization redefining our leadership with high-level appointments that bring a wealth of professional experience to the Federation.
“Together, we are forging the future of global motorsport and as we celebrate 120 years of the FIA, we honor the achievements of our past while propelling ourselves to a future driven by innovation and purpose.
“The FIA is on the right track. The 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season was record-breaking and highly competitive, and we continue our collaboration with Formula 1 and General Motors as we move toward an eleventh team on the grid from 2026.”
The 2024 F1 season concluded in dramatic style with the FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship being decided at the final race in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. McLaren claimed the honors in the UAE capital city, winning their first FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship in 26 years.
