SILVERSTONE, England: The home crowd had three reasons to cheer when George Russell narrowly beat Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the British Grand Prix, and Lando Norris was third quickest for McLaren on Saturday.
It was all about the Brits at Silverstone, with Formula 1 leader Max Verstappen taking a rare back seat and qualifying in fourth for Red Bull.
“The crowd gives us so much energy. I don’t think Silverstone could have dreamt of (this),” a jubilant Russell said. “Three Brits in the top three, we love the support and we can’t wait for the race tomorrow.”
Russell is perfectly poised to aim for a second straight F1 win following his victory at the Austrian GP last weekend. Mercedes is showing signs of closing the gap in terms of speed, and team principal Toto Wolff clenched his fist after his drivers secured a 1-2.
“What a feeling. This is just mega,” Russell said. “The car at the moment is feeling so, so good. We are riding this wave and absolutely buzzing.”
Russell arrived at the track wearing an England soccer shirt ahead of the national team’s European Championship quarterfinal against Switzerland later Saturday, and said his own nerves were on edge.
“Probably the most pressure I’ve ever felt in a qualifying session,” he said, praising the crowd for uplifting him. “I wasn’t feeling that confident with myself.”
Hamilton just missed out on a record-extending 105th F1 pole by .171 seconds while Norris was .211 seconds behind Russell, who secured his second pole of the season and third of his career.
“Three Brits in the top three is incredible,” said Hamilton, who has won at Silverstone a record eight times. “This is huge for us (Mercedes). The car felt great.”
Sergio Perez’s poor run of form for Red Bull continued. He went off track at Copse corner and into the gravel during Q1 — the first part of qualifying — prompting team principal Christian Horner to shake his head. Perez’s car was removed by a crane as the Mexican driver looked on.
Since being given a two-year contract extension last month, Perez has not finished higher than seventh in three races and faces a difficult task to score points from 19th spot.
When qualifying resumed dark clouds were forming over the six-kilometer (3.7-mile) circuit.
Verstappen uttered an expletive over the team radio after momentarily sliding off track and riding over some gravel. He was way off the pace in Q1, which was led by Hamilton, and again in Q2, which Norris led.
Verstappen missed out on a ninth pole of the season. But he praised his team for fixing damage to the car floor from going over the gravel.
“I gave it everything. Guys, thank you very much,” the Dutchman said on radio. “We’ll go at it tomorrow.”
It was a frustrating day for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who failed to make it into Q3, the top 10 shootout, and starts 11th.
“I had huge problems with balance,” said Leclerc, who won the Monaco GP from pole in May.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri goes from fifth followed by Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg, with Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Alex Albon (Williams) and two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) rounding out the top 10.
French driver Esteban Ocon qualified in 18th and called qualifying “embarrassing” for the Alpine team. He is leaving at the end of the year and reportedly could join Haas.
Earlier Saturday, a rainy third session saw an early red flag when Alpine driver Pierre Gasly went into the gravel.
Russell led P3 narrowly ahead of Hamilton in a sign of things to come.
“To compete with the McLarens and Red Bulls is a great feeling, a massive boost,” said Hamilton, who won the last of his record 103 F1 races in the penultimate race of 2021.
Norris led the two practices on Friday with Verstappen finishing out of the top three both times.
In Sunday’s race, the start could prove crucial.
Norris has to get past two Mercedes and hold off Verstappen alongside him, one week after Verstappen and Norris crashed into each other late on in Austria.
“I can bring the fight to George and Lewis so I’m excited to put on a good show,” Norris said. “I’m confident we can execute a good race.”
Three cheers for Brits: Russell beats Hamilton to take Silverstone F1 pole with Norris third
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Three cheers for Brits: Russell beats Hamilton to take Silverstone F1 pole with Norris third
- Russell is perfectly poised to aim for a second straight F1 win following his victory at the Austrian GP last weekend
Paolini eyes Wimbledon title against Krejcikova after ‘crazy’ run
- Paolini survived the longest women’s singles semifinal in Wimbledon history to beat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) after two hours and 51 minutes of Center Court drama on Thursday
LONDON: Italy’s Jasmine Paolini has set her sights on capping a “crazy” run to Saturday’s Wimbledon final against Barbora Krejcikova by winning a maiden Grand Slam title.
Paolini survived the longest women’s singles semifinal in Wimbledon history to beat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) after two hours and 51 minutes of Center Court drama on Thursday.
The 28-year-old is the first Italian woman to reach the final of the grass-court Grand Slam.
She will face Czech 31st seed Krejcikova, who enjoyed a shock 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 2022 champion Elena Rybakina in the other semifinal.
It is an astonishing achievement for Paolini, who had not won a Tour-level match on grass until 15 days ago in Eastbourne, and lost in the first round on her previous three visits to Wimbledon.
She had also failed to go beyond the second round of a Grand Slam until this year.
But 2024 has been a breakthrough campaign for Paolini, who reached her maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open before losing to world number one Iga Swiatek.
Even Paolini can’t quite believe her remarkable rise.
“You are crazy, I would say, yes,” she said. “Yeah, I don’t have words. Just, yeah, you are crazy,” said Paolini, who started her unexpected rise by making the Australian Open last 16 in January.
“Two Grand Slam finals in a row was crazy to believe, no?“
Paolini, seeded seventh at Wimbledon, could be forgiven for feeling nervous as she chases the first Grand Slam title of her previously underwhelming career.
She conceded anxiety could be an issue on Center Court this weekend, but she can take heart from the gritty fightback against Vekic, who burst into tears as she let the semifinal slip away after holding a 3-1 lead in the deciding set.
Paolini is the first woman to reach back-to-back Roland Garros and Wimbledon finals since Serena Williams in 2016.
The final is just the second time Krejcikova and Paolini have met and their showdown will be a world away from their first encounter.
The pair squared off in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open in 2018, with Krejcikova claiming a straight sets victory.
“It was a very long time ago, it’s been a great journey for both of us to reach the Wimbledon final,” Krejcikova said.
Krejcikova will be playing in the second Grand Slam final of her career after winning the French Open in 2021.
The 28-year-old had struggled with a back injury and illness this year, winning just three singles matches in the five months before finding her form in remarkable style at Wimbledon.
Krejcikova shocked 11th seed Danielle Collins in the fourth round, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in the quarter-finals and Rybakina in the last four.
The two-time Wimbledon doubles champion is inspired by 1998 All England Club winner Jana Novotna, who worked as her coach for a period before dying of cancer in 2017.
“She was telling me a lot of stories about her journeys here and how she was trying to win Wimbledon. I was so far when we had this talk and now I’m in the final,” said Krejcikova, who can become the sixth Czech woman to win Wimbledon.
“I have had many difficult periods. I never really imagined I could reach a Wimbledon final, that I can be a different player.
“I’m super happy I was able to fight through everything.”
CONMEBOL open probe into violent clashes at end of Copa semifinal
MIAMI: Copa America organizers CONMEBOL have opened a disciplinary investigation into the “acts of violence” at the end of Wednesday’s semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia in Charlotte.
Uruguay’s Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez was among the players who waded into the stands at the Bank of America Stadium and exchanged punches with fans during what CONMEBOL called “unacceptable” scenes.
Uruguay central defender Jose Maria Gimenez said players had leapt into the melee out of concern for the safety of family members and loved ones watching the game in that section of the ground.
Uruguay are scheduled to face Canada, at the same stadium, in the third place game on Saturday and it remains to be seen if any of their players are suspended for that game.
“In light of the acts of violence that occurred at the end of the match between the national teams of Uruguay and Colombia, the Disciplinary Unit of CONMEBOL has decided to open an investigation to clarify the sequence of events and the responsibilities of those involved,” the South American confederation said.
CONMEBOL said they would not accept any repeat of the incidents, which saw fighting between the two sets of supporters, for Sunday’s final between Argentina and Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
“On the eve of our Copa America final, we want to reaffirm and warn that no action that tarnishes a global football celebration will be tolerated, involving both the protagonists and the fans present in the stadium for a final viewed by hundreds of millions of spectators worldwide.
“It is unacceptable that an incident like this turns passion into violence. Therefore, no behavior that violates the spirit of the sport and the world’s most beautiful spectacle, which belongs to the whole family, will be tolerated,” they added.
Gimenez said that the players had got involved to protect their family members and was critical of the local police in the venue.
“Our family was in danger. We had to go to the stands to take out our loved ones, with tiny newborn babies,” the Atletico Madrid player said.
“There was not a single police officer... I hope those who are organizing this are a little more careful with the families,” he said.
As well as the incidents in the stands, there were also clashes on the field at the final whistle involving players from both teams.
SPL outlines priorities for player acquisitions, club development before new season
- League remains committed to providing a supportive, centralized approach to transfers
- Clubs continue to attract top-tier talents to their administrative ranks
RIYADH: The Saudi Pro League, in collaboration with all 18 clubs, announced on Thursday its comprehensive preparations and key priorities for the upcoming summer transfer window and the 2024-25 season.
As part of the Player Acquisition Center of Excellence program, which was launched in 2023, the SPL held meetings with all top-flight clubs in the final months of last season to understand more fully their targets and requirements. The program was launched as one of seven in the SPL’s transformation strategy.
The SPL remains committed to providing a supportive and centralized approach to transfers. This includes assisting clubs with squad mapping and player care by offering expertise, governance, and sustainability measures.
The SPL’s priorities for the season and transfer window include supporting existing contracts by prioritizing current deals to ensure the success of players by providing the necessary resources.
Other aims include strategic acquisitions to address clubs’ technical gaps and secure top talent.
Another priority is its sustainability policy, which is to ensure players are signed for technical needs, supported for success, and fairly valued.
Off the pitch, the SPL clubs continue to attract top-tier talents to their administrative ranks.
Al-Shabab recently appointed Domenico Teti as sporting director, while Al-Nassr appointed Fernando Hierro. Both sporting directors join Esteve Calzada, Al-Hilal’s CEO; Ron Gourlay, Al-Ahli’s CEO; Lee Congerton, Al-Ahli’s sporting director; Ramon Planes, Al-Ittihad’s sporting director; and James Bisgrove, Al-Qadsiah’s CEO, as new appointments ahead of the new season.
In addition, the SPL has conducted a series of workshops with partner leagues in Europe and Asia to further develop areas of cooperation and mutual benefit. Discussions have covered topics such as mutual promotion, broadcast development, and alignment on transfer window dates.
The Player Acquisition Center of Excellence program, according to the SPL, serves as a collaborative tool with clubs to enhance their acquisition capabilities.
The program has so far recruited 97 players and reviewed over 200 contracts, significantly reducing contract termination costs and lowering the average age of signed players from 29 to 27.5 years. The ultimate aim is to focus on signing players under the age of 21.
FIFA uses Pakistan’s ‘Blockbuster’ song to showcase French football star Mbappe’s on-field skills
- FIFA posts Mbappe highlights on TikTok using Pakistani song “Blockbuster” as background music
- Groovy song has gone viral since its release in May, garnering over 19 million views on YouTube
ISLAMABAD: The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) this week paid tribute to French football star Kylian Mbappe, showcasing his on-field skills in a TikTok video that featured the hit Pakistani song “Blockbuster” as background music.
Mbappe, considered one of the greats of the game, failed to see France to the final of the ongoing Euro Cup 2024 after his side lost to Spain 2-1 in the semifinal of the tournament on Wednesday. France disappointed fans by completing fewer passes than Spain and keeping possession of the ball only 41 percent throughout the game.
On Tuesday, FIFA posted a video on TikTok highlighting Mbappe’s on-field heroics over the years. Pakistani TikTok users were delighted to see the football governing body used the hit Coke Studio song “Blockbuster” from their country as background music for the reel.
The groovy, upbeat song featuring singer Umair Butt, rapper Faris Sharif and a Lahore-based musical group “The Gharwi Group,” has gone viral since it was released last month. The hit song has garnered over 19 million views on YouTube since it was released in May.
“Mbappe’s “BLOCKBUSTER” entry,” FIFA wrote as the caption on the TikTok post, referencing the Pakistani song.
The song’s music producer Zulfiqar Khan or “Xulfi” as he is popularly known in Pakistan, shared the FIFA post on his social media handles.
“From Coke Studio Pakistan to FIFA’s global stage — our ‘Blockbuster’ just made an appearance with Mbappe on FIFA’s official TikTok page! This feels surreal,” Khan wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.
“Our voice, our beats transcending boundaries, creating timelines once deemed improbable. Congratulations Pakistan. This is wonderful and this is huge.”
This is not the first time FIFA has used Pakistani songs in its social media posts. Last month, the football body used famed Pakistani folk singer Arif Lohar’s 2023 hit “Aa” to mark football icon Lionel Messi’s 37th birthday in a social media post.
FIFA AND PAKISTAN’S HASSAN ALI
On Sunday, FIFA referenced a viral video of Pakistani cricketer Hasan Ali as it paid tribute to English footballer Bukayo Ayoyinka Temidayo Saka.
A snippet from an interview featuring Ali went viral last year in which he praised Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam. His sentence, “King karlega [the King will do it]” for Azam went viral, triggering thousands of memes and social media posts.
On Sunday, FIFA posted a photo of Saka on Instagram with the caption: “Saka karlega [Saka will do it]” in a reference to Ali’s famous dialogue.
One year after failed bid, Bayern Munich finally sign Portugal midfielder Palhinha
- Palhinha joins Bayern from English Premier League club Fulham for a reported fee of nearly $54.2 million
- Bayern board sporting director Max Eberl said: "João really wanted to come to Bayern, and we need players like that"
MUNICH: A year after a high-profile failure to sign Portugal midfielder João Palhinha, Bayern Munich finally made the deal happen on Thursday.
Palhinha joins Bayern from English Premier League club Fulham for a reported fee of nearly 50 million euros ($54.2 million) on a contract through June 2028, the Bavarian club announced.
Palhinha, who helped Portugal to the quarterfinals at the European Championship, is the latest signing in a Bayern rebuild after the club's first season without a trophy since 2012.
“Palhinha was highly sought after by FC Bayern even last summer, and rightly so. It was important that we never lost touch,” Bayern board sporting director Max Eberl said." João really wanted to come to Bayern, and we need players like that. He’s an important building block for our future."
Bayern seemed sure to sign the player last year and the midfielder even traveled to Munich for a medical but the deal — reportedly worth 65 million euros ($70 million) at the time — collapsed just before the end of the transfer window.
Thomas Tuchel, Bayern coach at the time, was keen to sign a more defensive-minded midfielder like Palhinha in a squad packed with midfielders like Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka who liked to make attacking runs into the opponent's box.
Two weeks after that, Palhinha signed a new contract at Fulham through the 2027-28 season.
Palhinha is the third new signing to be confirmed at Bayern since Vincent Kompany was hired as coach in May, after Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito and Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise. Bayern have yet to sell any of their current first-team players in this transfer window.
