9/11 Families United Rip Jay Monahan, PGA Tour-LIV Merger
9/11 Families United absolutely blasted Jay Monahan and the PGA-LIV merger.
2023-06-07 02:46
PGA Tour Bows to Saudi Rival in Shock Combination With LIV Golf
The PGA Tour and Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf are combining in a shock merger, ending a seismic dispute
2023-06-06 23:18
Lewis Hamilton, an 18-month drought and an eighth world title further away than ever
When Lewis Hamilton took the chequered flag at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in December 2021, after one of the most action-packed and demanding races of his career, the Brit stood on the podium proud. Defiant, even. With the awe of a competitor on the brink of history, he leapt off top-spot and pointed towards his team down below. A 103rd win was sealed; No 104 a week later would seal a record-breaking eighth crown. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, abruptly left the stage. That was then. This is now. In the 18 months since that win in Jeddah – a win which brought him level on points with Verstappen in 2021’s title race for the ages – Hamilton has been on the podium 12 times. No 12 was secured in impressive fashion from fourth on the grid in Spain on Sunday. Eight ‘second-place’ finishes; four ‘third-place’ results. But zero wins. Of course, the first of those 12 will be talked about until the cows come home. It seems borderline unfathomable that Hamilton could be so close to an eighth world championship then and still hunting that 104th grand prix victory now. Abu Dhabi 2021 was the cruellest of near-misses. But even since then, with Red Bull taking Mercedes’ mantle at the front of the pack, Hamilton’s racing has remained at an ultra-high level. Last year, he had a mid-season streak of five podiums in a row, with Silverstone his best opportunity to stand on top once again. A mid-race safety car ruined his strategy, with Carlos Sainz instead emerging as a winner in F1 for the first time. Yet it was Austin in October, with Verstappen’s second title already wrapped up, that was tougher to stomach. Hamilton was leading with five laps to go but, ultimately, was powerless to stop Verstappen’s Red Bull surging past him. This, indeed, is what will be most excruciating for the 38-year-old. No opportunities have been squandered. In fact, openings have largely been self-induced, with Hamilton having to make moves on Sunday to make up for a weak qualifying record on Saturday, such was the volatility of Mercedes’ car. And yet, Russell was the one who capitalised in Brazil last November, following a sprint victory at Interlagos with his debut grand prix win. Hamilton came home second. Russell also claimed Mercedes’ sole pole position last year, in Hungary, while Hamilton has also not qualified first since Saudi 2021. Outwardly at least, Hamilton’s confidence in Mercedes is unaffected, despite an 18-month period riddled with frustration. So much so that a new contract is on the verge of being signed by both parties. Yet for the fierce competitor inside, such a drought will be agonising. Upcoming races at Montreal and Silverstone represent more glimmers of hope, as the new-and-improved Mercedes car evolves. But, frankly, Verstappen and Red Bull remain in a league of their own. Russell was mocked after the first race of the season in Bahrain when he claimed Christian Horner’s team could win every race this year. It, remarkably, does not seem so farcical now. As for Hamilton, that record-breaking eighth title seems further away than ever, with the man himself already talking about 2024. Yet breaking the longest losing streak of his career will, instead, be the predominant goal in the forefront of his mind come Canada and the traditional European season thereafter. Read More Max Verstappen says Lewis Hamilton title fight ‘would be great for the sport’ Lando Norris reacts to Lewis Hamilton collision that ruined his Spanish Grand Prix Max Verstappen maintains dominance but Mercedes show their teeth at Spanish Grand Prix
2023-06-06 15:18
Singapore to hold final horse race after more than 180 years
The Southeast Asian island nation's only race course will hold its final meeting next year.
2023-06-06 13:26
WTC final: Is Ajinkya Rahane ready to relaunch his Test career?
The Indian batter will be returning to the side after 18 months and has a lot to prove.
2023-06-06 05:45
Jim Hines: First sprinter to run 100m in under 10 seconds dies
Jim Hines, the American Olympic champion, broke the record in 1968 at the US Championships.
2023-06-06 00:16
What’s Trending Today: Apple WWDC Event, Hollywood Deal, Unruly Delta Air Passenger, Zhang Wins LPGA
Welcome to Social Buzz, a daily column looking at what’s trending on social media platforms. I’m Caitlin Fichtel,
2023-06-05 20:54
Celta Vigo 2-1 Barcelona: Player ratings as Barca lose final game of the season
Celta Vigo 2-1 Barcelona: Player ratings as Barca lose final game of the 2022/23 La Liga season season.
2023-06-05 05:26
Lando Norris reacts to Lewis Hamilton collision that ruined his Spanish Grand Prix
Lando Norris wanted to turn the air blue following his accident with Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix – but stressed his compatriot did not do anything wrong. Norris started third after a fine performance in qualifying, but his race was over inside two corners when he drove into the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes. Norris was forced to pit for a new front wing, relegating him to the back of the field. The 23-year-old Briton eventually took the chequered flag in 17th place. Hamilton continued without damage, finishing runner-up to Max Verstappen. Asked what went through his mind following his first-lap prang, Norris said: “F***. Max [Verstappen] went off the track and a bit wide, so he had to bounce over the kerb at Turn 2. Everybody checked up and I was too close to Lewis to react and brake so it was just unlucky in my opinion, and a racing incident. “Lewis didn’t do anything wrong. I touched his wheel, nothing happened to him, maybe it made him quicker today.” Following a brief resurgence, McLaren are on something of a downward spiral. Norris has scored only a dozen points from the opening seven rounds, leaving him 11th in the standings. And the highly-rated Briton, who is under contract with McLaren until the end of 2025, painted a gloomy picture for the remainder of the campaign. “The pace was as expected as it was today which was bad,” he said. “I don’t think we expected anything else. “We were slow and we have been all year. Yesterday was a special day. Some of the good teams struggled and some of the worst teams did a better job. People made mistakes and we capitalised on that. “But we are clearly nowhere near as quick as the top-five teams so there is no point thinking about finishing in the points because we are not quick enough. “There are no new parts on the car. We had an upgrade in Baku and that was about it. It maybe brought us half-a-tenth to a tenth. “A lot of teams have brought upgrades to the last few races and we haven’t. We are not expecting anything more than we are doing and if we get in the points it is an amazing day but the expectation is that we won’t.” Read More Max Verstappen maintains dominance but Mercedes show their teeth at Spanish Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton accuses George Russell of ‘dangerous’ driving: ‘He just backed off’ ‘Best driver in the world’ needs more than just a Formula One title, claims rival championship boss Hamilton and Russell collide as Verstappen claims Spanish GP pole Max Verstappen sets the pace again but little to cheer for Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton toils in 12th as Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominate in Spain
2023-06-05 03:25
Lando Norris upset by Lewis Hamilton prang but accepts it was ‘racing incident’
Lando Norris wanted to turn the air blue following his accident with Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix – but stressed his compatriot did not do anything wrong. Norris started third after a fine performance in qualifying, but his race was over inside two corners when he drove into the back of Hamilton’s Mercedes. Norris was forced to pit for a new front wing, relegating him to the back of the field. The 23-year-old Briton eventually took the chequered flag in 17th place. Hamilton continued without damage, finishing runner-up to Max Verstappen. Asked what went through his mind following his first-lap prang, Norris said: “F***. Max [Verstappen] went off the track and a bit wide, so he had to bounce over the kerb at Turn 2. Everybody checked up and I was too close to Lewis to react and brake so it was just unlucky in my opinion, and a racing incident. “Lewis didn’t do anything wrong. I touched his wheel, nothing happened to him, maybe it made him quicker today.” Following a brief resurgence, McLaren are on something of a downward spiral. Norris has scored only a dozen points from the opening seven rounds, leaving him 11th in the standings. And the highly-rated Briton, who is under contract with McLaren until the end of 2025, painted a gloomy picture for the remainder of the campaign. “The pace was as expected as it was today which was bad,” he said. “I don’t think we expected anything else. “We were slow and we have been all year. Yesterday was a special day. Some of the good teams struggled and some of the worst teams did a better job. People made mistakes and we capitalised on that. “But we are clearly nowhere near as quick as the top-five teams so there is no point thinking about finishing in the points because we are not quick enough. “There are no new parts on the car. We had a upgrade in Baku and that was about it. It maybe brought us half-a-tenth to a tenth. “A lot of teams have brought upgrades to the last few races and we haven’t. We are not expecting anything more than we are doing and if we get in the points it is an amazing day but the expectation is that we won’t.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen tops rain-hit final practice for Spanish Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton toils in 12th as Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominate in Spain Fernando Alonso: Hamilton can win eighth title but Verstappen can break records
2023-06-05 02:59
Real Madrid 1-1 Athletic Club: Player ratings as Karim Benzema scores in final Los Blancos game
Real Madrid 1-1 Athletic Club: Player ratings as Karim Benzema scores in final Los Blancos game.
2023-06-05 02:57
Max Verstappen wins Spanish GP as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell make podium
Max Verstappen recorded a dominant victory at the Spanish Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished second and third for Mercedes. Verstappen led all 66 laps at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya to record his fifth win from the opening seven rounds and extend his championship lead. Hamilton started fourth but finished runner-up, with team-mate Russell completing the podium places on a strong afternoon for the Silver Arrows. Sergio Perez secured fourth spot after moving ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz with a dozen laps remaining. Verstappen’s title lead over his Red Bull team-mate now stands at 53 points, with a week off before the next round in Canada on June 18. A day on from crushing his opposition to take pole, Verstappen held off the advances off Sainz on the long run to the opening corner and from there, his 40th career victory, which takes him just one shy of Ayrton Senna’s career tally, never looked in doubt. Red Bull have won all seven rounds this year, and 17 of the last 18 races contested, and their stranglehold on the sport shows few signs of easing. Mercedes have endured a turbulent season in their pursuit of Red Bull, but the Brackley team will take significant pleasure from their performance here. The seven-time world champion, who started fourth, survived a prang with Lando Norris on the second corner. Hamilton leapfrogged his countryman off the start-line before Norris nibbled at the Mercedes’ gearbox, and broke his front wing in the process. The McLaren man was forced to stop for repairs. Hamilton lost a position to Lance Stroll, but on lap eight he was back ahead of the Aston Martin driver. Further behind and Russell, who started 12th following a bizarre collision with Hamilton in qualifying, was on the move, too. After ending the opening lap in seventh, Russell cleared Fernando Alonso, before slipstreaming his way ahead of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon. On lap 15, Sainz stopped for rubber, promoting Hamilton to second, with Verstappen eight seconds up the road. Nine laps later, Hamilton made his first stop, dropping him back behind Sainz, with Russell pitting for fresh rubber on the next lap. But the Mercedes men, in their upgraded machines, were flying on new tyres, and on lap 28, Hamilton roared past Sainz to assume second position. Seven laps later, Russell was also ahead of the Ferrari man following a fine move down the Spaniard’s inside at Turn 1. “Solid work,” was the verdict of Russell’s race engineer, Marcus Dudley. “Just solid?” replied Russell. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was next on the radio. “It was pretty good,” the Austrian said. Mercedes hauled Hamilton and Russell in for a second pit-stop, but the team-mates, hung on to second and third on the road, with both Verstappen and Perez also needing a second change of tyres. Verstappen was handed the black and white flag for exceeding track limits, but took a bonus point for setting the fastest lap, and crossed the line 24 seconds clear of Hamilton, who finished eight seconds ahead of team-mate Russell. Stroll was sixth, one spot ahead of home favourite Alonso, who, despite a move on Ocon in the latter stages, provided the packed grandstands with little to cheer as he registered his worst finish of the season. Charles Leclerc finished only 12th on a weekend to forget for the Ferrari driver, with Norris, who qualified third, 18th, following his first-lap accident. “It is a big pleasure to drive a car like this,” Verstappen said afterwards. “It showed again today. A win here is incredible. “I had another strong weekend and that is what I like and hopefully we can keep that up throughout the year.” Hamilton said: “What a result for our team. We definitely did not expect that, so I want to take my hat off to the team and everyone back at the factory. “The Red Bulls are still ahead but we will keep working at it and chasing them down.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen tops rain-hit final practice for Spanish Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton toils in 12th as Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominate in Spain Fernando Alonso: Hamilton can win eighth title but Verstappen can break records
2023-06-04 23:19