PSG hit four past Atletico Madrid in dominant Club World Cup opener victory
In athletics, Sweden's Armand Duplantis broke the pole vault world record for the 12th time in front of a home crowd in Stockholm. In golf, J.J. Spaun claimed a surprising US Open victory after a rainy day.
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France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Red Bull boss says Verstappen wants to stay despite Mercedes links
The 27-year-old Dutchman has been heavily linked with a move to Mercedes next season, with some Italian media reporting that Verstappen had accepted an offer. Speaking during an official news conference at the British Grand Prix, Horner conceded that exit clauses existed in the Dutchman's contract, which runs to the end of 2028, but added that he felt Red Bull were in a "fairly comfortable" position. "There's obviously an awful lot of people talking about it, but what's most important is the relationship between the driver and the team," said a defensive Horner. "There's an agreement that defines that, as well, and everybody's very clear on where we're at. "Max has been with Red Bull since the very start of his career. All his successes come in Red Bull Racing cars. He's a big part of our team and he has a great deal of faith in the team and the people around him. "So, whilst there's always going to be speculation and noise, I think we all sit fairly comfortable with where we're at and what the situation is. We can't control the narrative of others but internally, we know where we're at." Asked if he could confirm that Verstappen would be a Red Bull driver in 2026, when a new set of technical regulations are to be introduced, Horner stressed it was his and the driver's intention, but was unable to be categoric. "Look, the contracts between the drivers and the teams are always going to remain confidential/" he said. "With any driver's contract, there is an element of a performance mechanism, and of course that exists within Max's contract. "His intention is that he will be there and driving for us in 2026. It's inevitable that he's of huge interest to any other team in the pit lane. 'Ignoring the noise' "Actually, probably, George (Russell, Mercedes driver) triggered all this speculation, probably trying to leverage his own situation and force clarity, which you can understand because he's driven a very good season as well this year. "But inevitably, there will always be speculation about it. I think the most important thing is the clarity that exists between Max and the team -- and that's very clear." Horner repeated that Verstappen's contract runs until 2028. "He's made it quite clear that he would like to finish his career in a Red Bull car from start to finish," he stressed. "I think that's quite special and unique for him. That's what we're focused on. We're just ignoring the noise and focusing on the areas we know where we need to improve and how to do that." Horner added that 2026 was sure to be a transformational year with no guarantees. "It's the biggest rule-change in F1 probably in the last 50 years, where both chassis and power unit are being introduced at the same time," he said. "Nobody, with hand on heart, can know what the pecking order is going to be. "So there are no guarantees that jumping into a Mercedes car would automatically be a better proposition."
France 24
7 hours ago
- France 24
Driven Leclerc determined to restore Ferrari to the top of F1
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc says he is determined to return the most iconic Formula One team to the top of the tree The 27-year-old Monegasque, who has eight Grand Prix wins to his name since his debut in 2018, takes heart that he has finished on the podium in three of the last four races. Ferrari lie second in the constructors championship on 210 points, but a massive 217 adrift of McLaren heading into this weekend's British Grand Prix. Leclerc is fifth in the drivers title race on 119 with team-mate seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton sixth on 91. Leclerc has big ambitions given the last time Ferrari won the constructors title was in 2008, and Kimi Raikkonen the last of their drivers to be crowned world champion in 2007. Leclerc concedes the first part of the season was "disappointing", falling well below expectations and they were working hard to iron out their weaknesses so as to be more competitive. The recent upturn in fortunes on the track shows he said they were making progress, if not yet turned the corner. "However, we cannot stop there," he told AFP on the sidelines at Silverstone. "The objective is far bigger when you are Ferrari. "It is imperative we win again and regularly." Leclerc admits the atmosphere in the early part of the season was "complicated" but the accomplished pianist, who has also had shares in racehorses, prefers to look on the bright side. "I like to put things in context," he said. "I am a Formula One driver, what's more at Ferrari, it is something I always dreamed about. "Whilst of course the present situation affects me, as when you are a driver you want to win, I am still an extremely fortunate person to be doing the thing I most love in the world." Leclerc, whose last win came in the United States in 2024, adds people should not interpret that as him being satisfied with the status quo. "I am far from happy with the situation and I am absolutely trying to do everything in order to rectify matters," he said. "Indeed that is where I discover my motivation: that of returning the most iconic 'team' to the highest level and to win the world championship together." 'The wrong foot' Charles Leclerc says next season will be pivotal as to whether Ferrari becomes a genuine contender or continues to struggle © Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP Leclerc says being "200 percent honest" achieving that this year "is going to be extremely complicated". "I would never say it is impossible till the moment it is mathematically the case. "However, McLaren have an enormous lead, their drivers too, so it will be tough." In theory Leclerc has until 2029 -- when his contract comes to an end -- to achieve his aim but he says next year will be pivotal to how the future pans out for them. "Next year will be extremely important for the 'team' because of the new rules," he said. "If one gets off on the right foot, it will be a very good omen for the following years, on the other hand if we get off on the wrong foot it will be much tougher to get back to the top." Leclerc says that Hamilton's arrival after a dozen seasons at Mercedes has helped in the process of addressing issues with the car. "Our collaboration is going really well," said Leclerc. "Lewis arrived at a team and a structure totally different to the one he had worked with for so long," he said. "He came with a completely different vision with alternative solutions for the problems amd made his fair share of observations which helped us a lot. "On my side I have knowledge of the system and of the Ferrari infrastructure." Leclerc says he has not learned anything from Hamilton, though, he added with all the 40-year-old Briton's experience he had kept an eye on him. "The manner in which we work has stayed rather individual," he said. "However, on the other hand clearly the first time he arrived at HQ I analysed and observed all he did. "With all the success he has had, it is normal to do that." © 2025 AFP
France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
Hamilton on top after opening practice for British GP
The 40-year-old seven-time world champion beat the McLarens of title-chasers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with a best lap in one minute and 26.892, revelling in clearly his best Friday practice session since he joined Ferrari this year. Hamilton has won the British Grand Prix a record nine times, started from pole seven times and been on the podium 14 times, a record for any driver at his home event. It was the first time this season that Hamilton had topped a practice session. His Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc was fourth ahead of George Russell of Mercedes, Racing Bulls' rookie Isack Hadjar, Alex Albon of Williams and Liam Lawson in the second Racing Bulls. Kimi Antonelli was ninth in the second Mercedes ahead of four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull. The session began after a busy morning with news of Alpine confirming the appointment of former Renault sporting director Steve Nielsen as managing director, in the wake of the exit of OIiver Oakes as team principal in May. A highly-respected and experienced F1 operator, Nielsen has had many roles at Enstone in the past with Benetton, Renault and Lotus. He starts work on September 1 and will report directly to the team's executive advisor Flavio Briatore. As expected, American Tim Mayer also confirmed his decision to stand against incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the presidency of the sport's ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA) in December. Mayer, son of former McLaren team boss Teddy Mayer and a vastly-experienced motor racing official, said: "Mohammed Ben Sulayem made promises three and a half years ago that were good ideas – transparency, governance -- and he even promised he would be a non-executive president. He hasn't delivered on those ideas. In fact, it has been quite the opposite." On a cooler day, Hamilton was one of the first men out to much appreciation from the big crowd, setting an early fastest lap before Norris and then Russell took command. Both McLaren and Red Bull introduced heavily-updated floors with the Milton Keynes based team handing Yuki Tsunoda's car over to 17-year-old Briton Arvid Lindblad, a front-runner in F2, while Alpine reserve Paul Aron was given a run in Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber. The first incident came when Gasly spun at the exit of Copse, but survived unscathed. "I absolutely lost it," he admitted. After 30 minutes, it was Hadjar on top for Racing Bulls with Piastri and Russell second and third before the field switched from mediums to softs. Norris set the pace, but was soon beaten by Piastri and then Leclerc in 1:27.095. The McLarens regained ascendancy with Piastri and then Norris, in a close-fought session that saw Hamilton go top again in 1:26.892 in his Ferrari, looking more comfortable in his car than in any previous FP1 this year
