Latest news with #SamBird
Arab News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Arab News
From dust to data: NEOM McLaren's Bird and James eye strong finish after tough Jakarta test
Riyadh: Coming off a demanding weekend at the Jakarta E-Prix, NEOM McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird and managing director and team principal Ian James joined a media roundtable on June 24 to discuss their takeaways from the race and the team's trajectory heading into the final stretch of the season. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Bird pointed to the circuit conditions in Jakarta as the toughest challenge of the weekend. He said that while dust was expected at the venue, the addition of rain made the surface even more unpredictable. 'We saw a dusty circuit almost get even dustier and even more difficult,' he said. The only grip available was on the narrow racing line, and deviating from it often meant a ruined lap or a potential crash. 'There was pretty much only the racing line that cleaned up, and then if you put one wheel off the racing line, the lap was finished or you were in the wall,' Bird said. That made overtaking extremely limited, and strategy around attack mode became even more critical. A technical issue with attack mode activation during the race also stood out as a key learning moment for Bird. Despite following standard procedures — pressing the activation button and passing over the loops — his boost failed to activate. 'We put that down to a regulation I didn't know about with regards to the amount of time that I needed to press the button for,' he said. In response, the team is now conducting an internal study of his button press durations over the past year to ensure consistency and compliance in future. Despite some setbacks this season, Bird emphasized the importance of staying focused and united as a team. 'If we can all operate at 100 percent — that's engineers, mechanics, myself, Taylor (Barnard) — then we know that we can score some big points,' he said. Acknowledging a few missed opportunities, Bird noted that the remaining four races are an opportunity to convert potential into performance. For James, the most rewarding part of his role has been leading a group of highly skilled and motivated individuals. He described the NEOM McLaren Formula E team as 'a group of men and women who are brilliant at what they do,' crediting their dedication and collaboration as key drivers of success. 'In bringing all of those ingredients, all those team members together, you then really unlock the performance potential of the team,' he added. Beyond the racing, James highlighted the progress the team has made in brand development and fan engagement. He confirmed that internal benchmarks in these areas have been met, reflecting Formula E's growing global appeal. In particular, he pointed to Saudi Arabia as a case study for that growth. He recalled the early days of Formula E in Diriyah in 2018 when the sport was still unfamiliar to many in the Kingdom. 'Every year that we've gone back, that interest has grown and grown,' he said, noting that the recent move to Jeddah has introduced the championship to new audiences and strengthened its presence in the region. With the team fourth in the standings with four races to go, James admitted that more work is needed to meet their goal of a top-three finish. Still, both he and Bird expressed confidence that the team has the talent, structure, and momentum to close the season on a high.
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pulse edge out Lightning to reach Grand Final
London Pulse booked their place in the Netball Super League Grand Final with a thrilling 50-49 win over Loughborough who secured top spot at the end of the Netball Super League regular season, ahead of Lightning, had trailed 29-21 at the third quarter saw Pulse seize the upper hand as they battled back into the contest at the Copper quick turnovers from captain Zara Everitt allowed Pulse to chip away at Lightning's Tchine's clinical scoring helped Pulse draw level before she put them in the lead towards the end of the third then held her nerve in the circle with a trio of decisive super shots in the final five Wallace-Joseph scored a super shot at the death but it was not enough to prevent Pulse taking victory and booking their place in the Grand Final on 6 July. 'Grit and determination' Player of the match, Pulse's Olivia Tchine: "I don't think it has sunk in yet but we had to work hard for that. We didn't have the best start - I don't know why. The fact we were still able to come out and grind showed we really wanted this."We haven't been a grand final for two years so it feels good to be back. We came into the changing room and it was like 'do we want this or not' and we came out to show it. In order for us to compete with the big teams we had to show we wanted it."Pulse director of netball, Sam Bird: "I am buzzing after that terrible start we had. I am really proud of the players for the grit and determination to pull it back."By half-time we knew the tide had turned. Defensively we were like a brick wall and it's such a big agile box which is difficult for any team to break through. We'll give our best against whoever we play next."Lightning head coach Vic Burgess: "I thought we had a good start but the third quarter we were hesitant in our plan and made errors."We had opportunities and didn't take them. We have another crack again next week in the preliminary final. We need to keep being consistent and execute things in attack and defence."There's lots positives and it was down to very small margins tonight. It could have gone either way, so we have to make sure our intensity is high and having that belief." Thunder cruise into preliminary final Manchester Thunder eased to a 79-49 victory over London Mavericks to secure a meeting with Lightning in next weekend's preliminary attack Elmere van der Berg led the way in a dominant display for Thunder with 46 goals while goal shooter Paige Reed weighed in with had led 24-13 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back despite the best efforts of Emily Andrew, who finished with 17 goals for the preliminary final will take place on the weekend of 29 June with the victors heading into the Grand Final to face Pulse on 6 July.
South Wales Argus
19-06-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Sam Bird: Pulse excited for the big stage
Sam Bird believes her London Pulse side are ready to embrace the big stage ahead of their major semi-final against Loughborough Lightning. Pulse finished top of the regular season table and come into Friday's clash at the Copper Box full of confidence off the back of four straight wins. Their last defeat came at the hands of Lightning, who have proved Pulse's nemesis in recent seasons. Pulse's last three campaigns have ended at the hands of Lightning, including defeat in the 2023 Grand Final at the Copper Box. But Bird believes her young squad have matured immeasurably since then and are now relishing the big matches. 'They are so desperate to show what they can do,' said Bird. 'It has gone from being nervous on that big stage to thriving on it. There's no arrogance, there's no complacency but it's an excitement to be involved in these games now opposed to being a bit scared.' Confidence is the watchword for Bird and her Pulse side, who have turned the tears of two years ago into an unwavering determination to achieve a maiden Netball Super League title. Twelve wins from their 14 matches this season, including a 77-51 demolition of Lightning away from home in March, has certainly helped. 'It does feel like we have momentum, and the squad is still developing and improving, we are still looking at growth at this point,' added Bird. 'The fact we have won the Super Cup and then league is a good confidence boost, and confidence is really important. 'We know this game is going to be tight on Friday, nobody is going to roll over, but we have confidence to know we can win and that really important going into the game.' The season has not been without its hitches either; a seven-game unbeaten start to the season came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Nottingham Forest in early May before Lightning won at the Copper Box two weeks later. The response, however, was exactly what Bird and her side needed in order to go again heading into the post-season. 'There was no finger-pointing, there was a lot of personal accountability both from the coaches and from players,' she revealed. 'We really recognised it was small things that contributed to those losses, and we were still the same strong roster.' Pulse's response on the court, four wins in a row to end the season, earned them top spot and a home major semi-final, meaning victory on Friday will send them straight through to the Grand Final at the O2 Arena. Bird is hoping home comforts can make all the difference, after reflecting that her squad may have been overwhelmed by changes to their routine ahead of last season's semi-final defeat to Lightning. 'It is really important to us to have this game at home,' said Bird. 'There is nothing better than playing at your home venue, an iconic venue like the Copper Box. It feels like we have done everything we can to put ourselves in a good position. 'Everybody is in their own bed, everyone is familiar with the venue. All our support staff are there; we have extra resource there to look after us. '[The major semi-final] is all new, so none of us as coaches have been through this process, so it is a new test for us. 'It feels less stressful to be in the major semi-final than a traditional semi-final, as that is knockout netball. It changes the mindset a little bit. We obviously want to win this game and then have a bit of recovery to peak for the final. That's the ideal route. 'It doesn't feel as edgy as when we played Loughborough last year in the semi-final, having beaten them twice in the league and then lost and it was all over. 'I genuinely feel like we couldn't have tried any harder this year, but just trying hard doesn't guarantee you anything.' To keep up with the latest news, make sure to follow the @NetballSL on X, Instagram and TikTok, Netball Super League on Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to our newsletter. The NSL Grand Final will be held at The O2 on 6 July for the first time ever. Get your tickets to experience live elite netball!
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sam Bird: Pulse excited for the big stage
By James Reid Sam Bird believes her London Pulse side are ready to embrace the big stage ahead of their major semi-final against Loughborough Lightning. Pulse finished top of the regular season table and come into Friday's clash at the Copper Box full of confidence off the back of four straight wins. Advertisement Their last defeat came at the hands of Lightning, who have proved Pulse's nemesis in recent seasons. Pulse's last three campaigns have ended at the hands of Lightning, including defeat in the 2023 Grand Final at the Copper Box. But Bird believes her young squad have matured immeasurably since then and are now relishing the big matches. 'They are so desperate to show what they can do,' said Bird. 'It has gone from being nervous on that big stage to thriving on it. There's no arrogance, there's no complacency but it's an excitement to be involved in these games now opposed to being a bit scared.' London Pulse are coming off the back of four straight wins. (Ben Lumley) Confidence is the watchword for Bird and her Pulse side, who have turned the tears of two years ago into an unwavering determination to achieve a maiden Netball Super League title. Advertisement Twelve wins from their 14 matches this season, including a 77-51 demolition of Lightning away from home in March, has certainly helped. 'It does feel like we have momentum, and the squad is still developing and improving, we are still looking at growth at this point,' added Bird. 'The fact we have won the Super Cup and then league is a good confidence boost, and confidence is really important. 'We know this game is going to be tight on Friday, nobody is going to roll over, but we have confidence to know we can win and that really important going into the game.' The season has not been without its hitches either; a seven-game unbeaten start to the season came to a shuddering halt at the hands of Nottingham Forest in early May before Lightning won at the Copper Box two weeks later. Advertisement The response, however, was exactly what Bird and her side needed in order to go again heading into the post-season. 'There was no finger-pointing, there was a lot of personal accountability both from the coaches and from players,' she revealed. 'We really recognised it was small things that contributed to those losses, and we were still the same strong roster.' Pulse's response on the court, four wins in a row to end the season, earned them top spot and a home major semi-final, meaning victory on Friday will send them straight through to the Grand Final at the O2 Arena. Bird is hoping home comforts can make all the difference, after reflecting that her squad may have been overwhelmed by changes to their routine ahead of last season's semi-final defeat to Lightning. London Pulse finished top of the regular season standings. (Ben Lumley) 'It is really important to us to have this game at home,' said Bird. 'There is nothing better than playing at your home venue, an iconic venue like the Copper Box. It feels like we have done everything we can to put ourselves in a good position. Advertisement 'Everybody is in their own bed, everyone is familiar with the venue. All our support staff are there; we have extra resource there to look after us. '[The major semi-final] is all new, so none of us as coaches have been through this process, so it is a new test for us. 'It feels less stressful to be in the major semi-final than a traditional semi-final, as that is knockout netball. It changes the mindset a little bit. We obviously want to win this game and then have a bit of recovery to peak for the final. That's the ideal route. 'It doesn't feel as edgy as when we played Loughborough last year in the semi-final, having beaten them twice in the league and then lost and it was all over. Advertisement 'I genuinely feel like we couldn't have tried any harder this year, but just trying hard doesn't guarantee you anything.' To keep up with the latest news, make sure to follow the @NetballSL on X, Instagram and TikTok, Netball Super League on Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to our newsletter. The NSL Grand Final will be held at The O2 on 6 July for the first time ever. Get your tickets to experience live elite netball!
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
'Barnard is the best on the Formula E grid' Sam Bird lauds his McLaren teammate
"Barnard is the best on the Formula E grid" Sam Bird lauds his McLaren teammate
