Latest news with #Belgian-born
TimesLIVE
41 minutes ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Belgian Grand Prix kicks off new era for Red Bull as Mekies takes control
Formula One's Spa weekend marks a new start for Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen as the team go racing for the first time without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton's sudden sacking after a 20-year reign of rare success, including the most dominant of seasons in 2023, has had the sport buzzing for weeks with plenty of questions to be asked in Belgium. A Saturday sprint will be the first race of new boss Laurent Mekies' tenure and the change, and how it affects four-time world champion Verstappen's future, remains the talking point. Horner has made no public comment and Red Bull's preview for the 13th round of the 24-race season made no mention of him. 'I was back at the factory last week to spend time in the sim[ulator] with the team and I'm looking forward to working with Laurent,' Belgian-born Verstappen was quoted as saying. Mekies, promoted from Racing Bulls who have handed over the reins to Alan Permane, arrives with Red Bull fourth overall and Verstappen a distant third in the drivers' standings behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. That intra-team title battle is likely to have extra sizzle at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris seeks a third win in a row — new territory for the Briton — and the chance to take over at the top. The sprint format offers more points than usual and Norris, whose mother is Belgian, is only eight behind the Australian going to a high-speed track that is a favourite for most drivers.
The Star
2 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Star
Motor racing-F1's Spa weekend kicks off a new era for Red Bull
FILE PHOTO: Formula One F1 - British Grand Prix - Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Britain - July 6, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen arrives ahead of the race REUTERS/Jaimi Joy/File photo SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) -Formula One's Spa weekend marks a new start for Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen as the team go racing for the first time without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton's sudden sacking after a 20-year reign of rare success, including the most dominant of seasons in 2023, has had the sport buzzing for weeks with plenty of questions to be asked in Belgium. A Saturday sprint will be the first race of new boss Laurent Mekies' tenure and the change, and how it affects four-times world champion Verstappen's future, remains the big talking point of the moment. Horner has made no public comment and Red Bull's preview for the 13th round of the 24-race season made no mention of him. "I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim(ulator) with the team and I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent," Belgian-born Verstappen was quoted as saying. Mekies, promoted from Racing Bulls who have handed over the reins to Alan Permane, arrives with Red Bull fourth overall and Verstappen a distant third in the drivers' standings behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. That intra-team title battle is likely to have some extra sizzle at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris seeks a third win in a row -- new territory for the Briton -- and the chance to take over at the top. The sprint format offers more points than usual and Norris, whose mother is Belgian, is only eight behind the Australian going to a high-speed track that is a favourite for most drivers. Piastri, despite his generally unruffled exterior, may also be still simmering at the 10 second penalty that cost him a win in Britain and handed victory to Norris. He will want to hit back as Formula One kicks off a Belgium/Hungary double-header -- the first fast and often wet while the second is twisty and hot -- before the long August break. George Russell, his contract expiring at the end of the season and in danger of losing his Mercedes seat to Verstappen or having him as an uncomfortable teammate, is also not short of motivation. The Briton was stripped of victory last year at Spa when post-race checks found his car to be underweight, handing victory to then-teammate Lewis Hamilton in what remains the seven-times champion's most recent win in F1. Ferrari have yet to triumph, other than a Shanghai sprint, since Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Maranello in January but they are gathering momentum. The Italian team are second overall and Charles Leclerc has secured three podiums in the last five races while Hamilton was fourth at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg will also be getting back to business at Sauber after an emotional first podium at the 239th attempt at Silverstone ended his unwanted record of most races without a top three finish. Sauber, the future Audi works team, are on the move and have scored the fourth most points of any outfit on the grid over the last four races. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
F1's Spa weekend kicks off a new era for Red Bull
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium - Formula One's Spa weekend marks a new start for Red Bull and reigning world champion Max Verstappen as the team go racing for the first time without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton's sudden sacking after a 20-year reign of rare success, including the most dominant of seasons in 2023, has had the sport buzzing for weeks with plenty of questions to be asked in Belgium. A Saturday sprint will be the first race of new boss Laurent Mekies' tenure and the change, and how it affects four-times world champion Verstappen's future, remains the big talking point of the moment. Horner has made no public comment and Red Bull's preview for the 13th round of the 24-race season made no mention of him. "I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim(ulator) with the team and I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent," Belgian-born Verstappen was quoted as saying. Mekies, promoted from Racing Bulls who have handed over the reins to Alan Permane, arrives with Red Bull fourth overall and Verstappen a distant third in the drivers' standings behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. That intra-team title battle is likely to have some extra sizzle at Spa-Francorchamps as Norris seeks a third win in a row -- new territory for the Briton -- and the chance to take over at the top. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Judge asks prosecution for more information on Kpods in first case involving etomidate-laced vapes Singapore Male victim of fatal Toa Payoh fire was known to keep many things, say residents Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore 5 teens arrested for threatening boy with knife, 2 charged with causing hurt Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore Cyclist charged after allegedly hitting elderly pedestrian, killing him Singapore Money, housing and isolation the biggest struggles for youth leaving children's homes: Study Singapore Sota's parents portal taken down for urgent patching following global cyberattack alerts The sprint format offers more points than usual and Norris, whose mother is Belgian, is only eight behind the Australian going to a high-speed track that is a favourite for most drivers. Piastri, despite his generally unruffled exterior, may also be still simmering at the 10 second penalty that cost him a win in Britain and handed victory to Norris. He will want to hit back as Formula One kicks off a Belgium/Hungary double-header -- the first fast and often wet while the second is twisty and hot -- before the long August break. George Russell, his contract expiring at the end of the season and in danger of losing his Mercedes seat to Verstappen or having him as an uncomfortable teammate, is also not short of motivation. The Briton was stripped of victory last year at Spa when post-race checks found his car to be underweight, handing victory to then-teammate Lewis Hamilton in what remains the seven-times champion's most recent win in F1. Ferrari have yet to triumph, other than a Shanghai sprint, since Hamilton moved from Mercedes to Maranello in January but they are gathering momentum. The Italian team are second overall and Charles Leclerc has secured three podiums in the last five races while Hamilton was fourth at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg will also be getting back to business at Sauber after an emotional first podium at the 239th attempt at Silverstone ended his unwanted record of most races without a top three finish. Sauber, the future Audi works team, are on the move and have scored the fourth most points of any outfit on the grid over the last four races. REUTERS
Japan Today
7 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
Pogacar crashes and Abrahamsen wins stage in Tour de France
Norway's Jonas Abrahamsen, left, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) cycling Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen attacked from the start and won the 11th stage of the Tour de France while race favorite Tadej Pogacar crashed near the finish on Wednesday. Pogacar, the three-time champion, crashed with 3.9 kilometers remaining. His rivals for the general classification slowed down so he could get back on his bike and rejoin them. Fortunately, he was able to reattach his chain and his bike was otherwise undamaged. Abrahamsen beat Swiss rider Mauro Schmid in a photo finish in a final sprint after Belgian-born Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel made a late push to catch them. It was the Norwegian rider's first stage win at the Tour and the first in this race for his team, Uno-X Mobility. Van der Poel was 7 seconds behind in third, while the GC group including Pogacar and yellow jersey-holder Ben Healy finished 3:28 back. Healy, only the fourth Irish rider ever to hold the yellow jersey, still leads by 29 seconds from Pogačar. After the first rest day on Tuesday, Wednesday's stage was a 156.8-kilometer loop from Toulouse back to the southern 'Pink City' with views of the Pyrenees. It was expected to suit the sprinters, though there was a sting in the tail with a 20% incline on the Côte de Pech David before the finish. Abrahamsen attacked with 155 kilometers to go and was joined by Schmid and Davide Ballerini, prompting persistent attacks from the likes of Van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Victor Campenaerts. Ultimately all their efforts were in vain. 'It's a crazy stage, guys,' the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team riders were told over their radios, 'A crazy stage. Stay focused.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
Pogačar crashes and Abrahamsen wins stage in Tour de France
TOULOUSE, France — Norwegian rider Jonas Abrahamsen attacked from the start and won the 11th stage of the Tour de France while race favorite Tadej Pogačar crashed near the finish on Wednesday. Pogačar, the three-time champion, crashed with 3.9 kilometers remaining. His rivals for the general classification slowed down so he could get back on his bike and rejoin them. Fortunately, he was able to reattach his chain and his bike was otherwise undamaged. Abrahamsen beat Swiss rider Mauro Schmid in a photo finish in a final sprint after Belgian-born Dutch rider Mathieu van der Poel made a late push to catch them. It was the Norwegian rider's first stage win at the Tour and the first in this race for his team, Uno-X Mobility. Van der Poel was 7 seconds behind in third, while the GC group including Pogačar and yellow jersey-holder Ben Healy finished 3:28 back. Healy, only the fourth Irish rider ever to hold the yellow jersey , still leads by 29 seconds from Pogačar. After the first rest day on Tuesday, Wednesday's stage was a 156.8-kilometre loop from Toulouse back to the southern 'Pink City' with views of the Pyrenees. It was expected to suit the sprinters, though there was a sting in the tail with a 20% incline on the Côte de Pech David before the finish. Abrahamsen attacked with 155 kilometers to go and was joined by Schmid and Davide Ballerini, prompting persistent attacks from the likes of Van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Victor Campenaerts. Ultimately all their efforts were in vain. 'It's a crazy stage, guys,' the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team riders were told over their radios, 'A crazy stage. Stay focused.' ___ AP sports:
