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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Max Verstappen offended as fellow drivers question Nurburgring record
When news broke from Imola on Thursday that Max Verstappen had set a Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record testing a GT3 Ferrari a week earlier, the reaction was a mix of astonishment and scepticism. Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD. Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team WINWARD. Alexander Trienitz Alexander Trienitz Advertisement On Saturday evening at Imola, Verstappen openly admitted that Engel's tweet had hurt him: 'That was a stupid comment. I went there to have fun and just drive my laps. I [was] just there to learn.' 'Then the record comes out of course, and it's as if other drivers feel attacked. I'm just enjoying myself, and then you get that kind of unnecessary comment, which I find totally pointless.' Usually, Verstappen clarified, such things wouldn't bother him. But in Engel's case, it did. 'I know him. So yeah, then I think, 'It's probably better not to say anything.' But I happened to come across it in my feed. Normally you don't see that, but I've met him a few times in Monaco. I have a lot of respect for everyone in the GT3 world, and then I think, 'This is just unnecessary.'' Advertisement The official NLS lap record is 7m49.578s, set during in November 2022 by Christian Krognes in a BMW M4 GT3. Verstappen reportedly smashed this record almost effortlessly. Eyewitnesses reported that the Formula 1 star at one point made such a spectacular overtaking move on the outside of Hatzenbach corner that it was 'almost hard to believe' that he was using the official NLS BoP. Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3 Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3 Max Verstappen Max Verstappen David Perel, who was also participating in the test with a Ferrari 296 GT3, shared on social media that he had followed 'Franz' for a few laps. He noted that Verstappen could 'be a great driver if he takes it seriously', but immediately added: 'But also… he had plenty of power and top speed.' Advertisement For Verstappen, such comments have come across as an insult to his pride. When asked at Imola if it was true that he had been faster than the lap record, he simply replied: 'I was, yeah.' And when pressed on whether he had really used the official NLS BoP, he replied: 'Of course. Otherwise it would be a bit silly to drive there.' Verstappen Ferrari 296 GT3 was fielded by Emil Frey Racing (EFR) in the colors of his own GT racing brand, Jurg Flach, technical director and operations manager at EFR, described Verstappen's morning pace as 'incredible', adding that in the afternoon he was 'a bit slower – perhaps due to traffic'. Advertisement Flach explicitly confirmed that Verstappen used 'exactly' the BoP settings prescribed for an NLS race weekend. As for the fuel load, he mentioned that there was 'a good amount' in the tank since 'we never run empty.' It is believed that there were about 60 to 70 kilograms of fuel on board. Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3 Max Verstappen, Emil Fray Racing Ferrari 496 GT3 Max Verstappen Max Verstappen Engel, in a phone call with sister publication quipped with a smile on his face: 'Max is welcome to come to a race and prove it under real race conditions.' While 27-year-old Verstappen had never physically driven on the Nordschleife before, he already knew the track from the simulator. Advertisement 'I've done thousands of laps around there,' he said. 'So for me, when I got there in real life, it was more knowing the grip level. You know, the new tarmac in places. And then the grip level of the car. And of course a few barriers here and there are modified a bit.' This was not Verstappen's first test in an EFR Ferrari either. Back in 2023, he tested for the team at Mugello. 'He got into the car and was immediately fast,' Flach remembers. 'One lap to get a feel, and then he was off. When you see him, it's no wonder he's already a four-time world champion. The way he nails the times is impressive.' The Nurburgring 24 Hours, which is the showpiece of the NLS series, is high on Verstappen's bucket list: 'Yeah, I would like to do that in the future. That's why I'm doing all these things to prepare a bit. You know, get a bit of experience. So you don't need to do that in the future.' Advertisement Red Bull team boss Christian Horner made it clear at Imola that Verstappen's focus needed to remain on his main job despite such outings. Verstappen also said in Italy that leaving Red Bull for 2026 was 'not my intention at the moment'. Read Also: Red Bull: Max Verstappen's focus has to be on F1 after Nurburgring test Max Verstappen intends to stay at Red Bull… 'unless strange things happen' What is certain is that Verstappen is serious about the 24-hour race. He is already in talks with the DMSB body, which issues the so-called 'permit' required to compete. Typically, the permit for the GT3 top class is only granted if a driver has completed at least two flawless NLS races in lower classes. Advertisement The likelihood that Verstappen would be granted a special exemption is considered low. Not even motorcycle superstar Valentino Rossi had this privilege to race on the Nordschleife in 2023. It's quite possible that Verstappen will soon be back at the Nordschleife to compete in the NLS. 'Franz Hermann' might even participate in two races to earn the permit and dispel any accusations that the red carpet was rolled out for him while others had to meet stricter requirements. The speculation about how impressive Verstappen's unofficial lap record really was will likely continue until he proves under comparable race conditions that he can also win in the GT3 on the Nordschleife. And for those who know Verstappen, it's clear: that day will surely come sooner or later. Additional reporting by Filip Cleeren, Sven Haidinger and Heiko Stritzke Photos from Imola GP - Race Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Oscar Piastri, McLaren Oscar Piastri, McLaren Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Alexandra Saint Mleux and Leo Leclerc Alexandra Saint Mleux and Leo Leclerc Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Pierre Gasly, Alpine Pierre Gasly, Alpine Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Franco Colapinto, Alpine Franco Colapinto, Alpine Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Carlos Sainz, Williams Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Carlos Sainz, Williams Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing, Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images George Russell, Mercedes, Pierre Gasly, Alpine George Russell, Mercedes, Pierre Gasly, Alpine Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Carlos Sainz, Williams Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Carlos Sainz, Williams Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images George Russell, Mercedes, Pierre Gasly, Alpine George Russell, Mercedes, Pierre Gasly, Alpine Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Simone Susinna Simone Susinna Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari Thierry Boutsen drives his Arrows A8 for the F1 car presentation Thierry Boutsen drives his Arrows A8 for the F1 car presentation Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Fans Fans Ferrari Ferrari Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Valentino Rossi poses for a photo Valentino Rossi poses for a photo Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images George Russell, Mercedes George Russell, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Alexander Albon, Williams Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Alexander Albon, Williams Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Alexander Albon, Williams Alexander Albon, Williams Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Red Bull Content Pool Red Bull Content Pool Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Lars Baron / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Lars Baron / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Alexander Albon, Williams Alexander Albon, Williams Lars Baron / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Lars Baron / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Lando Norris, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Peter Fox / Getty Images Peter Fox / Getty Images To read more articles visit our website.
Business Recorder
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Tariff reform: pain is no longer optional, but progress might be
This is certainly not Pakistan's first attempt at tariff reform, but it might be its last real chance to get it right. The federal cabinet has now approved the National Tariff Policy 2025–30, which proposes to phase out regulatory and additional customs duties and compress the entire tariff structure into four slabs, with a maximum rate capped at 15 percent. If implemented, it would mark the most far-reaching tariff reform in over two decades. Pakistan's so-called "industry" has long survived on the crutches of regulatory duties, SROs, cascading slabs, and discretionary waivers. The outcome? Firms that are rent-seeking, protected, uncompetitive, legacy-bound, and scale-averse. What passes for manufacturing in Pakistan often imports inputs, adds marginal value, and survives by selling to a captive, protected domestic market. This is not just a productivity problem. Over decades, it has also become a mindset problem. Pakistani firms are not wired to think globally because they have never been made to compete globally. Tariffs have become a substitute for ambition. The proposed tariff reform challenges this mental model—and it should. But let us also not be naive. Every tariff reform plan in Pakistan's history has run into the same trap: imports rise instantly, exports take time. Trade deficits widen. The BoP comes under pressure. The political economy buckles. Reforms are rolled back. We have seen this movie in the late 1990s, again in 2008, and again post-2016. Each time, what begins as liberalization ends in retreat. This happens not because traditional economic theory does not apply to Pakistan, but because transition is mismanaged. In a country permanently hovering at the edge of external default, reform without insulation is suicide. If tariff reform is to survive, it must be sequenced not only by product category, but by foreign exchange dynamics. Do not liberalize everything at once. And do not assume time will be kind. It rarely is. Even if some firms do try to compete post-reform, they are not fighting fair. The dominant segment of Pakistan's trading class—undocumented, under-invoicing, sales tax-evading, and income tax-invisible—systematically undercuts the formal sector. When duties fall, they import en masse, misdeclare values, and continue operating outside the tax net. The result: even the most earnest of Pakistani manufacturers—struggling with the burden of documentation, formal taxation, and now Federal Excise Duty proposed on even broader number of product categories—cannot compete. Reform, without parallel crackdowns on misdeclaration and under-invoicing, becomes a subsidy for the worst actors. Yet, for all these pitfalls, this is precisely the moment to push through. If 2025 represents anything, it is a narrow macro window: inflation is down, primary and current account surpluses are within reach, global oil prices are subdued, and multilateral patience is not yet exhausted. This is not a permanent condition. If reform is to come, it must come now. And let us be honest—if wheat farmers could be thrown into shock therapy without liquidity backstops, so can the industrial seths of DHA and KDA. If the rural economy can survive a sudden withdrawal of state protection, urban industry can too. Fairness demands it. There is one non-negotiable: the exchange rate must become the first line of defense. When tariff cuts increase import appetite, the exchange rate must be allowed to adjust. A weaker rupee will dampen import demand naturally, without administrative controls. Trying to defend the currency for optics—whether to signal 'stability' or contain imported inflation—will only force the central bank to reintroduce trade suppression. And then it is back to square one. Lastly, do not expect firms to suddenly become globally competitive while treating them like street vendors. An 18 percent GST, multiple indirect taxes, and now even FED on documented businesses makes reform incoherent. You cannot liberalize the trade side while suffocating the same firms fiscally by charging up to 40 - 45 in income taxes. If the goal is to redirect firm focus from domestic to global markets, then profitability must first be made possible. For this tariff reform agenda to stand even a remote chance of survival, four conditions must hold: Stagger the reform: phase it across product types, starting with intermediate and capital goods. Let the exchange rate adjust: it is our best ally against import surges. Fix Customs governance: without cracking down on under-invoicing and GST evasion, reform will reward informality. Reform fiscal policy in parallel: industry cannot compete with a 35 percent plus effective tax burden. None of these are easy. But the alternative is status quo—an industry that cannot export, a state that cannot tax fairly, and a reform process that dies before it begins. Reform is no longer optional. But pain will be. Progress, as always, is still up for negotiation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
NZ Herald
15-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Historic win for Poverty Bay East Coast at Gribble Rosebowl indoor bowls tournament
At the end of the first day, BoP led with 78 points, followed by PBEC on 73, Tauranga 71 and HB 66. Scoring remained close on Sunday. The day started with a round of singles from which HB surged to the lead on 93, two ahead of PBEC (91), followed by BoP on 87 and Tauranga 81. At the completion of the pairs round, BoP had regained the lead with 105, PBEC trailed on 100 and HB and Tauranga were close behind on 99 and 96 respectively. A tense round of fours determined the final placings. PBEC secured all 16 points from their matches to secure overall victory. The final points were PBEC 116, HB 109, BoP 105 and Tauranga 102. Top PBEC scorers were Dylan Foster with 7.5 wins from nine games; Leighton Shanks, Warren Gibb and Keith Setter with seven wins; Matthew Foster with 6.5 wins; and Kayla Trowell with six wins. While the PBEC team were in Napier, brother and sister Sean and Sophie Haskins travelled to Whakatāne for the North Island Eastern Zone singles and pairs event for players with up to five years of indoor bowls experience. From a field of 14, Sean and Sophie qualified in the singles event. Sean made it to the final against defending champion Matthew Spargo, of Tauranga, who retained the title with a 14-5 win.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WEC reveals BoP tweaks for Imola 6 Hours
Motorsport photo Porsche has received the biggest weight break for this weekend's Imola round of the World Endurance Championship under the Hypercar Balance of Performance. The German manufacturer's 963 LMDh will race at the Imola 6 Hours on 20 April 11kg lighter than at the Qatar season-opener in February. Advertisement But its weight for the 2025 WEC's second round of 1053kg is 20kg higher than at the corresponding fixture last year. Maximum power for the 963 is down 5kW (6.7bhp) on Qatar under the BoP, which is designed to equate performance each manufacturer's car in Hypercar. The adjustment follows a disappointing performance at the start of the defence of its WEC drivers' title crown, the two factory Porsche Penske Motorsport entries ending up 10th and 11th in Qatar. Last year, the pair of works PPM entries took second and third at the Italian race, which finished in wet conditions. #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell JEP / Motorsport Images JEP / Motorsport Images Advertisement Alpine's A424 LMDh and the Peugeot 9X8 2024 have also had weight breaks for Imola of 2kg and 1kg respectively: the Peugeot Le Mans Hypercar is now down on the Hypercar minimum of 1030kg and at the maximum power of 520kW (697bhp). Cadillac had received the biggest increase in weight in the new BoP table released at the start of this week. The American manufacturer's V-Series.R LMDh has been set a minimum weight of 1041kg, up from the 1030kg minimum at Qatar, but has gained 7kW (9.4bhp). Ferrari has gained 8kg from the 10-hour race in Qatar, in which its three 499P LMHs blocked out the podium positions. Advertisement It will also race 4kg heavier than in 2024 when it was on course for victory at its home race before a tactical mistake on the arrival of the rain, but has gained 7kW from Qatar. Toyota's GR010 HYBRID LMH remains on a minimum weight of 1065kg but has lost 3kW (4bhp) in power since the 2025 WEC curtain-raiser. BMW has been given a weight increase of 5kg, while getting an increase of 8kW (10.7bhp) in maximum power. That explains why the German manufacturer's M Hybrid V8 LMDh has received the biggest swing under the 'power gain' element of the BoP, which adjusts max power above 250km/h (155mph). It has gone from gaining 0.6% in power to losing 1.6%. Advertisement The minimum weight for Aston Martin's new non-hybrid Valkyrie LMH rises 9kg for Imola. Practice for the Imola 6 Hours begins on Friday 18 April. Read Also: McLaren bids for Le Mans outright victory with future WEC entry
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Judge orders Trump administration to return two trans prisoners to women's facilities
A judge on Wednesday ordered the federal Bureau of Prisons (BoP) to transfer two incarcerated transgender women back to federal women's prisons after they had been sent to men's facilities after Donald Trump's executive order that truncated transgender protections. US district judge Royce Lamberth in Washington DC issued a preliminary injunction after the women were added as plaintiffs in ongoing litigation over the impact of the president's executive order on trans women in federal prisons. Lamberth ordered the BoP to 'immediately transfer' the two women – identified in court papers by the pseudonyms Rachel and Ellen Doe – back to women's facilities and said the agency must continue to provide them with hormone therapy treatment for gender dysphoria. The women said in court papers that they were living in constant fear of sexual assault and other violence after being moved to male prisons. Male prisoners repeatedly propositioned them for sex and male officers subjected them to strip searches without female officers present, they said. 'The fact that they have already been transferred and, allegedly, have been abused at their new facilities can only strengthen their claims of irreparable harm,' Lamberth wrote. A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson declined to comment. The preliminary injunction is the latest in a series of rulings thwarting the agency's efforts to comply with the executive order, which calls for housing transgender women in men's prisons, and for halting gender-affirming medical care. Lamberth, who was appointed by Republican president Ronald Reagan, previously blocked the bureau from transferring a dozen other transgender women prisoners to men's prisons. In a ruling last month, he order that their 'housing status and medical care' remain as they were prior to inauguration day, when Trump signed the executive order. Separately, in January, a federal judge in Boston halted the transfer of another transgender women's to a men's prison. At the time, Rachel and Ellen Doe were not plaintiffs to any lawsuit challenging Trump's executive order and were not covered by Lamberth's initial rulings. In a court filing last month, a Trump administration official said that as of February 20, there were 22 trans women housed in federal women's facilities. That's about 1% of the nearly 2,200 transgender prisoners the agency said it has in its custody. With Lamberth's order on Wednesday, at least 15 people are now covered by orders blocking or reversing the moves. Lamberth has yet to rule in a lawsuit filed last week by three other prisoners – a trans woman housed in a men's prison and two trans men housed in women's prisons. They are challenging the executive order's ban on gender-affirming hormone therapy and other care. Meanwhile, Maine's education office is being ordered to ban transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports or face federal prosecution, an escalation in Trump's threats to pull federal money from states and schools over transgender athletes. The US education department on Wednesday said an investigation concluded Maine's education office violated the Title IX anti-discrimination law by allowing trans girls to compete on girls' sports teams and use girls' facilities. It's giving Maine 10 days to comply with a list of demands or face justice department prosecution. The federal investigation into Maine's department of education was opened on 21 February, just hours after Trump and the state's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, clashed over the issue at a meeting of governors at the White House. During the heated exchange, Mills told Trump: 'We'll see you in court.'
