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Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Max Verstappen F1 title comment says it all after damaging Spanish GP headloss
The Spanish Grand Prix saw McLaren drive home their title advantage with Oscar Piastri on top and Lando Norris close behind while Max Verstappen lost significant ground Was this the day that the Formula 1 title battle became truly a two-horse race? Max Verstappen had done an excellent job of keeping Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri honest, but his title defence is in real trouble after he lost his head and slammed into George Russell. That sparked a 10-second penalty which saw Verstappen leave Barcelona with one single point. He is also on the verge of a race ban having now collected 11 penalty points on his racing licence – if he adds another in the next two races, the Red Bull racer will become just the second F1 driver ever to trigger that sanction. McLaren, meanwhile, were flawless and produced their third one-two finish of the season, and their first in Spain for 25 years. Piastri started on pole and stayed there, while team-mate and title rival Norris was content with the next best result. The Brit said: "Oscar drove a very good race today – I didn't quite have the pace to match him. We gave it our best shot. It was a good, fun race and for us as a team to finish one-two is even better." Sign up to our free weekly F1 newsletter, Pit Lane Chronicle, by entering your email address below so that every new edition lands straight in your inbox! Piastri now has five victories from nine this year and said: "It's a lot of fun winning races at the moment. Hard to complain, it has been a great year and this weekend has been exactly the kind of weekend I was looking for. We executed everything we needed to when it counted and that's all we could ask for." Piastri leads Norris by 10 points in the championship with Verstappen now 49 off top spot. It's hardly an unassailable lead with 15 rounds still to go, including four Sprint races, but Verstappen knows his hopes of five titles in a row are fading. He said: "We are way too slow anyway to fight for the title, that was clear again today." Charles Leclerc joined the McLarens on the podium having sacrificed the chance to compete for a better qualifying position to save an extra set of soft tyres for the race. The gamble worked as he roared through from seventh on the grid, helped by the late safety car period caused by Kimi Antonelli when his Mercedes engine blew up. Leclerc said: "I didn't know whether it would pay off – at the end it did. I think P4 in a normal race would have been our position. With a safety car we got lucky and a podium, so I'm really happy with that." Lewis Hamilton had also targeted the top three but his wait for a first Grand Prix podium with Ferrari goes on. He endured a miserable afternoon, struggling for pace throughout while team-mate Leclerc thrived. The seven-time F1 champion produced a post-race interview which former Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg said was "hard to watch". Hamilton stared mostly into the middle-distance as he muttered: "It was just not a great day. Strategy was good, the team did a great job." He went on to doubt Ferrari's chances of fixing his problems and glumly stated: "It's probably just me."


Phone Arena
3 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Multi-billionaire owns company with a $20 billion stake in T-Mobile
Here's an interesting fact about T-Mobile that you might not know. Japanese investment holding company SoftBank, founded and run by Masayoshi Son (number 60 on the list of billionaires with $28.8 billion to his name) holds $20.4 billion worth of T-Mobile shares. As of this month, SoftBank owned 85.4 million T-Mobile shares or 7.64% of the carrier making it the second-largest stockholder of the company after the 51.54% owned by Deutsche Telekom. After T-Mobile closed on its purchase of Sprint on April 1st, 2020, all of SoftBank's Sprint shares were converted into 24% of T-Mobile , or 277.2 million shares. SoftBank received an additional 48.8 million shares of T-Mobile when a condition related to T-Mobile 's stock price was met in December 2023. The shares were to be given to SoftBank if T-Mobile 's shares hit $150 or above for a sustained period of time before the end of 2025. T-Mobile 's shares stayed above $150 for a sustained period around December 2023 triggering the release of the additional 48.8 million shares to SoftBank. The Japanese holding company has since reduced its stake in T-Mobile over time. As for Charlie Ergen, he finally got his wireless business. When T-Mobile bid $26 billion to acquire Sprint in 2018, it had to get regulatory approval from the FCC and the Justice Department. Both wanted another carrier to replace Sprint as the nation's fourth largest. A deal was made and T-Mobile sold all of Sprint's pre-paid assets including 9.3 million customers, Boost's retail network, employees, and plans to Dish Network. Dish also signed a seven-year MVNO deal with T-Mobile allowing its customers to use T-Mobile 's 5G network while Dish built its own standalone 5G network. At the end of 2023, EchoStar bought Dish giving that company control of Boost, which is still struggling to get traction as a major U.S. wireless provider. In a very competitive business, Boost has yet to generate excitement among consumers. Meanwhile, it seems likely that Deutsche Telekom will continue adding to its T-Mobile stake by buying more shares from SoftBank. In 2024, Deutsche exercised all of the call options on T-Mobile it had obtained from SoftBank and added 44.9 million shares to its holdings. Switch to Total 5G+ Unlimited 3-Month plan or Total 5G Unlimited and get a free iPhone. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase This offer is not available in your area.

Wall Street Journal
4 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Former Sprint CEO Sells Aspen Teardown for $37.3 Million
Former Sprint Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure has sold a large property in Aspen, Colo., to his neighbor for $37.3 million, five years after buying it for $11 million. Located just outside downtown Aspen, the roughly 21-acre property has a long-vacant house. It was listed for $45 million in 2023 with plans for two new, roughly 15,000-square-foot houses.


Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
PepsiCo announced as official partner of Formula 1
HighlightsFormula 1 and PepsiCo have entered into a multi-year partnership that will last until 2030, allowing PepsiCo to become an official partner of the motorsport. Sting Energy will be the official energy drink of Formula 1, while Gatorade will partner with the F1 Sprint events, and Doritos will serve as the official savoury snack partner. Starting in 2026, PepsiCo's broader brand portfolio will be integrated into the Formula 1 ecosystem, enhancing fan engagement through themed packaging and promotional materials. Formula 1 and PepsiCo has announced a multi-year agreement that will see PepsiCo become an official partner of the sport until 2030. The deal offers huge potential to both the global brands and their worldwide fans, as it joins together the thrill of motorsport with some of the powerhouse products of the PepsiCo family, including Sting Energy, Gatorade and Doritos. With Formula 1's fanbase of more than 820 million people worldwide and PepsiCo's coverage of over 200 markets, the two brands together have unrivalled opportunities to engage existing, new and diverse audiences around the world at an unprecedented scale. PepsiCo will prioritise the creation of meaningful fan engagement beyond just the race venues through exciting on-pack promotions, digital experiences, and unique content that will bring Formula 1 to an even wider audience. This partnership includes opportunities such as immersive brand experiences in Formula 1 Fan Zones and rights for limited edition, co-branded products. Sting Energy will join Formula 1 as its official energy drink, delivering the taste and refreshment of a soft drink with the energising benefits of an energy drink. As PepsiCo's flagship energy brand, Sting has seen rapid global growth across key markets such as India, Pakistan, Egypt and Vietnam. The partnership marks a powerful platform for Sting's continued expansion alongside Formula 1's global audience. Gatorade, the world's sports and isotonic drinks brand, will become the official partner of F1 Sprint, bringing its legacy of fuelling peak athletic performance to motorsport's most dynamic format from Spa-Francorchamps later this year, continuing through the events at Austin, São Paulo and Qatar. The Sprint has proved to be hugely popular among fans with TV viewership on those weekends on average ten per cent greater than a non-Sprint weekend. Doritos becomes the official savoury snack partner of Formula 1. With global activation rights, the partnership will bring Doritos to fans at every turn, whether in the stands or on the sofa. PepsiCo will also extend their partnership to F1 Academy, with further details to be announced. From 2026, PepsiCo's broader brand portfolio will become integrated into the Formula 1 ecosystem through pouring and supply at all Formula 1 Grands Prix. PepsiCo will also leverage its retail footprint to connect with F1 fans through themed packaging, point-of-sale materials and promotions. As the sport celebrates its 75th anniversary, this partnership epitomises the recent rise in its popularity and commitment to cultural engagement. Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive officer of Formula 1 said, 'Today is a moment to celebrate the partnership between two iconic and historic global brands. A sparkling union that will bring together tradition and innovation, generating excitement, entertainment and unforgettable experiences for our fans and customers around the world.' 'PepsiCo will tap into the unique potential of Formula 1 as a global platform to connect with new audiences and we will benefit from their energy, their extraordinary products and their loyal community. With a long-lasting history of creativity and ability to celebrate the fun and special moments in life, PepsiCo is the ideal partner to share together unique moments along our journey," Domenicali added. Eugene Willemsen, chief executive officer, international beverages, PepsiCo said, 'This landmark partnership with Formula 1 represents a perfect fusion of two global powerhouses that share a passion for creating extraordinary fan experiences... Together, we'll deliver bold, innovative experiences that connect with drivers and fans at race venues and well beyond, while also supporting Formula 1's continued expansion to new audiences worldwide in markets where PepsiCo and Sting have a strong presence.'


Observer
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Observer
Al Zubair gears up with Al Manar Racing by Team WRT
MUSCAT: The trio of Al Manar Racing by Team WRT — Al Faisal al Zubair, Jens Klingmann and Ben Tuck — are all geared up to take on the challenge in Italy for this weekend's second round of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS at the legendary Monza circuit. The trio, Al Zubair from Oman, Klingmann from Germany and Tuck from Britain, finished on the podium at the opening round at France's Paul Ricard in their BMW M4 GT3 EVO and are hoping for another top-class performance in this weekend's three-hour race that features a third mandatory pit stop. Klingmann was the overall winner of the race last year and he and Al Zubair have already arrived in Italy fresh from their double podium success in the recent Sprint races at Zandvoort in the Netherlands recently. The Monza race weekend has attracted a massive 59-car field across the various classes with the Al Manar Racing by Team WRT trio lining up against nine rivals in the Gold Cup category. The trio, Al Zubair from Oman, Klingmann from Germany and Tuck from Britain, finished on the podium at the opening round The opening round was won by the CSA Racing McLaren crew of Arthur Rougier, James Kell and Simon Gachet and they will be aiming to defend their series lead against the likes of the second-placed Racing Aston Martin, the Garage 59, Optimum Motorsport and Team RJN McLarens, the Tresor Attempto Racing Audi, the Paul Motorsport Lamborghini, Nordique Racing's Mercedes-AMG and Herberth Motorsport's Porsche. Ahead of the race, talented Omani racer Al Zubair said: 'This will be the second round of the Endurance Championship, which I am really looking forward to. I really enjoy Monza. Unfortunately, we didn't finish the race last year because of a collision. We are hoping to have a much better result this time. 'Luckily, I think the BMW is more suited to Monza than the Mercedes. That should be of benefit to us. We are currently second in the championship, overall Sprint and Endurance. So, hopefully, we can have a strong weekend, score solid points and keep up the fight for the championship.' Al Zubair have already arrived in Italy fresh from their double podium success in the recent Sprint races at Zandvoort in the Netherlands recently The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup powered by AWS shares the circuit this weekend with the Lamborghini Super Trofeo and McLaren Trophy Europe. Test sessions will be available on Friday but the first official two-hour practice session is scheduled for Saturday (May 31) from 10.10hrs. Pre-qualifying will then take place from 15.30hrs. An hour of crucial qualifying will get underway on Sunday (June 1) morning from 09.50hrs and the three-hour race fires into life at 15.00hrs.