Latest news with #circuit
News.com.au
5 hours ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Show us the money: New global jockeys league hunting private funding
The future of a revolutionary world jockey league now hinges on private investment from outside the racing industry. Co-founder Lachlan Fitt says the 12 superstar jockeys who banded together to form a proposed Grand Prix-style, franchise-based global circuit remain committed to the project. And Fitt is still confident the league will be off and racing next year, although it will be in the later portion of 2026. In May, News Corp exclusively revealed how a star-studded bloc of the world's top jockeys including James McDonald, Zac Purton, Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and Japanese superstar Yutake Take had secretly signed up for the league. The 12 foundation jockeys have equity in the business as they would operate their own franchises as team principals in a league founded by ex-Ladbrokes senior executive Fitt as well as renowned racing figure John Ferguson, who was formerly the long-time right hand man for Godolphin boss Sheikh Mohammed. When News Corp revealed the story, the league was at initial stages of talks with race clubs and racing authorities around the world who had signed nondisclosure agreements. Fitt revealed league bosses have now had '25 to 30 confidential discussions with potential host venues around the world'. He said the league was currently sourcing private investment from outside racing to pull the trigger on plans. It could be similar to how SailGP has revolutionised international sailing with high-performance catamarans competing in Grand Prix events, with private equity giants coming into the fold as team investors. • 'We've been able to engage with the vast majority, if not all, of the major racing stakeholders globally on our concept and there has been really good interest,' Fitt said. 'We are now in confidential capital conversations with sponsors and potential backers. 'Where those conversations land will determine when we launch, how we launch and what period the season will run over. 'Unfortunately the reality of the racing industry is there is not enough capital within the industry to sustain the required investment in a project like this, hence outside or private capital is required. 'We are still working towards a 2026 launch season of no more than eight events, and we have got up to 15 dates identified that we think can work.' • Ben Dorries' opinion: Racing needs to embrace new ideas, not oppose them There are major complexities in the exciting project, such as getting the world's best jockeys to the same racetrack at the same time given there are different global racing seasons and many jockeys are committed to ride for particular stables. But the innovative concept has many high-profile supporters including Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys, who is arguably the most powerful man in Australian sport. He said critics who wanted to bag the jockey league were stuck in the dark ages. 'I saw a lot of criticism of the concept but those same critics think that just because you've got a racecourse, people are going to turn up,' V'landys told News Corp. 'They live in yesterday's land, they don't live in the future.' • Why James McDonald is excited by the prospect of a franchise-based jockey league The new global league is designed to hero the world's top jockeys and drive a human connection with them – equine superstars like Winx and Black Caviar and more recently Ka Ying Rising don't come along every day. Fitt conceded it was unlikely any of the races could be held in Hong Kong during the initial years, but insisted that did not preclude Purton and fellow Hong Kong jockey Vincent Ho from being a key part of the league. 'All the jockeys remain committed to it, and we are hopeful that Zac and Vincent can still participate, provided the schedule doesn't impact their commitments in Hong Kong,' Fitt said. 'There are still a number of balls in the air in relation to the timing of our season. 'For example a part of what our season could look like might be in the Hong Kong off-season. 'Once we have further visibility around our timings, we will work through those elements in a collaborative way with the Hong Kong Jockey Club. 'It's not necessarily a surprise in terms of Hong Kong not being an initial host location. 'There are a number of intricacies with each market, and the commercialised, franchised product we would need to present doesn't necessarily work in some markets. 'There are also other factors such as the impact on local market wagering returns and product limitations that need to be taken into account.'
France 24
03-08-2025
- Automotive
- France 24
Lando Norris wins Hungarian Grand Prix in another McLaren 1-2
Mercedes' George Russell took third as McLaren celebrated their 200th F1 win and fourth consecutive 1-2. Norris, on a one-stop strategy, held off a charging Piastri on fresher tyres to take the chequered flag by less than one second. Norris moved to within nine points of Piastri in the drivers' championship ahead of F1's mid-season break. "I'm dead, it was tough!" said Norris. "I wasn't planning the one-stop strategy, my voice has gone, but even more rewarding because of that." "I pushed as hard as I could, looking forward to a few weeks off," said Piastri. Polesitter Charles Leclerc was furious with his Ferrari team's strategy as he came in fourth leaving the Scuderia still waiting for their first win of the season. © 2025 AFP
France 24
27-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Rain delays start to Belgian Grand Prix
A safety car led the formation lap before stewards announced the start of the 13th race of the season had been delayed. Visibility was at a minimum on the circuit with standing water also compounding the tricky conditions. After the red flag notice all the cars peeled back into the pits. The official start was scheduled for 1300GMT but at 1320 officials announced a new start time at the very earliest of 1400, weather permitting. Lando Norris is on pole with his McLaren teammate and series leader Oscar Piastri sharing the front row. "I can't see a lot behind the safety car so... I can't imagine what it's like for everyone else" Norris said over the team radio. Behind the McLaren duo on the second row of the wet grid are Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, who won Saturday's sprint staged in dry conditions. that was Red Bull's first win since Laurent Mekies took over as team principal from Christian Horner, sacked a fortnight ago after 20 years at the helm.
Malaysiakini
04-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysiakini
Nurul Izzah is now Selangor tech GLC's executive chair of polity
Former Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar was appointed as the executive chairperson of polity by the Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec). According to a post on the Selangor government-linked company (GLC)'s Facebook page, she will advise on matters related to the Selangor IC (integrated circuit) Design Park. Also appointed as strategic advisers were...
Boston Globe
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Supreme Court makes it easier to claim ‘reverse discrimination' in employment, in a case from Ohio
Ames contends she was passed over for a promotion and then demoted because she is heterosexual. Both the job she sought and the one she had held were given to LGBTQ people. Advertisement Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars sex discrimination in the workplace. A trial court and the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Ames. The 6th circuit is among the courts that had required an additional requirement for people like Ames, showing 'background circumstances' that might include that LGBTQ people made the decisions affecting Ames or statistical evidence of a pattern of discrimination against members of the majority group. The appeals court noted that Ames didn't provide any such circumstances.
