SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Max Verstappen won a rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix when it was finally called off Sunday after it restarted under a safety car nearly three hours later than its scheduled time.
The race was shortened to last one hour with only half points awarded to the winner, who needed to complete only two laps to earn points.
“Now, in hindsight, it was important to get the pole position,” Red Bull driver Verstappen said. “But it was a shame not to do proper laps.”
He was leading from Williams driver George Russell and Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton on Lap 4 when the restarted race ended after roughly 10 minutes with rain still lashing down.
“Of course it’s a win but not how you want to win,” Verstappen said. “Credit to all the fans who stayed here for so long. They are the real winners today.”
Verstappen’s sixth win of the season was the 16th of his career and stopped Hamilton earning a record-extending 100th win, while also trimming his overall lead from eight points to three.
Verstappen collected 12.5 points instead of 25, with Russell getting nine for his second career podium and Hamilton picking up 7.5.
Fans cheered loudly from the stands and the hills around the track when it was announced the race would start again at 6:17 p.m. local time (1617 GMT) — 3 hours, 17 minutes after it normally would have.
But after just 10 minutes of Verstappen rolling cautiously behind the safety car it was suspended for a second time at just before 6:30 p.m.
“I really hope the fans get their money back today,” Hamilton said. “They were incredible.”
The first time the race was suspended was shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time following a formation lap.
The 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit was totally drenched. Soaked fans huddled under large umbrellas on muddy banks as they waited for the worst of the rain to pass. The thick clouds and mist hanging over the Ardennes forest also gave the circuit a daunting look and made for poor visibility.
When the drivers embarked on their formation laps the first time around, several complained.
“I really can’t see anything,” said Hamilton, who was chasing a fifth win at the track.
The decision to suspend the start was made a few moments later.
“It’s wet, but I think it’s fine to race,” said Verstappen who started from pole for the sixth time this season and ninth overall.
His teammate Sergio Perez appeared to be out of the race before it even started, sliding off the track during the warmup lap at around 2:30 p.m. and damaging his front suspension.
Red Bull asked race control if Perez could start the race if they repaired his car in time. The FIA said it was considering the request and later announced Perez would be allowed to start from the pit lane.
At 5 p.m. a further delay was announced.
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo entertained the fans waiting in the grandstand from the pit lane. In his 200th F1 race, the popular Australian made extravagant hand gestures and waved to them as they chanted “Daniel, Daniel.”
“I obviously feel for them,” Ricciardo said. “We’re in it together but circumstances are out of our control.”
It was a poor show for F1 — following some thrilling races this season — but for Russell it was a huge race for his career.
Russell, who came through the Mercedes young driver program, is being touted as a possible Mercedes driver next year if the team does not renew Valtteri Bottas’ contract. Bottas was 12th and scored no points.
Russell started from second following a brilliant qualifying session on Saturday that really caught the eye.
“We don’t often get rewarded for a great qualifying but today we absolutely did,” he said. “There’s been so much hard work over the past few years and here we are on the podium.”
Hamilton was critical of those who had let the race go ahead, he felt, for the sake of it.
”They sent us out for the two laps behind the safety car to get a race,” the seven-time F1 champion said. “You couldn’t really see five meters in front of you. It was hard to even see down the straight. You couldn’t go flat out.”
The next race is the Dutch GP next weekend, where tens of thousands of orange-clad home fans will be roaring on their countryman Verstappen as he looks to reclaim the championship lead.
Verstappen wins rain-marred Belgian GP after short restart
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Verstappen wins rain-marred Belgian GP after short restart
- The race was shortened to last one hour with only half points awarded to the winner
England’s Livingstone leaves IPL to get ‘knee sorted’
- Livingstone played just seven of 12 matches for Punjab, who have been knocked out of the play-off race
- His injury is reportedly not serious but requires rest before England play Pakistan in four T20Is this month
NEW DELHI: England batsman Liam Livingstone has left the Indian Premier League early to get his knee “sorted” ahead of the T20 World Cup in June, the Punjab Kings player said.
Livingstone, 30, played just seven of 12 matches for Punjab, who have been knocked out of the play-off race for this season.
Livingstone, who has been named in England’s provisional squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States, missed two matches early this IPL after he went down on the field.
He later did not make the playing XI but returned to the starting line-up last week.
“IPL done for another year, had to get my knee sorted for the upcoming World Cup,” Livingstone wrote on social media.
“Thanks once again to the Punjab Kings fans for all their love and support. Disappointing season as a team and personally, but as always I loved every minute of playing in the IPL.”
According to ESPNcricinfo, Livingstone’s injury is not serious but requires rest before England play Pakistan in four T20 internationals this month.
Livingstone managed just 11 runs with a highest of 38 not out and returned three wickets with his spin bowling.
Other World Cup-bound England players including Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Phil Salt and Reece Topley will begin to return home in the next few days.
‘Ring of Fire’ timepiece marking Fury v. Usyk fight in Saudi Arabia to be auctioned by Sotheby’s for charity
- A piece from the Astronomia Art collection, the “Ring of Fire” watch is a 50-mm rose-gold timepiece, the design and details of which pay tribute to both fighters
RIYADH: A bespoke timepiece created by Jacob & Co. to commemorate the heavyweight boxing clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia will be auctioned on Friday.
All proceeds will go to the Make-A-Wish International charity.
A piece from the Astronomia Art collection, the “Ring of Fire” watch is a 50-mm rose-gold timepiece, the design and details of which pay tribute to both fighters.
A figurine of each world heavyweight champion measuring less than 1 cm-high adorns the watch, while the hour and minute dials are represented by the iconic champion belt of the World Boxing Council and its green color is used on the strap.
Sotheby’s will host the auction, on the evening before fight night, which will also feature other coveted boxing-themed items, with the high-value Ring of Fire watch the star attraction.
British WBC title holder Fury takes on Ukrainian WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO champion Usyk in Riyadh on May 18 at the Kingdom Arena in the clash, also called the “Ring of Fire.”
Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the board of directors at the General Entertainment Authority, commissioned Big Time Creative Shop, the GEA’s creative arm, to work alongside luxury watch brand Jacob & Co. to design and craft the timepiece.
“This is an incredible and rare opportunity to own a piece of boxing history. The magnitude of this fight cannot be underestimated,” Alalshikh said.
“It will be spoken about for decades, and the successful bidder will share a special bond with the lead protagonists of this undisputed heavyweight story through the collective ownership of these unique and elegant timepieces.
“We are also pleased to be able to donate all auction proceeds to Make-A-Wish International, so they can help fulfil the wishes of even more children around the world,” he said.
Ever in confident mood, Fury said that the watch would remind the owner of a night of boxing history.
“This watch will forever represent a bit of boxing history and, for me personally, it is going to be a constant reminder of the night I became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the 21st century,” he said. “This is a rare and incredible timepiece and I hope it can raise lots of cash for an important global cause. I’d also like to thank everyone who has been involved in putting this together,” he said.
His Ukrainian opponent said that he hoped as much money as possible could be raised in auctioning the watch.
“I look forward to the auction and seeing who will be fortunate enough to achieve the winning bid and share with me in owning this masterpiece,” he said.
“I encourage everyone who can to get involved so we see a big donation to help with the good work of Make-A-Wish International. This watch is an excellent allegory of the limited time given to us by God in this world to help others and make it a better place to live.”
Saudi Hockey Federation announces tournament in Western Region to be played in Jeddah
- The tournament will feature six teams comprising 60 players
LONDON: The Saudi Hockey Federation announced on Monday it was organizing the Saudi Arabia Western Region Championship, which will kick off next Friday at the sports hall of Al-Ittihad Club in Jeddah.
The tournament will feature six teams comprising 60 players.
The hockey federation said the championship was part of its plan to develop hockey in the Kingdom and marks the beginning of its series of tournaments for the 2024 season.
The federation said that it would continue to organize similar tournaments, with an aim to expanding them to various regions of the Kingdom, to create a competitive environment for the sport and in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Felix da Costa wins historic third Berlin E-Prix
- Round 10 win at Tempelhof earns TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team first victory on home turf
- Nick Cassidy of Jaguar TCS Racing has a 45-point lead in standings after victory in round 9
BERLIN: Antonio Felix da Costa became the only driver to win three times at the Tempelhof Airport street circuit after he clinched the win in round 10 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.
His win at the Berlin E-Prix also secured Tag Heuer Porsche’s inaugural victory on home turf in Formula E.
“It just feels great to win at a home race for Porsche, it’s amazing,” said da Costa. “We’ve got so many guests here: so many people who work in the factory that don’t normally get to come to the races, our board members are here, so it’s definitely a special one.
“Honestly, it’s been a tough start to the season and we’ve been building a really good momentum, always closing the gap to the championship leaders and it feels good to take this one.”
He added: “You have to work hard when things aren’t right, but when you have the right people around you it makes it a little bit easier. I want to dedicate to this to my engineer’s father-in-law who passed away this week, so it’s for him and his family.”
Da Costa held on throughout the 38-lap race, despite relentless pressure from Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy of Jaguar, the latter being the victor of round 9 on Saturday.
Cassidy executed a last-minute move on Nissan’s Oliver Rowland to secure second place, clinching the fastest lap in the process. Rowland snatched third after a challenging starting position, ahead of Tag Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein, who valiantly battled reigning champion Jake Dennis (Andretti) for fourth.
Cassidy’s teammate, Evans, finished in sixth. Jehan Daruvala of Maserati MSG Racing delivered an impressive seventh-place finish after navigating through the pack from 13th, marking a personal best Formula E result for the Indian driver.
Climbing from 18th to eighth place was 19-year-old Taylor Barnard of NEOM McLaren Formula E, showing remarkable skill in what was his first full weekend in the series. Joel Eriksson (Envision Racing) also achieved his best result to date with a ninth-place finish, while Jean-Eric Vergne (DS PENSKE) rounded out the top ten.
Cassidy leaves Berlin with a substantial 45-point haul and assumes top position in the standings with 140 points, ahead of Wehrlein on 124. Rowland occupies third place with 118 points.
In the team championship, Jaguar TCS Racing leads with 237 points, followed by TAG Heuer Porsche in second place with 183.
Saudi team ready for World Para Athletics Championships in Japan
DUBAI: The Saudi Paralympic team has set off for Kobe, in Japan, where they are competing in the 2024 World Para Athletics Championships.
The team’s preparations included extensive training sessions in both local and international camps.
The first phase took place in Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman from March to April, while phase two was in Dubai and included the team’s participation in the Gulf Games.
The 11th edition of the World Para Athletics Championships begins today and runs until May 27. It is being held at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium, where more than 1,000 athletes from 100 nations will compete in 168 events.
The 2024 championships are the first to be held in East Asia and the third one in Asia, following Doha in 2015 and Dubai in 2019.
