SEPANG, Malaysia: The Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo set the early pace as the first practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix was cut short by heavy rain on Friday.
After the first 30 minutes were lost because of a flooded track, lap times tumbled toward the end of the truncated, hour-long session as the track dried and drivers switched to intermediate tires.
Verstappen managed just 11 laps in the session but his best at 1-minute 48.962 seconds was 0.757-second quicker than Ricciardo.
Fernando Alonso left it till the last few minutes in his McLaren, adorned with a test halo driver protection system, to set some fast laps.
It proved an astute decision as the final of his six completed laps propelled him up to third, but still two seconds adrift of Verstappen as the Red Bulls proved untouchable in the conditions.
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton did not bother to leave the shelter of the Mercedes garage until 30 minutes from the end of the session, and could only set the sixth fastest time.
His 1:51.518 on the last of his eight timed laps of the 5.54-kilometer Sepang International Circuit was three seconds behind the leading Red Bull and eclipsed by both Ferraris.
Hamilton’s championship rival Sebastian Vettel was fifth quickest in 1:51.009, four-tenths slower than Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who enjoyed his maiden grand prix win at the Malaysian track back in 2003.
Rookie French driver Pierre Gasly stayed out longest in the trying conditions on his Formula One debut.
The 21-year-old completed 14 laps in his Toro Rosso — more than any other driver in the session — with the best of 1:52.380 good enough for an impressive ninth place on the timing sheets.
Formula One: Red Bulls’ Verstappen sets pace in rain-hit Malaysia practice
Formula One: Red Bulls’ Verstappen sets pace in rain-hit Malaysia practice
Top seeds head into last 16 on a windy afternoon at the Dubai Tennis Championships
- Coco Gauff (No. 3 seed), Jessica Pegula (No. 4), Mirra Andreeva (No. 5) and Belinda Bencic (No. 9) all progress
- Last year’s beaten finalist, Clara Tauson (No. 12), and rising US star Iva Jovic (No. 16) also still in the hunt, as is ‘lucky loser’ Antonia Ruzic
DUBAI: A raft of seeds booked passage into the Round of 16 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as the action heated up amid glorious, if breezy, winter conditions on Tuesday.
Nine matches were completed during daylight hours on day three of the WTA 1000 event at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Coco Gauff, the World No. 4, and No. 3 seed this week, defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4 in little more than 90 minutes.
As blustery winds swirled across Center Court, the conditions were challenging for both players and the momentum of the game resembled a pendulum. Ultimately, however, the American prevailed against the Russian, who had defeated her en route to the 2024 final at the event.
“It wasn’t the prettiest win but it was enough for today,” said Gauff.
Regarding the weather conditions that caused havoc for both players, she added: “It was pretty windy; it felt very open on the (Royal Box) side, so I was trying to adjust a lot and was struggling with consistency. Every time I’ve been here it’s not been windy, so today was different.”
Gauff will face Elise Mertens in the last 16 on Wednesday, after the Belgian dispatched 14th seed Emma Navarro of the US 6-2, 6-2 in just 75 minutes on Court 1.
Asked how she will prepare, Gauff said: “I feel fine; it wasn’t that long of a match. (My focus) will be more trying to work on things I need for tomorrow’s match.”
Also on Center Court, No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula made quick work of French qualifier Varvara Gracheva, requiring just 70 minutes to triumph 6-4, 6-0. The world No. 5’s victory set up an all-American clash with talented young compatriot Iva Jovic, who saw off Russia’s Diana Shnaider 6-4, 1-6, 6-0.
Last year’s defeated Dubai finalist, Clara Tauson of Denmark, continued her fine run of form with a trouble-free 6-2, 6-4 victory on Court 2 over Peyton Stearns of the US. The reward for Tauson, who eliminated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round, is an eagerly anticipated showdown with Polish seed-extinguisher Magda Linette, who ousted World No. 12 Ekaterina Alexandrova, this week’s No. 8 seed, in a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 roller coaster.
The 2019 Dubai champion, Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, progressed to the last 16 in a walkover after the injury-enforced withdrawal of Czech wildcard Sara Bejlek. Russian No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva also received a walkover win when Russian-Australian Daria Kasatkina withdrew before play began.
Andreeva, the reigning champion, will face Jaqueline Cristian in the last 16 on Wednesday after the Romanian progressed past German qualifier Ella Seide, who retired after losing the first set 6-0.
Finally, Antonia Ruzic — the “lucky loser” who was defeated in the first qualifying round but made it to the main tournament as an alternate following withdrawals, and then sent British star Emma Raducanu packing on Monday evening — maintained her solid form to progress.
The Croatian saw off Anastasia Zakharova 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 in her second three-set epic in less than 24 hours. Depending on the evening’s remaining results, Ruzic could now face top seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the last 16. She was due to plays Australian qualifier Kimberly Birrell on Center Court at 7pm UAE time on Tuesday.
The 26th annual WTA event, which continues until Feb. 21, featured 16 of the top 20-ranked female players in the world, and 33 from the top 40.
