MONACO: Max Verstappen capitalized on Ferrari pole-sitter Charles Leclerc’s cruel last-minute withdrawal to win Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix and go top of the drivers’ world championship for the first time.
Carlos Sainz for Ferrari took second with Lando Norris of McLaren completing the podium.
Red Bull’s Verstappen displaced Lewis Hamilton at the top of the 2021 standings after the Mercedes world champion finished in seventh.
The Dutch driver pitched up in the Principality trailing Hamilton by 14 points, and leaves it four points ahead.
“It’s so special to win. The first time for me on the podium here. It was all about looking after the tires. I was pretty much in control,” said Verstappen after taking the chequered flag waved by tennis superstar Serena Williams.
Hamilton had a low key weekend, qualifying in seventh and finishing in seventh.
His teammate Valtteri Bottas was in contention to pounce on any mistake by Verstappen.
But then his race came to an embarrassing end when a routine pitstop took a disastrous turn as a wheel refused to come off.
The Finn’s frustration will have been nothing to the heartache Leclerc suffered just before the start when he reported a gearbox problem on his Ferrari.
For the locally-born Leclerc it was a cruel end to his dream of winning his home grand prix.
“In the garage it was very difficult to feel ok, but I guess now I’m getting used to this feeling here unfortunately,” said Leclerc.
“I’ve never finished a race here — this year, I don’t start it. It’s a difficult one to take and I also feel for the team.”
His last minute absence was all the more unexpected as a couple of hours earlier Ferrari had announced repairs had been carried out without a grid penalty after Leclerc’s accident in qualifying 24 hours earlier.
For the 23-year-old it was just the latest misfortune at Monaco.
Despite his familiarity with the narrow, unforgiving street circuit his record at his home race remains bleak.
His ill luck at the Mediterranean jewel in F1’s crown had already resurfaced on Thursday after gearbox problems ruined his opening practice session.
From then on his fortunes flipped. He topped FP2, then qualified in pole for the first time since Mexico in 2019.
But his crash, which ended qualifying prematurely left him anxiously waiting for the all-clear from the mechanics working on his damaged car.
That came on Sunday morning, only for heartache to follow as he made his way around the circuit to the start when he came on the team radio reporting he had a problem, saying “No, no, no — the gearbox guys.”
Back in the pits Ferrari mechanics pounced on the car to see if anything could be done to even allow him to start from the pitlane.
When it became obvious that wasn’t possible, a dejected Leclerc emerged from his stricken car’s cockpit to head for the grid and the pre-race ceremonies, receiving a consoling hug from Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Leclerc’s absence will have come as a bitter disappointment to his supporters in the 7,500 crowd allowed to watch the race from the grandstands as coronavirus restrictions are gradually lifted.
Verstappen inherited pole position which takes on greater significance in Monaco where overtaking opportunities are as rare as a royal flush at Monaco’s mythic Casino.
And so it proved with the Red Bull driver becoming the 12th winner from pole in the last 16 editions to enhance his claims as the main obstacle between Hamilton and a record eighth world title.
The F1 circus next heads to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku in two weeks’ time.
Verstappen makes most of Leclerc’s Monaco misery to take championship lead
https://arab.news/w53nr
Verstappen makes most of Leclerc’s Monaco misery to take championship lead
- Verstappen displaced Lewis Hamilton at the top of the 2021 standings
- Carlos Sainz for Ferrari took second with Lando Norris of McLaren completing the podium
Football’s return to Syrian pitches brings fanfare — and friction
RIYADH: Just 10 days after the first anniversary of Syria’s Liberation Day, and one week after the historic performance of the country’s football team at the 2025 Arab Cup — where they reached the quarterfinals — domestic football returned as the Syrian Premier League kicked off its new season.
While league football has continued intermittently since a one-year suspension in 2011, this season represents a notable shift.
For the first time since 2017, the competition features 16 teams playing a full round-robin format — a return to structural normality after years of disrupted campaigns, withdrawals and operational challenges caused by conflict and deteriorating infrastructure.
Foreign players have also returned in significant numbers. A total of 25 overseas players are registered across the 16 clubs in what is now known as the “Prime TV” Syrian Premier League, following the broadcaster’s acquisition of domestic broadcasting rights for the season.
Yet despite the sense of renewal, the league’s reset has been far from smooth. Average attendances remain well below pre-war levels, while the season itself was delayed multiple times before eventually beginning in mid-December — a schedule that is now expected to extend deep into the summer months.
Concerns over facilities and fan safety have already sparked internal tension. The anticipated Matchday Two fixture between Tishreen and Hottin — also known as the Latakia Derby — was postponed by the Syrian Football Association until further notice. No official explanation was provided, but stadium readiness and crowd safety has been at the core of football discussion in Syria.
Supporters have also voiced their frustration over the newly announced ticket prices. Entry fees increased from 5,000 Syrian pounds ($0.45) to 15,000 SYP, a threefold rise announced by the SFA and widely cited as a factor behind subdued crowds.
Infrastructure remains a pressing issue. Historic venues such as Khalid Ibn Al-Walid Stadium in the city of Homs are still not cleared to host games due to pitch conditions and safety requirements, reinforcing the sense of uneven progress — advances made, but frequently offset by new obstacles.
Operational shortcomings were evident as early as the first game of the season. In the opening fixture between Al-Shorta and Hottin, a formal warning was issued to the former by the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee due to a breach in organizational arrangements for the match, including the failure to provide ball boys, which led to a five-minute delay to kick-off.
Political sensitivities have not been easy to navigate either. Al-Karamah were fined 1,500,000 SYP after fans directed verbal abuse at Al-Wahda player Milad Hamad, due to previous political posts made on his Facebook account.
Five days later, Al-Wahda announced Hamad’s suspension from all sporting activities pending review by the relevant committee at the SFA. “This decision comes in solidarity with all our beloved Syrian fans and as a reaffirmation of our commitment to the unity of our people and our land, and to the fact that the blood of our martyrs in the Syrian Revolution has not been shed in vain,” the club said in a statement posted via their official Facebook page.
Rebuilding a sustainable football system in Syria has proven complex. The league’s return has brought moments of excitement alongside renewed tension — a reminder that restoring domestic football is not simply about restarting competition, but about addressing the structures that support it. The Syrian Football Association was contacted for comment, but did not respond.
