NEWCASTLE: Allan Saint-Maximin faces a race against time to be fit for Newcastle United’s trip to Brentford.
The Magpies travel to the Brentford Community Stadium on Saturday looking to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to seven games.
They made it a sequence of six with a dominant display against Champions League-chasing West Ham United last weekend, despite managing to claim just one point in East London. And they did so without talisman Saint-Maximin, who has been getting treatment on a calf injury sustained in the win over Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa earlier this month.
Head coach Eddie Howe has revealed that the Magpies will make a late call on whether the Frenchman is fit for the Bees clash, when Saint-Maximin returns from receiving treatment in France.
On the injury situation, Howe said: “Not too much has changed with the lads who are out — Callum Wilson, Matt Ritchie, and others (Kieran Trippier).
“Maxi we will make a late call on. He has been away getting intensive treatment. We said when he got the injury it wouldn’t be long term, so we are keeping our fingers crossed on him.
“Ryan Fraser will be OK. He came off the pitch at West Ham, but it looks like he will be fine. We have had a bit of illness in the camp this week, but everyone should be fine,” he added.
Howe confirmed that Saint-Maximin has been working with a physio in Monaco to get back up to speed, having missed the London Stadium draw last week.
“Allan has a relationship with a physio and clinic out there, so we thought it was best for him to go. He got a bang on the calf against Aston Villa.
“He has been away to get intensified, specialist treatment abroad. We felt that was the quickest way to get him fit. So, yeah, he is in a good place mentally and eager to return,” Howe said.
The other fitness doubt in the squad was Javier Manquillo, also unavailable against the Hammers.
Howe said the Spaniard, injured playing left-back against Villa, was back training, but not yet 100 percent recovered from his ankle ligament issue.
“Manqy came through a couple of training sessions this week. I wouldn’t say he is 100 percent fit, but he is certainly getting closer to a return,” he added.
While United’s midfield has been a real pillar of strength for Howe in recent weeks, Magpies fans are still wondering when club record signing Bruno Guimaraes will get his first start in black and white.
Howe has maintained his stance that the Brazil international will eventually get his chance at United, especially with a congested fixture calendar awaiting the Magpies in March.
“Players not in the team are always knocking on the door. Not physically, but mentally they are. Bruno is in that place. He is keen to play, to show what he can do and to help the team.
“He has trained very, very well. Mentally he is in a good place. I think he understands the team has been playing well, the chemistry in the midfield is very good.
“He is a very intelligent player, understands his position, and knows we have a lot of games to come. Fixtures are congested and he will have a lot of opportunities to cement his place in the team,” Howe said.
The Magpies’ postponed games are away ties at Everton and Southampton, both called off due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the United squad in December and January, and have been rearranged for Thursday, March 10 and Thursday, March 17, respectively. That means United will play four games in just 11 days next month.
Allan Saint-Maximin racing to be fit for Newcastle’s trip to Brentford
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Allan Saint-Maximin racing to be fit for Newcastle’s trip to Brentford
- Magpies have gone 6 matches without defeat, win on Saturday would take them above opponents in Premier League table
- Eddie Howe has revealed that the Magpies will make a late call on whether the Frenchman is fit for the Bees clash
‘20 years of engagement’ — inaugural Formula 4 championship success signals bright future for motorsport in Saudi Arabia
- Peter Thompson, founder of the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship and Meritus.GP team principal, spoke about the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy and his hopes for the future
RIYADH: Last year welcomed the inaugural season of the FIA-certified Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship.
The series, which aims to provide the first step on the ladder towards Formula 1, was the culmination of years of collaboration between various investors and partners, led by the Kingdom’s first motorsport academy, Meritus.GP.
The championship’s mission?
To produce local driving talent, strengthen Saudi national race engineering capabilities and advance motorsport in alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Five Saudi drivers emerged, with standout victories by Omar Al-Dereyaan and Faisal Al-Kabbani, both from Riyadh. Other graduates included race winner Oscar Wurz, who has since won the 2025 Central European Formula 4 Championship.
Arab News spoke with Peter Thompson, founder of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia and Meritus.GP, about the season’s success and his hopes for the future.
How did Meritus.GP build the Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship?
The Formula 4 Saudi Arabian Championship was the result of more than 20 years of engagement, exploration and groundwork in Saudi Arabia, in anticipation of a potential FIA-certified junior single-seater championship in the Kingdom.
Long before the first Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, we were on the ground exploring circuit development opportunities, assessing infrastructure readiness and evaluating whether Saudi Arabia could host a round of one of the Asian championships operated by the team. Throughout this period, we maintained long-standing relationships within Saudi motorsport circles including former Meritus.GP driver Raad Abduljawad and his brother Mohammed Abduljawad.
A defining moment came with the introduction of Formula 1 to Saudi Arabia. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit quickly became a visible symbol of this ambition, providing confidence that Saudi Arabia could support not only Formula One, but also a structured ladder of junior single-seater racing.
When did Meritus.GP receive formal institutional approval to begin Formula 4 Saudi Arabia?
More than three years of focused groundwork preceded the first race. During this period there was no formal government mandate, no guaranteed institutional backing and no commercial certainty that the project would proceed or be viable.
Then, in December 2022, a formal No-Objection Letter was issued by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, under the leadership of its then-CEO Sattam Al-Hozami, which allowed the project to progress from concept to reality.
Recognizing the benefits F4 would bring to the Kingdom, Mohammed Abduljawad became an investor in June 2023, and Formula 4 Saudi Arabia moved into full delivery mode.
What were the objectives of the proposal presented to Saudi Aramco?
The proposal positioned Aramco Formula 4 Saudi Arabia as a long-term national development platform aligned with Vision 2030.
Its objectives included creating a structured FIA driver pathway from grassroots to Formula One, as well as developing Saudi engineers, mechanics and officials in motorsports.
How did the championship support Saudi drivers, and what was the impact on local talent?
A core objective of Formula 4 Saudi Arabia was to create a genuine, fair and internationally credible environment in which Saudi racers could develop.
Saudi drivers competed alongside international peers under identical technical and sporting conditions, allowing performance and development to be measured objectively.
They ended up achieving race wins, podium finishes and measurable progress across the season, demonstrating that when provided with the right structure, Saudi talent can compete at international level.
How has Formula 4 Saudi Arabia engaged with Saudi education and skills development?
Education and skills transfer formed an important part of the championship’s wider mission.
During the season, Meritus.GP engineers and senior staff visited Saudi education and research institutions such as KAUST, Alfaisal University, University of Tabuk and the Japanese College in Jeddah to discuss career pathways in motorsport engineering, data analysis, and systems integration. These engagements were designed to connect academic study with real-world high-performance engineering environments.
What level of investment was required and how did you ensure equality of performance?
Approximately $6.5 million was invested prior to the first event.
Was there any pre-season training to help Saudi drivers prepare?
During August and September 2023 Saudi drivers participated in a structured pre-season academy program at Meritus.GP’s training facility in Sepang, Malaysia.
What role did sports psychology and driver well-being play in the championship?
Driver well-being and mental performance were treated as integral components of driver development.
Formula 4 Saudi Arabia appointed a dedicated sports psychologist to support drivers throughout the season, focusing on mental preparation, confidence building, coping strategies, performance consistency and adaptation to high-pressure racing environments.
