02/08/2025

SPORTS SATURDAY | AUG 2, 2025

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Battle of McLaren duo Piastri accepts F1 title chase looks like two-horse race F ORMULA ONE championship leader Oscar Piastri accepted yesterday that the title race was now effectively between him and McLaren teammate Lando Lando and I. I expect our competition to still be strong and put up a good fight, especially at cer tain tracks through the rest of the year,” said Piastri.

that I can do it, but it’s not going to be easy.” Norris says the world title will be decided this year by which contender makes the fewest mistakes. “It’s just who qualifies first and second more often. And you kind of just hold on in Turn One and then go from there. There’s not been many races where positions have swapped through a race. “So therefore it’s more who can make the least mistakes when they qualify first.” Norris, who has won four races to Piastri’s six so far this season, was on pole in Spa last week end but was overtaken by Piastri on the first lap. The Briton acknowledged there were “cer tain things” he could have done better in Belgium, but insisted “nothing which means I could have won the race”. “I don’t feel like I did a bad job. I didn’t have the best run but at the same time we had some, not problems, some incorrect settings with the battery. “Which meant he had a slight advantage of battery compared to me, which certainly didn’t help. But I also didn’t do the best (first) two cor ners. “Whether that would have made a difference or not, hard to say. With the issue, he probably would have passed me no matter what. So yeah, a tougher one to take from that perspective.” – Reuters/Agencies

as a team, certainly the two years I’ve been with the team. I expect us to be strong again this weekend,” said Piastri. The 24-year-old said he had full confidence in himself to come out on top by the end of the year. “Not every

“Whether that comes from Max or Ferrari or Mercedes or someone else, we never really know. “I’m not too con cerned about what happens in that. I’m just trying to win each race and extend the lead.” Piastri took his first win in Formula One at the Hungaroring last year, while Norris was on pole. “Hungary has been historically a good track for u s

Norris. The Australian leads Norris by 16 points ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, the last race before the sport’s August break. Red Bull’s four-times cham pion Max Verstappen is third overall, a hefty 81 points off the lead with 11 races remaining – a seemingly insurmountable margin given McLaren’s cur rent dominance. “I suppose so,” Piastri told reporters when asked if it was now a two-horse race. Previously he and Norris, as well as McLaren bosses, have said it was too early to talk of such domination but the evidence is becoming hard to play down now. “Every weekend now, or the last few weekends any way, it has b e e n FERRARI announced a multi year contract extension with Formula One team boss Fred Vasseur yesterday, ending immediate speculation about the Frenchman’s future at the helm of the sport’s oldest, most successful and glamorous constructor. Vasseur, 57, has been in the post since the beginning of 2023 and was key to persuading seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton to join from Mercedes this season. His tenure was questioned earlier in the year with reports suggesting Ferrari had sounded out Christian Horner, the Briton who was sacked by Red Bull this month and has yet to comment on what he will do next. “Today we want to recognise what has been built and commit to what still needs to be achieved,” said Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna in a statement released ahead of this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. “It reflects our trust in Fred’s leadership, a trust rooted in shared ambition, mutual expectations and clear responsibility.” Speaking to reporters later, Vigna said it was always accepted that it would take more than three years to turn things around and denied approaching anyone else. “Let’s say we have never spoken with other team principal candidates,” he said. Ferrari are second in the championship after 13 of the season’s 24 races but a massive 268 points adrift of dominant champions McLaren. Hamilton, the most successful driver in the history of the sport

weekend has been perfect, but there’s not many weekends in my whole life that have been perfect,” he said. “Just try

ing put together a solid, consistent year is to

ultimately going to be important. The pace in the last few weekends, especially Spa, I’ve been very confident in and very proud of. “I’m more than capable of continuing that for the rest of the year. I’m confident

Oscar Piastri (left) and Lando Norris – REUTERSPIC

Max commits to Red Bull

Ferrari extend Vasseur’s contract as F1 team boss

MAX VERSTAPPEN (pic) ended weeks of speculation about his future yester day when the reigning Formula One world champion said he would be stay ing with Red Bull in 2026. Verstappen said it was time to “stop all the rumours”. “I’ve never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance,“ the Dutchman explained at the Hungaroring circuit ahead of this week end’s Hungarian Grand Prix. “And that’s why I had nothing really to add, but I think it’s time to basically stop all the rumours. For me, it’s always been quite clear that I was staying any way.” Four-time world champion Verstappen’s future became a subject of speculation after rival driver George Russell revealed his Mercedes team were talking to the Dutchman’s man agement about his future plans. It emerged that there was a per formance clause in Verstappen’s con tract that offered him a chance to leave Red Bull if he was not in the top three at the end of July. But that clause has now elapsed

with Laurent Mekies, the boss of their “B” team Racing Bulls. Horner’s departure will have pleased Verstappen’s father Jos, who turned against the man who had led Red Bull from their launch in 2024 following last year’s accusation by a woman col league of “inappropriate behaviour”. At the Belgian Grand Prix last week end Max Verstappen insisted Horner’s shock departure had no impact on his future plans. He said the well-publicised discord between his father and Horner was never a problem. “People can have a difference of opinion and I expect that to happen because if everyone agrees, there is a problem.” On Thursday when asked about his future after next year he replied: “If you ask me that question next year, then yes, we’ll have that

and he will stay with Red Bull next year, the first season following a sweeping change of technical regulations. Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028 and a similar scru tiny of his contract is expected next year once it becomes clear which teams have adapted and progressed best under the new regula tions. Red Bull are in a state of flux, after sacking

with 105 wins, has yet to stand on the podium for his new employers although he did win a Saturday sprint in Shanghai in March. Former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, now with Williams, told reporters at the Hungaroring that the team clearly wanted to put a lid on speculation that has unsettled staff at the Maranello factory. “From the outside it just looks like they want to cancel the noise,” said the Spaniard. “Always in Ferrari there’s so much noise and you almost need to announce that you’re extending or staying for people not to create a rumour. I’m happy for Fred because I’m sure he will keep doing a good job.” Ferrari highlighted Vasseur’s ability to lead under pressure, as well as bring change to the team. “I’m grateful for the trust Ferrari continues to place in me. This renewal is not just a confirmation – it’s a challenge to keep progressing, to stay focused, and to deliver,” said Vasseur in the statement. Hamilton made a passionate defence of Vasseur in Canada last month amid speculation the Ferrari team boss could be replaced. “I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and I got the opportunity to be here, which I’m forever grateful for. And we’re in this together,” said the 40-year-old. “Things aren’t perfect but for me, I’m here to work with the team but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top.” – Reuters

their team prin cipal Christian Horner this month and replacing the Br i ton

speculation, but I never speak about it because I am more interested in working on perform ance - and that’s why I never really talk about what is in my contract.” – AFP

Russell pulls no punches after Verstappen news GEORGE RUSSELL has made his feelings clear about the handling of the Max Verstappen saga, explaining that both he and teammate Kimi Antonelli have not felt “assured” of their Mercedes futures over the past few months. expected to pen a new deal imminently. Wolff was embroiled in a public pursuit of the four-time world champion, and had a remarkable move materialised, it would have forced one of Russell or Antonelli onto the sidelines. “I mean, from my whole career until last year, the team have supported me so much and given me such amazing opportunities,” Russell said at the Hungaroring.

situation where I don’t have huge power in that sort of agreement and maybe the interests were not aligned for some time, which has, of course, put me at risk for these last six months, but then it was my job to perform and reduce that risk. “I don’t know, to be honest. I don’t wish for it to come to anything like that. I still trust Toto and I still trust in the team that they will always support me as long as I’m performing. “So that’s what I need to focus on. But of course, for both Kimi and I, these past months have not been the most assuring for our future and that’s just been a bit conflicting.” – Express Newspapers

The Silver Arrows’ drivers are still waiting for new contracts for the 2026 season. Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the Brit gave an open interview, and while he explained that he still “trusts” his team principal, Toto Wolff, the 27-year-old was clearly unimpressed with the handling of his future. Now, though, with Max Verstappen set to remain with Red Bull in 2026, he is

“Our goals have been aligned, and what has been in the best interest of the team has also been in the best interest of me. “Now, of course, these last six months have been a very unique