07/12/2025

SPORTS 13 theSun on Sunday DEC 7, 2025

Lando not smiling yet Title favourite Norris reflects on ‘positive’ Abu Dhabi practice

SERIES LEADER Lando Norris topped opening practice at the decisive season ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix yesterday but the McLaren driver cautioned “there’s nothing to smile about just yet”. The 26-year-old Briton seemed pensive and subdued after outpacing Red Bull title rival Max Verstappen by three-tenths of a second in the twilight second practice at the Yas Marina Circuit. Norris said he did not feel in any way that dominating yesterday’s action had given him an edge over the 28-year-old Dutchman who he expected to improve dramatically, as he often does, for qualifying overnight. Norris leads Verstappen by 12 points and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri by 16 points heading into the three-way showdown – meaning he will take the title if he can finish on the podium. “It’s not been a bad day, for sure. It’s been a positive day, but we always know it gets a lot closer going into qualifying so there’s nothing to smile about just yet.” For Norris, qualifying may be the key to the outcome at a circuit where overtaking is not impossible after layout

because it’s just a race for a championship and in 30 years’ time, I probably won’t think of it that much either way.” Verstappen meanwhile wants more speed from his car. “We just need to be a little bit faster,” he said. “We’ll just try to put the best car forward and see how much we can find overnight. The race pace and single run need to be better.” Piastri, who gave up his seat in opening practice to a rookie reserve, for his part remained upbeat despite his 11th place time. “The car’s looked quick. I just need to get some more laps under my belt and find my feet a bit more really, that’s all. “So, a few more laps tomorrow and a few more sets of tyres and hopefully we’ll be there.” – AFP

that’s supported me and pushed me for the last 16 years of my life in terms of trying to get to this point. “It would mean everything. It would mean my life until now has been a success and I’ve accomplished that dream I had when I was a kid.” Norris said he accepted that as the leader he had the best position to be champion. “In terms of position, of course, I have the most to lose because I am the one at the top,” he conceded. “I’ll do my best to stay there until the end of the year -- a few more days. “But at the same time, if it doesn’t go my way, then I’ll try again next year. It’ll hurt probably for a little while, but that’s life. “So, I also feel like I have the mentality of ‘I’ve nothing to lose’

changes in recent years – and he has the benefit of knowing he won last year’s race from pole. But he is also aware that anything can happen as last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix proved when a strategic decision to stay out during a safety car intervention wrecked McLaren’s chances, Piastri being deprived of a likely win and Norris a probable podium. Norris said he had shrugged that setback aside with the help of friends and a few days on golf courses, but conceded that this weekend’s race offered him a unique chance to satisfy a lifelong ambition. “This has been my whole life,” he said. “It’s everything I’ve worked towards my whole life. So it would mean the world to me. “It would mean the world to everyone

FROM LEFT: Mauricio Pochettino, Didier Deschamps and Carlo Ancelotti prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw yesterday. – AFPPIC

Deschamps excited by Mbappe-Haaland clash

Pochettino says WC group games ‘like finals’ MAURICIO POCHETTINO said yesterday that the United States will be looking no further than the World Cup group stages after being given a draw that has raised hopes of a deep run in the tournament. US coach Pochettino was in attendance in Washington to see his team land in a Group D which will see them play Paraguay, Australia and an as yet undetermined European qualifier. Pochettino’s men will go into the tournament buoyed by the knowledge that they have scored recent wins over two of their first round opponents, beating Paraguay 2-1 last month and Australia by the same score in October. But while US television pundits such as Alexi Lalas talked bullishly of reaching the semifinals, Pochettino said that there will be no chance of complacency. Instead, he plans to drill his team into thinking that every group game is a World Cup final ahead of their opener with Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12. “If you are Argentina and you are maybe today the best team and you are the last winner of the World Cup, maybe you think about after the group stage,“ Pochettino said. “But with the USA, our first game is the final of the World Cup. “And the second needs to be the final of the World Cup. That is the mentality, the mindset that we want to build.” Pochettino added that the recent wins over Paraguay and Australia would also count for little by the time of the tournament. “It’s still six months, things can change,“ he said. “It’s a good reference for us, but also for them. I don’t believe it will be a good advantage or a disadvantage.” – AFP

Brazil have ‘difficult’ group with Morocco: Ancelotti

intercontinental playoffs to take place in March, from either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname. A meeting with Senegal brings back memories of 2002, when France went to the tournament in Japan and South Korea as holders but lost to the west African nation in their opening match and ended up being eliminated in the group stage. “Every World Cup has its own story and we need to make sure this one is as beautiful as possible,“ added Deschamps, who will step down after the tournament to bring an end to a 14-year reign at the helm of Les Bleus . If France top their section, they will play one of the best third placed teams from the group stage in the round of 32. But then it is likely that Germany would stand in their way in the last 16. “Of course, as France we have a status and there is a lot of expectation around us, but we need to show respect and humility from the beginning,“ added Deschamps. “Before thinking about what is at the top of the mountain, we will need to work our way up gradually and the first steps are difficult.” – AFP

FRANCE Didier Deschamps looked forward to a showdown between Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland after his side were drawn yesterday in the same group as Norway at the 2026 World Cup. “It will be a great duel,“ Deschamps told reporters in Washington, where France and Norway came out alongside Senegal in a tough-looking Group I. “Both teams have lots of other big names, but of course Kylian and Haaland are two players recognised around the world and they will be two of the contenders to be the top scorer.” Mbappe has scored 30 goals in 24 games for Real Madrid and France since the beginning of this season, while Haaland has netted 33 in 24 appearances for Manchester City and Norway. Haaland’s goals helped Norway top their qualifying group ahead of Italy as they secured a first appearance at the World Cup finals since 1998. France will be looking to win a third World Cup to make up for losing the 2022 final on penalties to Argentina in Qatar. Group I will be completed by the winner of one of the COACH

BRAZIL COACH Carlo Ancelotti reflected on a “difficult” group after being paired with surprise 2022 semifinalists Morocco at the 2026 World Cup draw yesterday. The five-time winners are in Group C with Scotland – playing at a World Cup for the first time in 28 years – and Haiti, whose only previous qualification was in 1974 when they lost all three of their matches. “Morocco were very good during the last World Cup” in Qatar, Ancelotti told Brazilian television station Sportv . “Scotland are a solid team, very solid, (it will be) pretty difficult,“ the Italian added. Brazil will start their campaign against Morocco on June 13 before playing Haiti six days later and rounding out the group stage against Scotland on June 24. “We have to prepare well and try to win the group,“ Ancelotti said. Brazil have been far from their best since the last World Cup and are already on their fourth coach since then. In March they suffered a chastening 4-1 defeat to reigning world champions Argentina in their World Cup qualifying group. Brazil played both Scotland and Morocco in the group stage in 1998 where they reached the final before losing to hosts France 3-0. They beat Morocco 3-0 and Scotland 2-1 back then. Six years after that they played a historic match in Port-au-Prince, running away 6-0 winners against hosts Haiti having lined up with the likes of Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. – AFP