29/01/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | JAN 29, 2026

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F ORMULA ONE endured a rainy second day of private testing in Barcelona yester day, with only Red Bull and Ferrari braving the wet conditions. Ferrari took to the track for the first time this week with Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, who racked up 64 laps in the morning despite the rain, before handing over the wheel to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who put in a sturdy 57-lap stint. “For now it’s all about trying to understand if everything is working properly, which it kind of did,” Leclerc said. “It’s not the best conditions because it has been a little bit raining this morning but actually we did our programme anyway because we are not focused on performance whatsoever.” Four-time Dutch world champion Max Verstappen also drove for Red Bull and set the fast est time of the day in dry conditions, more than a second ahead of Leclerc. According to several media outlets, Frenchman Isack Hadjar of Red Bull, who had set the fastest time on Monday, was involved in a minor off-track incident at the end of the day, slightly damaging the rear of his car. The 21-year-old Frenchman, promoted from Racing Bulls, lost control at the final corner in the afternoon and spun backwards into the barriers during a session being held behind closed doors.

Testing in the rain Red Bull, Ferrari defy weather as F1 testing continues

BROOKS KOEPKA (below) is nervous ahead of his return to the PGA Tour this week after jumping to LIV Golf in 2022, wondering about his game and how fans will treat him. The five-time major winner split with the Saudi backed series in December and joined a Returning Member Programme announced earlier this month by PGA Tour chief executive officer Brian Rolapp. Koepka makes his 187th PGA Tour start today at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open. “It feels a little bit different. I’m definitely a little bit more nervous this week,” Koepka said yesterday. “But it feels good. I’m super grateful to be back. It will give me a good idea where my game is at.” Another unknown for the 35-year-old American is how spectators will react after he departed for a rich offer from LIV, where he won five events in four seasons plus the 2023 PGA Championship. “Maybe that’s what I’m a little nervous about as well, just to see how the fans respond to it,” Koepka said. “I hope they’re excited. I hope they’re happy I’m out here. “I have no regrets, but at the same time, I’m excited for this new chapter.” Koepka, who has not played a PGA Tour event since the 2022 WGC Match Play in Austin, plans to play at Phoenix next month, the Cognizant Classic in Florida and The Players Championship ahead of the Masters. Koepka will make his 187th career PGA Tour start at Torrey Pines, where he shared fourth at the 2021 US Open. About 15 PGA Tour players welcomed him back on Monday. “It’s a fresh start for me, which is cool,” Koepka said. “I feel like my game is in pretty good shape.” As for season goals, Koepka is as competitive as ever, saying, “I’ve got to work my tail off… I’d love to come out and get a win.” Three other LIV players – American Bryson DeChambeau, Spain’s Jon Rahm and Australian Cam Smith – are eligible to return under the PGA Tour programme but the deadline is Monday. Once Koepka and LIV parted ways, his first call was to 15-time major winner Tiger Woods. Koepka nervous about game, fans coming next,” Mekies said in comments to the governing FIA. “The priority right now … is to assess the dam age on the car, to see what it gives to us in terms of opportunities to run in the next days. “We only have one day (available) left, so we have to make sure we play that card carefully and it’s an analysis that will take still a few hours.” McLaren, the two-time defending construc tors’ champion, preferred to fine-tune their set tings yesterday and confirmed that their car would take to the track today and is also expected to run tomorrow. Aston Martin announced on Monday that they would not be running until today, losing one of their three authorised days of testing, while Williams decided not to take part in this session in Spain due to delays in the development of their car. On Monday, seven of the 11 Formula One teams took to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the first day of private testing, held behind closed doors without spectators or journalists – they were Alpine, Audi, the new American team Cadillac, Haas, Mercedes, Racing Bulls and Red Bull. With the upheaval in technical regulations set to take effect for the upcoming season, teams are focusing this week on the reliability of their cars rather than performance. – AFP/Reuters

used two of their three days and could delay run ning again until tomorrow if necessary. “What is important is that Isack is okay and we’ll try our best to repair the car and to see what’s

Team principal Laurent Mekies said the team were assessing the damage before deciding their plans for the rest of the week. Red Bull, now making their own engine, have

Markram powers Proteas to win over Windies

AIDEN MARKRAM powered South Africa to a nine-wicket win in the first Twenty20 international

against the West Indies at Boland Park yester day. The South African captain hit nine fours and

three sixes in a career-best 86 not out off 47 balls as the hosts chased down a competitive West Indian total of 173 for seven with 13 balls to spare. An opening partnership (also) of 83 off 47 balls with Lhuan-dre Pretorius (44) set the tone before Ryan Rickelton joined Markram and made 40 not out in an unbeaten sec ond-wicket stand of 93 off 62 balls. The three-match series is the final preparation for both teams before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month. South Africa rested several players who were involved in the SA20 fran chise final on Sunday, including first choice opening batsman Quinton de Kock. Pretorius, who is not in the World Cup squad, opened in De Kock’s absence. Markram said he was pleased with the depth in his squad. “There are a few guys not here tonight who are good players. It’s taken a few years to get where we are now. There are a lot of guys putting their hands up and it’s a good space to be in.” Shimron Hetmyer hit 48 off 32

balls for the West Indies but no other

b a t sma n reached 30 in what captain Roston Chase said was a below par total.

“We didn’t have partnerships. Players got in but big

South Africa’s Aiden Markram watches the ball after playing a shot during the first Twenty20 match against West Indies at Boland Park in Paarl yesterday. – AFPPIC

didn’t go on to make 60 or 70. Then we were poor with the ball in the pow erplay,” said Chase, who was standing in for tour captain Shai Hope, who had suffered a blow on a knee. South African left-arm spinner George Linde was named man of the match. He took three for 25, sharing the new ball and then bowling the last over of the innings when he dis missed Hetmyer and Jason Holder and conceded only five runs. – AFP

No malice in Brook’s ‘Stone Cold’ celebration: Root JOE ROOT said he hopes England captain Harry Brook’s WWE-inspired celebration after a blis tering century against Sri Lanka yesterday will not be misinterpreted, as he attempts to rebuild trust following last year’s nightclub incident. Brook smashed 136 off just 66 deliveries, bringing up his ton in 57 balls before celebrat ing by removing his gloves and smashing them together, mimicking former WWE wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s signature beer can celebration in the ring. Austin but insisted the celebration was simply about “celebrating tonight with the boys” as England clinched the ODI series 2-1. “Like I said the other day in my press confer ence, I’ve got to try and gain that trust back with the lads,” Brook said. “The way I wanted to do that was perform, play well and lead from the front.” Brook had previously acknowledged he was lucky to be England captain after apologising for an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand last year.

“I’ve always had a good relationship with Tiger,” Koepka said. “Tiger was somebody I’ve relied on in the past for answers and how to deal with things and I felt like that was maybe the most comfortable call for me.” Koepka told The Golf Channel : “He was pretty receptive. He was open to listening to what I had to say and the position I was in. I’m super grateful for that conversation.” – AFP

watched wrestling, but that’s his way of doing that, trying to show that he wants that approval from the group is through humour,” Root said. “That’s another area of why I think he’s going to be a great leader because he has that side to him as well. He showed his calmness and his clarity under pressure, but he also showed humour as well in doing that. “Hopefully, it’s received in the right way because there’s definitely no malice behind it or anything other than him just trying to have a bit of a joke with his teammates.” England will now face Sri Lanka in three Twenty20 matches before beginning their T20 World Cup campaign next month. – Reuters

Brook walked in with England at 166-3 and built an unbeaten 191-run stand with Root (111 not out) to guide England to 357-3, eventually winning by 53 runs. The captain confirmed it was a tribute to

Root defended his teammate’s celebration, saying there was“no malice”behind the gesture and hoped it would be taken in the right spirit. “I think you can work it out if you’ve ever