06/02/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | FEB 6, 2026

28

‘We have a long way to go’ Williams F1 boss backs call to miss last week’s test after delays to 2026 car

TOP-RANKED Scottie Scheffler sees the return of LIV Golf players to the PGA Tour as a start to having the world’s best talent competing beyond major events. Scheffler, who won his 20th career PGA Tour title two weeks ago, returns this week to the site of his first victory at the Phoenix Open. Scheffler won his 2026 season opener at the PGA American Express and seeks another crown at TPC Scottsdale, where he and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, back from LIV, will compete. “I think people want the best people playing together again so when it comes to great play ers like Brooks or Patrick Reed, having those guys competing out here is great for the tour, great for the fans and great for our sponsors,” Scheffler said. ffler sees the return of Tour as a start to ent competing s 20th career o, returns this victory at the 26 season can Express wn at TPC ve-time major ck from LIV, will best people playing comes to great play eed, having those is great for the d great for said. m m Reed, the 2018 Masters cham pion, plans a PGA return from LIV next year. “The last few years there has just been a lot of the noise, and so I think getting e e g W ILLIAMS F1 boss James Vowles believes his team won’t challenge for the F1 world championship this year but insists aspects of their 2026 car are “championship level.” Vowles opted to withdraw his team from last week’s first pre-season test in Barcelona, citing delays to the new car as the main reason before elaborating that he is keen to “push the boundaries” in the car design. Williams officially launched their car, the FW48, on Wednesday at the start of a year Vowles has long been targeting as a springboard for future success, particularly with their impressive driver line-up of Carlos Sainz and

Ű BY KIERAN JACKSON Newey admits doubts over Aston Martin’s 2026 car ADRIAN NEWEY admits he was unsure what design philosophy to pursue with Aston Martin’s 2026 F1 car as the team principal spoke about his unique approach for the first time. Aston only featured for one full day of last week’s private pre-season test in Barcelona but shocked onlookers when their car, the AMR26, was revealed on the penultimate day. The car is extremely unique compared to the rest of the field, with the nose (wider than nor mal), sidepods (thin with a heavy undercut) and engine cover (cut away) all different to their com petitors. Yet F1 design legend Newey, who moved from Red Bull after 20 years last March and became Aston Martin team principal at the end of the 2025 season, acknowledged that there is a degree of unknown to the sport’s new engine and chassis regulations and, as such, is cautious about the approach he has taken. Newey, who is on a contract worth £20 mil lion-a-year (RM108m), told Aston Martin’s web site: “We took a really close look at the regula tions and what we believe we want to achieve from a flow field perspective to suit them, and from there started to evolve a geometry that attempts to create the flow fields that we want. “It’s very much a holistic approach. But, in truth, with a completely new set of regulations, nobody is ever sure what the right philosophy is. We certainly aren’t sure what the best interpreta tion of the regulations is and therefore the best philosophy to follow. “Because of our compressed timescale, we decided on a particular direction and that’s the one we’ve pursued. Whether that proves to be the right one or not, only time will tell. But you have to choose your path and get on with it.” Newey revealed that a model of the 2026 car did not enter the team’s new wind-tunnel until last April, putting them behind some rival teams from the get-go. “That put us on the back foot by about four months, which has meant a very, very com pressed research and design cycle,” he added. “The car only came together at the last minute, which is why we were fighting to make it to the Barcelona shakedown. “Whenever a car is about hit the track for the first time, it’s always a nervous moment. The team put in a huge amount of work to get the car ready. “There’s more to come – and lots to learn – but those first couple of days at the track have been important to start building an understanding of how the car behaves and complete esting design. “What I will say is that the performance teams are finding is strong, which means what ever order is in Bahrain may not be the order in Melbourne and may not be the order at round three or round four. “So that’s the other element of a new regula tion cycle. That’s why everyone’s a little bit struggling to tell where everything is at the moment.” Vowles confirmed the team will take to the track at the next pre-season test in Bahrain, Feb 11-13. The 2026 season starts with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 8. – AFP

those guys back is another step towards us just being able to play golf again.” Scheffler has won four majors since a breakthrough 2022 Phoenix win. “It doesn’t feel all that long ago, but at the same time, it feels like quite a bit of time has passed since then,“ Scheffler said. “Lots of good memories. It’s fun to be able to play in front of this crowd.” Scheffler hurt his hand making a meal last season but is healthy now. “I got off to a nice start at the American Express,“ he said. “So it’s exciting, but I’ve always been at my best when I’m trying to stay present and focusing to get a little bit better each day. “Definitely a lot easier starting off that way instead of missing the first few tournaments due to hand surgery. “Did a bit less cooking in the offseason this year. Stuck to plastic silverware instead of metal stuff,” he joked. Koepka, who made his PGA return last week at Torrey Pines, won his first PGA title at Phoenix in 2015 and won again in 2021. “Obviously winning it twice helps. Any time you win twice on a golf course, you’re going to feel pretty good and pretty com fortable,” Koepka said. “Hopefully a good week this week. “It’s just good to be back. Good to see some golf courses I’m familiar with, know where to hit it and have some familiarity with them. I think that’s a huge thing.” Koepka said he hasn’t had hard talks with play ers unhappy with his return. “I haven’t had any difficult ones. Just happy to see you back, we’re glad you back, type things. “But then again, there’s a lot of guys, I mean I’m only nine days into this. There’s still a lot of guys I haven’t seen.” – AFP those guys back is another st towards us just being able to p Scheffler has won four maj since a breakthrough 2022 Phoe “It doesn’t feel all that long a but at the same time, it feels like qu a bit of time has passed since the Scheffler said. “Lots of good memor It’s fun to be able to play in front of t Scheffler hurt his hand making a meal “I got off to a nice start at the Americ “So it’s exciting, but I’ve always been at my b when I’m trying to stay present and focusing “Definitely a lot easier starting off that w instead of missing the first few tournaments d “Did a bit less cooking in the offseason t year. Stuck to plastic silverware instead of me Koepka, who made his PGA return l week at Torrey Pines, won his first PGA title Phoenix in 2015 and won again in 2021 “Obviously winning it twice helps. A time you win twice on a golf course, you going to feel pretty good and pretty co fortable,” Koepka said. “Hopefully a go “It’s just good to be back. Good to s some golf courses I’m familiar with, know wh to hit it and have some familiarity with them Koepka said he hasn’t had hard talks with pl “I haven’t had any difficult ones. Just happy “But then again, there’s a lot of guys, I mean only nine days into this. There’s still a lot of gu to podiums or wins. “What I’ve really indicated is that our base line is one that I want to build forward from, in every metric capable and possible, be that on lap time or fighting our competitors. “It’s just such a murky horizon at the moment that it’s impossible to say whether there’s 10 teams in front of us, or four teams, or two teams, and that’s the element that will really stop shaking out across Bahrain.” Vowles also praised Aston Martin’s unique design, unveiled in Barcelona last week. “I wouldn’t want to be a designer in Aston Martin, that’s a very impressive set of wishbones on that car,” he added. “Really, really intrinsic or inter

Alex Albon. But while Vowles doesn’t expect his team, who announced Barclays as a new sponsor this week, to challenge for the world title, they are on the right trajectory. “We want to establish 2025 (team finished fifth in the constructors’ title) as our new base and keep moving forward year on year across the board and across the business,” Vowles said, when asked about a potential title challenge. “There are some bits of the car that are abso lutely championship level. And there’s other bits where we have a long way to go before we’re there, including just getting the car built and finished as a polished article. That doesn’t lead

Scheffler excited by Koepka’s return

Brooks Koepka

Notices

322

IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF OPULENCE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS (M) SDN. BHD. (Company No. 1338921-W) (In Members’ Voluntary Liquidation) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 439(1) of the Companies Act,2016,that the following special resolution was duly passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company held at No.23,Jalan Sungai Jerluh 32/196, Bukit Kemuning, Seksyen 32, 40460 Shah Alam, Selangor on 30.01.2026. “ THAT the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 439(1) of the Companies Act 2016 and that WOON SOO CHIAT be and is hereby appointed as Liquidator for the purpose of such winding up.” (In Members’ Voluntary Liquidation) NOTICE IS hereby given that the creditors of the abovementioned Company which is being voluntarily wound up, are required,on or before 01.03.2026,to send in their names and addresses and full particulars of their debts or claims and the names and addresses of their solicitors (if any),to the undersigned, the Liquidator of the said Company, and, if so required by notice in writing from the said Liquidator, are personally or by their solicitor, to come in and prove their debts and claims at such time and place as shall be specified in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded from the benefit of any distribution made before such debts are proved. WOON SOO CHIAT (Liquidator) C-6-07, Street Mall, One South, Jalan OS, Taman Serdang Perdana, Seksyen 6, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor (30.01.2026) WOON SOO CHIAT (Director) Shah Alam Dated this 30.01.2026 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPANIES ACT, 2016 AND IN THE MATTER OF OPULENCE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS (M) SDN. BHD. (Company No. 1338921-W)

Scottie Scheffler

Lee bats for India-Pakistan match FORMER Australia speedster Brett Lee (right) would love to see India and Pakistan clashing in a Twenty20 World Cup blockbuster on Feb 15 but Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stood by their “appropriate” decision to boycott the match in Colombo. career in 2012, said in Mr. Cricket UAE podcast. “I really hope the match happens. I really hope they get the opportunity, because it is going to be super excit ing. The whole world watches when India and Pakistan play one another.” Geopolitical tension has marred the tournament’s buildup with Scotland replacing Bangladesh, who refused to play their matches in India citing safety concerns in the wake of fraught political relations between the South Asian neighbours. The Pakistan government on Sunday cleared the team’s trip to Sri Lanka for the World Cup but announced boycotting the group stage game against arch-rivals and tournament co-host India, which robbed the 20-team tournament of its most sought-after match. “Let’s get the politics out of it,” Lee, who ended his 13-year international The International Cricket Council (ICC), citing an independent security assessment report, dismissed any such concerns. The game’s global gov

erning rejected Bangladesh’s demands, backed by Pakistan, to play their matches in Sri Lanka instead, arguing such a late change of schedule was not feasible. While the Pakistan government on Sunday did not spell out why it had asked the team to boycott the India match, Shehbaz said it was to show solidarity with Bangladesh. The Pakistan Cricket body also

Board has not clarified what would be its stance should the team face India in the knockout stage of the tournament begin ning tomorrow. – Reuters

those all-important first systems checks before pre-season testing in Bahrain.” – The Independent