07/02/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | FEB 7, 2026

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Gotterup leads in Phoenix as Scheffler struggles

CH R I S GOTTE R UP is off to another hot start in his bid to claim a second US PGA Tour title of 2026 at the Phoenix Open, where frustrated world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was 10 shots off the pace. Gotterup, winner of the Sony Open in Hawaii last month, rode a red-hot putter to an 8-under 63 that featured an eagle and six birdies. He teed off on 10 at TPC Scottsdale and kick started his round with a 27-foot eagle putt from off the green at the 13th.

before closing with back-to-back bogeys. “It’s disappointing,” Fitzpatrick admitted of the bogey-bogey finish. “I guess the way you’ve got to look at it is if I started bogey-bogey and you finish 6-under you come off feeling like the greatest player in the world.” Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, play ing his second tournament since returning to the PGA Tour from the breakaway LIV Golf league, had a tough day, carding five bogeys and one birdie in his 4-over 75. – AFP

string of uncharacteristic errors in a 2-over 73 that has left his streak of 65 straight made cuts in jeopardy. Gotterup was two strokes clear of England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, whose “scrappy” start didn’t stop him from scoring well early on the way to a 6-under 65. Fitzpatrick opened with back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 and strung together five birdies in a row from the 13th through the 17th. He reached 8-under with a birdie at the third

Gotterup added birdies at 14, 15 and 16 before rolling in a 24-foot birdie at 18, picking up a stroke at the third before a final 27-foot birdie putt at the seventh. “I feel like I’m doing things well and thinking through things well, and I think that’s the most important thing,” Gotterup said. “I wouldn’t say today I drove it my best. I putted great today, but I just was in the right spot when I needed to be.” The 26-year-old from Maryland played along side Scheffler, who was visibly frustrated by a

Cadillac first Bottas says can work with teammate Perez to get best results possible for new team V ALTTERI BOTTAS insists newcomers Cadillac will rip up the unwritten rule for all Formula 1 drivers this year. Given car performance is such a sig nificant factor in results, the first rule for any racer hoping to keep their seat is to beat their teammate – the only person against whom they can truly be assessed.

McLaren’s Lando Norris celebrating with teammate Oscar Piastri on the podium after the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on Dec 7, 2025. – REUTERSPIC

on call in case Mercedes needed to call upon him. They didn’t, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli fit for every round, but it was not wasted effort for the 10-time Grand Prix winner who sees the experience as invaluable. He explained: “I’ve now properly seen how the team actually operates in all areas, what all the people do here. I have much more capacity to just look around, instead of just looking at the data and driving the car. I’ve learned a lot about how the team is actually run. “I think it can help me in the future. My scope is much wider, I would say 95 percent wider than what I used to have. I think that’s going to help me, case by case. I think it has made me a more complete driver as well, hav ing that kind of knowledge.” New regulations for the 2026 season make it difficult to predict what the next 11 months holds for any team, let alone Cadillac who have started from scratch. Last year, team principal Graeme Lowdown said any other outfit will be “apoplectic” if they are beaten by the newcomers this year. For Bottas, the only expectation is to be on the grid at the first race in early March – and then to develop in a positive direction. He said: “It should be on the grid in Melbourne. That’s step one! It’s so hard to set certain goals for results for the beginning of the year. It’s so hard to put it on paper because there’s so many variables with the new regs and we need to be realistic. “It’s not going to be about where we start, it’s where we get to and how quickly. “It’s going to be hard work initially. (The rate of development) is the main thing. We just need to have a reliable car for the first part and then go from there.” – Express Newspapers

Bottas is paired with fellow F1 veteran Sergio Perez for 2026, both thrown a lifeline by Cadillac after a year off the grid. But the flying Finn, 36, is adamant they will be the only driv ers on the grid who aren’t out to get one over each other. “One big reason the team decided on us – they know that we can work together,” Bottas told Express Sport . “They know that we can put the team first, that we’re not wasting energy and focusing on each other. “We need to put all our energy into the team. That’s important, especially in the first steps of a new team. So I think that completely makes sense for me in terms of the driver pairing.” Both confirmed last summer, Perez was able to start working with his new colleagues straight away, while Bottas had Mercedes duties to fulfil as their reserve driver. Perez tested an old Ferrari last year and then Cadillac’s first car earlier this month, before Bottas finally got the chance to get out on track at this week’s Barcelona shakedown. Having initially worried that his F1 career might have been over, after he was told by Sauber that he would not be retained beyond the 2024 season, Bottas says he was always con fident he would get back on the grid. He said: “For a short moment, there was of course this doubt. But then, pretty quickly, I was committed to, ‘I’m not done yet and I’m going to find a way to get back.’ And that’s what happened in the end, so it’s pretty cool.” Bottas attended all 24 races in 2025, always

Piastri plays down rivalry with champion Norris

JU S T a month before the Formula One season gets rolling again in Australia, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri said he got a “fair shot” at the 2025 title and there were no hard feelings about his titanic tussle with teammate Lando Norris. For much of the season, Piastri was in the the ascendancy and even held a 34-point lead over Norris after the Dutch Grand Prix. However, his form and lead disintegrated and, ultimately, it was Norris who ended Max Verstappen’s hopes of a fifth consecutive title. Piastri finished third, 13 points behind his team mate. “Obviously, last season wasn’t what I wanted, but I think it’s good to move on,” Piastri said at a McLaren-controlled press event with the two drivers at the team headquarters just outside London this week. “I think I got a fair shot last year. And I’m expecting that to stay exactly the same.” The 24-year-old Australian admitted there were moments when the team’s “Papaya Rules”, which meant each driver could race for victory, created some tension. “We probably caused some headaches for ourselves that we didn’t need to at points last year… I think that was probably clear for every one watching. “But for me, at no point were there any bad intentions. Things could have been done better, situations could have been handled differently. “But that is part of elite sport and part of Formula 1. You’re never going to get every deci sion right, you’re never going to make every sin gle person happy.

“That’s part of the unique nature of Formula One, given it’s a team sport with an individual prize as well. “We’re working on how we can improve things and make sure that we try and become stronger.” If Piastri was playing down the rivalry with his words, it rose its head again as the Australian left the event and Norris entered, with not a glance or word between them. The beaming Norris is still basking in landing his first title but the 27-year-old was at pains to play down comparisons with greats like Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. “I need to find my own way and not concern myself with what other people have done in the past, but just understand what’s going to moti vate me,” he said. “A lot of my motivation, as I’ve said before, isn’t just picturing myself on the top step or hold ing a trophy. “A lot of it is about the team, and enabling them to get the trophies, and to party, and to celebrate. So, yes, I’m not great.” The Briton, however, made it clear that he would be turning up in Melbourne looking to take the first step in winning back-to-back titles. “I see many more years in Formula One, and I’d still try to win as many more championships as possible. If I never do, I’m so happy I achieved one. If you ever see me not smiling or something, just give me a punch or something to remind me. “I achieved my goal in life and I’m very happy, so I’m proud. That’s something I’ll always take with me.” – AFP

Sergio Perez during his first run with Cadillac F1. – @cadillacF1team/Instagram

Russell hungry for his F1 crown, says Norris

FO R MULA ONE champion Lando Norris says pre-season favourite George Russell is hungry to take his title and “giddy” at the prospect. Formula One’s new crop of cars have yet to show their true paces but Russell’s Mercedes team have already demonstrated impressive reliability, racking up the miles in a shakedown test in Barcelona last week. McLaren also use Mercedes engines and have been constructors’

above us or not, that does not change my approach one single bit,” he said. Norris said he had achieved a life goal but felt no different coming into the season with the number one on his car as champion. “It certainly hasn’t taken away any ambition or desire to want to do it again or to come into this season and to not care about it,” he added. – Reuters

ute. That’s a great thing to see.” Norris joked that Russell was the “massive” favourite and said he was sure his friend would win the champi onship one day, if not this year. Russell shrugged off the tag at a Mercedes season launch this week and said he did not “really feel abso lute anything” from it. “As I’ve said for a long time, I feel ready to fight for a world champion ship. Whether we have that comment

other day mainly because we played padel together,“ Norris told reporters at a McLaren media event at the Woking factory. “Especially with them, because we kind of came into F1 at the same time. “I think it (Norris winning the title) has created more hunger for them. “Especially for George because he’s the bookies’ favourite. “He’s a little bit giddy at the min

champions for the past two seasons, with Norris, 26, becoming Britain’s 11th champion last year. Norris entered Formula One at the same time as Russell, who started at Williams, in 2019 after the pair had also battled with Anglo-Thai Alex Albon in Formula Two. Russell won that series in 2018, with Norris sec ond and Albon – now at Williams – third. “I spoke to Alex and George the