25/03/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | MAR 25, 2026

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Russell’s Mercedes future in doubt

SHORTS Alonso replaced for Suzuka free practice ASTON MARTIN Fernando Alonso will be replaced by the team’s third driver Jak Crawford in Free Practice One at the Japanese Grand Prix. It will be the rookie’s first FP1 appearance as the Green Machine’s third driver. The news comes amid Aston Martin’s difficult start to the new Formula 1 season. Neither Alonso or Lance Stroll have scored a point after races in Australia and China so far this year. And the team have now decided to hand Crawford a chance in FP1 on Friday. It will be his third FP1 session in total after completing two towards the end of last season. Speaking via the team’s web site, the 20-year-old said: “I’m really excited to get behind the wheel and drive for the team at Suzuka. It’s such a historic yet demanding circuit, and I can’t wait to apply what I’ve learned in the simulator to real track condi tions. “A big thank you to the team for giving me this opportunity. As with my previous FP1 ses sions, I’m looking forward to making the most of it and learn ing as much as I can.” It is said that Crawford has played a significant role behind the scenes through extensive simulator work. This work could prove particularly valuable given Suzuka is a circuit he has yet to experience in real-world condi tions. Swiatek dumps coach after another exit WORLD NO. 3 Iga Swiatek has ended her coaching partnership with Wim Fissette, she said yes terday, following a disappointing start to the season that culmi nated in a shock early exit at the Miami Open. The 24-year-old, who hired the Belgian in October 2024, said she had decided to take a differ ent path after a 17-month stint that included her maiden Wimbledon title last year. However, Thursday’s loss to world No. 50 and Polish compa triot Magda Linette at the Miami Open proved a turning point for the six-times Grand Slam winner. “Miami was challenging for me. I feel disappointment, bitter ness and responsibility for my performance on the court,” Swiatek wrote in a social media post. “I’m grateful for (Fissette’s) support, experience, and every thing we achieved together – including one of my biggest dreams in sport.” Under Fissette’s guidance, Swiatek adapted her game to faster surfaces, winning titles in Cincinnati and Seoul in addition to her 2025 triumph on the London grass. Fissette, who has previously coached major champions including Kim Clijsters and Naomi Osaka, said on Instagram that both he and Swiatek had “wanted and worked for more”. have announced that

FORMER Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert has claimed that George Russell’s Mercedes long-term future isn’t secure, despite his impressive start to the season. Russell, 27, won the opening Australian Grand Prix earlier this month before finishing second – behind teammate Kimi Antonelli – at the Chinese Grand Prix last weekend. He is top of the Drivers’ Standings having col lected 51 points from the first two races and is favourite to become world champion come the end of the season. But ex-Sauber and Jaguar man Herbert, who was a mainstay on the F1 grid in the 1990s, believes that Russell could be let go by Mercedes sooner rather than later. He cited that Max Verstappen’s discontent and uncertain future at Red Bull could open the door for his arrival at Mercedes and Russell’s departure.

reputation on the line to get this guy in,” Hill said. “Kimi doesn’t want to let him down, but at the same time, he’s thankful to Toto, and Toto’s delighted that he’s now won a race. “Meanwhile, George has been trying his very best to impress them for now I don’t know how many sea sons. It got to a point last year where they had to re sign and it went on a bit. It wasn’t like Toto was des perate to re-sign George.” Russell signed a new contract at Mercedes last October to run him through to the end of the 2026 season. The deal, often described as a one-plus-one or a “multi-year” agreement, includes performance based clauses that can automatically extend his ten ure into 2027 based on meeting specific targets, put ting his future in his own hands. Russell and Antonelli are set to go to battle in the next F1 race in Japan this weekend. – Express Newspapers

Herbert, who was speaking alongside Damon Hill on the Stay On Trac k podcast, said: “I’ve heard little rumours again that with Max not being very happy where he is… is he going to be taken by Mercedes, which means they are going to get rid of George.” Hill said in response: “So George is always tempo rary.” Although both Russell and Antonelli have won and finished second in a race this season, the Brit is four points ahead of his teammate in the Drivers’ Standings due to winning the sprint race in China. Antonelli came behind Russell in second in Australia before coming out on top in the second race of the season at the Shanghai International Circuit. And 1996 F1 world champion Hill has questioned whether Antonelli, 19, has now jumped up above Russell to Mercedes’ first-choice driver. “Kimi is Toto’s protege, if you like. He’s put his

Sinner, Sabalenka march on … as more seeds follow Alcaraz, De Minaur and Shelton out of Miami Open J ANNIK SINNER and Aryna Sabalenka kept their “Sunshine Double” dreams alive with emphatic victories at the was among the latest crop of seeds to tumble out, losing a gruelling three-setter

“I feel like I’m getting better, serving better, getting used to these conditions, which are tricky. But I’m getting more and more com fortable with every match,” added Sabalenka, who faces unseeded American Hailey Baptiste in the quarterfinals. Baptiste was one of three American women to advance to the last eight yesterday. Fourth seed Coco Gauff downed Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, while fifth seed Jessica Pegula beat another Romanian, Jacqueline Cristian 6-4, 6-1. Canada’s Victoria Mboko, seeded 10, upset Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-0 to set up a quarterfinal with

against 19th seed Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-6 (13-11). A 2hr 55min slug-fest was decided by a marathon third set tiebreak when Czech 20 year-old Mensik saved six match points before finally suc cumbing. US hope Tiafoe,

ATP/WTA Miami Open yesterday as defending men’s champion Jakub Mensik joined a slew of seeds who crashed out. Sinner and Sabalenka are bid ding to join an elite band of players who have won Indian Wells and the Miami Open back-to-back, and arrived in Florida brimming with confidence after their respective victories in the California desert earlier this month. Women’s world No. 1 Sabalenka, defending the Miami title she won for the first time last year, cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 demolition of China’s 2024 Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. Sinner, who is chasing a second victory in Miami after lifting the title in 2024, was similarly comfortable in his third-round clash with French 30th seed Corentin Moutet, winning 6-1, 6-4 to advance to the last 16. Sabalenka is aiming to become only the fifth woman to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double after Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek. On yesterday’s form, few would bet against the big-hitting four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus, who comfortably disposed of 23rd seed Zheng in 1hr 25min. “She’s a tough opponent and I’m super happy with the level I played at today,” Sabalenka said in her on court interview. “I can definitely say that it felt like home.

who himself saved two match points in the final tiebreak, sealed victory after convert ing his sev

enth match point when a Mensik return of serve drifted wide.

Tiafoe will face France’s Terence Atmane in the last 16. Atmane pow ered into the fourth round with a 6 3, 1-6, 6-3 upset of Canadian sev enth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime. Auger-Aliassime joined a length ening list of seeds who have stum bled in the early rounds in Miami that includes Indian Wells runner up Daniil Medvedev, who was shown the door in a 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 loss to Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.

Czech 13th seed Karolina Muchova, who strolled past Alexandra Eala of the Philippines 6-0, 6-2. In the men’s draw, Italian sec ond seed Sinner was always in con trol against France’s Moutet on the Hard Rock Stadium’s main court. Sinner will face unseeded American Alex Michelsen in the last 16. Michelsen defeated Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in an earlier match. But while Sinner sailed through, defending champion Jakub Mensik

Aryna Sabalenka hits a forehand against Qinwen Zheng of China (not pictured) on Day 7 of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium yesterday. – GEOFF BURKE-IMAGN IMAGES

Medvedev’s exit followed the departures of world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, Australian fifth seed Alex De Minaur and eighth seed Ben Shelton. – AFP Valspar Champ Fitzpatrick sets sights on Masters tilt

Ű BY CARL MARKHAM

“I’m coming away from this week delighted with where my game’s at but there’s stuff I want to improve. I want to make sure that when I get to Augusta I’m ready that Thursday morning. “I’m really looking forward to that week. Obviously it is still two weeks away so (there is) time to prepare and get ready and as well as rest and recover and just be in the best shape as possi ble.” Fellow Englishman Jordan Smith’s 5-under 66 got him to 9-under and into third, while compa triot Marco Penge was also in contention until he bogeyed the 16th, finishing in a tie for fourth on 8 under after a 68. – The Independent

Tied with David Lipsky on 10-under, Fitzpatrick hit his approach to just inside 14 feet and holed for his first birdie in 12 attempts on that hole. It left the American, in the group behind, need ing to match that to force a playoff but his 32-foot attempt came up just short. “I’m obviously very confident in my game right now but what it takes to win a major is very differ ent to what it takes to win on the PGA Tour,” said the 2022 US Open champion. “Particularly the Masters, there’s extra pressure on the Masters, no matter who you are. It just has that standing above all the other events, as well as the majors.

MATT FITZPATRICK won his first PGA Tour title in three years on Sunday but will spend the next cou ple of weeks looking for the improvements needed to challenge at the Masters. The Sheffield golfer bounced back from his final-hole bogey disappointment at last week’s Players Championship to birdie the last and win the Valspar Championship by a stroke. He shot 68-68 over the weekend with just six birdies and 30 pars but the most important of the shots he picked up was at the Copperhead Course’s tough 18th hole.