03/10/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | OCT 3, 2026

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Kimi up to the challenge Antonelli eyes Sepang as perfect proving ground for 2026 cars in the wet M ERCEDES driver Kimi Antonelli said Sepang’s notorious abrasive surface could prove a welcome surprise should Formula One finally get its first ally goes in between the stones. So it makes less risk of aquaplaning.” Tyre supplier Pirelli has warned teams to brace for punishing conditions, describing Sepang’s sur face as “relatively abrasive” with roughness com parable to Bahrain.

the track “looks like sandpaper” and he too expected a lot of tyre degradation. “I don’t know how much racing or track run ning there’s been recently. And anything that has been, the rain probably washes it off every after noon anyway,” Piastri said. “So it’s going to be a pretty tough weekend for everyone.” Antonelli is looking to bounce back after his “worst weekend” of the season in Baku where he qualified 16th after a crash before salvaging fifth place in the race. “I didn’t really like driving under the limit. I felt a bit too slow. But I think the learning was that sometimes you have to accept these kinds of situa tions,” he said. “It was the first time where I actually had to tell myself, ‘Look, just take the least amount of risk as possible and just take advantage of other people’s mistakes and just bring it home.’” – Reuters PITLANE Hamilton, Leclerc rally behind Ferrari boss Vasseur FERRARI’S Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton threw their weight behind team principal Fred Vasseur yesterday, as the Formula One team sought to quash persis tent rumours linking former Red Bull boss Christian Horner to the Frenchman’s job. “I’ve always said how much I trust Fred and how important he is for the team. We have a very special relationship,” Leclerc told reporters as he dismissed what he described as “silly rumours” in the paddock. “But over that, I think he’s extremely capable in what he does and I think he’s been extremely valuable so far. He will be extremely valuable in the years to come as well.” Formula One veteran Hamilton was equally supportive when asked about the team structure. “Fred is a fantastic leader. He really is the guy to take this team in the right direction,” the seven-times world champion said. “He’s helped us get to the second in the constructors’ championship. That’s a huge step from last year.” Colapinto takes blame for Baku crash ALPINE’S Franco Colapinto said the days after his Azerbaijan Grand Prix crash were among the most difficult of his career, as he faced questions and social media abuse fol lowing a collision that wiped out teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris. The incident occurred after a safety car restart in Baku, with Colapinto locking up at turn one before ploughing into French teammate Gasly in a crash that also collected reigning Formula One champion Norris. Norris initially called for Colapinto to be given a one-race ban for triggering the crash, but later apologised for the comments that he said he made in the heat of the moment. “There are some moments that are trick ier than others, the most important is to grow from those and to improve as a driver and as a person,” Colapinto told reporters yesterday ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang, Malaysia. “So I think it’s been one of those that you have to move on and learn from it. It also makes you stronger.” The 23-year-old said he took full responsi bility for the “silly mistake” which had “very big consequences,” pointing out that both McLaren drivers Norris and Oscar Piastri also locked up at turn one during the race.

the out-lap of a qualifying session. “That may make it more challenging to follow closer and to re-attack once you’ve been over taken, but that’s a total unknown currently.” With Sepang hosting a Formula One race for the first time since 2017 after the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) moved

wet race of the season in Malaysia. The young Italian, who has enjoyed a charmed run of dry conditions throughout his title charge, reckons the Malaysian circuit’s rough tarmac would make it the ideal venue to test the sport’s 2026 cars in challenging weather. “I think this track will be quite OK in the wet… The surface is so open, there’s actually not a lot of standing water unless it pours down,” Antonelli told reporters, adding that it was the “roughest track tarmac” he had ever seen. “But if it rains normally, then it would probably be the best track to try these cars for the first time in the rain because the tarmac is so open that the water just doesn’t sit on top of the surface. It actu

But while Antonelli sees opportunity in adver sity, his championship rival and team mate George Russell – who trails by 66 points in second – is concerned about the circuit’s heat-generating properties should the rain stay away. “The big difference on this circuit compared to other so-called “yo-yo” circuits is the tyre over heating,” Russell said, contrasting Sepang with tracks like Melbourne, Silverstone, Monza and Canada where surface tempera tures are more forgiving. “Here, surface overheating is going to be a huge thing. You’ll be overheating the tyres even on

the Bahrain Grand Prix due to Middle East tensions, no team holds meaningful reference data

from the current generation of cars at the cir cuit. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri said

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli with his crew in the pitlane ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang yesterday. – AFPPIC

Zverev beats Norrie to kick off China Open

WORLD NO. 2 Alexander Zverev beat Cameron Norrie 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 to kick-start his bid for the China Open yesterday. The 29-year-old is the top seed in Beijing after world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the reigning champion, withdrew due to injury. Zverev hit 15 aces but did not have it all his own way against Norrie, ranked 40th, who had some joy pushing the German around the court. The Briton came within a point of winning the first set but the US

minutes to hold off world No. 231 Shi Han in the first round, beating her compatriot 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-2. Both players struggled to win points on the sun-baked side of a split-screen court, but the Paris Olympic champion fought through 44 unforced errors to earn a meeting with Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya. Zheng, the current world No. 54, has struggled with form since needing elbow surgery last year, although she made the US Open quarterfinals as a qualifier. – AFP

Cup.

Open champion closed out the game and capitalised in the tie break when Norrie fired long. Zverev was similarly clinical in the second set, which followed serve until he broke Norrie in the 10th game to take match point at the first time of asking. He will play Shang Juncheng of China, ranked 250th, in the second round. “I’m really surprised and really happy with how I played,” said Zverev, who only arrived in China from Europe two days ago after helping Team Europe to the Laver

Also yesterday, Russia’s Roman Safiullin upset Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, brushing aside the French Open finalist 6-3, 6-2 to set up a second-round tie against countryman Andrey Rublev. Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz ousted American Learner Tien, who reached last year’s final, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 for a second-round meeting with French qualifier Arthur Gea. In the women’s draw, Zheng Qinwen needed two hours and 44

Alcaraz begins Tokyo defence with win over Michelsen CARLOS ALCARAZ began his defence of the Japan Open title with a battling 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-1 win over Alex Michelsen in Tokyo yester day. It was ultimately a heartening performance for Alcaraz, who only returned to action at the US Open in August after a four-month injury layoff.

beloved home star’s final career match. Nishikori, Asia’s most decorated men’s ten nis player, said in May he was calling time on a career that might have taken him to the pinna cle of the game were it not for persistent injury. “I am happy that in my spirit I remained competitive until the end,” he said in an emo tional post-match ceremony. In other matches, Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar upset third-seeded Taylor Fritz, the 2022 champion, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 6-3. Sixth seed Casper Ruud also crashed out to Luciano Darderi of Italy, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. And fifth-seeded American Brandon Nakashima also left the tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Frenchman Ugo Humbert. – AFP

He said it took time to adjust to the open roofed main court after practicing indoors ear lier in the day. “Going on the central court, I felt a totally different game, different conditions, different everything. So I just tried to play my best,” he said. “I’m happy to get the win at the end but I’m a little bit unhappy about my level.” Alcaraz will play Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, ranked 37th, in the next round. Earlier, second-seeded Frances Tiafoe cruised past Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 in the

The Spanish world No. 3 struggled to find his rhythm early on, spraying shots long or into the net as the big-serving American stayed aggressive. He pulled away in the tie-break but was pinned back in the second set, with Michelsen, ranked 34th, gaining parity after a marathon 10th game. Going into the third set, though, the seven time Grand Slam champion suddenly found form, mixing a barrage of blistering aces with delicate volleys to nullify his opponent’s threat.