Sports
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: Max Verstappen sets chilling tone for season
Mercedes driver George Russell summed up what many people in Formula 1 felt after Max Verstappen’s imperious victory for Red Bull in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
“Max is the favourite,” said Russell, who finished fifth, behind a Red Bull one-two and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc. “I don’t think anyone is going to be fighting him for the championship this year, but I hope some people are going to be battling for victories here or there.”
Verstappen’s imperious win – which was widely expected, and did little to take the focus of the weekend off the allegations surrounding his team principal Christian Horner – set a chilling tone for anyone hoping for a more competitive season than last year.
Fresh off the most dominant campaign in F1 history, Verstappen was on average about 0.8 seconds per lap quicker than anyone else in the race – including his team-mate Sergio Perez. His fastest lap was nearly 1.5secs faster than the next best, albeit set on softer tyres.
“Max is not in a different league; he’s in a different galaxy,” said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. “The performance is extraordinary.”
But there were at least some reasons for optimism. Not hope that he can be challenged for the championship, realistically; but hope that he can be challenged in races from time to time.
For one, Verstappen had only narrowly beaten Leclerc for pole position, and would have been second on the grid had the Ferrari driver repeated in the top 10 shoot-out the lap he managed in the second session.
For another, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez was only four seconds up the road from the man in third place, whereas last year the margin was much larger than that, even before Leclerc’s retirement with engine failure handed third to Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin.
And then there was the condition of the other teams – Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren are all in a much better place with their cars at the start of this season than they were last year.
Verstappen’s view – which was shared by some other teams – was that Bahrain played into Red Bull’s hands. The track is particularly brutal on tyres. Gentle tyre use was Red Bull’s biggest single advantage last year, and the new car is showing similar strengths. Other tracks are not as tough on the rubber, so in theory rivals should be more competitive there.
“In general, other teams are closer,” Verstappen said, “but everything just worked really, really well and I don’t expect that to happen every single grand prix in the near future.
“Here we were particularly good on the deg, but I do expect in race pace everyone is closer in Jeddah (for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix next weekend).”
Wolff was downbeat, despite recognising the fact that the field had been closer to the second Red Bull than last year.
“That is maybe the silver lining I can see,” he said, “but it is very thin and far away and I almost can’t see that far.”
But others saw more reason for optimism, even within his own team.
Lewis Hamilton had a difficult race after a poor qualifying left him ninth on the grid. Mercedes started running into overheating problems after a handful of laps, and Russell and Hamilton had to turn their engines down, costing an estimated 0.5secs a lap in performance.
They did not think that would have been enough to challenge the Ferraris for the podium but they took encouragement nonetheless from the fact that their car is at least nice to drive this year – unlike in 2023 – and simply lacks performance.
“Red Bull are going to win everything for a while,” Hamilton said. “But what I feel is that for the past two years we have had all these problems and we have spent several races undoing all the problems.
“As opposed to now, we have a platform we can start adding to. Now it’s a building process and we’re a great team.”
Ferrari’s cause for optimism
At Ferrari, they were feeling comparatively pleased with themselves. Last year, they were more or less lost at this stage, their car full of vices, to the extent that they were struggling to see a development direction with it.
Even so, by the end of the year, in qualifying they were on a par with Red Bull – beating them to pole in three of the final five races.
“The positive is we have compensated 50% of the gap to Red Bull,” said team principal Frederic Vasseur. “The negative is that it is not enough and we had again too many issues during the weekend.”
Vasseur said he believed it would only be after the next two races, with Australia following Saudi Arabia, before a true pattern of the season would emerge.
“We will have a better picture on the global situation after Melbourne, probably,” he said. “Before then it will be difficult to have a clear picture of the championship, but if we compare one year ago we were one second away and today 0.5secs.
“We have 24 races. Last year we did five poles after last seven races or something like this (actually five in the last nine). It is a very long season. You have room for development.
“We were able to fight for pole, the deg in Bahrain is always huge and we will have other occasion to start from pole and to win races. We will continue to push like hell. I am quite pleased with the step we made from 12 months ago and I will continue to push, don’t worry.”
Sainz shared his optimism – but added a caveat.
“I knew the Red Bulls today were going to be very, very difficult to beat,” the Spaniard said. “So to keep up with one of them and have the possibility to fight is already a good surprise.
“We were at one of their strongest tracks of the season, with very high tyre deg at the rear. Hopefully, when we go to a more front-limited track and maybe better Tarmac, our car will come alive and we will be able to mount a better challenge on Max for the win.
“From here, if we just keep adding downforce to this car, I think we can start getting closer to them. But we need to start doing it from now, because if not, they they’re going to start pushing and getting far away.”
© BBC Sport
Arsenal kept their Premier League title dreams alive by ending an Old Trafford hoodoo to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday to move back top of the table.
Leandro Trossard scored the only goal on 20 minutes as Arsenal won for just the second time in 17 games away at United to go a point clear at the summit.
Manchester City still have the destiny of the title in their own hands as the defending champions have two matches left to Arsenal’s one.
However, the Gunners kept the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s men ahead of their tricky trip to Tottenham on Tuesday.
Defeat further dented United’s chances of competing in Europe next season.
Erik ten Hag’s men showed more spirit than in a dismal 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday, but have now won just one of their last eight Premier League games.
United remain eighth in the table, three points adrift of both Newcastle, who they face on Wednesday, and Chelsea.
Arsenal have been in scintillating form in 2024 to remain in the race for their first league title in 20 years.
Mikel Arteta’s men have won 15 and drawn one of their 17 league games since the turn of the year.
But Arsenal were far from their flowing best as the expected onslaught of an injury-ravaged United never materialised under unusually stifling heat in England’s north-west.
The manner of defeat at Palace had increased the scrutiny on United boss Ten Hag.
He made three changes to the team swept aside at Selhurst Park as Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat and Amad Diallo came in.
The Dutchman’s options were again hamstrung by a lengthy list of absentees with captain Bruno Fernandes among those sidelined and a bench littered with youngsters.
But his decision to retain Casemiro as a makeshift centre-back after his woeful showing against Palace will become another stick to beat the beleaguered coach with.
The Brazil captain was dropped from their squad for the Copa America in midweek due to his terrible form.
After United had managed to keep the free-scoring visitors at bay for the opening 20 minutes, Casemiro was culpable for the opening goal.
The 32-year-old was laboured in pushing up from a United goal-kick to play Kai Havertz onside and Trossard then stole in on the blind side of Casemiro to tap in the German’s cross.
United’s new co-owner Jim Ratcliffe was in attendance at Old Trafford rather than at Wembley to see the club’s women pick up their first ever major trophy in the FA Cup final.
The work that lies ahead of Ratcliffe has been laid bare in recent weeks, but the home side did manage to keep the majority of the 74,000 crowd onside by taking the game to Arsenal after the break.
Arsenal, though, were rarely seriously troubled as they held out for a sixth clean sheet in their last seven away league games.
Alejandro Garnacho was United’s one live wire but smashed into the side-netting with his best chance to equalise.
Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice were denied by brilliant Andre Onana saves to prevent Arsenal the second goal they craved to avoid a tense finale.
The visitors desperation to see the game out was evident as Martinelli took the ball to the corner with 10 minutes of the 90 still to play.
But Arsenal did just enough to ask the question City, who host West Ham on the final day of the season after their visit to north London in midweek.
© AFP
Real Madrid snatched an incredible semi-final victory as two late goals defeated Bayern Munich and set up a Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund.
Bayern looked to be heading to the final when Alphonso Davies cut in and blasted past Andriy Lunin after England captain Harry Kane had found him with a superb pass.
But Joselu grabbed an 88th-minute equaliser when he reacted quickest after Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who had been excellent up until then, fumbled Vinicius Jr’s effort.
There was even more drama to come two minutes later when Joselu, a former Stoke City striker, swept home from six yards after Antonio Rudiger’s square pass.
The goal was initially ruled offside, only for a video assistant referee (VAR) decision to show that Joselu was onside, sparking incredible scenes of celebration in the Bernabeu, with Real hanging on to win 4-3 on aggregate.
Real, 14-time European champions, will face Dortmund on Saturday, 1 June at Wembley.
There was controversy in the 13th minute of injury time at the end of the second half as Bayern’s Matthijs de Ligt thought he had taken the game to extra time.
A ball was played up to Noussair Mazraoui and the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside, with a number of Real defenders stopping before Bayern’s De Ligt fired into the net.
Television replays suggested the original decision may not have been correct and that had the flag not been raised it would have needed to be checked by VAR, with Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel and a number of players including Kane and fellow Englishman Eric Dier strongly protesting against the decision.
Delight for Bellingham but heartbreak for Kane and Dier
For England midfielder Jude Bellingham, the outcome continues an incredible first season at the Bernabeu and he will face his former side Dortmund in the final in London.
Bellingham left the German team for Real in an £88.5m move in June 2023 and has a chance to complete a double, having already helped Real win La Liga.
“At Wembley, against Dortmund… It’s a weird one, I can’t believe it,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “When I was seven years old in Birmingham, I was dreaming of nights like this.”
While it was a dream come true for Bellingham, there was heartbreak for his fellow England players Kane and Dier.
Kane has scored 44 times for Bayern since moving in an £86m transfer from Tottenham last summer, but this loss ends his hopes of winning a first major title in his career.
Both Kane and Dier played in the 2019 Champions League final as Tottenham lost 2-0 to Liverpool.
Kane had put Bayern 2-1 ahead in the first leg against Madrid, only for Vinicius Jr to grab his second to leave it at 2-2 after the opening match in Germany.
The second leg was played in a fantastic atmosphere at the Bernabeu. The hosts almost scored early on, only for Neuer to make an excellent double save – pushing Vinicius Jr’s effort against the post and then stopping Rodrygo’s follow-up effort.
Vinicius Jr was a constant threat for Real down their left but again saw Neuer twice make excellent saves.
But Bayern, against the run of play, took the lead in the 68th minute.
Kane, in the centre circle, sprayed a superb pass to Davies on the left flank, and the Canadian ran at Rudiger, cut inside on to his right foot and unleashed an unstoppable strike for what looked to be the winner.
Boss Tuchel, who is leaving Bayern at the end of the season, took Kane off with five minutes to go, before Joselu swung the game in Real’s favour.
The striker took advantage of a rare Neuer error and then scored again three minutes later as Real clinched an incredible victory.
Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who has reached his sixth Champions League final as a manager, said he is going to “enjoy this week”.
“[My players are] unbelievable. I’m really grateful to them,” Ancelotti added. “They work really hard and I think this is the best squad I have ever had in my career.”
© BBC Sport
Crystal Palace sealed a first league double over Manchester United with a rampant 4-0 win at Selhurst Park.
Michael Olise ran 20 yards under no challenge to eventually slot beyond Andre Onana to put Oliver Glasner’s side in the lead after 13 minutes.
Jean-Philippe Mateta surged beyond Johnny Evans to finish emphatically for his sixth goal in a row on home turf.
Tyrick Mitchell tapped in from close range after a fine cross by Adam Wharton in the 58th minute and French youngster Olise capitalised on a Casemiro mistake to power a strike beyond a wanting Onana.
From the first minute, Glasner’s men looked full of intent against a United side who failed to turn up at Selhurst Park.
As a defensive unit, United put in one of the worst performances of the season with Casemiro and Evans becoming their 14th centre back partnership used this campaign.
Eberechi Eze and Olise were given the freedom of the pitch to control the play and caused United trouble on numerous occasions.
Erik ten Hag’s side threatened in a couple of moments with Casemiro twice having goals ruled out – the first for a foul on Dean Henderson and the second for offside.
Odsonne Edouard almost rubbed further salt in the wounds but his injury-time effort struck the upright.
With title-chasing Arsenal next up, United must greatly improve to avoid another thrashing.
No European football for United a possibility
At one stage in the season, Ten Hag’s side looked as though they could put pressure on Aston Villa for a Champions League spot.
That dream is long gone and United are now at risk of missing out on qualifying for any European competition next season.
They must either finish seventh in the Premier League to secure Europa Conference League football or beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final to seal a Europa League place.
One win in seven has seen United slide down the table into eighth and their fixtures do not get any easier with league leaders Arsenal visiting Old Trafford on Sunday.
A defeat by this scoreline can be hugely damaging but for those United fans who made the trip to Selhurst Park on a Bank Holiday Monday, it is the manner in which the players seemingly looked disinterested that will hurt the most.
Wharton an outsider for the England squad?
All eyes have been on United’s talented youngster, Kobbie Mainoo, and rightfully so but it is hard to ignore the performances being put in by midfielder Wharton since his January move.
Wharton, 20, has impressed since day one at Selhurst Park after his £18m move from Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day.
Up against England internationals Mason Mount and Mainoo, Wharton shone with his slick passing between the lines and combativeness in defence.
Positionally, Wharton is excellent. Especially for someone at such a tender age. He has the ability to know exactly where to be on the pitch and when it is best to release the ball for a team-mate.
The former Blackburn man has been a huge addition to a Palace side who have won four of their past five.
A fantastic cross for Joachim Andersen to set up Mitchell’s goal was just a small sample of the quality Wharton brings.
England boss Gareth Southgate was in attendance in London with a preliminary squad for Euro 2024 set to be announced on Tuesday, 21 May and with the Three Lions short of players in the mould of Wharton, could a shock inclusion be on the cards?
© BBC Sport
Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner have reignited their war of words over Max Verstappen after the Mercedes boss again hinted at poaching the three-time world champion.
Verstappen’s future at Red Bull was thrown into doubt last month after his father, Jos, said the team was in danger of being “torn apart” if Horner remained its principal.
It came after allegations against Horner of inappropriate behaviour towards a woman colleague. He denied the claims and an internal investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.
Verstappen has publicly committed his future to Red Bull, but following the Dutchman’s dominant victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Mercedes boss Wolff stirred the pot anew.
Wolff told reporters in Shanghai that “everyone is waiting to see what he (Verstappen) is going to do”.
“There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining,” said Wolff, who needs to replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is leaving for Ferrari next year.
“Clearly, from the most rational point of view, that’s the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver,” said Wolff.
“But I don’t think this is the only reason you stay where you are.”
Earlier this season Wolff said that he “would love” to sign the reigning world champion Verstappen if he became available.
His latest comments triggered a prickly response from Horner, who said that Wolff should focus on trying to revitalise Mercedes following a poor start to the season by their high standards.
“Why would you want to leave this team?” Horner said.
“Mercedes are third behind their customers (McLaren and Aston Martin).
“His time would be better spent perhaps focusing on the team rather than the driver market.
“I can assure you that there is no ambiguity about where Max Verstappen will be next year.”
© AFP
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