Friday, 22 May 2026
ALBERTO BETTIOL, ITALIAN CYCLING'S ERRATIC TALENT, GOES BIG AT GIRO: 'INSTINCT WON TODAY'
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| Luca Bettini / Cor Vos |
Alberto Bettiol, the great enigma of Italian cycling, underscored his quality by soloing to victory on stage 13 of the Giro d'Italia in Verbania. It was only the ninth victory of the XDS-Astana rider's career, but almost every triumph has been a spectacular one. “I don’t win much, but if I can win like that then I’m happy to win every two years,” he said afterwards.
Alberto Bettiol doesn’t win often, but when he does, he tends to win big. His first pro victory was the Tour of Flanders, after all, and his last was the Italian national championships two years ago. And when he wins at the Giro d’Italia, he tends to win in the most beautiful places and in the most sparkling style.
Five years ago, Bettiol conjured up a triumph of consummate class amid the rolling hills of the Oltrepò Pavese. He produced a long overdue but no less stirring sequel on the shores of Lake Maggiore on Friday, powering clear of the break over the top of final climb of Ungiasca and soloing to a flamboyant victory in Verbania.
Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) was the last man from the break to see Bettiol before he forged clear with a perfectly timed attack at the top of Ungiasca with 14km remaining. “I don’t see how I could have won,” the Norwegian champion confessed on the lakefront in Verbania afterwards. Nothing to be done.
It was one of those rare days when all the moving parts – physical, mental, emotional – clicked into place for Bettiol. These don’t roll around nearly as often as they should, but on afternoons like this, Bettiol is something close to unbeatable.
“I don’t win often, but if I can win like that, then I’m happy to win every two years,” Bettiol beamed when he had been ushered to the podium area after the finish.
Bettiol’s girlfriend Lisa, a native of the area, was at the finish line to greet him, and he explained afterwards that he had spent copious amounts of time in Piedmont ahead of the Giro reconnoitring the terrain on stage 13.
“It’s always nice when you win and especially when you win like this. My girlfriend is from here and that gave me an extra push to win,” said Bettiol. “It was already a victory just to start today and know that my family and my second family and so many close friends were going to be at the finish.”
Although Bettiol was armed with ample local knowledge, the home favourites were Filippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos) and Matteo Sobrero (Lidl-Trek). All three riders knew that making the break would be half the battle on a day like this, and Bettiol was the only one of their number to succeed.
“From the moment Pippo told me there was going to be a stage to Verbania, I figured that the hardest thing would be getting in the break,” Bettiol said. “And getting into the break wasn’t easy, because everybody was watching Ganna and Matteo. But when I did it, I said I had completed the second step…”
The third and final step wasn’t straightforward either, even if the break of fifteen was given considerable leeway by the peloton, building a lead in excess of 10 minutes by the time they hit the finale on the shores of Lake Maggiore.
Surprisingly, that generous buffer didn’t disrupt the unity of the move until they approached the stiff climb to Ungiasca, and the XDS-Astana rider knew exactly where his limits lay on that 4.7km ascent. Crucially, Bettiol also knew the camber of every twist and turn in the road from there into the centre of Verbania.
“When we were on the lake, I was expecting someone to attack before the climb, but it didn’t happen,” said Bettiol, who was happy to follow Leknessund at a distance when his attack broke up the front group on the ascent. “The climb was about surviving, but I knew how it went.
“I knew the last 150m were the hardest. I’d done this climb a lot because my girlfriend lives 50 metres away from there. I did it again and again. I turned around and I saw nobody was coming with me.”
Bettiol bridged up to Leknessund near the summit before flicking into the big ring on the false flat over the top to power clear of the Norwegian.
“I managed to trick these climbers a bit and then go on and win the stage. I knew the descent really well,” Bettiol smiled. “It’s all really beautiful and I’m just enjoying it.”
After the podium, Bettiol, one of the peloton’s most loquacious talkers, was ushered onto the stage to appear on Processo alla Tappa, RAI television’s post-stage analysis show. After discussing his long training camp at Mount Teide before the Giro, he confessed to certain misgivings about certain aspects of modern cycling.
“We live in a cycling made up of numbers and watts, but I think instinct won out today,” Bettiol said. “I like emotions and passion and instinct. Without those things, cycling wouldn’t be a popular as it is, but the human factor wins out.”
And as if to illustrate the point, Bettiol wore a broad smile when asked how he would celebrate his victory.
“Tomorrow, I’ll take a rest day,” he joked. “I’ll get dropped with the sprinters and enjoy the mountains of Val d’Aosta…”
- Barry Ryan
ARYNA SABALENKA ABRUPTLY ENDS PRESS CONFERENCE AS TOP PLAYERS WEIGH IN ON BOLD MEDIA DUTY SCALEBACK
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| Pictured L to R - Sabalenka, Swiatek, Djokovic |
Aryna Sabalenka abruptly ended her pre-tournament French Open press conference after it emerged that several leading tennis stars would significantly limit their media duties in an attempt to increase pressure on the Grand Slams over prize money.
The Belarusian enters Roland Garros as one of the favourites after reaching the finals of the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Miami earlier this season.
However, Sabalenka’s clay-court campaign has proven inconsistent. She suffered a shock defeat to Hailey Baptiste in the Madrid Open quarter-finals despite holding multiple match points, before being knocked out by Sorana Cirstea in the third round of the Italian Open.
During the loss in Rome, Sabalenka also required a medical timeout due to back discomfort, sparking concerns over her fitness heading into Paris.
Nevertheless, after two weeks of rest, the world No 1 now returns in search of a maiden French Open title as the tournament’s top seed.
During her pre-tournament press conference, Sabalenka made headlines after revealing that she would limit her media duties to just 15 minutes.
The decision, which has also been adopted by several other leading players, comes amid an ongoing dispute surrounding Grand Slam prize money and player compensation.
“Well, guys, I feel like the whole point here, it’s not about me,” she began.
“It’s about the players who are lower in the ranking, who is suffering, and, yeah, it’s not easy to live in this tennis world with that percentage that we are earning,” Sabalenka stated.
“But as the World No 1, I feel like, you know, I have to stand up and to fight for those players, for lower-level players, for players who are coming back after injuries, the upcoming generation. I feel like our point is pretty clear and pretty fair to everyone. That’s what we are all about.
“I stand with my words. We wanted to do it in a respectful way at the beginning, and you guys know how much we respect you and we appreciate you.
“It’s not your decision, it’s not about you. It’s just we are trying to fight for a fair percentage.”
Indeed, during the Italian Open, Sabalenka suggested she could even consider boycotting future Grand Slam tournaments if the events failed to significantly improve prize money distribution.
Players involved in the discussions are reportedly pushing for the Grand Slams to allocate 22% of their overall revenue toward prize money by the end of the decade.
French Open organisers have defended their position by pointing to this year’s total prize pool of €61.723 million, representing a 9.53% increase compared to last year’s event.
Last year’s US Open increased prize money by 20%, while this year’s Australian Open introduced a 16% rise.
In addition to financial concerns, players have also raised issues regarding scheduling, ball changes, and healthcare contributions.
“We just wanted to make our point, and we are united, and 15 minutes better than zero, and I’m here to talk to you because I have my respect to you guys,” added the Belarusian before ending the English portion of her press conference.
“I guess we just do 10 minutes here and five minutes – what is the five minutes that we did, World Feed? That’s it.
“And now it’s time for national language, and thank you so much for being here, for asking questions. As I said a thousand times today, I have huge respect, but we know what’s happening here, so thank you so much.”
Iga Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, has also backed the movement and followed the same 15-minute media limit.
“I feel like all of us, we have nothing against media, obviously, and we totally respect you guys. We know how our relationship is important,” the Pole argued.
“But with the tournament, you know, I feel like we will do more when the tournament will do more for us.
“Not only us, the top players, because obviously we are the ones that have the most contact with you guys, but, you know, for also the lower-ranked players and the whole structure, you know.
“So it’s personally, like, nothing against you guys, but for sure, this is the decision that we made, and we will follow it.”
However, world No 4 Novak Djokovic revealed that while he sympathises with the players’ concerns, he has not been involved in the internal discussions and therefore will not limit his own media appearances.
“I haven’t been part of the process, the conversation, the planning or decision-making so I can’t comment on that,” the Serb said.
“But what I can do is reiterate my own position that I have always been on the players’ side and tried to advocate for players’ rights and better future for players.
“We tend to forget how little the number of people that live from this sport is. I will never stop mentioning or talking about that.”
The French Open will take place from May 24 to June 7.
- Oliver Paton
AN F1 TEAM BOSS' FURY AT 'ABSOLUTE BULLS***" DRIVER EXIT RUMORS
Haas Formula 1 boss Ayao Komatsu does not do diplomatic non-answers or suffer fools, so if anyone is likely to rail against “bulls***” speculation, it's him.
Even by Komatsu’s standards, though, his response to the reporting surrounding Esteban Ocon's future at the team and a supposed fall-out between the two at the previous F1 race in Miami was something to behold.
The claims, which had spread rapidly through social media in the days before the Canadian Grand Prix, suggested a serious breakdown in the relationship between Komatsu and Ocon, with some reports hinting at a possible mid-season split.
Komatsu's verdict was unambiguous: "Absolute bulls***. Zero foundation whatsoever."
He reeled off a sustained, often expletive-laden dismantling of a story he considers not just wrong, but “just f***ing bulls*** gossip”. He even asked: “How is that journalism?”
What made his reaction extraordinary was not merely the language but the disbelief that the story had been written in the first place, and then gained traction.
The basic lineage of this story appears to be that a Brazilian journalist was misquoted and/or mistranslated into Japanese based on comments made in Portuguese questioning Ocon's long-term future at Haas. Additional details were then added, referring to reports of a falling out in Miami. This was then regurgitated again by French media outlets.
Komatsu suggested that at each stage of that chain, nobody had thought to check whether any of it was true. He also wondered if the Japanese motivation was "they really want to create s***" that he wants to replace Ocon with Yuki Tsunoda and get a Japanese driver back on the grid.
The specific claim that irritated him most was the suggestion of a confrontation with Ocon in Miami.
"I didn't even have a single argument with Esteban in Miami,” Komatsu said. “It's just amazing how this bulls*** gets smoked up, and then because nobody checks the source, everybody just rides on top of it."
Komatsu and Ocon spoke on Thursday morning in Montreal and the conversation was one of bemusement rather than damage control: "We were just smiling and talking about ‘what the f*** that's about?’ So I said I'm going to just completely clarify this to everyone, because it's absolute utter s***, total bulls***.”
But while both men presented a unified front, Komatsu was clear that the episode was not without cost. Ocon has been unsettled, his management has been unsettled, and the team was forced to field questions about a crisis that did not exist.
When he asked, “What is the purpose?” it was not rhetorical; Komatsu was genuinely baffled. As a child, he revealed, Komatsu harboured ambitions of becoming an investigative journalist. He understood the appeal and the value.
"So when I read things, it's like f***king hell. Are you not embarrassed about what you're writing? And then by writing bulls*** like this with no foundation, you lose credibility completely, right? Any media that runs that kind of bulls*** story loses credibility, in my mind.”
Ocon himself, in his own media session, described the experience in terms that went beyond mere frustration. He called it "almost like bullying in a way", with his reputation materially damaged "in two or three days" by people who face no accountability for what they have written.
The sensitivity of the situation was further illustrated when Komatsu was asked, with both Ocon and team-mate Ollie Bearman currently onboard but not guaranteed for 2027, would he keep both drivers if he had to decide today?
Komatsu’s expansive candour was replaced with a simpler kind of bluntness: "A question like this is going to create some s*** because people are going to take my word completely out of context. So I'm not going to answer that question."
Having just lamented the consequences of careless reporting, Komatsu was clearly not prepared to hand anyone fresh ammunition.
- SCOTT MITCHELL-MALM, EDD STRAW
PEP GUARDIOLA TO STAY ON CFG PAYROLL AFTER QUITTING MANCHESTER CITY
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| Guardiola's last game of 10 years in charge at City will be on Sunday against Aston Villa |
Pep Guardiola is to continue working for City Football Group despite confirming his departure as manager of its flagship club, Manchester City.
Guardiola will take charge of his final match on Sunday, having become the most successful manager in City history during a 10-year spell that gleaned six Premier League titles.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss will remain on the CFG payroll, however, as a global ambassador that will involve him giving technical advice to the 13 clubs in the group.
City CEO Ferran Soriano said: “We have been privileged to work alongside Pep Guardiola for 10 years.
“Pep’s legacy is extraordinary and its true impact will be better assessed by Manchester City historians of the future.
“Pep’s legacy is extraordinary and its true impact will be better assessed by Manchester City historians of the future.
“If there is something more difficult than winning, it is winning again. It requires incredible persistence, resilience and the humility to start again every year, with the same energy, again and again. This is what Pep did.
“As we celebrate the past, we are also very happy to know that Pep will stay with the group and we will be able to use his knowledge and experience in so many of our other clubs to help managers and players.”
Guardiola leaves City as the joint second most successful manager in English football history, after Sir Alex Ferguson. As well as six top-flight titles, he won the club’s first Champions League, three FA Cup and five EFL Cups.
Honesty and trust
The Catalan achieved a Premier League record points tally of 100 in 2017-18, and is credited with popularising tactical innovations including ball-playing goalkeepers and inverted full-backs throughout English football.
He departs, however, with the shadow of City’s more than 100 charges of breaching the Premier League’s financial rules still hanging over the club, who have denied wrongdoing.
“Over the last 10 years honesty and trust have formed the bedrock on which we have navigated every situation together with Pep,” said City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
“There have been points along the way when he could have stopped, and it would have been enough. Somehow, Pep always found new energy and pushed on, finding different and innovative ways to continue winning and delivering success.”
Guardiola, who has batted away questions about his future throughout this season, said he could not explain why he was stepping down with one year remaining on his contract.
“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time,” he said.
“Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.”
The club are expected to pay tribute to Guardiola at their final game of the season, at home to Aston Villa, this weekend.
- Frank Dalleres
ENGLAND WORLD CUP ANNOUNCEMENT: RUTHLESS THOMAS TUCHEL LEAVES BIG NAMES OUT OF 26-MAN SQUAD
Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire are the eye-catching names to miss out on England's World Cup squad; Ivan Toney, Djed Spence, Kobbie Mainoo, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Jarell Quansah and John Stones notable inclusions in Thomas Tuchel's 26-man group
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| Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden have been left out of England's World Cup squad |
Ruthless Thomas Tuchel has left a number of high-profile names out of his England squad for the World Cup, while striker Ivan Toney has earned a shock recall.
"I love the tough decisions," Tuchel said on the squad being announced, and he has been true to his word.
Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire are the eye-catching names to have missed out on selection after Tuchel confirmed his 26-man squad for this summer's tournament in North America.
England's World Cup squad in full...
Defenders: Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O'Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Noni Madueke (Arsenal).
'Most shocking squad since 1998'
Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol has described the squad as "probably the most shocking since 1998" and it is England's World Cup absentees, plus the leaks on the eve of Friday's announcement that have provided the biggest talking points.
Furious Maguire posted on social media to say he was "shocked and gutted" to miss out on a squad Tuchel told players about on Thursday, with the steady stream of information allowing onlookers to piece together the personnel in advance.
Foden and Palmer were the biggest names to miss after below-par club seasons with Manchester City and Chelsea respectively, plus a huge amount of competition in that area of the field. Real Madrid right-back Alexander-Arnold is another bold omission, albeit a more predictable one having not won a cap since last summer.
On the absence of Palmer, Foden, Maguire and Alexander-Arnold, Tuchel said: "Difficult phone calls. I respect all of them. As players, personalities. All of them have been in camp, have been excellent.
"To reduce it was difficult, sometimes painfully difficult. Even in the phone calls I felt the emotion. I called all the players who were in camp with us at least one time. A lot of them deserved to be with us.
"In the end we went back to the evidence we had - in September, October, November, the leadership group and the team had very few changes in November... that felt we had a bit of fresh air, younger players who played with excitement, it was a good mix of young and old and brought the best out of the players. We want to recreate that spirit - that's why we rely heavily on the group that was with us in those three camps.
"For some it was a positional thing and not bring[ing] five No 10s and making them play out of position."
In-form Nottingham Forest forward Morgan Gibbs-White, Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, Newcastle defender Lewis Hall, Man Utd's Luke Shaw and West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen are other notable absentees as Tuchel made an eye-catching first tournament selection.
No Liverpool players for England
This is the first time since the 1986 World Cup that a Liverpool player has not been named in an England tournament squad
Toney earns shock recall
The surprise name included is Ivan Toney, who has played just seven minutes of international football since Euro 2024.
The former Brentford striker told Sky Sports in February that he still harboured hopes of being included in the World Cup squad and his 32 goals in 32 Saudi Pro League games for Al-Ahli this season have seen him earn a shock recall.
He will provide the back up for captain Harry Kane alongside Ollie Watkins, who has also been recalled to the squad after scoring 10 goals for Aston Villa since being left out of March's internationals.
Newcastle defender Tino Livramento has been selected despite missing the past month with a thigh issue, while similarly versatile Spurs full-back Djed Spence has been included despite reportedly breaking his jaw on Tuesday.
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| Djed Spence and Trent Alexander-Arnold |
Other notable inclusions include Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, Arsenal duo Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah, and the experienced duo of John Stones and Jordan Henderson.
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| Alex Scott wheels away to celebrate his match-winning goal against Arsenal |
England kick-off Group L against Croatia in Dallas on June 17, before playing Ghana on June 23 and Panama on June 27.
On daring to dream about England's World Cup chances, Tuchel said: "I can dream. But very quickly you go back and chop it up into steps you can influence.
"In March last year we said to the players 'let's try to win it'. I strongly believe if the energy and the commitment is right, this is really a brotherhood, the fans will notice and see.
"Let's play with hunger, with excitement. The goal is clear. But the focus will now be on the 10 days of camp... otherwise it's a lot to digest."
'Tuchel has kept to his word with big decisions'
Analysis from Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett:
England's leakiest World Cup squad announcement ever.
The news started breaking about 6pm last night when we heard from Maguire, who wasn't included. Then we got the news that Toney was in from out of nowhere.
They are two of the big headlines, with the omissions of Palmer, Foden and Alexander-Arnold being the other big stories.
England leaving out those high-profile names will send shock waves around world football.
We've known for a long time that Tuchel has a problem at No 10. He's got an embarrassment of riches at No 10.
He said all along he wouldn't be able to take all of them. He would take the tough decisions and leave big names at home if they weren't performing well or didn't fit into his plans.
He's kept to his word on that in leaving Foden and Palmer out and Morgan Gibbs-White, who we need to mention. But is Gibbs-White ever going to get on the pitch?
When it cams to Palmer and Foden, I expected maybe one of them would make it and not both, because Tuchel has talked about his extensive No 10 options for a long time. He has a wealth of talent in that position. We knew Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers were going to go, but how many more No 10s did he need and how many could he fit in? The No 10 debate will go on and on.
There is no doubt Tuchel has some really interesting questions to answer.
It's been the most bizarre England squad announcement I've known in four tournaments. Tuchel has certainly put his stamp on things and he doesn't mind making the big decisions and leaving the big names out.
Why has Toney been called up?Analysis from Sky Sports' Peter Smith:
"Toney’s call-up is a shock. He’s played just seven minutes of football for England under Thomas Tuchel – and has not been selected since his one brief cameo against Senegal in June 2025.
"But it’s also a pick which makes sense in many ways. Whatever caveats you want to put on the quality of the Saudi Pro League, Toney has scored 32 goals in 32 appearances for Al Ahli, where he’s won two league titles.
"So he has form, he’s played in a hot, draining climate which will have parallels with North America this summer. And remember the role he’ll likely be playing: an impact target man if England need to go long late in a game.
"He did that to great effect against Slovakia in the Euros where he was sent on deep into stoppage time with England losing and ended up setting up Harry Kane’s winner in extra-time."
'Only Tuchel would have picked this squad'
Sky Sports' News Kaveh Solhekol at Wembley:
"I think it's very shocking, very surprising.
"I think only Tuchel would've picked this England squad.
"I think he's left out some of the most talented English players.
"This is probably the most shocking England squad since 1998, when Glenn Hoddle left out Paul Gascoigne."
Your views: Mixed reaction to Tuchel's squad...
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| England World Cup talking points |
CallumH16: We have been used to squads being selected on the basis of form under Southgate, which is why I think this squad selection comes as such a shock. It's horrific from Tuchel! There are many players that haven't played enough minutes this season: Stones, James, Henderson, Livramento.
Tom: We have had years of moaning about England managers being too cautious picking the obvious players. It's a breath of fresh air to have a manager going against the grain. Shows leadership and confidence.
Mcgly 93: For years England fans used to go mad at managers for taking players all because of their name. There's an argument here that the gaffer has gone against that so fair play. We will see what happens however if it goes pear-shaped then its P45, do not pass go and do not collect 200...
Joe: What an embarrassing day for English football! And I was there for the 98 squad announcement!
AdamTilley: Has Tuchel been watching the Premier League this season??
Big Dan: Weakest England squad I've ever seen heading into a tournament! That defence is horrible to look at. Morgan Gibbs-White had to be included. Putting the Arsenal front three in is ridiculous, he's done that based on winning the league as all three have been poor.
Gary McKnight: The first ever England manager (especially in my lifetime anyway) to not pick players on reputation. Tuchel hasn't caved in to outside pressure and I respect that. I trust that man!
James: Everyone please calm down. We aren't used to a serial winner as manager. The vast majority of players left out of the squad are out of form. Morgan Gibbs-white and Lewis Hall are unlucky but the player ahead of them are also quality.
What's next for England?
England will depart for the United States on Monday, June 1, 16 days prior to their opening group encounter against Croatia (Wednesday, June 17).
They will be based in Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri during the tournament.
England have World Cup warm-up matches with New Zealand on June 6 (9pm UK time) and Costa Rica on June 10 (9pm UK time) before their tournament opener against Croatia.
England's World Cup Group L games
- England vs Croatia - June 17, Dallas, 9pm (UK time)
- England vs Ghana - June 23, Boston, 9pm (UK time)
- Panama vs England - June 27, New York-New Jersey, 10pm (UK time)
World Cup key dates
- Group stage: June 11-27
- Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarter-finals: July 9-11
- Semi-finals: July 14-15
- Third-place play-off ('Bronze final'): July 18
- Final: July 19
- Oliver Yew
Thursday, 21 May 2026
ROBERTO BAGGIO BOOTS | MATCH WINNER II SC ROBERTO BAGGIO FOOTBALL BOOTS
One of the most iconic boots of the 1990s, the Diadora Match Winner II SC was the signature shoe of Roberto Baggio, worn during some of the most memorable moments of his glittering career including the 1994 World Cup.
Instantly recognisable with their sleek design and the Italian maestro's name attached, they became one of the most sought after boots of their generation, cementing Diadora's place among the great football boot manufacturers of that era.
GEORGE RUSSELL ISSUED 'PSYCHOLOGICAL' WARNING AHEAD OF F1 CANADIAN GP
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| George Russell is looking to bounce back in Canada |
Martin Brundle has warned George Russell that winning this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix is an important “psychological” step in his quest to win the Formula 1 World Championship.
The Mercedes driver has fallen 20 points behind teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli in the Drivers’ standings, with Italian teenager’s blistering seeing him triumph in the last three Grands Prix.
The results have swung against the pre-season narrative that Russell was indeed the title favourite, which was initially furthered with success in the opening round in Australia.
Whilst McLaren and Red Bull have appeared to catch-up to Mercedes, the German marque is still the standout overall favourite for both title crowns, leaving Russell with what appears to be a big chance to close the gap to Antonelli.
And whilst Brundle, speaking to Sky Sports News, acknowledged there is a “long way to go” in the championship, a victory in Montreal this weekend would give Russell a chance to firmly press the reset button.
“There’s a long way to go. There’s 482 points available in this championship,” he said.
“I don’t think the points deficit is that much of a problem for George Russell.
“For example, last year in Canada, Lando Norris had a clumsy accident with his team-mate Oscar Piastri in the McLaren, and that looked like he’d hurt his championship chances, then he goes on to become World Champion.
“This is only our fifth Grand Prix of the season, and it’s going to be a challenging one. It’s the first Sprint in Canada.
“It’s going to be cold. It might be wet on race day. It’s going to be quite the challenge.
"George needs to stop Antonelli in his tracks and get a few points back against him, but I think it’s more psychological than the mathematics.”
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| George Russell struggled to keep with teammate Kimi Antonelli in Miami, and enters this weekend’s race 20 points behind |
'Mighty’ Antonelli but Canada strength could see George Russell resurgence – Brundle
Antonelli has certainly silenced the doubters, the teenager having been lambasted for a number of performances across his debut campaign, with Russell often outperforming the W16.
Brundle was full of praise for the sport’s youngest-ever title-leader, however did point out that Russell, who often performs well in Canada – winning the race last year, with Antonelli third – could prove to be a sterner test than he previously was last time out in the Miami Grand Prix.
“He’s been mighty, his speed, his consistency. He kept his head under pressure in Miami,” he said.
“George Russell struggles in Miami, but is very strong in Canada, so Kimi will have a bigger fight on his hands across the garage and a lot of teams are bringing upgrades.
“But, Kimi’s raw pace and consistency has been super impressive.”
With Antonelli still shaking off the 2025 criticisms, every Grand Prix feels like a litmus test for the young Italian. And if he can navigate the latest one, his title credentials will soar once again.
- Jack Oliver Smith
EAGLES' NOLAN SMITH REPORTEDLY ARRESTED FOR SPEEDING, RECKLESS DRIVING IN GEORGIA
Nolan Smith, the Eagles' fourth-year edge defender, reportedly was driving over 130 MPH on Friday, leading to his arrest.
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| BILL STREICHER/IMAGN IMAGES Nolan Smith was reportedly arrested Friday for speeding and reckless driving. |
Philadelphia Eagles edge defender Nolan Smith was arrested last Friday for reckless driving and speeding. A mugshot of Smith first appeared at The Georgia Gazette, a site that appears to be a roundup of arrest records. Local CBS affiliate WMAZ-TV confirmed the arrest.
PhillyVoice has not yet been able to confirm the speed that Smith was driving, but reports online suggest he was either going 135 or 137 MPH in a 70 MPH zone.
There have been a number of recent incidents in which NFL players were cited for excessive speeding.
In 2023, Vikings WR Jordan Addison was cited for driving 140 MPH in a 55 MPH zone.
Browns DE Myles Garrett has repeatedly been cited for excessive speeding, including a 2025 citation for driving 100 MPH in a 60 MPH zone.
Browns QB Shedeur Sanders also has multiple speeding incidents, including a 2025 citation for driving 101 MPH in a 60 MPH zone.
None of the above players were suspended by the NFL. It's also worth noting that Jalen Carter – Smith's teammate both with the Eagles and at Georgia – pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in 2023. He received a year of probation, plus a small fine and community service.
Smith had a quiet rookie season in 2023 and his second season in 2024 got off to a slow start. However, the light seemed to come on for him after the Week 5 bye in 2024. In the 15 games he played from October on, Smith had 10.5 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles, and he did a lot of the dirty work in the defense like taking on pulling guards and burying them. He also led the NFL with four postseason sacks.
Smith entered 2025 as a budding star, and the Eagles' top edge defender. However, he did not have the season that he or the Eagles were hoping for, as he missed five games after aggravating a triceps injury that he suffered in the previous year's Super Bowl. He was also on a pitch count upon his return.
Smith will presumably be healthy to begin the 2026 season, and the Eagles will hope he picks up where he left off in 2024. The promise he showed in 2024 was enough for the Eagles to exercise his fifth-year option for 2027, at a cost of just under $14 million.
- JIMMY KEMPSKI
RYAN GARCIA WILL FACE CONOR BENN ON THE SAME DAY CANELO ÁLVAREZ FIGHTS CHRISTIAN MBILLI
Ryan Garcia just announced he's fighting Conor Benn on September 12th in Las Vegas.
The same day Canelo is fighting Christian Mbilli
Two WBC titles on the line!
FRENCH OPEN: DISGRUNTLED STARS SAY 'PAY MORE OF WE INTERACT LESS'
Top tennis players hit back as French Open reduces players’ share of prize money
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| AFP |
You know something is off when news of 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic appointing a new coach or seven-time Major winner Carlos Alcaraz pulling out from both French Open and Wimbledon due to a right wrist injury don’t make tennis headlines like it should. True, Jannik Sinner has been hogging the limelight in recent months during his record-breaking Masters 1000 title-run and is the odds-on favourite to win his first French Open as well, but none of these developments are in the spotlight as we head into the second Grand Slam of the year.
Instead, it is the rising murmurs of discontent among top players regarding their share of the prize money that has grabbed all the attention. L'Equipe newspaper reported Wednesday that many players competing at Roland Garros, which begins Sunday, are planning to limit their conversations with reporters to 15 minutes during Friday's traditional pre-tournament media day.
The French tennis federation (FFT), which organizes the French Open, said in a statement to The Associated Press that it regrets the players' initiative "which penalizes all stakeholders involved in the tournament: the media, broadcasters, federation staff and the entire tennis community that enthusiastically follows each edition of Roland Garros."
For the record, men’s No 1 Sinner, women’s top-ranked player Aryna Sabalenka and No 4 and defending French Open champion Coco Gauff were among leading players who threatened a boycott of the Slams earlier this month if they didn't start receiving more compensation. According to them, the players' share of revenue at the French Open had been reduced to an alleged 14.3 per cent – compared to 22 per cent at other ATP and WTA events. They say the event generated 395 million euros in 2025, a 14 per cent year-on-year increase, yet prize money rose by just 5.4 per cent, reducing players' share of revenue to 14.3 per cent.
The players are also seeking better representation, health options and pensions from the four Grand Slam tournaments: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open. The Australian Open this year increased the players' compensation by 16 per cent, and the US Open prize money last year went up by 20 per cent.
While conversations have mostly been about boycotts and disgruntled players, 38-year-old Djokovic, a three-time winner at the French Open, appointed Viktor Troicki, his former Serbian teammate and the man who guided him to Olympic glory in 2024, as his new coach. With Sinner in such commanding form leaving all his supposed rivals like world No 3 Alexander Zverev and No 4 Djokovic in the dust, it really would take a bad day in the office for the Italian to not win his first title at Roland Garros.
The woman’s draw is a bit more open, with Sabalenka not having a great run on clay in the lead-up and the likes of world No 2 Elena Rybakina snapping at her heels. And of course, never count out world No 3 and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek, especially on this surface.
- Jaydip Sengupta
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