Wednesday, 15 April 2026
Tuesday, 14 April 2026
FORMER RED BULL MECHANIC SAYS HANNA SCHMITZ COULD BE NEXT TO LEAVE AFTER GIANPIERO LAMBIASE
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| Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images |
Ex-Red Bull mechanic Kenny Handkammer has claimed that Hannah Schmitz could be the next senior figure to leave the team.
In recent times, Red Bull have been hit with several high-profile exits, including the likes of Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay.
Last week, another senior departure was confirmed as Gianpiero Lambiase is set to leave Red Bull for McLaren in 2028.
Lambiase is set to become Chief Racing Officer at McLaren and will report to team principal Andrea Stella.
Less than a week after Lambiase’s departure was confirmed, it has been claimed that another senior figure could leave.
Hannah Schmitz could be next to leave Red Bull after Gianpiero Lambiase
Speaking on The Two Mechanics podcast, Handkammer claimed that the current Head of Strategy, Schmitz, could be next in line to leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
Handkammer said: “The decline of Red Bull is quite sad. If I were the CEO of Red Bull global, I’d be thinking. Look who he has lost, Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Gianpiero Lambiase and Will Courtenay.
“It looks like Hannah Schmitz, Head of Strategy, is rumoured to go too, all these massive key people and talks are there’s going to be more. That’s a real head scratcher. How do you reconfigure the team?”
Who is Hannah Schmitz and what is her role at Red Bull?
Schmitz, 40, is regarded as one of the most talented figures in the Formula 1 paddock, having joined Red Bull back in 2009 as a Modelling and Strategy Engineer.
In 2011, Schmitz became Senior Strategy Engineer before being promoted to Principal Strategy Engineer in 2021. In 2026, she became Red Bull’s Head of Race Strategy following Courtenay’s move to McLaren.
Schmitz has previously been praised for playing a major role in a number of Red Bull victories.
Following the 2022 Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen labelled Schmitz as ‘insanely calm’ after the Dutchman won the race from P10.
He said: “You can’t afford many mistakes. It’s of course very hard to always be on the good side, let’s say it like that. But I think we have a lot of good guys and girls in the team.
“Today, I think Hannah, our strategist, was insanely calm. Yeah, she’s very good.”
With several big names already out the door, Red Bull will have to keep the likes of Schmitz in the team if they want to prevent Verstappen from engineering his own exit.
BLESSIN MUZARABANI HANDED TWO-YEAR PSL BAN AFTER PULLING OUT OF IPL
Blessing Muzarabani had been signed by Islamabad United for the upcoming PSL edition, but later opted out to take up an opportunity in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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| Muzarabani was signed by Islamabad United for the upcoming PSL season but later decided to pursue an opportunity with KKR in the IPL. (KKR) |
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for two years after he backed out of a contract for the 2026 season.
Muzarabani was signed by Islamabad United for the upcoming PSL season but later decided to pursue an opportunity in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 29-year-old joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as a replacement for Mustafizur Rahman for IPL 2026, leading the PCB to take disciplinary action against the pacer.
The PCB released a statement highlighting the importance of honouring contracts in franchise cricket.
“After a thorough review, the PCB has declared that Zimbabwean cricketer Blessing Muzarabani is ineligible to participate in the next two editions of the HBL PSL, effective immediately. This decision results from his failure to honor agreed commitments, which undermines the league’s professional structure.
“The PCB believes that professional cricket depends on trust and the certainty of agreements. In this case, despite a clear offer and a definite acceptance of the essential terms, the player chose to ignore these obligations for another opportunity,” the statement said.
Muzarabani quickly made a mark for KKR in IPL 2026, taking 4/41 in his second match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The development comes at a time when T20 leagues are tightening rules around player withdrawals. The IPL introduced a regulation ahead of the 2025 season stating that any player who pulls out after being picked at the auction, without a valid reason, would face a two-season ban.
England’s Ben Duckett, who withdrew from the 2026 season despite being signed by Delhi Capitals, and Harry Brook, who had taken a similar call earlier, are among those impacted.
This season marks a rare overlap of the PSL and IPL, with both leagues running simultaneously, creating scheduling conflicts and forcing players to choose between commitments.
- Express News Service
MAX VERSTAPPEN EXPECTED TO QUIT F1 FOLLOWING SHOCK RED BULL DEPARTURE
Not only is Max Verstappen unhappy with F1's current regulations, his long-time ally Gianpiero Lambiase is leaving
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| @XPBimages |
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes the exit of Gianpiero Lambiase has all but guaranteed that Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull at the end of the current season.
It was announced last week that Lambiase will leave the Milton Keynes-based outfit when his contract concludes at the end of 2027, completing a shock move to McLaren.
At McLaren, Lambiase’s role will be chief racing officer, rather than race engineer for either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri.
It is believed that McLaren’s plan is eventually to make Lambiase its team principal, kickstarting a new chapter for the 45-year-old.
Lambiase has served as Verstappen’s race engineer since the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, with the pair building an exceptional working relationship during that time.
In Palmer’s view, the departure of Verstappen’s long-time ally is just another nail in the coffin at a time when the Dutchman is already unhappy, making an exit this year highly likely.
Asked if Lambiase's exit increases the chances of Verstappen leaving Red Bull, Palmer told the F1 Nation podcast: "That’s exactly how I see it. I think we’re already talking about Max probably leaving the team at some point.
"You’ve got Red Bull not being competitive, and not having the easiest route back to being competitive, given where they’re at when you factor in all the personnel who have left.
"For me, GP is such a linchpin for him; it sort of connects the driver to the team. I see this news as offering a more in-depth understanding of another reason why Max isn’t particularly happy in the team.
"And on many levels, I just don’t see him sticking around particularly long, probably beyond the end of this year, unless they have a concrete plan in place and a clear sign of progress."
- Nick Golding
GHANA MIDFIELDER THOMAS PARTEY PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO NEW RAPE CHARGES
Ghana footballer Thomas Partey has pleaded not guilty to two new allegations of rapes.
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| Then-Atletico Madrid football player Thomas Partey - Copyright © africanews Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved |
The 32-year-old midfielder appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London (United Kingdom) on Monday (13 April).
He denied twice raping a woman in the English capital in December 2020.
In July 2025, Partey was already charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to alleged incidents from 2021 and 2022, Sky Sports reported.
He also pleaded not guilty to those charges.
The new accusations were announced in February. On Monday, Judge Tony Baumgartner agreed for all the charges to be tried together, possibly delaying the trial until January 2027.
In total, the former Arsenal player faces seven allegations of rape and one of sexual assault from four different women. He denies all the accusations.
“Thomas Partey continues to deny all charges against him. He has cooperated with the police throughout,” his lawyer Jenny Wiltshire said on Monday.
Partey, who joined La Liga club Villareal last summer, remains out on bail throughout the legal proceedings.
The Ghana midfielder is expected to play in the upcoming FIFA World Cup starting in June, although a new muscle injury is raising concerns regarding his participation.
In the meantime, Partey’s case is due to be listed in court for a pre-trial hearing on 14 May, according to Sky Sports.
-Sarah Miansoni
GHANA: GFA APPOINTS CARLOS QUEIROZ AS BLACK STARS HEAD COACH FOR 2026 WORLD CUP
The Ghana Football Association has appointed Carlos Queiroz as the new head coach of Ghana's senior national team, the Black Stars, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to a statement from the GFA Communications Department, the decision was made by the Executive Council in collaboration with key stakeholders in Ghana football.
Queiroz, a highly experienced coach, has previously managed top teams including Real Madrid, Manchester United, and national teams such as Portugal and Iran.
He is expected to lead Ghana's campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The GFA noted that Queiroz brings significant World Cup experience.
He led South Africa to qualification for the 2002 tournament, guided Portugal to the knockout stage in 2010, and managed Iran at both the 2014 and 2018 editions.
In addition, the Portuguese coach has worked with national teams including Egypt, Oman, Japan, and Qatar.
The GFA stated that Queiroz is expected to use his experience to strengthen the Black Stars as they prepare for the global tournament.
He is set to begin work immediately, with the World Cup scheduled to kick off on June 11, 2026.
Ghana will play its first group match against Panama on June 17, 2026, in Toronto, before taking on England and Croatia in the remaining group games.
Background: Carlos Queiroz is a Portuguese football coach with decades of experience at both club and international levels.
He served as an assistant coach at Manchester United under Alex Ferguson, and later took up head coaching roles with Real Madrid and several national teams.
Known for his tactical discipline and defensive organisation, Queiroz has built a reputation for guiding teams to major tournaments and competing strongly on the global stage.
- Jacob Aggrey
Monday, 13 April 2026
ARTETA COULD BE SACKED BY ARSENAL, WITH A REPLACEMENT ALREADY IN SIGHT
A major victory has saved the Spanish manager's job.
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| AFP |
Doubts are mounting over Mikel Arteta’s future at Arsenal, according to a Spanish report, amid growing pressure within the club despite the team continuing to compete for titles this season.
The speculation follows a shock 32nd-round Premier League defeat to Bournemouth, which has reignited questions about the club’s trophy prospects despite substantial board investment in recent years.
Mundo Deportivo claims the Gunners can still rescue the campaign in both the Premier League and the Champions League, where they recently recorded a vital away win against Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
Yet the report insists his future now hinges on silverware: another trophy-less campaign could see the club’s hierarchy lose patience.
The likely successor
Should Arsenal end the campaign empty-handed, the board has a “ready-made alternative” in Cesc Fàbregas, whose impressive work in his current coaching role makes him the favoured candidate to take over.
Fàbregas is currently guiding Como with an attractive, attack-minded approach that has the club challenging for European qualification—a profile that has already drawn the attention of Arsenal officials.
The former Spanish star also has an additional advantage, namely his intimate knowledge of the London club, having played for them for eight seasons as a player, which could facilitate his transition to the manager’s seat should a decision be taken to sack Arteta at the end of the season.
The loss to Bournemouth, which left Arsenal on 70 points after 32 games, has only intensified the debate.
In contrast, Bournemouth moved up to 45 points, climbing to ninth place in the table.
That result handed Manchester City, second on 61 points from 30 games, a valuable chance to narrow the gap and reignite the title race.
- Ahmed Abdelhamid
SCOTTIE SCHAEFFER MAKES MASTERS HISTORY DESPITE FALLING SHORT TO RORY MCILROY
Scottie Schaeffer came up just short of another green jacket, but his performance at Augusta National still etched his name into Masters history.
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| Andrew Redington/Getty |
The world No. 1 finished one shot behind Rory McIlroy at 12 under, settling for runner-up in the 2026 Masters. While McIlroy claimed the spotlight with his second straight win, Scheffler’s historic weekend and late surge told a story that will likely get overlooked.
After sitting 12 shots off the lead at the halfway point, Scheffler mounted a stunning comeback. He carded a 7 under round on Saturday and followed it with a 4 under 68 on Sunday, putting serious pressure on McIlroy down the stretch.
More impressively, Scheffler did not record a single bogey over the final 36 holes. According to PGA TOUR Communications, he became the first player in 82 years to play the third and final rounds bogey-free at the Masters.
The last time that happened was in 1942.
Historic Masters Weekend Puts Scheffler in Rare Company
Scheffler’s weekend was extremely impressive.
Across the final two rounds, he recorded nine birdies and an eagle while avoiding any mistakes on the scorecard.
His 133 weekend total also stood as a personal best at the Masters.
Even more remarkable, Scheffler nearly completed a full tournament without a bogey, something not seen in over eight decades. His precision and consistency allowed him to erase a massive deficit and nearly force a playoff.
He had just five bogeys all tournament, with four coming on Friday.
He pointed toward his Friday struggles as the reason he wasn’t able to win a third green jacket.
“I’d say Friday probably hurt the most in terms of my chances of winning,” Scheffler said. “I didn’t see many birdies out there Thursday afternoon, so going out on Friday, whatever they did to the greens to soften them up, they did some stuff. And I just wasn’t able to take advantage of that going out early on Friday.”
Despite the loss, this performance also extended his incredible run at Augusta. Scheffler has now finished inside the top five in five straight Masters appearances, reinforcing his dominance at the sport’s most prestigious event.
Scottie Scheffler Reflects on 2026 Masters
Speaking after his round, Scheffler reflected on where things slipped away.
“Overall I’m not going to hold too many regrets, but yeah, definitely a little disappointed now,” Scheffler said. “But like I said, I started the weekend 12 shots back and ended up only one shot back. If I am going to blame anything, I should probably blame the first two rounds before I start looking at stuff from my last couple.”
He also pointed to a few key moments late in Sunday’s round that could have changed everything.
“Disappointing par on 13, and wasn’t able to get it in the fairway on 14, that was a shot I’d like to have back,” Scheffler said. “But then good birdies on 15 and 16, and really great stuff on 17. I hit two really good shots into 18 and the second shot just came up short.”
Scheffler hit a perfect putt on 17 that came within inches of dropping. Had it fallen, it likely would have forced a playoff with McIlroy, setting up a head-to-head battle between the two best players in the world for the green jacket. While it was a bummer for fans that it didn’t happen, Scheffler still etched his name into Masters history despite the loss.
- Dylan Tracy-Lindenbaum
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