BAHRAIN PRE SEASON TEST | DAY 3 CLASSIFICATION

 

KIMI ANTONELLI INVOLVED IN A CAR CRASH BEFORE BAHRAIN TESTS

Kimi Antonelli was involved in a road accident in San Marino just days before the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. The incident occurred while he was driving his AMG GT 63 PRO Motorsport Collectors Edition when the car hit safety barriers. The crash immediately raised concern given the timing.

According to reports Antonelli was checked by medical staff shortly after the incident. He was confirmed to be in good condition with no serious injuries. That confirmation quickly eased worries across the paddock and among fans.

Despite visible damage to the vehicle the driver himself escaped unharmed. Sources close to the situation stressed that this was a road incident and not related to any on track activity. The focus shifted quickly from speculation to recovery and readiness.

Most importantly Antonelli is expected to take part in the upcoming Bahrain tests as planned. Teams see this as a key phase for preparation and there is no indication that his schedule will change. His physical condition has been cleared with no restrictions.

The moment serves as a reminder of how quickly situations can change in motorsport. While the accident was serious enough to draw attention the outcome could have been far worse. For now Antonelli moves forward focused and ready for Bahrain.

- F1 Legacy

VERSTAPPEN’S GIRLFRIEND KELLY PIQUET SHOWS OFF A REVEALING OUTFIT

Kelly Piquet left little to the imagination with her new outfit as Max Verstappen’s girlfriend says she has already made plans for Valentine’s Day.

Piquet posted a few photos on her Instagram in a revealing dress. The Brazilian model seems to be getting ready for next week, Saturday, February 14. That’s the day of love for many couples - Valentine’s Day. In the image, she’s wearing a black outfit paired with a chunky gold necklace. Her followers were incredibly enthusiastic about her look.

Verstappen likely to miss Valentine’s Day date

However, whether Verstappen will see his girlfriend in the outfit remains to be seen. The Dutchman has to spend the first test days next week from Wednesday, February 11 through February 13 at the Bahrain circuit.

Although in theory he would be free to jet home on Saturday, February 14, he will likely still have some preparation work to do for the second test the following week, also at the Bahrain circuit.

Piquet could then spend Valentine’s Day alone, unless she travels to Bahrain or Verstappen comes home for a few days.

The couple were also apart during the test days in Barcelona. Piquet had a photoshoot in Paris at the time while Verstappen was putting his new Red Bull through its paces in Spain.

Verstappen’s girlfriend also recently drew attention with another social media post. She did a Q&A with her fans where one follower asked the model what she is most proud of. Piquet quickly answered that, and she also shared a photo.

- Tobi Uiterwaal

FERRARI TAKE THE DHL FASTEST PIT STOP AVAILABLE | ROUND 4 | BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2025

 

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BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2025 | PRACTICE 2 CLASSIFICATION

 

BAHRAIN VS. LEBANON | ASIA CUP QUALIFIER

 

JAPAN FACE PIVOTAL WEEK IN ASIAN WORLD CUP

Japan have thus far been flawless in their qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- racking up eight consecutive wins and scoring 36 goals while conceding none. Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images

Suffice to say, the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup have gone according to plan thus far for Japan.

In fact, they might even have exceeded expectations -- lofty as they may be for a team often regarded as the best in the continent.

Last month, the Samurai Blue opened the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers with emphatic 7-0 and 5-0 victories over China and Bahrain.

If their flawless record in the previous stage is factored in, it means that Japan's current campaign has seen them rack up eight consecutive wins with 36 goals scored and none conceded.

They are well on their way to an 8th successive World Cup appearance and are doing it in style and yet, it might not be inaccurate to suggest that they have a make-or-break week ahead of them.

Perhaps not "break", but the next seven days could certainly make their progress to the 2026 World Cup -- to be held in United States, Mexico and Canada -- a virtual certainty.

On Thursday, Japan resume their campaign with a trip to Saudi Arabia which will then be followed by a home game against Australia next Tuesday.

When the draw for the third round of Asian qualifiers was made back in June, Group C immediately loomed as the 'group of death'.

Feyenoord's Ayase Ueda has been one of the stars of Japan's FIFA World Cup qualification campaign so far with eight goals -- including two in their most-recent 5-0 victory over Bahrain last month. Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images

In Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia, it consisted three of the six teams that had represented Asia at the last World Cup.

In a previous era, one of these usual suspects would have been at real risk of missing out.

Still, the World Cup's expansion to a 48-team tournament means Asia now have eight guaranteed qualification berths. While only the top two in each group advance automatically, the third and fourth-placed teams will still have a chance when they move on to the fourth round of qualifiying.

At present, Japan do not look at risk of being involved in the latter scenario and they most certainly do not want to wait any longer than necessary to secure their spot at the World Cup.

Nonetheless, the quality of opposition that they will face over the next seven days, as well as the expanded nature of the new qualification process, means that a couple of poor results could easily see them dragged back into a melee for a top-two finish.

A trip to Jeddah to face Saudi Arabia was always likely to be the biggest test out of Japan's ten third-round ties.

Although they do not have nearly as many players plying their trade in Europe as Japan, the Green Falcons boast considerable talent and have regularly shown they can match it with some of the strongest teams on the planet -- as they did at the last World Cup in 2022 when they inflicted an opening 2-1 defeat on Argentina, the only loss the eventual champions would suffer.

Japan and Saudi Arabia also faced off in qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with both teams sharing a victory each in their respective home ties. MB Media/Getty Images

Last month, Saudi Arabia might have been held to a shock draw by Indonesia but they then followed up with a 2-1 victory over China -- a result that was all the more impressive considering they had fallen behind and had a man sent off by the 20th minute yet somehow managed to come from behind and win.

Even for a star-studded Samurai Blue outfit, Saudi Arabia will pose quite the challenge especially if King Abdullah Sports City comes close to filling out its 62,345 capacity.

Then, there is Australia.

The Socceroos are hardly slouches on paper but their latest displays have not matched their stature.

Defeat to Bahrain and a stalemate with Indonesia in the last international window led to the departure of Graham Arnold, meaning it will be Tony Popovic who will be attempting to mastermind an upset at Saitama Stadium next week.

Recent form suggests Japan will be favourites but they will be aware of the dangers in underestimating Australia, especially given the curious-but-frequent phenomenon which sees teams often enjoy immediate improvement in the wake of a new coach arriving.

Should the Samurai Blue fail to win either tie, they could be right back in the mix. Six points, however, would see them continue on their seemingly unstoppable march to the 2026 World Cup.

Even before a ball was kicked in the third round of Asian qualifiers, this week in October would already have been identified as a crucial one for Japan.

While results from last month mean the situation might not be as tight as they would have expected, the next seven days could still prove pivotal for the thus-far perfect Samurai Blue and their quest to reach yet another World Cup.

- Gabriel Tan 

FIRST WITH HIS WORD AND NOW HIS FEET, SON HEUNG-MIN CONTINUES TO BAIL HONG MYUNG-BO OUT

Son Heung-Min came up with a crucial goal on Tuesday to help South Korea claim a 3-1 win over Oman -- their first in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. HAITHAM AL-SHUKAIRI/AFP via Getty Images

 In Son Heung-Min, South Korea have for some time now boasted a genuine world-class talent capable of winning matches off his own boot.

He has done it several times before, dragging the Taegeuk Warriors out of what appeared unsalvageable situations.

And on Tuesday, he came to the rescue once again -- not just for his team but for his under-fire national coach Hong Myung-Bo.

Just five days ago, South Korea had began their third round campaign of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in disappointing fashion as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Palestine.

In Son Heung-Min, South Korea have for some time now boasted a genuine world-class talent capable of winning matches off his own boot.

He has done it several times before, dragging the Taegeuk Warriors out of what appeared unsalvageable situations.

And on Tuesday, he came to the rescue once again -- not just for his team but for his under-fire national coach Hong Myung-Bo.

In the immediate aftermath of that result, the South Korean fans turned on Hong -- who already was not everyone's cup of tea with his integrity being called into question when he accepted the job back in July, abruptly abandoning Ulsan HD in the middle of the season despite repeatedly giving assurances over his commitment and having turned down previous advances from the Korea Football Association.

The jeers that Hong received last week immediately saw Son, among others including fellow stars Kim Min-Jae and Lee Kang-In, leap to Hong's defence and plead with the supporters for their support.

But for much of Tuesday's visit to Oman, it looked like South Korea were going to be denied again. One can only imagine how much lower the public perception of Hong would have fallen had his team opened their campaign without a win from two matches.

With the scores tied at 1-1 after Hwang Hee-Chan's powerful 10th-minute opener was cancelled out just before the break by a Jung Seung-Hyun own-goal, up stepped Son.

Using his strength and smarts to ease Ghanim Al-Habashi out of the way and guide the ball into his own path in one solitary movement, Son would steady on the edge of the area before lashing a trademark piledriver -- on his non-preferred left foot -- that unerringly sailed past Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini and bent perfectly inside the far post just at the final moment.

Deep into injury-time, with Oman chasing an equaliser, the South Koreans would add a third with Son teeing up Joo Min-Kyu for his second international goal -- with the final 3-1 scoreline arguably papering over the cracks of what was once again a testing outing.

Again, a moment of inspiration from Son would prove the difference.

While it was with his calming words on Thursday, this time it was his feet with which Son once more bailed Hong out.

It must be noted on how remarkable Hong's fall from grace has been, given the legendary status he enjoyed as a player.

Just two months into the job, South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo is already under pressure with his appointment back in July proving to be an unpopular one among supporters. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images

Still his nation's joint most-capped player with 136 international appearances and captain of the famous team that finished fourth at the 2002 World Cup, Hong looked destined to forever be held in high esteem among South Korean football fans.

Even if Hong's previous spell in charge of the Taegeuk Warriors was a disappointing one, circumstances hardly favoured him as he was parachuted into the role with the team in disarray with his first major assignment the 2014 World Cup.

Hong would stoically resign after South Korea's group-stage elimination even when he was asked to stay on by the KFA.

Improvement will be expected as soon as the next international window in October, where South Korea will once again be favourites in Group B meetings with Jordan and Iraq -- and it must be remembered that it was the former who beat them in the semifinals of the AFC Asian Cup at the start of the year that led to Klinsmann's dismissal.

For a side that boasts as much quality as they do, South Korea need to start asserting their dominance -- akin to the way that neighbours Japan have racked up back-to-back wins in Group C over China and Bahrain, scoring 12 goals in the process while conceding none.

It is imperative they do so in order for the negative sentiment surrounding Hong to subside, which will then allow him a proper go at the job this second time around.

For now, though, he has Son to thank for the fact that he is not already under even more pressure.

Just like it was back then, it does seem that some of the discontent directed at him should at least be diverted to the association -- for he was always in a difficult position from the time they set their sights on him as the successor to Jürgen Klinsmann and approached him repeatedly.

- Gabriel Tan 

FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX 2024 | POSSIBLE RACE STRATEGIES

 

JAPAN CRUISE INTO ASIA CUP QUARTER-FINALS WITH 3-1 WIN OVER BAHRAIN

Reuters 

 Four-times champions Japan eased into the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup with a clinical 3-1 victory over Bahrain on Wednesday at Al Thumama Stadium with goals from Ritsu Doan, Takefusa Kubo and Ayase Ueda.

Bahrain coach Juan Anotnio Pizzi had been looking to heal old wounds after his Saudi Arabia team lost to Japan at the same stage in 2019 but Hajime Moriyasu's side put in a commanding performance and rarely looked troubled against the Gulf nation.

Japan will face the winner of the final last-16 tie between Iran and Syria later on Wednesday.

FROM HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH TO POTENTIAL UPSETS: LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ASIAN CUP ROUND OF 16

South Korea's surprise runners-up finish in Group E means they now face a daunting clash with fellow powerhouses Saudi Arabia in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup round of 16. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

 In the blink of an eye, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup is now down to the knockout round.

Two weeks of riveting group-stage action has delivered a last 16 with plenty of usual suspects but also a handful of surprise high-fliers.

There will be no more second chances with teams needing to win four matches on the trot from now till Feb. 10 if they are to be crowned champions of Asia.

Here, we look ahead at the storylines each round of 16 tie has produced.

Australia vs. Indonesia (Jan. 28)

Appearing at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 2007, Indonesia were the final team to scrape through to the round of 16 but face a massive test in the form of Australia on Sunday. KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

A real David vs. Goliath clash if there ever was one, with Australia placed 25th in the world while Indonesia are now the lowest-ranked team in the competition in 146th following the elimination of Hong Kong.

Making their first Asian Cup appearance since they co-hosted the tournament in 2007, Indonesia reaching the knockout round has been nothing short of a fairy tale -- but surely they could do the unthinkable?

They gave a decent account of themselves in defeats to Iraq and Japan with their sole victory thus far coming against regional rivals Vietnam, which means they are yet to cause a major upset.

This is far from the strongest outfit Australia have fielded at recent Asian Cups but they are still a formidable side that will be expected to negotiate their way past this test, even if the jury is still out on whether they have what it takes to go all the way and win a second crown.

BAHRAIN'S MUMTALAKAT EXTENDS MCLAREN GROUP STAKE

Reuters 

Bahrain's state investment fund Mumtalakat said on Thursday it has bought the senior preference shareholder stakes in McLaren Group, as part of a proposed broader restructuring.

The move will expand Mumtalakat's majority stake in McLaren, which includes the British supercar maker and McLaren Racing.

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