Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Monday, 5 October 2026
VIRGIL VAN DIJK CELENRATES 100TH DUTCH CAP:
The Liverpool and Netherlands captain reached a major milestone in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Serbia.
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| Getty Images |
On Sunday, Virgil van Dijk and the Netherlands played their fourth Nations League match of the extended international break with a 2-1 victory over Serbia that sees them end the window having taken eight of 12 points in the competition and top of a group that also includes Greece and Germany.
For captain Van Dijk, it wasn’t just the win that he was celebrating after the match. It was the recording of his 100th senior cap for the Dutch national team—and has him just one senior appearance away from matching midfielder Phillip Cocu and pushing his way into the all-time top ten.
“I’m very grateful to the group and all the staff members with whom I’ve worked with and in the end, I am most grateful for my family,” Van Dijks said following the match. “They were there tonight, too. So it’s a special evening and great milestone and definitely something I’m very proud of.
“But it doesn’t stop at 100, even if it’s something I never dreamed about. It felt too far away to think about when I was young, but I think I’ve got the most out of my career. Unfortunately, I missed [2020 with a knee injury] or I might have come close to Wesley Sneijder (134), but I’m proud and happy.”
Thanks to the elongated first international break, Van Dijk and the Netherlands will wrap up group play in the current edition of the Nations League in the November break when they take on Greece and Germany, with the group’s top two then set to head to the quarter-finals in the new year.
“You have to take very good care of yourself and do everything that you can to be ready every single time,” he added. “I feel like I’m in a good position now, so I just have to keep going. Playing football is the most fun thing there is for me, but I understand why people look at age in our sport.
“When things are going well they always say you look good for your age and then at other times they say you look like an old man. So I just have to make sure that I perform as well as possible for the team, on and off the field. And winning helps, of course. Because you just want to win. Period.”
- Noel Chomyn
UAE THREATEN TO CUT UK INVESTMENT OVER MAN CITY GUILTY VERDICT
October 5 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has warned the UK government that it could cancel major investment into the country following the guilty verdict against Manchester City over financial breaches of the Premier League rules.
Last week, the Premier League confirmed that the club had broken the financial rules between 2009 and 2018, but according to Bloomberg and the Daily Telegraph, the UAE have said the actions by the Premier League would “have an influence on the bilateral state relationship”.
The UAE is also threatening to withdraw a multibillion-pound investment in a Silicon Valley-style Oxbridge tech hub. The Gulf country has spent more than £30 billion investing in major sectors in the UK, including defense, life sciences and technology. Later this month, the two nations meet at an investment summit.
In response to the guilty verdict, Andy Burnham had first expressed ‘concern’ over losing Abu Dhabi as owners, pointing to their ‘track record’ of helping Manchester develop as a city, but number 10 later, through a spokesperson, clarified his comments saying that “if wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the appropriate consequences.”
The Premier League said an independent commission found City arranged “sham” commercial deals with a number of its sponsors, which were part of a “a disguised funding scheme”. The club inflated its financial results by more than £900 million.
The commission also called witnesses “dishonest”.
The ruling is a major blow to City and its Emirati owners, who came to power at the club in 2008 and built a footballing empire in a bid to not just win title and trophies but project the soft power of the United Arab Emirates. The club is led chairman by Khaldoon Al Mubarak and ultimate owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of the UAE’s ruler.
City have maintained their innocence and lodged an appeal last Friday, saying that the commission’s ruling contained “clear material errors of law, principle and fact, and is unsafe”.
- Samindra Lunti
MAX VERSTAPPEN SURVIVED NAIL IN TYRE DURING CHAOTIC DURING CHAOTIC BAHRAIN GP IN MALAYSIA
Max Verstappen won the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia in commanding fashion. But things could have turned out very differently.
Max Verstappen cruised to a dominant victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, but things could have come unstuck thanks to a rogue nail.
Nothing appeared capable of stopping the Red Bull driver throughout the weekend at the Sepang International Circuit, though a sizeable piece of metal made a decent attempt at it.
The race was thrown into disarray after a botched start procedure forced drivers to be called back into the pits, with software updates required to eradicate a "bug" that caused the farcicial scenes on the initial formation lap.
And as Verstappen trundled down the pit lane behind the safety car, he picked up a nail in one of his tyres.
Once he had brought the RB22 to a halt, Verstappen radioed his team to report the issue.
"There's a nail in my tyre," the four-time F1 drivers' champion said.
Race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase immediately asked whether it was the front-left.
"Front-left," the 72-time grand prix winner confirmed.
The mechanics waiting trackside with cooling equipment had already spotted the nail themselves, given it was hardly difficult to miss.
Rules working in Verstappen's favour
The mechanics waiting trackside with cooling equipment had already spotted the nail themselves, given it was hardly difficult to miss.
With the regulations allowing for tyre changes during a red-flag neutralisation, a potentially disastrous scenario was negated.
Verstappen opted for a fresh, nail-free set of intermediates, while some of his rivals, less fortunately, went straight onto slick tyres for the restart.
A further safety car period then gave Verstappen the chance to switch from intermediates to slicks along with everyone else, setting him up for this comfortable victory.
- RN365 Staff
BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA 2026 | FIA PRESS CONFERENCE
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| Max Verstappen secured his first victory of the season with victory at the Sepang circuit. Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP / Getty Images |
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
2 – Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes)
3 – Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by David Coulthard)
Q: Max Verstappen, it’s your 72nd victory and I suspect your sweetest.
Max VERSTAPPEN: It’s a really nice one, you know, after the year that we’ve had and the progression that we’ve made. So, yeah, I’m incredibly proud of everyone and it’s just super nice to win here.
Q: What a complicated race to unpack. You had to be one of the few who made the decision to start on the intermediates. You didn’t get off the line well. Mercedes at that point were looking strong. Put us in the cockpit, take us on that journey back to winning this Grand Prix.
MV: Yeah, it was very hectic with a lot of different things. In the start, no power, so you have to wait for the power to kick in. But then, yeah, we made the right call with the intermediates and after that, step by step, we moved our way forward. From there onwards, we could do our own race until the end, again, of course, with a Safety Car, but we kept it all under control.
Q: Kimi, coming to you. You battled hard. There were many opportunities there, but in the end, Max just had a little bit more pace. But you must be satisfied with that second place?
Kimi ANTONELLI: Yeah, I mean, I think today was the maximum we could have done. Of course, massive congrats to Max and Red Bull for the incredible weekend. On our side, a lot of work to do. Of course, we’ve been struggling a bit more than usual, but still really happy to come away with P2.
Q: Your first experience of this Malaysian track. Obviously, we’re here celebrating the Bahrain Grand Prix. You enjoyed it?
KA: Yeah, it was amazing and the fans were incredible this weekend, so thank you so much. And hopefully we’ll come back in the future to Malaysia.
Q: Thank you, Kimi. Lewis, perfect example of never giving up. You were a minute behind at one point and you fought through, and this must be a proud third place for you.
Lewis HAMILTON: Yeah, well, thank you, guys. Big congratulations to Max. What a tough race that was. Obviously, we had the wrong call at the beginning, which was so difficult, and I could see everyone just pulling away. And as I could see on the screen, it was a minute down, and I thought that was kind of race over for us. But I just kept my head down. The guys did a great job with the pit stops. Obviously, lots of tyre changes, lots of chasing, and honestly, of all the years I’ve been here, this is the best race we’ve had here, but particularly because of this crowd. So, big thank you, everyone.
Q: Well, congratulations, Lewis. Max, coming back to you. This is a historical moment for the Red Bull Racing team. A few years ago, the late Mr Mateschitz and, of course, his partner Mr Yoovidhya decided to build their own powertrain. You’ve now delivered their first victory.
Max VERSTAPPEN: It’s incredible. I think already, of course, we started, but also to win our first race in our first year with our own power unit is pretty impressive.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Welcome to the post-race press conference for the FIA Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. We have today’s race winner in the centre, Max Verstappen; on the left, in second place, Kimi Antonelli; and on the right, completing the podium, Lewis Hamilton. Max, I’ll start with you. Huge congratulations. Your 72nd win for Red Bull and the first for the Red Bull powertrain, but you’ve had to wait 309 days for this. Tell me how this win feels today.
MV: Yeah, of course, very special for us. I mean, we had a very complicated and tough start to the year with all sorts of problems and just not being competitive enough. But throughout the year, the team has been working very hard to understand our issues and bring good performance upgrades to the car and make it more driveable. Step by step, we’ve been getting closer and closer, and today, and of course especially this whole weekend, we’ve been really in good form. So, yeah, it’s amazing. I mean, the race, of course, was quite complicated. It was not made easy for us in terms of all the calls that we had to make and then the Safety Car at the end, but we kept cool and we made all the right calls with the tyres. So, yeah, very, very enjoyable to win here and also have our first victory for our own engine. I mean, it’s an incredible project with a lot of partners and a lot of people that are dedicated to be where we are now. So, yeah, fantastic feeling.
Q: What was going through your mind at the start when the two Mercedes appeared either side of you and went ahead?
MV: I mean, I was not surprised because my start was horrendous. Again, dropping the clutch and not having power. The engine just completely died on me. But then you just have to settle in, try not to overreact as well, and just slot in, try to keep your position there. The race is long, a lot of things can happen and, step by step, I could close the gap. And then I had quite a, I think, quite a nice battle on the slicks with Kimi. It’s quite slippery in some phases of the corner, but, yeah, it was nice.
Q: If I can move to you now, Kimi. Congratulations. Not the win, but you have extended your lead in the championship today to 84 points. You had a fantastic start, you got into the lead, but ultimately was it just that the Red Bulls had too much pace for you today? Was there anything else out there for you?
KA: Yeah, I think, you know, Max has been very, very quick all weekend. Red Bull, they’ve been doing a great job, and we’ve just been struggling more than previous races. I think we’re still trying to understand the new package because also this track, with such a rough tarmac and high temperatures, it made our life more difficult. And probably next week in Singapore, we hopefully will have a better read on the package and also understanding what set-up needs to be run. But I think today, with the pace we had, P2 was the maximum we could have achieved.
Q: I’m going to ask you about the upgrade. Do you think, then, the surface here has masked the potential of it? Does the team understand whether it’s a step forward or a step back?
KA: That’s the question we need to answer because we don’t really know if it made us go faster or worse. Fair to say, this season, whenever we went on really old tarmacs, we’ve struggled. For example, Zandvoort, McLaren was much quicker than us, especially on the older tarmac. So I think maybe it’s just a question, maybe it’s just a fact that the tarmac is just very old and that for the tyres it’s very, very hard, and maybe we just struggle on this kind of tarmac. But, of course, the track and the tarmac made our life difficult in understanding whether it made us improve or not. But I’m sure the team, you know, they have a lot of data, especially after this weekend, and I’m sure for Singapore we will come with a much, much better view on the package and hopefully we can extract the full potential out of it.
Q: Thank you, Kimi. Lewis, what a race. Running 17th and a minute down at one point, but 29 laps on the soft saved yourself a pit stop, essentially. Can you take us inside your helmet at the start of the race, where you were on the slicks and the others weren’t around you, and then the mentality you used to get yourself back into that race and ultimately be sitting here?
LH: Yeah, well, firstly, big, big congrats to Max today. They’ve done a really great job in improving through this year. And I think for us, we were having a good weekend. The car felt great in qualifying. It felt amazing to get to second, and I really, really, really... Me and my engineers were here till, like, 11:30 last night just going over everything, and I really, really felt today was the opportunity to have at least a good battle with Max. But then, obviously, the rain came, the big panic with everyone when we all lost power. And particularly, my power didn’t come back and I had to stop on track and restart the car. And then we all ended up in the pit lane. Thankfully, we all got back to our positions, but then after that there was such a long wait and we were debating on what tyre to go on to. And I said, “Look, there was a lot of spray on the laps to the grid.” And I went into the pit lane, I looked at the ground, I was like, “It’s still wet.” I went to the pit wall and I was like, “It’s still wet.” And they’re like, “Yeah, but because it’s been so long, it’s definitely going to dry up real quick and maybe we’re already in the crossover.” So, anyways, as a team, we ended up taking that soft and when we were at the end of the pit lane and these two took off their blankets and they’re on inters, we were in trouble. And as we pulled out, all the spray came out the back of Max’s car and I was like, “Okay, I’m done. My race is really in trouble.” So, I mean, he didn’t make it around on the formation lap, so then we just had to stick with it. Like, we’ve made the decision and live with it. And I think then, through that, as everyone’s overtaken me, they’re like, “We stop,” because I know we’ve already made another 26 seconds. What’s the difference from that with one minute 40 or whatever I was down? So I was just, “Let’s just wait it out for the track to dry.” And once it did, it felt good that I was catching people. The car felt great then after that. Really good pit stops from my guys in the garage and then good strategy. But for us to get back to the podium, I never thought that that was going to be the case. But, of course, I’m really, really grateful that we managed to get back here.
Q: We heard you on the radio saying, “No, let’s take the gamble.” Fighting spirit from you there. What was possible today and what will you be saying in the debrief to help the team move forward and so that the decisions are correct in future?
LH: Yeah, not going to go to the casino with the guys.
Q: You have an open dialogue, you feel?
LH: Yeah, of course. Yeah, we’ll definitely have an open dialogue. And, you know, I’m really so proud of my team. The mechanics every weekend, just the work they’re putting in, the engineers that accompany here every weekend, the catering, everyone really, really comes and gives it their best. Their heart’s all in the right spot. We’ve definitely got areas that we need to improve and we know that, and we’re not in any denial of that. So I think we’ll have a constructive chat, we’ll regroup, we’ll take the positives from this weekend, which the car was really good, and we’ll come back next week fighting. I thought today, as I said, was a chance for us potentially to try and fight Max for the win, but maybe we can do that next week.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) For Max and for Lewis. Lewis, you already referenced the big panic you felt when you couldn’t feel any power. Could you just talk through what happened in those moments? And how concerning is it for F1, with these very complicated engines, the first bit of rain and we’ve ended up in a situation like this?
MV: That’s the problem that we have. You know, these engines are so complicated and a lot of software is implemented. And, yeah, when there’s like some kind of... I want to call it... That’s the problem. And, yeah, I triggered it first and then I look in my mirror, I just see... I was like, “Wait, are they waiting for me or what’s going...?” It was like the Lego race.
LH: Yeah, we had the same speed.
MV: Same speed. Yeah, it was insane. Like, it’s the Lego power. At some point we were five-wide on the straight because we couldn’t understand what was going on. Then we did a lap and then I see eight other cars crawling still, and I saw you by yourself crawling.
LH: Well, I had to stop on track and stop the car and engine and restart it. I’ve never done that before.
MV: Yeah, what can you say? I mean, that’s not what you want, right, for the sport.
LH: Yeah, I hope there is a lesson learned.
Q: (Laurine Slingerland - NU.nl) A question for Max. Congrats, first, on the win. We saw your father got emotional and I was wondering if you got emotional as well, and what this win means for you also as a family?
MV: Yeah, I mean, we’re all very much invested in it. And, of course, you know, my relationship with my dad, we really understand each other well from all the years that we have spent together working towards our goal in Formula 1. So he’s still there in the background. He’s not coming every race, but when he is there, we talk a lot about everything. He knows everything. And, yeah, also for him, I guess the beginning of the season was not nice to watch, as for me being in the car was not nice to drive. But then seeing how the team progressed and basically never really stopped working and really took the car and just really tried to fix the issues that we had, and then deliver something like this, it’s amazing. And also with the people involved, honestly, the spirit in the team is very good. Everyone is on the same line and we really understand each other well. So it’s very enjoyable to work in the team and that’s why I think also everyone is super happy that we finally delivered a result like this.
Q: (Ajit Devadason - The New Indian Express) It’s a question for Kimi. Kimi, today you finished a couple of seconds behind Max and a couple of seconds ahead of Lewis. You’re racing alongside two drivers who represent very different generations of greatness. How much are you consciously learning from watching Max’s ability to manage a race and Lewis’ experience to never, ever give up? And do you feel that guidance is already influencing the driver and champion that you’re becoming?
KA: That’s a good question. Yeah, I think, you know, it’s always great to, first of all, be able to share the track, especially, you know, in this case with Max and Lewis, because they’re definitely rewriting... Well, Lewis basically did the history of the sport and Max is doing the same. So I think, on my side, I try to learn as much as possible whenever I drive closely to them. Today was a really good showcase of how Max handled the restart on slick tyres and the slippery track. He just knew much better how to position the car and had a better feeling for the grip in those first two corners and overtook me. So, of course, that was really good. Even though it was not nice to get overtaken, I was very annoyed with that, it was still a good way to learn from that and to use it in the future. And then, of course, with Lewis, I think we’ve seen many, many times, many years, that even when things go badly, he always keeps his head down and tries to do his best to achieve the best result possible.
Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Sorry about that. On the restart, after the restart, to Max and to Lewis. There was a long delay after the initial start was suspended. Were you guys told why there was that delay? Because the track was basically dry when we got racing again. Was it to do with the weather or something else?
MV: Well, I mean, Lewis probably tends to disagree that it was dry.
LH: No, but it was because they had to update the software and then you have to load it into the car. I guess some had some faster laptops than others.
MV: Yeah, that was the delay, just getting the software transferred, I guess, for everyone.
Q: Is that a bit crazy, that there’s almost an hour delay because software needs to be updated to the cars? This is supposed to be the pinnacle of motor racing.
MV: Yeah, you know, we’re partnered with Oracle, so we have very, very fast connection. So we were there, you know, we were waiting for half an hour. So maybe some others had a bit of a slower connection.
Q: Max, could you just explain for us what was going on in the car when you guys were having that issue? Because if you’re off throttle too long in these cars, they don’t like it. I mean, this is the new generation, isn’t it?
MV: Yeah, there was nothing going on. That was the problem. It was just like driving at, what, 35 kilometres, going uphill, actually losing speed. So, yeah, I don’t know exactly, because when you go too low in speed and too low RPM, for whatever reason, then it just bogs down. And normally it takes one or two seconds and it comes back. That’s basically also what I had in the start. But somehow that didn’t trigger in the first software round, and then in the second software round it was a bit better, luckily. Otherwise, I think I would’ve been stuck as well in the start, which I had probably a few times in the beginning of the year as well when I had a poor start, but it meant that I was lost. So at least now it was a bit better.
- FIA
Sunday, 4 October 2026
'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE': F1 DRIVERS SLAM FARCICAL BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA
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| LAT Images |
"Horrible," "sad," and "totally unacceptable" were among the reactions of Formula 1's drivers to the sport's farcical attempt at going racing in wet conditions at Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
A deluge of rain as the cars arrived on the grid resulted in the start of the race being delayed by 40 minutes before the first attempt was made to get racing underway behind a Safety Car.
But before the cars could complete a single lap behind the Safety Car, a bug in the software supplied to all teams by the FIA resulted in multiple drivers losing power and dropping down the order.
Initially Max Verstappen, who was set to start from pole position, lost power, before Lewis Hamilton, who was alongside him on the front row of the grid, ground to a halt and had to restart his Ferrari's power unit on the pit straight.
The FIA later said that "an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings and the Sepang circuit's sector configuration led to an unintended loss of power for a number of cars."
But several drivers chose to sum up the situation more concisely, pointing the finger squarely at this year's complicated power unit regulations.
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| Getty |
"[It was] horrible," reigning champion Lando Norris said. "It proves that we shouldn't have any of that stuff on the electronic side."
When the issue became apparent, all cars were told to return to the pits where a software patch was supplied by the FIA and uploaded by each team.
The resulting delay meant the start of the race was over 90 minutes behind schedule.
"We missed some good racing, wet tyres at the beginning, we should have been out there running," Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll said. "Instead cars are fixing their software issues, it's a bit sad to see."
Cadillac driver Sergio Pérez added: "I mean it's obviously not great what happened today -- I'm sure we will learn from it as a sport, but what happened today is totally unacceptable for the sport."
For many drivers it was further proof that this year's regulations, which were designed so that nearly 50% of the car's power comes from its battery, are overcomplicated.
"That's the problem that we have, these engines are so complicated and a lot of software is implemented," race winner Verstappen said. "When there is some kind of error or glitch, or whatever you want to call it, that's the problem.
"I triggered it first, then I look in my mirror, and I just see everyone ... I was like wait, are they waiting for me or?"
Hamilton, who was sat next to Verstappen in the press conference after finishing third, likened the situation to Lego's marketing stunt at the British Grand Prix where all the drivers were given electric go-karts to race against each other.
"It was like the Lego race!" Hamilton said.
"Yeah, we had the same speed," Verstappen responded.
Kimi Antonelli, who finished second in Sunday's race, chimed in: "It was insane. Like at some point we were five-wide in the straight, because we couldn't understand what was going on."
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| Getty Images |
Williams driver Carlos Sainz called on the sport to "have a hard look at themselves and see how we ended up in this situation."
"It is clear the regs are extremely complicated for the drivers, for the teams, for the PUs [power units], for the manufacturers. It is too complicated," he added.
"Again, my only question mark is who, five years ago, decided that this was the direction to go?
"We are doing the best with what we are given as a sport and as regulations. The FIA and F1 are doing the best they can with what was decided four or five years ago, but clearly what was decided four or five years ago is wrong ...
"Not a lot more to say -- just learn as a sport not to do those mistakes again and not suffer from the same strange cases."
Once racing got underway, the track dried up and the grand prix featured two further Safety Car periods to clear cars that retired from the race in dangerous locations.
George Russell, who retired with a power unit issue under the final safety car period, said the fans that turned up to Malaysia's first grand prix since 2017 deserved a better show.
"The whole day felt like a bit of a faff, with the delay and then the red flag and then endless laps under the safety car and then suddenly doing extra laps to allow Checo [Sergio Pérez] to overtake [behind the Safety Car], it didn't feel very F1 today," he said.
"I'd have been a bit disappointed if I was in the stands, watching that unfold, so ... That wasn't good."
- Laurence Edmonson
FIA REVEALS WHY F1 CARS STOPPED IN RAIN AT BAHRAIN GP IN MALAYSIA
Numerous cars came to a standstill in Sepang – because they needed a software update
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| Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari Photo by: Joe Portlock / Getty Images |
The FIA has given insight into why Formula 1 cars experienced technical issues ahead of Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The start of the Sepang race was delayed by 40 minutes due to a downpour; then a chaotic formation lap saw the likes front-row starters Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton suffer from a glitch which rendered throttle input ineffective, with numerous cars coming to a standstill. The red flag was waved.
The situation was branded “unacceptable” by Sergio Perez; Lando Norris described it as “just horrible” and evidence that “we shouldn't have any of that stuff, the electronic side”, given this was linked to Formula 1’s new machinery, which features 47% electrical power.
FIA single-seater Nikolas Tombazis has now explained that, given F1 had never had competitive running in actual wet conditions this season, it was caught out by the power unit’s reaction to cars driving extremely slowly at that time. A software update therefore had to be carried out, hence a 53-minute delay to get the race restarted.
“We didn't manage to test the software as extensively as we would have liked, because there's been very little wet running this year, and there was a bit of a combination of circumstances which caused this bug to kick in,” Tombazis said.
“Basically, the formation lap, some cars went very slowly, almost came to a standstill. There was a bit of a concertina effect between cars, and some cars almost stopped completely. And that bug prevented the power to be redeployed and for the cars to start again. I think if we had had a bit more testing, we probably would have managed to catch it in time and not to have such a situation.”
Tombazis praised the FIA’s reaction when it came to fixing the issue as swiftly as possible.
“Once the problem happened, our guys realised very quickly what was happening and had to work under a lot of time pressure for an update to the software, which was issued to the teams, and the teams had to install it on their cars,” he added.
“So all of that took about 20 minutes. It may have felt like five hours for spectators waiting [for] a race and for everybody else, which is understandable, and we are sorry about that. But I think it was quite a fast reaction given the problem.”
Not everyone was so upset about some cars running into trouble, with eighth-placed Fernando Alonso joking at the end of an unusually good day for Aston Martin-Honda: “I had 50% DNFs this year, they never stopped the race for us.”
- Ben Vinel & Ronald Vording
ARSENAL CULT HERO PICKS SURPRISE TEAM AS PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RIVALS
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| Mikel Arteta is bidding for back-to-back Premier League titles (Picture: Getty Images) |
Arsenal are clear favourites to win the Premier League this season, according to one of their former players, but should be ‘careful’ of the challenge Chelsea present.
The Gunners got off to a great start to their title defence, winning the first four league games of the new season, although were halted in their tracks last time out by a 3-0 defeat by Brighton.
That surprise result allowed Manchester City to take an early lead in the title race, with Enzo Maresca’s side boasting five wins from as many games.
However, the club has been thrown into chaos during the international break, with City found guilty on a huge number of charges for breaking financial rules.
It will be a huge task for Maresca to keep the team on course with the scandal ongoing as the club attempts to appeal the verdict.
It would still seem that Manchester City present the greatest challenge to Arsenal at the moment, but former Gunners full-back Emmanuel Eboue feels the Blues are a threat.
Xabi Alonso’s team has looked very dangerous at times this season, but also vulnerable and with just seven points from five games, don’t look a lot like title challengers.
Eboue, though, has told LiveFootballTickets: ‘Chelsea are a team Arsenal need to be careful of because they have a lot of very good players. The Premier League is going to be very tough, but I believe in what Arteta is doing and I believe in Arsenal.’
The Ivorian has put a figure on how much he believes in his former club, giving them a 75 per cent chance of winning the Premier League title again this season.
‘Arsenal are my team,’ he said. ‘This season is going to be very tough because there are so many good teams and good players. But if Arsenal play the way they have been playing, I believe they can win the league. I would give them maybe a 75 per cent chance.’
He added: ‘Arsenal have been getting closer and closer. If you keep getting close every year, one day you will win it. I believe in this team and in the way they play.
‘Before, people would say Arsenal play good football but they don’t win. Now teams are going to be scared when they play against Arsenal.’
Another former Arsenal star, Theo Walcott, has raised a couple of concerns over Arsenal’s chances of retaining the league title.
‘They remain a little vulnerable away from home,’ Walcott told talkSPORT. ‘I like [Christos] Tzolis, but from what I’ve seen away from home, I haven’t been as impressed.
‘It’s difficult to really shine away from home. You can have those players that are great at home or great at training, but can’t [do it] away when it really matters. Don’t play him, play someone else, play someone who is going to work for the team or do something different.’
He added: ‘I think they are exceptional and I do feel they’ve got everything to retain it. But it’s not going to be easy, because they’ll want to win the Champions League.’
- Phil Haigh
NEWCASTLE UNITED YOUNGSTER FORCED TO APOLOGISE AMID NATION'S FURY AT CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA POST
Park Seung-soo landed himself in hot water in the aftermath of helping South Korea win the Asian Games
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| Gold medalists of team South Korea pose for a group photo during a victory ceremony at the Asian Games(Image: 2026 Zhizhao Wu) |
Newcastle United youngster Park Seung-soo has issued an apology after posting an image on social media wearing a 'discharge cap' in the aftermath of South Korea's Asian Games victory on Saturday.
Park was an unused substitute as South Korea's under-23s beat Japan 1-0 in the final of the Asian Games to win the gold medal which meant every member of the squad had earned a military exemption.
Under South Korean law, most able-bodied men must perform 18 to 21 months of military service. Special exemptions are granted for athletes and classical artists who excel in certain kinds of international competitions tied to national prestige. For athletes, that means any medal at the Olympics or a gold medal at the Asian Games.
Park and his team-mates have now earned that exemption and after posting an image of himself wearing a 'discharge cap', he has received a huge backlash in his homeland.
So much so, the 19-year-old took to Instagram to issue an apology, as he posted: 'Hello. This is Park Seung-soo, a member of the Asian Games football national team. Regarding the photo I posted on SNS right after the final match, I would like to apologise to all fans. I sincerely apologise to those who felt uncomfortable due to my actions.
"Right after the match, I received a cap from a fan at the venue and wore it. Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for winning the gold medal after months of preparation and effort, I took a photo and posted it on SNS without deeply considering the cap’s meaning at that moment.
"However, I never intended to mock or belittle those serving their national defence duties. I have also never taken the significance of the Taegeuk Mark lightly.
"I am fully aware that the opportunities and privileges from this gold medal are not something to be taken for granted. I will demonstrate greater responsibility to repay the public’s support and expectations. Once again, I sincerely apologise to everyone who felt uncomfortable due to my reckless actions."
Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, also commented on the situation, as he added: "Players may think of it as an individual expression, but such remarks do not align with public sentiment.
"As these issues sparked controversy, they must have learned and reflected. Younger athletes are particularly exposed. Moving forward, we will explore ways to ensure national team members maintain dignity and decorum in interviews and SNS posts within the athletes’ village, aligning with the expected standards."
Park, who was the youngest member of the South Korea squad, featured twice across their Asian Games campaign and will now return to Newcastle looking to kick on with the under-21 side.
The talented teenager impressed in pre-season last summer immediately after joining the club from Suwon Bluewings and was twice named on the bench for the first team last season.
Matthias Jaissle has shown he has faith in the club's youngsters and Park has plenty of competition out wide at under-21 level with Michael Mills, Kyran Thompson and Matheos Ferreira all pushing for first team opportunities, too.
- Sean McCormick
Saturday, 3 October 2026
KARAN MAKES HISTORY — THIRD CONTINENTAL TITLE CLINCHED IN TANZANIA AFTER AAKIF'S WITHDRAWAL
Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan are the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) drivers' and navigators' champions respectively!
The 2022 Kenyan Champions and KCB Racing Team drivers sealed their third continental title at the ongoing ARC Serengeti Rally of Tanzania, after their only remaining title rival and compatriot Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah withdrew from the ARC season finale.
In a statement posted last night, Virani's Arrow Racing Team announced they had taken a strategic decision to consolidate second position in the overall standings and not contest the final round.
"It is with deep regret we announce our withdrawal from the ARC final round in Morogoro, Tanzania. After a hard-fought season, Arrow Racing Team (Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah) has taken the strategic decision to consolidate 2nd position in the overall African Rally Championship standings," the team said.
"Congratulations to Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan on becoming the 2026 African Rally Champions."
The withdrawal hands Patel and co-driver Tauseef an unassailable lead heading into the final two days of competition on Saturday and Sunday. The championship was almost effectively over as Patel only needed a finish in Tanzania — but the news now confirms him as champion before Day 1 starts tomorrow.
It is a historic third ARC title for Patel, who now become only the fourth driver in the 45-year history of the FIA African Rally Championship to win three or more titles.
Patel joins an elite list led by Zambian legend Satwant Singh (8 titles), Ivory Coast's Alain Ambrosino (3 titles) and fellow Kenyan Manvir Baryan (3 titles).
--KARAN WINS MKWAWA QUALIFYING STAGE--
Meanwhile, Patel with partner Tauseef had earlier underlined their intent by winning today's 2.40 KM SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying Stage in Morogoro.
The Kenyan crew clocked 01:58.1 in a Skoda Fabia to beat Tanzania Champion Ahmed Huwel (Toyota Yaris GR Rally2) by 0.6 seconds in 01:58.7, with Manveer Birdi third in 01:59.8.
Under ARC rules, the qualifying winner chooses his starting position. Patel opted to start fifth on the road at 09:12 — directly behind Huwel in fourth.
Virani is assured of second position in the 2026 ARC regardless of the final results this weekend, and most importantly, the ARC Masters title (for competitors over 50 years) he sealed at the penultimate event in Rwanda.
The start list for Day 1 on Satuday will be led by Uganda's Oscar Ntambi (09:00), followed by 2025 champion Yasin Nasser (09:03) and Manveer Birdi (09:06). Ntambi claimed the ARC2 title without turning a wheel after his Rwandese opponent Christian Kanangire failed to enter the season-ender in Morogoro.
The Serengeti Rally, running from 2-4 October, is the ARC season closer. The rally proper starts tomorrow in the Morogoro region, with crews facing a stern test of endurance before Sunday's finale.
SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying - Top 3 (FRIDAY):
Karan Patel / Tauseef Khan (KEN - Skoda Fabia) 01:58.1
Ahmed Huwel / Roheet Solanki (TZA - Toyota Yaris GR) 01:58.7 +0.6
Manveer Birdi / Zubayr Piredina (TZA - Skoda Fabia Evo) 01:59.8 +1.7
PAST ARC CHAMPIONS
1981 Kenya Shekhar Mehta Nissan
1982 West Germany Walter Röhrl Opel
1983 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Peugeot
1984 Kenya David Horsey Peugeot
1985 Rwanda Luc Requile Opel/Mitsubishi
1986 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1987 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1988 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1989 Zambia Satwant Singh Volkswagen
1990 Burundi Walter Costa Peugeot
1991 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1992 Italy Aldo Riva Audi
1993 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1994 Zimbabwe Abe Smit Audi
1995 Namibia Fritz Flachberger Ford
1996 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1997 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1998 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1999 Uganda Charles Muhangi Subaru
2000 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
2001 South Africa Schalk Burger Subaru
2002 South Africa John Gemmel Subaru
2003 Spain Fernando Rueda Mitsubishi
2004 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2005 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2006 Belgium Patrick Emontspool Subaru
2007 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2008 Japan Hideaki Miyoshi Mitsubishi
2009 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2010 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2011 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2012 Zambia Mohamed Essa Subaru
2013 Zambia Jassy Singh Subaru
2014 Ivory Coast Gary Chaynes Mitsubishi
2015 Kenya Jaspreet Singh Chatthe Mitsubishi
2016 Kenya Don Smith Subaru
2017 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2018 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2019 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Kenya Carl "Flash" Tundo Volkswagen Polo
2022 Zambia Leeroy Gomes Ford
2023 Kenya Karan Patel Ford
2024 Kenya Karan Patel Škoda
2025 Tanzania Yasin Nasser Ford
2026 Kenya Karan Patel Škoda
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