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F1 title fight is increasingly focused on McLaren but Verstappen still hopeful

JEDDAH: Ahead of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, this Formula 1 season is looking like McLaren vs. McLaren. Still, defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull says he hasn’t lost hope. McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are the only ones to consistently have the pace through the first four rounds of the championship. Norris has a three-point lead but admits he isn’t at his best — though he had the fastest time of the day in practice on Friday — while Piastri has momentum after winning in Bahrain last week. Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have all had their moments but none has been a consistent challenger, as McLaren’s 58-point constructors’ championship lead shows. Friday practice Norris went fastest in the second practice session, while Yuki Tsunoda crashed to continue his difficult start with Red Bull.

Flawless Oscar Piastri Converts Pole To Win In Bahrain Grand Prix, Lando Norris Third

Oscar Piastri powered to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday from George Russell's Mercedes with the Australian's McLaren teammate Lando Norris in third. Pole-sitter Piastri kept his calm in an incident-packed race to give McLaren their first ever win in Sakhir at their 21st attempt. Max Verstappen's trying weekend at the desert track ended with the four-time world champion only managing sixth place. Norris leads the drivers' standings on 77 points, with Piastri overtaking Verstappen and into second ahead of next weekend's race in Jeddah.

Mbappe leading Real Madrid comeback charge against Arsenal

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe joined Real Madrid in search of Champions League glory, hoping to be on the right side of exactly the kind of magical night they need against Arsenal on Wednesday if they are to progress to the semifinals. The Gunners lead 3-0 after dismantling the holders in London last week in the quarter-final first leg, leaving Madrid craving the sort of dramatic comeback the 15-time winners are renowned for. Returning from a three-goal defeat would be step further than anything Los Blancos have managed so far, but that is precisely why they tried to lure Mbappe to the club for years. The French superstar’s explosive edge gives Madrid hope of achieving what appears to be borderline impossible. “Of course we can,” said Mbappe on his way out of the Emirates last Tuesday, heading to the team bus after Arsenal’s stunning victory. Declan Rice struck two sublime free-kicks and Mikel Merino’s third helped Mikel Arteta’s side put one foot in the final four. Arsenal will be fully aware the job is not yet complete, having seen Mbappe’s devastating impact against Premier League champions Manchester City earlier this season. Mbappe netted a hat-trick against Pep Guardiola’s side in February at the Santiago Bernabeu in the play-off round, helping Madrid eliminate City 6-3 on aggregate. The striker was sent off for a wild challenge against Alaves in La Liga on Sunday, putting his team-mates under pressure, but can make it up to them with a special performance at the Santiago Bernabeu against Arsenal. Madrid scraped a 1-0 win and Mbappe only played 38 minutes before his dismissal, so he should be fresh for Wednesday. Mbappe has 33 goals in 49 games across all competitions this season, matching Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer

Dubai Basketball returns home with 10-game unbeaten record

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball extended their winning streak to 10 games with a commanding 83-71 road win over Mornar-Barsko zlato in Round 27 of the ABA League.

FIA president welcomes Georgia to sport’s global fight against online abuse

DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, has welcomed the government of Georgia to the organization’s growing United Against Online Abuse coalition.

Nuggets’ Josh Kroenke shares what went wrong in Denver

DENVER: Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke was apologetic for changes made last week, when coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth were fired without warning.

Norris feels ‘nowhere near’ his best as Formula 1 title contest heats up inside McLaren

Lando Norris may be top of the F1 standings but he feels like he’s driving “nowhere near” his best and can’t work out why. After placing third Sunday at the Bahrain Grand Prix — won by his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri — Norris said he felt far more confident last year, when he lost out on the drivers’ title to Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. “I’m confident that I have everything I need and I’ve got what it takes,” Norris said. “I have no doubt about that, that I’m good enough, but something is just not clicking with me in the car.” Norris, who qualified sixth for Sunday’s race, saw Piastri close to within three points of him in the standings. “As soon as you’re not gelling (with the car), then you’re going to be in issues, and that’s what I have at the moment,” Norris said. Even though he’s still leading and won the season-opening Grand Prix in Australia last month, Norris said he hasn’t felt comfortable all year with McLaren’s car — widely considered the fastest on the grid. Last year, “I knew every single corner, everything that was going to happen with the car, how it was going to happen.

Messi and Miami fire blanks in front of record Chicago Fire crowd

WASHINGTON: Inter Miami failed to score for the first time this season in Major League Soccer as they were held to a goalless draw by the Chicago Fire on Sunday.

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McLaren Sport News

F1 title fight is increasingly focused on McLaren but Verstappen still hopeful

Flawless Oscar Piastri Converts Pole To Win In Bahrain Grand Prix, Lando Norris Third

Mbappe leading Real Madrid comeback charge against Arsenal

Dubai Basketball returns home with 10-game unbeaten record

FIA president welcomes Georgia to sport’s global fight against online abuse

Nuggets’ Josh Kroenke shares what went wrong in Denver

Norris feels ‘nowhere near’ his best as Formula 1 title contest heats up inside McLaren

Messi and Miami fire blanks in front of record Chicago Fire crowd