SportsNews

Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

Published

12 months ago

December 28, 2024

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing © Autosport.com

Max Verstappen thinks Red Bull can forget about winning any championship in Formula 1 next year if it does not make good progress with its RB21 car.

While the Dutchman celebrated his fourth consecutive drivers’ title with Red Bull in 2024, he is well aware that success owed much to a dominant start to the campaign that gave him a comfortable buffer in the standings.

And it was the team’s subsequent dip in form that opened the door for McLaren to snatch the constructors’ crown for the first time since 1998.

While Red Bull did rediscover some form in the closing stages of the year, Verstappen acknowledged the competition is now so close that his outfit needs to take a good step forward for 2025.

OPINION: The F1 stories to look forward to in 2025’s expected close battle

Speaking about the prospects for next year in an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Verstappen said: “If we continue like this, I won’t be champion next year. It’s as simple as that. We really need to make steps to be competitive next season. We all know that.

“I trust the team that they can fix the balance issues from last season. Certain things that we couldn’t adjust last year will be changed for next year.

“We know that we need to be better over the kerbs, bumps and in the slow corners. Those are generally our weaknesses. If we are still beaten then, it will be based on pure speed.

“I always keep the pressure on, also on myself. I try not to think too lightly about things. At one point the car was barely driveable. There was no more to get out of it than this.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen also revealed in the interview how his own input into the characteristics of the car at the Italian Grand Prix helped steer development of the RB20 back on track following the mid-season wobbles.

“All plans for new parts, which were to come after that [race in Monza], could be thrown into the bin,” he said. “The team actually started from scratch after that. Before that, they couldn’t find the exact problem.

“I saw a couple of graphics when we were looking at the data. I saw certain aerodynamic shifts in how we entered the corners, turned into corners and also in terms of ride heights.

“It was different from last year’s car. I said, ‘Hey, it’s very clear that this and this is the problem, isn’t it?’ That turned out to be right, I heard later on.

“I hadn’t seen those lines and those graphics before. I then said that it was quite clear what we had to work on, because the engineers obviously know exactly what had been changed from last year’s car.

“At the beginning of last season we were still winning our races convincingly, but I felt even then that the balance of the car did not feel the way I wanted it to.

“But, back then, we still had a big lead over the other teams, who might not have had a very good winter.”

Verstappen also had a cheeky dig at rivals, suggesting that some of their success was down to using tricks.

“Things happened in the background that meant we had no chance at all in certain races,” he said. “I know that for sure, but no one will ever admit that.”

Additional reporting by Ronald Vording

SportsNews

EPL: Full list of players leaving for 2025 AFCON

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

At least 25 players in the Premier League are set to travel for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DR Congo lead the way in terms of players based in the English topflight, with four selected from each club for the AFCON.

FIFA has directed clubs to release the eligible players from Monday, December 15.

Full list of players confirmed

Sunderland (5):
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo).

Manchester United (3):
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

Fulham (3):
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).

Burnley (3):
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).

Nottingham Forest (2):
Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).

Brentford (2):
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).

Manchester City (1):
Omar Marmoush (Egypt),

West Ham United (1):
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)

Wolves (2):
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).

Brighton & Hove Albion (1):
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).

Crystal Palace (2):
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali)

Liverpool (1):
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)

SportsNews

NNL bars fans from Ranchers Bees vs Adamawa United

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.

The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.

Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.

Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.

The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.

The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).

SportsNews

Nigeria vs Egypt Friendly Gets New Date

Published

7 days ago

December 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have taken a fresh hit, with Egypt confirming that the highly anticipated friendly between both nations has been shifted from 14 to 16 December.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the adjustment late Friday, noting that FIFA’s updated international release directive, which allows clubs keep African players until 15 December, made the original date unworkable.

EFA Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly explained that the new rule left both Egypt and Nigeria without full squads for the initial date.

Key Pharaohs players, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, are now expected to arrive only after the new release window.

Egypt had already named its 28-man provisional squad and opened camp in Cairo, with head coach Hossam Hassan accelerating final preparations for a Group B campaign that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.

Nigeria’s disruption is more extensive. The Super Eagles were originally scheduled to open camp on 10 December and progress through a streamlined friendly schedule before departing for Morocco. That entire framework has now been dismantled.

Under the revised timeline, camp will open on 14 December, leaving Eric Chelle with barely a week to prepare before AFCON kicks off.

The venue for the friendly is also now uncertain, with Cairo no longer feasible and both federations considering shifting the match to Morocco.

Nigeria’s build-up has been further destabilised by injuries to Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu.

The shock retirement of captain William Troost-Ekong, winner of the 2023 AFCON Player of the Tournament award, creates an additional leadership vacuum in defence.

Chelle, who released a 55-man provisional list, must now trim his squad to 28 within a compressed window. Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania as they chase a fourth continental title.