SportsNews
Verstappen responds to Norris after Singapore GP frustration: “That’s exactly what I would say”
For Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing, the qualifying session in Singapore has gone according to plan – and given recent history at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, perhaps even better than expected. Just like last year, the Dutchman secured second place on the grid under the floodlights, although the feeling is different this time. Red Bull has made progress, and this weekend provides confirmation of that progress on a high-downforce circuit.
Although that’s essentially good news for Verstappen, he still showed some frustration after the session. He claims that Lando Norris hindered him in the final stages of Q3, not by blocking, but in Verstappen’s opinion by creating dirty air and driving slowly a few seconds ahead of the Red Bull driver.
The dirty air effect in Singapore
“It would have been really close,” Verstappen replied during his Dutch media round when asked if pole had been possible. “That first lap from George was very strong, but we definitely had the potential to fight for it. I could see it on my steering wheel as well during that second lap in Q3,” he refers to the delta times that drivers can see.
“Especially in Q3, you simply can’t afford to have a car that close in front of you. Everyone leaves at least an eight seconds’ gap. With these cars and the amount of downforce you have, you don’t want anyone in front of you at all. I don’t know what happened there, but it seemed unnecessary to me, to drive into the pits so slowly.”
A penalty for the driver ahead was of course never in question, although Verstappen stressed he felt affected. “You can’t say he’s holding you up, because he isn’t, he’s not blocking. But these cars are so sensitive to turbulence and dirty air, you really don’t want that in qualifying. It’s an unwritten rule that you just don’t do things like that.”
While Verstappen stated Norris was around two seconds in front of him at that moment, the reigning champion added that the impact of dirty air is felt even further back. “We don’t want to be within six or seven seconds of any car ahead. Absolutely not,” Verstappen clarified when asked by Autosport.
Norris, for his part, brushed off the claims and emphasised that Red Bull “always has something to complain about.”
“Well, that’s exactly what I would say as well if I were him,” Verstappen laughed in response. Asked whether he intends to “get back” at Norris at some point, Verstappen paused: “I don’t know…” After it was pointed out that he had already given his answer over the team radio when the Dutchman remarked that the moment “will be remembered,” Verstappen added: “Yes”.
Is Verstappen a factor again for the McLaren drivers?
Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
© Autosport.com
The fact that conversations now revolve around such small moments says something about Red Bull’s recent progress. It indicates that Verstappen has once again become a factor in F1’s title fight, although he doesn’t want to get involved in any mental games.
“I honestly don’t care about those things at all,” he said. “I just live my life and do my own thing at the track. Then I go home and do other things. If others have me in their heads, then that’s their problem.”
The main point, Verstappen stressed, is that Red Bull can once again compete for top results on a track that normally poses a bigger challenge.
“Of course, that moment wasn’t ideal, and of course I’d prefer to be on pole, but ultimately we’re still starting second,” he said. “For us, that’s a very good result on a track like this, especially looking at the way we’ve achieved it. We were extremely competitive, and that’s what really matters to me.”
Alex Iwobi says Fulham must stay positive despite their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
Marco Silva’s side put up a spirited display in the encounter, and were unlucky not to get at least one point.
Iwobi started the fight back by scoring the second goal for Fulham early in the second half.
The versatile midfielder’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze then rose from the bench to score two more goals for the Cottagers.
Manchester City, however, held on to go home with maximum points.
Iwobi stated that they deserved more from the game.
“I feel disappointed because we didn’t get anything out of the fighting spirit that we showed, but I think we have to take the positivity from the game,” Iwobi told the club’s official website.
Fulham will be away to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Sunday.
Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has named the Premier League club that has impressed him so much this season.
The Spaniard said that Enzo Maresca’s side have really impressed him with the improvement they make everyday.
Speaking after Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Guardiola pointed out that a team must remain consistent to win the title.
Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just two points behind Arsenal with the victory over Fulham, but the Gunners could maintain their five points lead with a win over Brentford on Wednesday night.
“Chelsea impresses me more and more every day with Enzo [Maresca], but it’s long,” he told reporters after the win.
“Premier League is so long, many things will happen. We won six Premier Leagues, four or five when we in December, January or February we were behind.
“The team who wins the Premier League is the team who grows during the months and this is what we try to do. No injuries, it’s so long.
“But at the same time, if we push, we will be better and push ourselves and control the situations better, the emotions and we will see what happens.”
The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman final has sparked outrage after an alleged transgender athlete won gold.
American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain’s Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.
According to Mail Online, Thompson walked off the podium, appearing to say ‘this is bulls***,’ while Booker celebrated. The Brit has since been crowned the ‘true World’s Strongest Woman’ by her coach and some of her peers.
Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World’s Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one – not even the organizers – knew about Booker’s background.
Details on the American are not clear, but the publication sighted a YouTube video – uploaded to what appears to be Booker’s YouTube channel in September 2017, with Booker saying: ‘Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.
‘I’m 21-year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.’
On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram that read ‘Protect Women’s Sports.’ She wrote alongside the picture: ‘I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.
But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.
This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.
‘What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack.
‘My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.
‘I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025’
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