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Spanish GP: Max Verstappen denies Lando Norris comeback charge for win as Lewis Hamilton makes podium return | F1 News

On: June 23, 2024 By: admin

Max Verstappen overcame the comeback challenge of a fast Lando Norris to pull off an impressive Spanish GP win and stretch his F1 world championship lead.

Left to regret a poor start which dropped him from pole position to third place coming out of the race’s first corner – in significant opening exchanges which saw Mercedes’ George Russell surge into the lead from fourth – Norris attempted to get back ahead into the lead through strategy as McLaren extended both of his pit stops compared with Verstappen and Red Bull.

But, despite relentlessly catching Verstappen in the closing stages of the race, Norris ultimately ran out of time and finished 2.2s behind at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the Red Bull driver hung on for his seventh win of an increasingly competitive season.

Lewis Hamilton finally ended his wait for a first podium in 2024 with a fine drive of his own to third.

Although he dropped behind his fast-starting team-mate at the start, Hamilton overtook Russell after the second stops with an eye-catching around-the-outside move on the sister Mercedes into Turn One.

Russell, who struggled on his second set of tyres when he went on to the hards while others, including Hamilton, took the softs, just finished ahead of fifth-placed Charles Leclerc, with Ferrari finishing over 20s off the race lead in a disappointing performance.

Carlos Sainz, who overtook Leclerc early on but was repassed later on, was sixth at his home race. Oscar Piastri was seventh in the second McLaren at the end of a disappointing weekend for the young Australian, with Sergio Perez only able to recover to eighth from 11th on the grid in the other Red Bull.

Alpine’s unexpectedly strong weekend ended with a much-needed double-points finish for the under-pressure Enstone team, with Pierre Gasly ninth and Esteban Ocon 10th.

More to follow…

F1’s triple-header continues with the Austrian Grand Prix this coming week – with the Sprint format returning at the Red Bull Ring. Watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s big race at 2pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

Euro 2024 – Netherlands 0-0 France: Offside call controversially denies Xavi Simons as Kylian Mbappe sits out goalless draw | Football News

On: June 21, 2024 By: admin

Offside controversy took centre-stage in Kylian Mbappe’s absence as the Netherlands and France drew 0-0 in Group D in Leipzig.

Xavi Simons thought he had given the Netherlands the lead late in the game only for the flag to go up on the grounds that Denzel Dumfries had impacted on the play. Anthony Taylor ruled it out with video assistant referee Stuart Attwell confirming the decision.

The call was highly debatable as the ball arrowed into the bottom corner with goalkeeper Mike Maignan seemingly unprepared to dive. But the English officials ruled it out as this much-anticipated game ended in the first goalless draw of the tournament.

Didier Deschamps’ side had been on top in a game that otherwise failed to ignite without Mbappe, who remained on the bench following his broken nose. Antoine Griezmann had the best chances but could not find the finish.

The draw means that the Netherlands remain top of Group D, ahead of France on goal difference. Poland, who were beaten 3-1 by Austria earlier in the day, become the first nation to be eliminated from Euro 2024 as a consequence of the result.

What do the Laws say?

According to the IFAB Laws of the Game:

A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or

interfering with an opponent by:

preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or

challenging an opponent for the ball or

clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or

making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball

*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used.

Analysis: Saliba shines | More to come from France

Two games in for France and, thanks to that highly-debatable offside call against the Netherlands, two clean sheets for the tournament favourites. Arsenal’s William Saliba has been a big factor in that, oozing class in the centre of the France defence.

An ideal foil for the physical Dayot Upamecano, those much-publicised comments by Deschamps alluding to weaknesses in Saliba’s game only become more baffling after each performance. There cannot be many better defenders in European football.

The underlying numbers better reflect France’s control than that Simons moment. Against Austria, they registered an expected-goals total of 2.13 compared to their opponents’ 0.76. Here, their total was 1.42 compared to their opponents’ paltry 0.33.

At the other end, the goals will surely start flowing soon. Even without Mbappe, they created chances. Griezmann should have scored at least one, twice failing to find the finish from close range. One goal from two games does not tell the full story.

Either side of Saliba and Upamecano, the full-backs are rock solid and N’Golo Kante as impressive as ever in midfield. The forward players have not fired yet but the options in attack are plentiful. Expect Mbappe to have his day when the stakes are a little higher.

That might seem a generous interpretation after four points from two games – the same as England. But this side appears happier in its skin. Saliba has won over Deschamps. It would not be a surprise if the rest of France has followed suit by mid-July in Berlin.

Stats: Story of the match

So far in Group D…

Prix de Diane: Sparkling Plenty denies Tamfana at Chantilly | Racing News

On: June 16, 2024 By: admin

There was no joy in the Prix de Diane for David Menuisier as Sparkling Plenty edged out Survie in an all-French finish to the main event at Chantilly with Tamfana having to settle for third.

Carlos Laffon-Parias’ Halfday led the field along with Oisin Murphy not far away from the pace, eager not to suffer a repeat of Tamfana’s luckless 1000 Guineas run aboard Menuisier’s star filly.

That duo were still in with a shout of Classic honours as the field entered the straight and started to dash for home, but Patrice Cottier’s Sparkling Plenty was catching the eye in the hands of Tony Piccone as the daughter of Kingman burst onto the scene from her position towards the rear.

As Tamfana’s challenge faltered late in the day, Sparkling Plenty was just beginning to hit top gear and she had enough up her sleeve to register a narrow success and a first Classic for her handler.

“It’s fantastic and I was thinking I have a good chance but the race went like a dream,” the winning jockey Piccone told Sky Sports Racing.

“To win this race is fantastic for me.”

For Sussex-based Frenchman Menuisier it was a case of mixed emotions after watching his talented daughter of Soldier Hollow come close to big-race success for the second time this season.

“I have joy and sadness running through me, but I’m very proud,” said Menuisier.

“They are hard to get [these good horses] and she ran her heart out. She had every chance and she has done the hard work at the front there. I’m proud because she did what she could, but obviously disappointed as well because she looked like the winner.

“I think she showed more kick over a mile than she did here and I may have got this one wrong [stepping up in trip], but we can correct that later on.”