Verstappen Looks for Home Comforts at Spa

Champion style: Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the French Grand Prix ERIC GAILLARD POOL/AFP/File
Champion style: Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the French Grand Prix ERIC GAILLARD POOL/AFP/File
TT
20

Verstappen Looks for Home Comforts at Spa

Champion style: Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the French Grand Prix ERIC GAILLARD POOL/AFP/File
Champion style: Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the French Grand Prix ERIC GAILLARD POOL/AFP/File

Max Verstappen will return to work with a spring in his step this weekend when he bids to tighten his grip on the Formula One world championship with a second triumph at the Belgian Grand Prix.

In the first of two 'home' races for the 24-year-old Dutchman, as part of a testing post-holiday triple-header, Red Bull's defending champion will delight in racing at his favorite, old-style circuit in the Belgian Ardennes, AFP said.

"I am feeling ready to race again after a good break," he said.

"I've definitely got the itch again to get back into it – it will be a busy triple-header, but it will be ok to manage as we have all had a rest."

After wins in France and Hungary, Verstappen could also complete a hat-trick of consecutive victories as Ferrari flounder in pursuit having seen seven pole positions produce only three wins for Charles Leclerc.

Formula One's annual European summer closedown began after the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31 and ended earlier this week as teams began preparations for the much-loved race at the spectacular circuit in the forests.

With a luxurious lead of 80 points ahead of Leclerc in the title race, Verstappen can afford to ease off and finish second in all of the remaining nine races – in 12 weeks – that make up the second half of the season.

But, after securing his first win in the land of his birth, at Hasselt, in last year's race, he will be pushing for another this weekend in front of an orange army of fans due to arrive from the Netherlands.

A victory would set him up perfectly for his second home event seven days later at Zandvoort, where he won last year en route to the drivers title.

However, he will hope for a different outcome in the third race of the triple-header at Monza where he collided with Lewis Hamilton in last year's Italian Grand Prix.

"The upgrades to the track here have made it a little more old school with the gravel traps, which I think is a good idea," said Verstappen.

"It's my favorite track so I'm looking forward to racing there and it looks like there might be rain around too, which will make it more tricky. Luckily, as a team, we like a challenge."

- Gravel traps -
The gravel traps have been added at four corners, including the high-speed Eau Rouge-Raidillon sequence, in a bid to improve safety for a race which will see the introduction of controversial new rules to curb 'propoising' and 'bouncing'.

The moves are thought to be favorable to Mercedes, the team that suffered most from 'propoising' during the first half season, their worst for a decade.

Mercedes showed marked improvement before the break and scored their first double podium in Hungary where Leclerc and Ferrari endured another tactical flop.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton will be bidding for his fifth Belgian win and his first this season to maintain his record of winning in every year of his career.

"We're getting closer," said team boss Toto Wolff. "We need to keep the momentum going and the pressure on."

This weekend will also see Sebastian Vettel racing at Spa for the final time, 31 years after his hero Michael Schumacher made his F1 debut in the same team – now known as Aston Martin, but originally Jordan, and both painted green.

As a three-time Belgian winner, who loves the history of the classic circuits, it will be an emotional weekend for Vettel who will retire at the end of the season.

It will also be an important weekend for Daniel Ricciardo after McLaren on Wednesday announced the termination of his contract at the end of this season.



Messi and Miami Stunned By LAFC In CONCACAF Champions Cup

No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
TT
20

Messi and Miami Stunned By LAFC In CONCACAF Champions Cup

No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP
No way through: Lionel Messi endured a frustrating night in Inter Miami's 1-0 defeat to LAFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (Frederic J. Brown) - AFP

Los Angeles FC sent Lionel Messi and Inter Miami spinning to their first defeat of the season on Wednesday, scoring an upset 1-0 victory in their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg clash.

A 57th-minute strike from Los Angeles-born El Salvador international Nathan Ordaz handed LAFC a precious advantage heading into next Wednesday's return leg in Florida.

"I think we saw a complete performance," said LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo, whose only complaint was that his team had not managed to win by a more convincing margin.

"If we're honest with ourselves we need to be a little sharper in front of goal. If we get the same types of chances next week in Miami we need to be a little more ruthless."

Miami coach Javier Mascherano had few complaints about his team's defeat, according to AFP.

"Obviously we didn't have the best night tonight but it's only the first leg," Mascherano said.

"We have another game next week. We can do what we need to reach the semi-finals."

Unbeaten in nine games across all competitions since the start of the season, Messi and Miami arrived in Los Angeles as the form team of Major League Soccer.

But after a cagey first half that saw neither side manage to get on top, Los Angeles raised their intensity and began causing problems for the visitors.

LAFC fullback Ryan Hollingshead squandered a golden chance in the 54th minute, blasting well wide after bursting into the penalty area on the overlap.

They made the breakthrough three minutes later with the 21-year-old homegrown striker Ordaz spinning away from former Barcelona and Spain international Sergio Busquets and thumping a low shot into the bottom corner past Miami keeper Oscar Ustari.

Argentine superstar Messi, making his first start since returning as a substitute last weekend following a two-week injury layoff, struggled to gain a foothold in the contest.

Instead it was Los Angeles who looked likeliest to score in front of a raucous home crowd of 22,207 fans at the BMO Stadium that included NBA superstar Stephen Curry, Miami team owner David Beckham and Argentina national team manager Lionel Scaloni.

US international Aaron Long headed just over from a free-kick in the 63rd minute, and moments later only a desperate goal-line block from Miami defender Maxi Falcon denied LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman.

Falcon had one of Miami's few chances in the second half, glancing a header towards the bottom corner that LAFC's former France international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris gathered comfortably.

In a sign of mounting Miami frustration, Busquets was booked for a wild challenge on Cengiz Under.

A disappointing night for Messi was summed up by his failure to make the most of a free-kick in a promising position deep into stoppage time, with the Argentine sending his shot whistling well over the bar as LAFC held on for a deserved victory.