Verstappen Leads Red Bull One-Two in First Saudi Practice

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the first free practice ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah corniche circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the first free practice ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah corniche circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP)
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Verstappen Leads Red Bull One-Two in First Saudi Practice

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the first free practice ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah corniche circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car during the first free practice ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at the Jeddah corniche circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 17, 2023. (AP)

Formula One champion Max Verstappen shrugged off a stomach upset and picked up where he left off on Friday, with the Dutch driver leading Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez one-two in first practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, third in the March 5 opener in Bahrain behind Verstappen and Perez, was again the best of the rest.

Last year's winner Verstappen, who delayed his arrival in the Kingdom as he recovered from the bug, got straight down to work with a fastest lap of one minute 29.617 seconds.

Perez was 0.483 slower with double world champion Alonso 0.698 off Verstappen's pace and Canadian teammate Lance Stroll, still recovering from breaking both wrists and a big toe in a pre-season cycling accident, fourth.

The Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were fifth and sixth and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was the seventh quickest.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who will have a 10-place penalty on the grid for Sunday's race after a change of electronic control unit, was 11th.



Haaland Misses Penalty and Man City Drops More Points after 1-1 Draw with Everton

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Everton - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 26, 2024 Manchester City's Erling Haaland has his penalty saved by Everton's Jordan Pickford Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Everton - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 26, 2024 Manchester City's Erling Haaland has his penalty saved by Everton's Jordan Pickford Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
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Haaland Misses Penalty and Man City Drops More Points after 1-1 Draw with Everton

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Everton - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 26, 2024 Manchester City's Erling Haaland has his penalty saved by Everton's Jordan Pickford Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Everton - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - December 26, 2024 Manchester City's Erling Haaland has his penalty saved by Everton's Jordan Pickford Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

Erling Haaland missed a penalty as Manchester City was held 1-1 by Everton in the Premier League on Thursday.

Haaland had the chance to set the four-time defending champion on course for only its second win in 13 games when stepping up for a 53rd minute spot kick at the Etihad Stadium. But he was denied by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as City's woeful recent run was extended, The Associated Press reported.

Pep Guardiola's team has lost nine of its last 13 games in all competitions. The draw means City picked up only its fifth point in the league since the end of October.

Bernardo Silva's deflected shot gave City the lead in the 14th, but Iliman Ndiaye leveled the score in the 36th.

The result leaves City sixth in the standings and 11 points behind leader Liverpool, having played two games more.

Haaland missed penalty means the Norway international has only scored one in his last seven games. He headed in from the rebound, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

City's grip on its title was further loosened by more dropped points. Liverpool had the chance to extend its lead over the champion when playing Leicester in the later kick off.