عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Verstappen Completes Italian Double in Record Time

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy in Monza, Italy, 07 September 2025. EPA/Daniel Dal Zennaro
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy in Monza, Italy, 07 September 2025. EPA/Daniel Dal Zennaro
TT
TT

Verstappen Completes Italian Double in Record Time

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy in Monza, Italy, 07 September 2025. EPA/Daniel Dal Zennaro
Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy in Monza, Italy, 07 September 2025. EPA/Daniel Dal Zennaro

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won Formula One's fastest ever race on Sunday to complete an Italian double in Ferrari's backyard while McLaren's Oscar Piastri obeyed team orders and had his overall lead trimmed to 31 points.

Australian Piastri finished third and behind teammate Lando Norris after the Briton suffered a slow, late pitstop and came out behind his title rival despite being assured by the team that he would stay ahead.

Piastri was asked to give the place back and obliged, finishing third, while Verstappen cruised to the chequered flag to win by a hefty 19.2 seconds and take his first win since Imola last May.

The race duration was officially timed at one hour 13 minutes and 24.325 seconds, and an average speed of 250.706kph around the 'Temple of Speed'.

"The whole weekend, we were on it. It's super enjoyable to win here," said Verstappen of his third success of the season and career 66th.

"I could see the pace was good, I just needed to settle in," the reigning world champion added after ceding the lead to Norris at a chaotic start and then taking it back.

"I could see the pace was there and quite quickly we were back in the lead. This was an unbelievable weekend."

The title battle between Piastri and Norris, effectively a two-horse race, was always the center of attention and controversy erupted after Norris's pitstop and the team's decision to reverse positions.

Verstappen chipped in over the car radio when told about the swap by race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase: "Ha! Just because he had a slow stop?," said the Dutch driver with affected incredulity.

McLaren apologized to Norris over the radio for the delay.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth for Ferrari, giving the massed tifosi something to cheer after both cars crashed out in the Netherlands last weekend, and George Russell was fifth for Mercedes.

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was sixth on his first appearance at the 'Pista Magica' in the red Ferrari overalls after starting 10th.

Alex Albon gave Williams a tidy fistful of points in seventh with Sauber's Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto eighth, Mercedes' Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli ninth and Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar collecting the final point.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Morocco Refer AFCON Champions Senegal to CAF and FIFA

Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
TT
TT

Morocco Refer AFCON Champions Senegal to CAF and FIFA

Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
Senegal's Idrissa Gueye calls players to walk off the ptich during the Africa Cup of Nations final soccer match between Senegal and Morocco, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)

The Moroccan Football Federation said Monday it has formally referred to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA incidents involving Senegalese players and supporters protesting a penalty to Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Senegal's protest in added time of normal play during Sunday night's clash in Rabat led to the match being paused for nearly 20 minutes as the players walked off the pitch in anger.

Some Senegalese fans at the opposite end of the stadium threw chairs and other objects and attempted to get onto the field of play.

The AFCON hosts' football federation said these acts "had a significant impact on the normal course of the match and on the players' performance", with Morocco then missing the penalty that could have granted them their first African title in 50 years.

The federation said "it will resort to legal procedures" with CAF, the tournament's organizing body, and FIFA "in order to rule on the withdrawal of the Senegalese national team from the field"... "as well as on the events that accompanied this decision".

It said the referee's decision to grant the Atlas Lions a penalty was "deemed correct by unanimous opinion of specialists".

FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned "some Senegal players" for the "unacceptable scenes".

Senegal scored the game's only goal just four minutes into extra time after the players returned to the pitch following an appeal from star forward Sadio Mane.

Several Moroccan media outlets on Monday criticized Senegal for a lack of fair play and unsporting behavior.

Sports

Man City Announce Signing of Defender Marc Guehi

Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
TT
TT

Man City Announce Signing of Defender Marc Guehi

Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge
Soccer Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Sunderland - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - September 13, 2025 Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

England defender Marc Guehi has signed for Manchester City from Crystal Palace on a five-and-a-half year contract, the Premier League club announced on Monday, AFP reported.

City stepped up their pursuit of Guehi in a deal reportedly worth £20 million ($27 million) after suffering an acute injury crisis at centre-half and confirmation of the move had been widely expected.

Sports

Djokovic Reaches 100th Australian Open Match Win in Hunt for 25th Grand Slam

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
TT
TT

Djokovic Reaches 100th Australian Open Match Win in Hunt for 25th Grand Slam

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 19, 2026 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his first round match against Spain's Pedro Martinez REUTERS/Tingshu Wang

Novak Djokovic began his ​hunt for a record 25th Grand Slam title with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over unseeded Spaniard Pedro Martinez in the Australian Open first round on Monday, the Serb easing pre-tournament concerns about his fitness with a sparkling display.

Doubts had been raised about Djokovic's preparedness for the major he has won a record 10 times after the 38-year-old skipped the Adelaide tune-up event and cut short practice on Sunday, but he had no trouble sealing his 100th ‌match win at ‌Melbourne Park, Reuters reported.

The flawless performance means Djokovic has reached ‌a ⁠century ​of match ‌wins in three of the four Grand Slams, with 95 at the US Open.

"What can I say? I like the sound of it - centurion is pretty nice, it's a nice feeling to be a centurion," Djokovic said as a montage of his greatest Melbourne moments on Rod Laver Arena played out on the big screen.

"History-making is great motivation, particularly in the last five to 10 years of my career. ⁠Once I got myself into a position to eventually make history, I was even more inspired to ‌play the best tennis, and that's what I've done.

"I ‍was very fortunate early on in ‍my career to encounter people who taught me and guided me to ‍play the long shot, not burn out too quickly, to take care of my body and mind and try to have as long a career as possible.

"I'm blessed to be playing at this level and another win here tonight is a dream come true."

A ​potentially tricky start against first-time opponent Martinez turned into a routine workout when Djokovic seized control with a break and never loosened ⁠his grip under the bright lights of the main showcourt to take the opening set.

Despite last playing in November when he claimed his 101st career title in Athens, Djokovic barely missed a beat as he let rip a fiery crosscourt winner en route to breaking early and wrapping up the second set.

While the spotlight has largely swung toward reigning Melbourne champion Jannik Sinner and world number one Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic reminded the duo of his threat with some sublime tennis to power through the third set and prevail at his favourite hunting ground.

"It's definitely my favourite court, a court that has given me so much," added Djokovic, who will ‌hope to return when he takes on Italian qualifier Francesco Maestrelli.

"I always try to give back and I hope you enjoyed the tennis."