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Verstappen Looks Unstoppable as he Enters the F1 Break with Massive Lead

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates with his trophy on the podium after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Spa on July 30, 2023. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates with his trophy on the podium after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Spa on July 30, 2023. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
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Verstappen Looks Unstoppable as he Enters the F1 Break with Massive Lead

Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates with his trophy on the podium after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Spa on July 30, 2023. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)
Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates with his trophy on the podium after the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Spa on July 30, 2023. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)

Defending Formula One champion Max Verstappen enters the mid-season break in unstoppable form, after emphatically winning the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday for an eighth straight win and 10th overall of a crushingly dominant season.
Despite starting from sixth place he finished 22.3 seconds ahead of teammate Sergio Perez to give Red Bull an easy 1-2. It moved Verstappen ominously closer to a third straight world title and his own F1 record of 15 wins from last year.
Verstappen is 125 points ahead of Perez after just 12 races, and his next target is matching Sebastian Vettel’s F1 record of nine straight wins with a victory at the Dutch GP when the lopsided season resumes on Aug. 27.
“I just want to have a nice time now, have a bit of time with family and friends,” The Associated Press quoted Verstappen as saying.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in third spot for a third podium of the season, with Lewis Hamilton in fourth for Mercedes ahead of Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso.
George Russell was sixth for Mercedes, with Lando Norris (McLaren), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) completing the top 10.
Leclerc started on pole ahead of Perez, with Hamilton and Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. behind them. McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri was on the next row alongside Verstappen — who was fastest in Friday's qualifying but took a five-place grid penalty for a gearbox change and had to avoid early traffic.
“It was just about surviving turn one. I could see it was all getting really tight,” Verstappen said. “I’ve been in that position before myself so I am just going to stay out of that and it worked out. From there onwards I made the right overtakes.”
Last year Verstappen won from 14th, and once he overtook Perez on Lap 17 of 44 his 45th career win was seemingly inevitable.
“Really enjoyable to drive once I got in the lead,” Verstappen said. “It was again a great race.“
Red Bull extended its record to 13 straight wins, including the final race of last season.
Hamilton came in on the penultimate lap for a tire change and the move paid off as he took the bonus point for fastest lap from Verstappen — a very minor blip for the dominant Dutchman.
It was yet another stellar weekend for Verstappen, who also won Saturday’s sprint race. The only issue was some more bickering with his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over radio, as they continued their spat from Friday’s qualifying.
“Don’t forget Max, use your head, please,” Lambiase told Verstappen when he questioned why Perez was making his first tire change on Lap 14.
Verstappen defused any talk of tension with Lambiase.
“It’s fine. We know each other very well and we have a very good relationship,” he said. “I think it’s really important."
With some rain forecast, Verstappen boxed on the next lap and came out about 2 seconds behind Perez. Just minutes later he cruised past Perez and, as so often this season, the rest was just about control.
Perez, meanwhile, pledged to stay on the podium for the rest of the season.
“It’s been a bit of a rough patch," the 33-year-old Mexican said. "I really need this summer break, it’s been really intense. I’ll come back really strong for Zandvoort.”
Conditions were dry for the race start, in stark contrast to the two previous days, which were impacted by heavy rain at the 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
Leclerc, who won his first F1 race here in 2019, made a solid start but Perez’s extra pace soon put him in front.
“I knew it was quite crucial for my race to get Charles on Lap 1,” Perez said.
Verstappen rose two places to fourth after Sainz bumped into Piastri on the first corner.
Piastri had to retire, while Verstappen overtook Hamilton on Lap 6, Leclerc three laps later and made short work of Perez just before some rain fell briefly.
Some good overtaking from Ocon moved the Frenchman up from 10th to eighth in the closing stages.
It was an early end for Piastri, who had impressed with a second place in Saturday’s sprint race.
A bad day for Sainz saw him retiring on Lap 25 and Leclerc moving above him in the standings.
“Of course the race was good on my side, a shame for Carlos as we had good pace,” Leclerc said. "When you look at the Red Bulls we still have a lot of work to do ... This was the best we could achieve today, no doubt.”
After the F1 break there will be 10 races left, but most of the competition for places will be behind Verstappen.
Alonso is one point ahead of Hamilton in third overall, with Leclerc and Russell level and Sainz seven points behind them.

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Benzema’s Goal Propels Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad to Victory in Asian Champions League

Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Spain, Feb. 22, 2025. (AFP)
Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Spain, Feb. 22, 2025. (AFP)
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Benzema’s Goal Propels Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad to Victory in Asian Champions League

Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Spain, Feb. 22, 2025. (AFP)
Al-Ittihad's Karim Benzema runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal at King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah, Spain, Feb. 22, 2025. (AFP)

Karim Benzema’s second-half strike was enough to give Al-Ittihad a 1-0 win over Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan on Tuesday, placing the Saudi title holders within sight of the Asian Champions League Elite knockout round.

The French striker volleyed home from close range at the far post after 57 minutes, meeting a cross from Portuguese winger Roger Fernandes.

The victory moved Al-Ittihad to sixth place in the 12-team Western group. With the top eight from the East and West advancing to the round of 16, a win against Qatar’s Al-Gharafa in the next match would clinch advancement for the two-time champion.

Elsewhere, Roberto Mancini delivered Al-Sadd’s first win in dramatic fashion.

Trailing 2-1 to Al-Ahli Dubai after 90 minutes, the Qatar club scored three goals in stoppage time to win 4-2, with Spanish striker Rafa Mujica completing his hat trick, and keep faint hopes of advancing alive.

Sports

Arsenal Keeper Kepa Credits Shift in Mindset for Vital Shootout Save

Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper #13 Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrates saving the penalty of Crystal Palace's French defender #05 Maxence Lacroix to win the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 23, 2025. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper #13 Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrates saving the penalty of Crystal Palace's French defender #05 Maxence Lacroix to win the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 23, 2025. (AFP)
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Arsenal Keeper Kepa Credits Shift in Mindset for Vital Shootout Save

Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper #13 Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrates saving the penalty of Crystal Palace's French defender #05 Maxence Lacroix to win the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 23, 2025. (AFP)
Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper #13 Kepa Arrizabalaga celebrates saving the penalty of Crystal Palace's French defender #05 Maxence Lacroix to win the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, in London on December 23, 2025. (AFP)

Kepa Arrizabalaga said he had to make a quick shift in mindset after a late ​Crystal Palace equalizer took Tuesday's League Cup quarter-final to a shootout, where the Arsenal goalkeeper made a crucial save to earn his side a spot in the last four.

A Maxence ‌Lacroix own ‌goal gave Arsenal ‌the ⁠lead ​in ‌the 80th minute before Palace's Marc Guehi leveled in stoppage time to take the tie to penalties.

Arrizabalaga then made it an even more miserable night for Lacroix by ⁠saving the Frenchman's effort as Arsenal won ‌the shootout 8-7.

“Emotionally, you ‍have to ‍be focused, be strong," Arrizabalaga told ‍Arsenal's official website.

"Because obviously when you concede in the last minute and then you have to go to ​penalties, you need to 100% focused on your penalty takers ⁠you need to save.

"So it was a change of mindset, and it worked.

"And then credit to the guys, they took amazing penalties.

"They keep us in the game, and they give me an opportunity to make a save."

Sports

Pressure Builds on Milano Cortina Organizers Amid Climate Concerns and Funding Issues

A general view shows the Olympic rings on the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which will host the curling, wheelchair curling, and Paralympic closing ceremony during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Cortina, Italy, January 25, 2025. (Reuters)
A general view shows the Olympic rings on the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which will host the curling, wheelchair curling, and Paralympic closing ceremony during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Cortina, Italy, January 25, 2025. (Reuters)
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Pressure Builds on Milano Cortina Organizers Amid Climate Concerns and Funding Issues

A general view shows the Olympic rings on the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which will host the curling, wheelchair curling, and Paralympic closing ceremony during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Cortina, Italy, January 25, 2025. (Reuters)
A general view shows the Olympic rings on the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which will host the curling, wheelchair curling, and Paralympic closing ceremony during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games 2026, in Cortina, Italy, January 25, 2025. (Reuters)

Pressure is mounting on Italian authorities to accelerate preparations for the Milano Cortina Olympics amid funding gaps and unusually warm temperatures, even as the head of world skiing openly advocates a fundamental overhaul of how future Winter Games are hosted.

With the Games due to start in February, International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch said Italy’s challenges were symptomatic of deeper structural issues facing winter sport, as rising costs, climate pressure and under-used infrastructure fuel calls for a rotating model of permanent Olympic hosts.

Growing concern over climate pressure, escalating costs and the waste of Olympic infrastructure after the Games is strengthening support within international sport for a rotation system, under which a small pool of established venues would host the Winter Olympics on a recurring basis.

Proponents argue that such a model would allow long-term planning, reduce spending and ensure consistent conditions for athletes and spectators, rather than forcing hosts to build or upgrade facilities that are rarely used once the Games end.

Eliasch said several Olympic venues were facing technical difficulties not because of shortcomings by local organizers, but because of funding issues at government level.

Games ‌organizers have said the ‌venues will be ready on time.

"We see here that there are some venues that have ‌technical ⁠difficulties. It’s not the ‌organizing committees. It’s just simply a lack of funding from the Italian government," he told Reuters in an interview.

"It’s really important that every effort is now made to make sure that everything is ready on time."

Eliasch warned that readiness alone was not enough.

"We know that we will get everything somehow ready on time," he said. "But the question is, of course, what? And that what needs to meet a certain quality threshold and also experience threshold for the spectators, the fans, the athletes, first and foremost, to make this a success."

He warned that funding constraints could push preparations beyond critical tipping points.

SNOWMAKING CONCERNS

"We shouldn’t be penny wise and pound foolish," Eliasch said. "And there are certain tipping points here in the process beyond which there is no return."

"So from a quality perspective, for ⁠what we’re trying to do here, it’s really important that funding doesn’t become an impediment to delivering the best of the best for those two and a half weeks in February," he added.

Snowmaking has emerged as a key concern as organizers prepare venues across northern Italy, and ‍Eliasch noted that parts of the downhill course in Bormio had ‍no snow on them.

"We know right now that the snowmaking equipment is working, but we have an additional problem, and that is that ‍the temperatures are very warm," Eliasch said. "Which means we can only produce snow during the night, not during the daytime because it’s too warm."

"So the theoretical capacity simply can’t be met," he added.

Alessandro Morelli, Italian Undersecretary of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, said he was happy with the situation.

"In Livigno, 53 additional snow cannons are in operation, ensuring the production of the snow needed for the smooth running of the competitions, ahead of the Olympics," he told Italian news agency ANSA.

"The situation satisfies us, and we are confident that we can achieve an even better result than we had imagined."

Eliasch contrasted the situation with regular international competitions.

"If this was a World Cup race or a World Championship race, it would be easy," Eliasch ⁠said. "We’d know exactly what plan B, plan C, plan D is. We wouldn't start making snow this late. We would have plans to bring in snow from other areas, track it in. We would have all sorts of contingency planning."

Olympic events are far more complex, making financial certainty essential.

"Without clarity on and transparency for the organizing committee that we’re trying to support in every possible way — and they are doing their best, they’re working incredibly hard — but without resources, no one is going to step forward and deliver without knowing that they will get paid," Eliasch, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, said.

IOC HAT ON

"It is a very logical step to take," Eliasch said of a rotation model. "And I have advocated for it with my IOC hat on. Without long-term planning, people are not going to invest. And the Games are getting more and more expensive."

"Huge investments, billions of dollars, are being invested in infrastructure," Eliasch added. "Which becomes wasted after the Olympic Games have been held."

"For Olympic Winter Games, to pull all that together, they need at least five- or six-years’ notice," Eliasch said.

"I think we’re looking at maybe six to eight venues to start with," Eliasch said.

Climate pressure is accelerating the debate.

"Climate change could become an ‌existential threat," Eliasch said. "The only logical way to bring costs down to reasonable levels is to have a rotation scheme."

The stakes extend far beyond winter sport.

"We are competing with Formula One, NFL, NBA, football — we have to be at the forefront," he said. "The five rings are magical. And that’s something we must protect at ‌all costs."