McLaren Pair Say Singapore Clash Has Repercussions and Consequences 

Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 16, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 16, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
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McLaren Pair Say Singapore Clash Has Repercussions and Consequences 

Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 16, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)
Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren looks on in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of United States at Circuit of The Americas on October 16, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images/AFP)

Formula One title rivals and McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris spoke on Thursday of the "consequences" and "repercussions" resulting from a Singapore Grand Prix clash, without saying what they might be.

Norris charged up the inside of Piastri on the opening lap of that race, clipping the back of Max Verstappen's Red Bull and forcing Piastri so wide the angry Australian almost hit the wall.

Norris finished third, with Piastri fourth, and the pair are now separated by 22 points with six rounds remaining.

McLaren have already secured the constructors' title for the second year in a row.

Speaking to reporters separately at the US Grand Prix in Austin, the race weekend that follows Singapore, both drivers said the matter had been addressed and dealt with.

"Things were reviewed and there are and will be repercussions for me until the end of the season, so it's not like I've got away with anything," Norris said.

"Repercussions for myself but otherwise the engagement and how we go racing is the same as it's always been."

Piastri, who has been beaten by Norris in the last three races, said the discussions had been very productive.

"The incident we had in Singapore isn't how we want to go racing," said the Australian. "Lando's taken responsibility for that.

"Ultimately we know how we're expected to go racing and if we don't there's consequences."

Asked what they might be, Piastri replied that it was for the team to say.

McLaren have been determined to keep the duel between their drivers a fair fight, dousing down any flare-ups, and have maintained a strict "race on equal terms but do not collide" policy on track.

The incident in the October 5 race was the second time this season that the pair had made contact, with Norris running into the back of Piastri in Canada and accepting the blame.

"The team held me accountable for what happened, which I think is fair," he told Sky Sports television of the Singapore collision.

"Then we made progress from there on understanding what the repercussions were for myself to avoid anything worse happening than what did."

Norris said neither driver wanted that kind of clash to happen, with the Briton having more to risk as the one behind in the championship.



David Beckham: Inter Miami Not Rushing to Replace Head Coach

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attends a training session at the MLS soccer team's training facility, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attends a training session at the MLS soccer team's training facility, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)
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David Beckham: Inter Miami Not Rushing to Replace Head Coach

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attends a training session at the MLS soccer team's training facility, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham attends a training session at the MLS soccer team's training facility, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Arjoon)

Co-owner David Beckham said Inter Miami have to "let things settle down" before hiring a head coach after the sudden, early-season departure of Javier Mascherano on Tuesday.

Mascherano stepped down due to what he called personal reasons in a statement, with ESPN reporting that he made the decision over the weekend after a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls.

Sporting director Guillermo Hoyos took over as interim manager for the Herons (3-1-3, 12 points), who return to action on ⁠Saturday against the ⁠Colorado Rapids in Commerce City, Colo.

Beckham said on CBS Sports that losing Mascherano at this time was "a difficult one." Mascherano, 41, was hired as the club's coach on Nov. 26, 2024. He guided the Lionel Messi-led squad to an MLS ⁠Cup title in 2025.

"He came off the back of last season by winning our first championship," Reuters quoted Beckham as saying. "He's an amazing person, a great coach, the players loved him, but obviously, these things happen in football clubs and we have to move on. We have to find a new coach at some point. But at the moment, we have to let things settle down. But, like ⁠I said, ⁠with owning a team, there are always challenges."

Mascherano replaced Gerardo "Tata" Martino. Inter Miami also reached the Leagues Cup final and CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal last year.

This was the first club coaching job for Mascherano, who began coaching Argentina's youth national teams in 2021. His squads reached the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina and the quarterfinals of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Inter Miami's chief soccer officer Alberto Marrero will assume sporting director duties for Hoyos.


Iran Participating in World Cup, FIFA President Confirms

FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends an economic conference in Washington. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends an economic conference in Washington. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP
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Iran Participating in World Cup, FIFA President Confirms

FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends an economic conference in Washington. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends an economic conference in Washington. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Wednesday that Iran will "for sure" participate in the 2026 World Cup despite the Middle East war.

"Iran is coming for sure. We hope that by then the situation will be a peaceful situation, that would definitely help," Infantino told an economic conference organized by broadcaster CNBC.

"But Iran has to come, they represent their people, they have qualified, the players want to play," he said of the team's upcoming matches scheduled in the United States in June.

Infantino had made similar comments in March, when he attended an Iran-Costa Rica friendly in Antalya, Türkiye, even though US President Donald Trump had previously suggested that Iranian players might not be "safe" in the United States, said AFP.

Iran is scheduled to play its three Group G matches in the United States -- two in Los Angeles, one in Seattle -- with their base for the tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

- 'Outside of politics' -

Iran's participation in the global tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico had been thrown into doubt by the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

Iran raised the prospect of a "boycott" of the competition before asking FIFA to move its matches from the United States to Mexico, a request the world governing body rejected.

After several weeks of air strikes on Iran and Iranian reprisals against Israel and other countries in the region, a fragile truce came into effect on April 8.

But Tehran has sealed off the strategic Strait of Hormuz and since Monday Washington has imposed a blockade on ships coming from or heading to Iranian ports.

"Sports should be outside of politics," Infantino said on Wednesday.

"If there's nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them intact and together, we are doing the job," he said.

The World Cup, the first to feature 48 teams, starts on June 11.


Report: France’s Ekitike Out of World Cup with Ruptured Achilles

 Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
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Report: France’s Ekitike Out of World Cup with Ruptured Achilles

 Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike lies injured during the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain in Liverpool, England, Tuesday, April 14, 2026. (AP)

France forward Hugo Ekitike suffered a ruptured Achilles during Liverpool's Champions League clash against Paris St Germain on Tuesday and will miss the World Cup, French newspapers Le Parisien ‌and L'Equipe ‌reported on Wednesday.

The ‌23-year-old ⁠pointed to his ⁠Achilles tendon as medical staff attended to him before he was carried off on a stretcher at Anfield, ⁠where Liverpool lost ‌2-0 ‌in their quarter-final second leg, ‌exiting the competition with ‌a 4-0 aggregate defeat.

The French football federation (FFF) was not immediately available for ‌comment.

Ekitike has 17 goals in all competitions this ⁠season ⁠since Liverpool signed him from Eintracht Frankfurt for 69 million pounds ($93.58 million) in July.

The World Cup is being held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11-July 19.