soccer betting

John Deere Classic: Davis Thompson’s attractive fits lead best dressed john,deere,classic,davis,thompson,s,attractive,fits,lead,best,dressed,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-pga-tour,golf-opinions

On: July 8, 2024 By: admin

Golf fashion continues to be one of the major discussions of the 2024 PGA Tour season. The players brought it at the John Deere Classic.

That said, fashion is a subjective topic with no right answer.

Not everyone likes risks and prefers traditional outfits, but there are ways to be trendy and traditional. This week saw a mixture of those two things as the young guys control the best-dressed list.

Only one of the veterans made the list. The young guys continue to show how versatile golf fashion can be.

Let’s break down the five best-dressed players from the John Deere Classic.

5. Ben Griffin

Ben Griffin’s different-colored pants put him on the list this week. The blue pants and white shirt were trendy but not too loud on Sunday. Griffin’s Lord Abbett logo matched his pants, and that is the attention to detail we love to see. He also wore pink pants earlier in the week, which were fabulous.

A bright pair of pants with a neutral top is on trend and something anyone can pull off.

Rating: 8/10

4. Michael Thorbjornsen

John Deere Classic, Michael Thorbjornsen, Davis Thompson

PGA Tour rookie Michael Thorbjornsen had four days of solid outfits. His computer glitch polo with the gray pants on Sunday was a favorite. His green moment earlier in the week was also lovely. Adidas continues to put their younger players in these fun outfits, and boy, are they pulling them off.

Thorbjornsen looks cool without trying too hard, and I like the different gray for his hat. It works and does not clash.

Rating: 8.5/10

3. Jordan Speith

John Deere Classic, Jordan Spieth, Davis Thompson

Jordan Spieth finally made the best-dressed list for this green-and-black moment. He won the John Deere Classic in a green polo, and this outfit feels like a reimagination. The small pattern makes it trendy but different. Spieth’s Sunday outfit looked good as well. Even when he wore orange, it was a better choice than the former Texas Longhorn has worn in recent weeks.

He is the only PGA Tour veteran to make the best-dressed list as the youngsters show off. However, I’ll give it to Spieth — his outfits for the John Deere Classic were probably the best he has looked all season.

Rating: 9/10

2. Luke Clanton (a)

John Deere Classic, Luke Clanton, Davis Thompson

Luke Clanton, a rising junior at Florida State University, brought the vibes to Illinois. His pink, black and white polo looked incredible, especially with the black hat. Clanton’s all-black look for Sunday was also sharp.

He may still be in college, but the 20-year-old knows how to dress.

Rating: 9.5/10

1. Davis Thompson

Davis Thompson’s first PGA Tour victory saw him run away with it to win by four shots. He was red hot on the golf course and stayed in his world. The former Georgia Bulldog could not be phased. His fashion choices this week were more on the traditional side, as Nike tends to lean toward, but there were still moments that pushed him to the top spot.

The pants from Saturday’s round were blue-gray. They looked almost baby blue in some lighting, while they were grayer at other times. The black on that light pant looked so good, especially when the blue tones popped. It was a memorable outfit because those pants are not generally paired with an all-black shirt. However, it works.

Thompson is among the only Nike athletes who look good in the confetti shirt. He wore the blue one on Sunday, which looked fantastic on his skin tone.

It was a solid week for the 25-year-old on the course and with his fashion choices.

Rating: 10/10

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.

John Deere Classic: Jordan Spieth skyrockets contention strong round john,deere,classic,jordan,spieth,skyrockets,contention,strong,round,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-pga-tour

On: July 6, 2024 By: admin

Jordan Spieth came out blazing hot at the John Deere Classic on Saturday with his lowest round of the season. He carded an 8-under 63 to sit at 14-under total. Spieth jumped 33 spots on Moving Day, making the most of his early tee time.

The former Texas Longhorn was 6-under through eight holes as he went out in 29 strokes. He added two more birdies on the 10th and 12th before his only hiccup of the day.

Spieth bogeyed the par-4 13th but quickly regrouped. Three straight pars followed before he made his ninth birdie of the day at 17. It was nearly an eagle, but it came up inches short.

“It felt a lot better than being 7-under through 16, and I feel almost like a weird disappointment at that point,” Spieth said. “So nice to hit two beautiful shots into 17 and half a roll from getting an eagle there.”

“All in all, those finishing pins were tougher. Fortunately, I don’t think the field is going to make four birdies in a row to finish. Most of them are out there a little before that. It was a good day. Did a lot of things well. I improved on yesterday and that was my goal.”

His putter proved to be one of the strongest clubs in his bag on Saturday. Spieth made 100 feet of putts through the 12th hole.

Saturday’s 63 was his best round of the week so far, but that is typically how he handles this tournament. Spieth starts slow but gets stronger as the week goes on.

“It’s a race. It’s prime scoring conditions,” he said. “We had quite a few front pins in bowls that you needed to make birdie on. Sometimes that’s the hardest part, is the shot almost seems too easy because we’re not used to it.”

“Luckily, I capitalized on those and made a couple of putts,” Spieth said. “It was just a good solid round. No chip-ins, nothing spectacular, no crazy ones here or there. But tomorrow, if I can be as solid as I was today and maybe catch a couple of extra breaks, it would take something extremely flawless to have a chance, but I’ll try and do what I did today.”

Spieth’s 14-under is currently T14 on the leaderboard. TPC Deere Run is playing into these guys’ hands, especially the front nine. The back nine is playing a little trickier. He will have to go low on Sunday to potentially win his third John Deere Classic.

British Grand Prix qualifying: A ‘sketchy’ decision pays off for Nico Hülkenberg and Haas british,grand,prix,qualifying,a,sketchy,decision,pays,off,for,nico,h,lkenberg,and,haas,sbnation,com,front-page

On: July 6, 2024 By: admin

As the minutes ticked down in the first qualifying segment at the British Grand Prix, 19 of the 20 drivers wound their way around historic Silverstone circuit in wet conditions, relying on the green intermediate tires.

Nico Hülkenberg was that 20th driver, who remained in the garage waiting for the track to dry out, and the right moment to join the fight.

Hülkenberg had to wait through a red flag, brought out by Sergio Pérez. The Red Bull driver was one of the first to switch to the slicks, with just over seven minutes remaining in the session, but quickly paid a steep price. Pérez slid into the gravel and could not get moving again, ending his session early.

Ultimately, Hülkenberg had just one shot at a flying lap and he made it stick, doing just enough to get into Q2.

But when the dust settled and the checkered flag flew at the end of Q3 Hülkenberg was up in sixth on the timing sheets, and he will start on the third row in Sunday’s British Grand Prix.

That stands as not just the best qualifying result for Hülkenberg this season, but for the team as well.

However, the approach taken by Haas made for some nervy moments for both the driver and the team.

“I managed to take the momentum from last race into this week, plus I think the updates we brought to the car yesterday really had an impact and I felt a gain with them straightaway,” said Hülkenberg in the team’s post-qualifying report. “That’s good news and it’s not always the case, so a big well done to the team. Quali was good; Q1 was a bit too close for comfort with only one lap.

“With the red flag, we got a little out of sync and maybe it was a bit sketchy, but otherwise it was a good, clean session. I feel good confidence in the car which means I can produce the laps, even if it’s just one.”

Team Principal Ayao Komatsu hailed an “amazing” result for the team, but outlined how Haas needs to review their “tricky” approach.

“It’s been a pretty eventful day with pretty tricky conditions, but in FP3 I think we made progress learning about car behavior on the intermediates. In Q1 we decided not to run on the inters because we expected it to be dry, so that’s what we did,” described Komatsu. “It was very tricky, we need to review what we did and how we can do it better because we just got through with Nico. Kevin didn’t get through Q1 because he went off but with Nico, we didn’t give ourselves enough margin, so that’s something we need to improve.”

Komatsu outlined how it could have been even better for Hülkenberg.

“Moving into dry conditions with Nico, what a fantastic result with P6, and that could’ve been better. He made a mistake on his flying lap in one of the corners so it’s really pleasing with all the hard work from the team getting this upgrade on and it paying off well,” added the Haas boss. “It’s an excellent position to start tomorrow, so we’ll see what we can do, but for now, I’m happy for the team – amazing work from everyone.”

While Kevin Magnussen failed to advance out of Q1 and will start at the back of the field, Hülkenberg’s starting position gives Haas a tremendous chance to bring home solid points on Sunday. The team enters the British Grand Prix sitting seventh in the Formula 1 Constructors’ standings, 11 points behind Visa Cash App RB F1 Team.

But with both Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda starting outside the points — and behind Hülkenberg — Haas is in position to cut into that lead Sunday.

Despite a “sketcky” Saturday.

Top 5 WWE matches to watch this weekend top,wwe,matches,to,watch,this,weekend,sbnation,com,front-page,wrestling,all-womens-sports,womens-combat,dot-com-grid-coverage

On: July 5, 2024 By: admin

While a lot of folks will be trying to stretch the July 4 holiday out to another weekend here in the United States, WWE is sending its current and future stars to Canada for two major shows in Toronto.

The biggest pro wrestling company in the world will hold one of its most popular events of the year on Sat., July 7 when Money in the Bank hits Scotiabank Arena at 8 p.m. Eastern. Then the following night at the same time, the next generation of WWE superstars will look to make their mark when their NXT brand puts on Heatwave in the same building.

It should be a great weekend of pro wrestling, but of course we’re looking forward to some matches more than others.

Here are our top five recommendations from Money in the Bank and Heatwave, and why they’re our picks from those two shows:

Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso vs. LA Knight vs. Andrade vs. Chad Gable vs. Carmelo Hayes in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Who doesn’t love a ladder match? Alright the wrestlers probably don’t when they’re slammed and splashed into, onto, in between, or through them (and many of us watching wince every time thinking about how much that must hurt… which you have to acknowledge, even if you insist pro wrestling’s “fake”).

Almost all WWE fans love the ladder matches that give Money in the Bank its name, where their winner climb to grab a briefcase containing a guaranteed title shot that’s dangling above the ring. It’s a storytelling device that’s led to some amazing moments. And some that all involved would like to forget. But the game of “will they or won’t they cash in?” is usually a lot of fun, whether it lasts hours or months.

One hallmark of the so-called “Triple H Era” (named for WWE Hall of Famer and Chief Creative Officer Paul Levasque, who took over creative for the company when his father-in-law was ousted during his latest scandal) is that most of the wrestlers who appear on television have an established character and are involved in an angle (this seems straight-forward, but if you were watching WWE under the latter days of Vince McMahon, you know it wasn’t always).

This match has a couple of the best examples, as McIntyre is not only chasing a World title, but is engaged in one of the company’s hottest feuds with an injured CM Punk… who can’t be ruled out as a factor here, despited the big Scotsman beating him within an inch of his life after the last time Punk meddled in Drew’s business.

Former Olympian Gable at the center of an entirely different of story. He’s been a real jerk to his Alpha Academy team, which had made him a target of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks, a group led by the late Bray Wyatt’s brother Bo Dallas. The Sicks are carrying on Bray’s legacy by embodying his creepy creations and targeting those who’ve done their “family” wrong.

Plus, everyone in the match can go — especially Andrade, recent NXT call-up Hayes, and Gable. This one should be nuts, in that good pro wrestling way.

IYO SKY vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark in a Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Much of the above applies her as well, although the women’s MitB match feels like it has a greater chance of delivering something else WWE watchers often mention when talking about the concept: elevating a performer.

Sure, we could see former champions like Naomi or SKY — who only recently lost the belt as her Damage CTRL stable has been falling apart around her since kicking out Bayley, the woman her took her title at WrestleMania. But it will be very interesting to see if WWE pulls the trigger and helps establish a new main event player.

Stratton and Valkyria are former NXT Women’s champs, both of whom WWE would clearly like to see reach the same heights on the main roster. Green’s been around a while, but she’s entertainingly been all in on her gimmick everywhere she’s been and has been making the most out of finally being able to do that on wrestling’s biggest stage. And Stark’s just a great wrestler (a proverbial workhorse) who Triple H has loved since he was running developmental and she was in NXT.

No bad choices here.

Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline

If you thought the story of Rhodes and The Bloodline ended with Cody winning the WWE title from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40… think again.

The evil faction of Pacific Islanders’ has been refreshed with Reigns’ former enforcer Solo Sikoa taking over his position as Tribal Chief. Sikoa’s proved to considerable more unpredictable than his older cousin was, bringing in Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa from New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Jacob Fatu from MLW as his hit squad. It’s unclear which pair will team with Solo in Toronto; Fatu is the guy with the most upside, but he may also have issues getting into Canada due to a past arrest. And, yes, a possible criminal background has been alluded to in-story as proof of how dangerous Sikoa’s Bloodline is — not that we needed much proof after the group sent Roman’s “wiseman” Paul Heyman to the hospital last week.

So Rhodes has assembled a team of good guys to stop Bloodline 2.0 while fans chant for Roman to come back and deal with the problem he left behind after dropping the title back in April. They’ll all held WWE’s top prize, and the always dangerous Orton has shown signs he might have eyes on Cody’s belt. Be on the lookout for a heel turn from The Viper here, possibly setting up a SummerSlam main event with his former Legacy protege.

Damian Priest vs. Seth Rollins

Kinda weird to have the only World title match at Saturday’s event this far down the list, but it’s no shade to champion Priest or challenger Rollins. The former hasn’t really felt like the star of his own show during his reign, but Priest is involved in one of Raw’s hottest programs as Women’s World champ Liv Morgan attempts to take over his Judgment Day group as part of her revenge plot against Damian’s teammate, Rhea Ripley (who’s out with an injury Morgan gave her). Rollins has played into that strife, goading Priest into agreeing to leave Judgment Day if he loses. In exchange, Seth said if he loses, he’ll give up his pursuit of the belt for as long it’s around Priest’s waist.

Plus, Rollins has been out of action since April due to knee surgery. So this will be the first time we’ve seen the Visionary in action since he reminded the world he’s one of the best wrestlers alive at WrestleMania.

Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice

Only one NXT match makes the cut, as the Heatwave build has been a bit lackluster. That’s due in large part to the number of wrestlers who were promoted to Raw or SmackDown in this past spring’s WWE Draft, so the brand’s creative team — led by Triple H’s right-hand man Shawn Michaels — has been in reset mode.

That was evident in the build to this Women’s title clash. Champion Perez is still settling into the heel character she’s working for her second reign. Challenger Vice (former MMA pro Valerie Loureda) has been built up for this opportunity, but only recently turned babyface for this match. They’re both performers WWE has high hopes for, but we’re still waiting for them to really click while working together.

It might not be the best match of the weekend, but it should be interesting no matter what. And who knows? Maybe someone from TNA — an outside promotion NXT’s got an ongoing crossover going with, now that WWE’s become willing to play nice with (some) others in the wrestling world since Vince’s exit — will crash this or another Heatwave match to make it REALLY interesting on Sunday night.

Whichever matches you’re looking forward to this weekend, you can get all the information about them and follow all the action at CagesideSeats.com!

10 mistakes every golfer must avoid during every round mistakes,every,golfer,must,avoid,during,every,round,sbnation,com,golf,golf-opinions

On: July 5, 2024 By: admin

With summer in full swing across the United States, you can play with anyone, anywhere, anytime. We highlighted the 10 things all golfers should do during a round, but now we want to list 10 mistakes all golfers should avoid every time they play:

10. Never leave your cart in front of green; always towards back or near next tee

You should park your cart at the closest point between the green and the next tee. That point should also be in the back of the green, so you are not walking towards the fairway you just played, further delaying the group behind you. Cart etiquette is important, but so is using common sense.

9. Speaking of carts, keep them 30 feet away from greens and tees

You should never bring your cart close to the green unless you have a medical condition forbidding you from walking a considerable distance.

The same can be said for teeing areas.

8. No need to take more than three practice swings

The pace of play on a course is important. And no, you are not on the PGA Tour. So do not take more than three practice swings and waste everyone’s time, including yours.

I usually take two to get in a rhythm, then swing away.

7. Don’t arrive less than 20 minutes before tee time

Scrambling to the first tee in a dizzying hurry is terrible, but it angers the pro shop staff, too. Be there on time so you can ease into your round and have a proper warmup.

6. Don’t skip out on the putting green beforehand

You will have more strokes on the green than anywhere else. It’s essential to get the speed of the greens down beforehand so you don’t make a mess of things over the first couple of holes.

5. Missed ball marks damage greens

Fix your ball marks.

Nobody wants to play on damaged greens, and nobody wants a good putt disrupted by a bump.

4. Don’t place wedges/clubs in rough

Every golfer has made the mistake of leaving a club behind at some point.

If you bring your wedge or short iron to a green, put it on the green or fringe—somewhere easily visible. I usually place clubs next to the flagstick—a good reminder not to forget them, too.

3. Replace divots, fix ball marks

Treat the golf course like your own home.

Replace divots and use dirt mix if available. And always, always repair your ball marks on the greens. Fix another one, too. A course’s most valuable assets are the greens—take care of them.

2. The five-minute rule

If you need to take more than five minutes looking for a golf ball, it is clearly not in the spot you think it is—or it is buried in the rough where you would struggle to hack it out.

Take a drop and move on.

1. Don’t be too hard on yourself

It’s a frustrating game that even angers Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, and Bryson DeChambeau. Have fun.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.

British Grand Prix: Praise rolls in for Oliver Bearman after news of Haas promotion british,grand,prix,praise,rolls,in,for,oliver,bearman,after,news,of,haas,promotion,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one

On: July 4, 2024 By: admin

Thursday’s media day at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix kicked off with some news regarding a young British driver. Haas announced in the morning that Oliver Bearman, the Ferrari Academy driver who is currently splitting reserve duties between Haas and Ferrari, would be taking one of the team’s two seats on the F1 grid next year.

Bearman’s promotion was a topic of discussion during Thursday’s FIA Press Conference, with three of his countrymen joining the praise for the young driver. Among those included both Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who Bearman fended off in the closing stages of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to finish seventh in his stunning debut in replace of an ailing Carlos Sainz Jr.

“Yeah, [he] did a phenomenal job earlier on this year. Yeah, bright young talent, and I think it’s great that the UK is pumping out a lot of great young talented drivers,” said Hamilton. “I would say Silverstone and the [British Racing Driving Club] have been a part of that, I would say, because they do invest in young and up-and-coming, a lot of the sport’s young and up-and-coming drivers. I think, yeah, I think it’s amazing for the sport. Takes the pressure off of all of us. At least hopefully one of the Brits would be up there.”

“I think he deserves it,” said Norris. “I think he showed in Saudi how good of a job he can do, even under the pressure that he was in to perform and get so much out of the car in his first weekend. So I’m excited to see him on the grid next year and look forward to racing.”

George Russell, the winner of the Austrian Grand Prix, joined in on the praise for the young British driver.

Y”eah, clearly Ollie’s a great driver and it’s great to see four Brits on the grid and I think it just goes to show the strength of British motorsport. I think when we raced in Karting, the competition was so high and I think that translates into next year, 20% of the grid being Brits. Obviously, Alex [Albon], half British as well, so it’s great to see him there and I’m sure he’ll do a great job.”

Bearman is scheduled to take part in FP1 this week as part of his reserve duties for Haas, before taking over next year on a full-time basis. He currently sits 14th in the F2 Drivers’ Championship standings and secured his first win of the season in the F2 Sprint Race at the Austrian Grand Prix.

And if he needs some advice, he has a seven-time F1 champion winner he can turn to.

“No, no, I’ve not been asked to and it’s not even been a thought,” said Hamilton if he was asked to take Bearman under his wing. “I don’t think he needs to. I think he’s a sharp enough lad. And I think, I mean, naturally, as one of the older drivers here, my door’s always open if anyone ever has a question or any advice that’s needed.”

John Deere Classic: Hayden Springer’s epic sub-60 round looked easy john,deere,classic,hayden,springer,s,epic,sub,round,looked,easy,sbnation,com,front-page,golf,golf-pga-tour

On: July 4, 2024 By: admin

PGA Tour rookie Hayden Springer made quite the debut at the John Deere Classic as he fired off a 12-under 59 to make TPC Deere Run look easy. His putter was red hot.

He made eight birdies and two eagles to mark the second sub-60 round of the year on the PGA Tour. Just two weeks ago, Cameron Young recorded a 59 during the third round of the Travelers Championship.

“It’s pretty special to be able to do that,” Springer said after his round on Thursday.

“I played well last week, but it’s been tough to get stuff going and go low — So, it is special. It feels good to be standing here and to have shot a good round of golf.”

The 27-year-old made par on the first hole, then went nuclear. He made a 13-footer for eagle on the par-5, 2nd followed by four straight birdies. Those were not easy birdies either.

He chipped in from around 62 feet off the green on the third. Springer’s touch was nearly perfect, as the ball only had eyes for the hole. His birdie at the par-4 4th was a little over 10 feet. The birdie at 5 was over 20 feet long, and his fourth straight birdie at 6th was over 16 feet.

At this point, Springer felt like today, he could see him shoot a low score.

“I had come up just short of the green on the fringe and probably had a 20-footer, and I made that,” he said. “I was like, okay, ‘I feel like I’m not missing today. I’m pretty much holing any putt I look at.’ So probably that putt going in was kind of the trigger, like we might be able to go super low.”

Springer made two more birdies on 8 and 9 to turn in 27 strokes.

After the turn, he made five straight pars before his seventh birdie came at 15. The former Texas Christian Horned Frog sank an 18-footer to move to 9-under. He explained that he got frustrated, but his caddie kept him balanced.

Springer did not think a 59 was on the table going into the par-5 17th, but he holed out from 55 yards for his second eagle.

“I had a really good lie over there,” he said. “I hit it nice. It landed right where we were looking, just short left, and happened to go in. I didn’t ever think I would make that shot, but it changed the momentum to be able to go shoot 59.”

To record a sub-60 round, he needed a birdie on the 18th, and the rookie sank a 12-footer to do so.

Springer earned every bit of this 59, making 111 feet of putts on Thursday. He hit 14-of-18 greens in regulation, 10-of-14 fairways and went 4-of-4 scrambling.

In the strokes gained categories, he is No. 5 off the tee, No. 4 in approach to the green, No. 1 around the green, No. 3 in putting and No. 1 in strokes gained total, picking up +10.110 on the field.

Springer had a nearly perfect round of golf and showed Thursday. He became the 14th PGA Tour player to record a sub-60 round and the second at the John Deere Classic after Paul Goydos shot his own 59 in round 1 of the 2010 event.

Battling with a heavy heart.

Last month, Hayden Springer’s daughter passed away at age 3 after battling Trisomy 18.

Hayden and his wife, Emma, reflect on Sage’s legacy after a T3 start at Final Stage. pic.twitter.com/q5n03dvxyf

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) December 14, 2023

His last year has not been an easy one. It was full of heartache but also determination. He tragically lost his three-year-old daughter Sage to Trisomy 18 last November, and a month later, Springer earned his PGA Tour card.

The rookie currently leads by four shots over Harry Hall, who shot an impressive 8-under 63. There are 12 players at 65 or lower on the day, as another birdie fest seems to be on the horizon.

Max Verstappen admits relationship with Lando Norris was ‘only’ concern after Austrian Grand Prix max,verstappen,admits,relationship,with,lando,norris,was,only,concern,after,austrian,grand,prix,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one

On: July 4, 2024 By: admin

It seems that cooler heads have prevailed in the wake of the collision between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix.

The collision ended any chance at either driver capturing the victory at Red Bull Ring, and with emotions running high in the media pen after the race, there were concerns that the incident could drive a wedge between the friendly rivals. But now both drivers have had their say at the British Grand Prix, and it truly appears that Norris and Verstappen have turned the page.

Norris gave his views during the FIA Press Conference on Thursday, and speaking with Sky Sports F1 Verstappen shared his thoughts, leading with how quickly he reached out to Norris and how “upset” he was by the entire incident.

“That’s why I already said after the race, there’s no point to discuss it now. Emotions are running high and stuff like that,” began the Red Bull driver.

“I woke up already quite early because I wanted to talk to Lando but he already texted me, in the morning on Monday. I think the day after your emotions are a bit lower. I respected that a lot. And we are great friends. He’s a very nice guy, honestly. And of course I was also really upset and disappointed that we got together because naturally, of course on the track you race each other hard, but as a friend as well, you’re very disappointed that happened.

“But I think also quite quickly, when we were talking, we had the same opinion of we have to race each other hard because that’s what we like to do and that’s what we’ve always done. Not only in F1, even when we used to race together online and stuff like that, that’s what we really enjoyed about each other – battling hard, and that’s what we’ll continue to do.”

As Norris noted during the FIA Press Conference, Verstappen enjoyed the battle, despite the climactic conclusion that knocked both drivers out of contention at Red Bull Ring. Verstappen even noted how the two have battled both on-track, and in the virtual racing world.

“For me the only thing I cared about is maintaining my relationship with Lando because we are great friends. After the race I said we have to just things cool down because emotions run high. We immediately spoke on Monday and I think we came to the conclusion that we actually really enjoyed our battle,” said Verstappen.

“We both looked at the incident and it was such a silly little touch that had great consequences for both of us, and naturally a little bit more for Lando with how the puncture then evolved,” continued the Red Bull driver. ”We like to race hard. We have done this for many years, not only in Formula 1 even online racing where we had a lot of fun together. These things have to carry on because that’s what we like to do and that’s what we like to do as well.”

Verstappen indicated that he told Norris that the McLaren driver can “trust” Verstappen not to aim to “crash him out” the next time they tangle on the track.

“We agreed with 99 per cent of everything, which I think is quite a lot already. Naturally, I always said to Lando ‘when you go for moves on the outside or inside, you can trust me that I’m not there to crash you out of the way’. Same the other way around, because we spoke about that as well,” said Verstappen.

“Naturally, there’s always a human reaction when someone dives on the inside or outside that you have a reaction to it. But I felt everything I did was nothing massively over the top. Like how you design a car, you try to go to the edge of the rules, maybe find some grey areas here and there. That’s the same with how you race, otherwise you will never be a top driver or succeed in life.”

When Verstappen was asked about the reaction he might receive at Silverstone — a home race for the McLaren driver that is likely to have a very pro-Norris crowd — Verstappen conceded that one thing matters above all, and it is not the reception he will receive this week.

“The only thing that I care about in my life is that I’m getting on well with Lando,” said Verstappen.

While the speculation coming into the week centered on the incident, and how the two parties would move forward, it seems Norris and Verstappen have put this issue to bed.

Now we all wait to see their next battle on the track.

Lando Norris ‘excited’ to go racing at British Grand Prix after Max Verstappen collision lando,norris,excited,to,go,racing,at,british,grand,prix,after,max,verstappen,collision,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one

On: July 4, 2024 By: admin

Heading into the British Grand Prix, the main topic on everyone’s mind in Formula 1 remained the previous race, last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. In particular, the moment where it seemed that everything changed, when Lando Norris and Max Verstappen collided on Lap 64, ending each driver’s chances at bringing home a victory.

Much was said and written — as well as debated — regarding that incident. Beyond the usual queries regarding fault and how the incident was handled by race stewards, many wondered if it would impact the relationship between the two drivers, who are friends away from the track.

At Thursday’s FIA Press Conference ahead of the British Grand Prix Norris addressed the incident, walking back some of his harsher comments in the post-race television pen as well as indicating that the drivers have spoken since the collision and that they are “happy” to just to racing again.

“Honestly, I don’t think he needed to apologize,” said Norris Thursday. “Some of the things I said in the pen after the race were more just because I was frustrated at the time, a lot of adrenaline, a lot of emotions and I probably said some things I didn’t necessarily believe in, especially later on in the week.

“It was tough. It was a pretty pathetic incident in terms of what ended both our races. It wasn’t like a hit, it wasn’t like an obvious bit of contact. It was probably one of the smallest bits of contact you could have, but with a pretty terrible consequence for both of us, especially for myself.”

Pressed on whether Verstappen needed to apologize for the incident Norris conceded that there was no need for an apology and that the two have spoken since the Austrian Grand Prix.

“He doesn’t need to. I don’t expect an apology from him. I don’t think he should apologise,” said Norris. “I thought it was, as reviewed, good racing, at times maybe very close to the edge, but like I said we’ve spoken about it and we’re both happy to go racing again.”

Norris also admitted that there are things he needs to do “slightly” differently in the future, but that he would not be changing his racing style dramatically in future battles with Verstappen.

Nor does he expect anything different from his Red Bull rival.

“I think yes, there are definitely things I need to do slightly differently but in the end of it, I don’t think he’s going to change too much, I don’t think I need to change too much,” said Norris. “Could we have avoided the crash? Definitely, because I easily could have used more kerb. But there’s things from both sides that I’m sure we wanted to do better or in a slightly different way.”

Bringing his comments to a close Norris outlined that more than anything else, he is excited to renew his fight with Verstappen on-track.

“It’s clear how he races. It’s tough, it’s on the limit. It’s what we love, it’s what I love,” Norris said. “I thoroughly enjoyed the whole fight I had with him. Of course it was a shame things ended the way they did. But apart from that, things are clear from what you see on TV and I’m excited to go racing again this weekend.”

What does the 2025 F1 driver lineup look like? what,does,the,f,driver,lineup,look,like,sbnation,com,front-page,formula-one,2024-formula-one

On: July 3, 2024 By: admin

The 2024 Formula 1 season made history for the sport when the first race began. When the lights went out to start the Bahrain Grand Prix, it was the first time in F1 history that the drivers who ended the previous season were the same exact drivers — in the same exact spots — when the next year began.

However, the season also began with changes looming on the horizon. Not only was over half of the grid beginning the year on an expiring contract, the shocking news that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the end of 2024 kicked the F1 “silly season” into overdrive.

Slowly, next year’s lineup is rounding into shape. The news that Red Bull reached a new two-year deal means that over half of the grid is now set for 2025.

So how does the 2025 F1 driver lineup look? Here is how it stands at the moment, with nine spots still officially up for grabs.

This piece will be updated as new contracts are announced.

Alpine

Alpine entered the 2024 F1 season with two drivers on the final year of their contracts, in Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon. With Ocon and Alpine announcing ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix that they will “part ways” at the end of the 2024 season, one seat is officially vacant for 2025. Rumors persist about Gasly’s future with the team, but with the Ocon announcement the team might look to retain him for 2025, to keep some level of continuity within the organization.

Earlier this week we took a look at potential options for Alpine for at least Ocon’s current seat.

Update: Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix Alpine announced that Gasly will be back for 2025 on a new “multi-year” deal.

Pierre Gasly – “Multi-year” contract
TBD

Aston Martin

Aston Martin is one of the few teams currently with a lineup set for 2025. Fernando Alonso entered the year on the final season of his current contract, but the parties recently announced a new “multi-year contract.” As for Lance Stroll, his contract status is something of a mystery, but it is understood that he is on a rolling contract, one that has been described in the media as “indefinite.”

Update: Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix Aston Martin confirmed that Stroll will be back for 2025 on a new “multi-year” deal.

Fernando Alonso — “Multi-year” contract through at least 2026
Lance Stroll — “Multi-year” contract

Haas

Similar to Alpine, Haas is another team that entered the year with a pair of drivers on the final year of their deals, and now knows for certain that one spot is open for 2025. Nico Hülkenberg announced ahead of the Miami Grand Prix that he was moving to Sauber for 2025 and beyond, ahead of that team becoming the Audi works outfit in 2026. Kevin Magnussen is in the final year of his deal, and it remains unclear if he will be retained for 2025.

A name that has been often linked with at least one spot at Haas for 2025? Ferrari academy driver and super-sub Oliver Bearman.

Ferrari

Ferrari kicked off the F1 silly season in the winter, when the stunning announcement came that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari at the conclusion of the 2024 season. With the team having already announced a new deal for Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s lineup is set for 2025 … and beyond.

Charles Leclerc — “Multi-year” contract
Lewis Hamilton — “Multi-year” contract

McLaren

Last October I sat down with McLaren CEO Zak Brown for an exclusive interview, and at that time the team boss told me in no uncertain terms that in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri the team has the best driver duo on the grid.

So it should come as no surprise that the team worked over the past few months to extend Norris, ensuring both drivers are with the team into the new era of F1 regulations.

Lando Norris — “Multi-year” contract
Oscar Piastri — Contract through 2026

Mercedes

Near the end of last season it seemed Mercedes would enjoy a period of stability, or at least through the 2025 season. With George Russell signed until the end of the 2025 campaign, and Lewis Hamilton adding two more years to a deal that was set to expire at the end of 2024, the Silver Arrows looked set.

That changed with the Hamilton news. Now the team is contemplation options for the seat next to Russell, and likely looking to extend Russell beyond his current deal.

A number of options have been linked with this second seat at Mercedes, with many signs pointing to phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

George Russell — Contract through 2025
TBD

Red Bull

While the shocking Hamilton announcement officially kicked off the 2025 F1 silly season speculation, in truth it began well before that. Sergio Pérez’s mid-season struggles during 2023, particularly in qualifying, led to rampant speculation regarding his future with Red Bull. While he began the season on a deal set to expire at the end of 2024, there were certain corners of the F1 world that wondered if he would even see the start of 2024 with the team, or if he would be potentially sacked mid-season due to poor form.

Red Bull ended that speculation ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, announcing a new two-year deal with Pérez that will keep him with the team through 2026.

As for the other Red Bull driver, absent a seismic move that seat is locked up for a long time.

Max Verstappen — Contract through 2028
Sergio Pérez — Contract through 2026

Sauber

Sauber entered 2024 with a driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, two drivers on expiring deals.

Now one of their seats is set for 2025 and beyond, as the team announced back in April that Nico Hülkenberg would be joining the team for next season. With Sauber set to become the Audi works operation in 2026, pairing a German driver with a German manufacturer makes a deal of sense.

However, who his teammate will be next year is a matter of debate.

Nico Hülkenberg — “Multi-year” contract through 2026
TBD

Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

Three drivers, two seats.

That is how the year began for VCARB, as Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson all presented viable options for the team. Ultimately, the team went with Ricciardo and Tsunoda, both of whom are on expiring contracts. Will VCARB bring both back for 2025, or make changes?

Update: Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix VCARB announced that Tsunoda will be back for 2025.

Yuki Tsunoda — Contract through 2025
TBD

Williams

A surprising seventh-place finish in the 2023 Constructors’ Championship saw Williams run it back this year with both Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant. Like last year, however, the start has been slow for the team. During 2023 Williams notched a single point in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and did not score again until the Canadian Grand Prix, when Albon finished seventh.

This season Williams finally broke through with points in the Monaco Grand Prix with Albon’s ninth-place finish.

The team announced a contract extension for Albon earlier this season, but who his teammate will be in 2025 is a matter yet to be decided.

Alexander Albon — “Multi-year” contract through at least 2026
TBD