TORONTO – More than one thing can be true at once.
On one hand, the Toronto Raptors have a roster where all their starters have at least five years of NBA experience and includes two players — Brandon Ingram and Jakob Poeltl — who are in their 10th season in the league.
So the notion that the Raptors are in “year two of a rebuild” — which is how head coach Darko Rajakovic tends to refer to his team in good times and bad — defies the standard definition, where a team is reliant on players still on their rookie contracts, with more work in the draft still to come.
It might be more accurate to say the Raptors are rebuilt. They just don’t know what they have, and what changes they need to make.
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But on the other hand, the Raptors as a group are new to this playoff-race concept, lack a significant number of collective repetitions in the crucible of a stretch drive and have a young and inexperienced bench that they have no choice but to rely on as the season reaches its crucial stages.
Rajakovic referenced the ‘rebuild’ again Friday before the Raptors’ 122-115 win over the Phoenix Suns, a victory his team needed so badly after listing and slipping for most of the past two weeks that his first comments post-game were to praise a higher power.
“God is great. I can thank him for the performance of our team tonight,” Rajakovic said. “He kept us together during the whole game, and the whole ups and downs.”
There were plenty of both. The Raptors trailed by 11 in the first half and by 10 with eight minutes to play and didn’t take the lead for good until an RJ Barrett floater with 1:35 left. They still needed another spectacular last-minute block from Scottie Barnes — this time on a Jalen Green dunk attempt that otherwise would have made every highlight reel and cut the Raptors’ lead to two with 43 seconds left.
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Instead, Barnes got his 2021 draft-class pal from behind and then sent Barrett in for a dunk on the ensuing fast break that put the Raptors up six, which proved enough.
The win snapped the Raptors’ losing streak at two games, marked their first win over a team with a winning record since Jan. 26, and pulled them back within a half-game of the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference before they host East-leading Detroit on Sunday. After that, it’s a five-game road trip.
No one said this would be easy, and maybe the Raptors are learning as they go.
Barnes said after the game that he felt compelled to make the play on Green’s dunk because he’d reached in on the lightning-quick guard, who led the Suns with 34 points and some spectacular shot-making, and got beat.
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“I was going to jump no matter what,” Barnes said.
Playing through an illness — Rajakovic monitored his minutes closely as Barnes played about five less than he would normally — and still being able to dig in to affect the game pleased the Raptors star.
“Got out there. Was a little tired and a little winded,” Barnes said after logging 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks. “Fight through and make it to live another day.”
And as for the Raptors’ struggles? He’s finding beauty in that too:
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“It’s pretty amazing. We hit adversity,” said Barnes. “We had two options, to either quit (or) go out there and fight. This just shows the character of this team. We went out there and fought and got a dub. This was a great game. They had us in that first half. We fought back; we made winning plays.”
No one made more than Ingram. It had been a while. The Raptors came into the game with the NBA’s 29th-rated fourth-quarter offence, and Ingram is one of the reasons why. He has been shooting just 41.6 per cent from the floor in the fourth quarter and just 36.5 per cent in ‘clutch’ situations: the last five minutes of close games.
Ingram led the Raptors with 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including five threes on six attempts. He scored seven points in the fourth quarter while converting three of four shots, all while suiting up in his 64th game this season, the second-most he’s played in his career.
The Raptors’ loss Wednesday in New Orleans — in his first visit back since being traded to Toronto last year — didn’t sit well with him and was a factor in the team’s collective resolve Friday.
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“I think it was an urgency to compete and most of all stay together,” Ingram said. “We’ve been through some times where the other team was scoring offensively and we weren’t able to stop the bleeding or find a rhythm on the offensive end. At those times, we would put our heads down a little bit and sort of take it upon ourselves to try to fix it. I think tonight we just stayed connected.”
But it wasn’t just the Raptors’ leading scorer and highest-paid player delivering the goods
Second-year wing Ja’Kobe Walter (12 points, three-of-five from three) hit one of the biggest shots of the game after Barrett delivered him the ball wide open in the corner and then screened off the nearest defender to make sure it would stay that way. Walter had missed a similar look a few possessions earlier. This time, he squared up and let it fly, part of a game-changing 11-2 run that cut the Suns’ lead to two with 5:22 to play.
Barnes said Barrett’s biggest contributions were on defence. Barrett said being in the mix was its own reward.
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“That’s the fight we need to have,” said Barrett, who finished with 22 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals on 9-of-16 shooting, scoring nine points on five shots in the fourth quarter. “A lot of these games we have fought and just come up short and this game, we fought all night long, and that’s the result. That’s just the intensity we gotta have.”
They haven’t had enough of it lately, and they certainly didn’t on Wednesday in New Orleans when they were bullied around by the Pelicans in the fourth quarter, culminating in the frozen image seen around the basketball world: New Orleans guard Dejounte Murray straddling a prone Jamal Shead, fists clenched, glowering — the universal sign of basketball dominance, and not a good look for the Raptors, especially when the team’s response to the incident was tepid at best.
Was their lack of fight going to be a galvanizing moment to build on, or a metaphor for a team not up for the battle — literally or figuratively?
“After watching the film, I thought that we did not handle the situation the way we want and how we were supposed to,” said Rajakovic. “Our players had conversations with each other. They know that’s not the true picture and image of our team. They all agreed that’s never going to happen again.”
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“There is a way that you need to stand up for each other and protect each other,” Rajakovic said. “This team that we have is all about that and all about connectivity. It needs to be addressed the right way.”
Even if the Raptors don’t match the standard definition of a rebuild, it doesn’t mean they are close to a finished product. The future is not set in cement. The Raptors need to learn to fight, at least in the basketball sense.
Against the Suns, they showed they understood what was being asked of them.
The Battle of New Orleans
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That Shead didn’t jump up and immediately confront Murray on Wednesday night was probably the main reason his teammates’ response was muted, and in the eyes of many — including their head coach — inappropriately so.
But Shead said on Friday his first reaction was one of confusion.
“I think in the moment I was just like, ‘Oh snap, he’s over me.’ That was about it,” said Shead before chipping in six points and eight assists in 25 minutes off the bench against the Suns. “We were really focused on the outcome of the game. We just weren’t happy with that. It got blown out of proportion a bit. We weren’t really focused on that.”
Any idea what Murray was on about?
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“Who knows? I guess he was (excited) about the play,” said Shead.
But he said the experience was one to learn from for the team as the stakes get higher.
“I don’t think I responded in any type of way … (but) if it comes up again, I think we’ll respond a little differently.”
Added Immanuel Quickley (17 points, 3-of-6 from three vs. Suns): “We talked about it. It stays in house. As long as we’re there for our teammates, that’s all that matters.”
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With everyone on high alert for how the Raptors might respond if things got a little testy at any point, people took note that when Suns wing Grayson Allen — who has a checkered reputation for playing on the physical edge — knocked Barrett to the floor with a body check as the Raptors wing was driving to the rim, Barrett jumped up and his teammates were quick to gather.
Allen was hit with a fragrant foul for unnecessary roughness, essentially. But it wasn’t quite as it seemed.
Barrett and Allen are friends, with Allen having acted as Barrett’s host on his official visit at Duke, their shared alma mater. Just before Allen’s body check, Barrett had stood Allen up and knocked him back with a stiff shoulder and elbow to start his drive.
When the two came together after the whistle, Allen told Barrett he had leaned into him pre-emptively because he thought Barrett was going to send him backwards again on the way to the basket. “And I was, too,” Barrett told me.
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The pair dapped up, all good, acknowledging hard play but no hard feelings.
The Battle for the Dillon Brooks Cup
The hope is that the Suns forward and Canadian national team star will be back on the floor for the Suns in time for the playoffs. He told me his left hand — which he had surgically repaired after fracturing it on Feb. 21 — is coming along well. He’s had a career season in Phoenix and is credited for the year-over-year turnaround.
He was disappointed to miss his one chance to play at home this season, but he still plans to attend the Dillon Brooks Cup on Saturday at Father Henry Carr, where he went to high school for Grade 9, 10 and 11 before going to Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev. and the University of Oregon.
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Brooks has supported the prep basketball program at Father Henry Carr financially for the past two years. Without it, the highly rated program might not operate, says long-time head coach Paul Melnik.
“The financial support is invaluable,” said Melnik. “We still have to charge a fee, like all prep programs, but we do it at a much more reasonable cost, because the reality is most kids aren’t wealthy and if you can save a few thousand here and there and still get a good program, that’s huge … Getting a little bit of help from Dillon, it makes it easier to run our program.”
The program fields teams at three age groups, and all three will be playing Saturday, with the freshmen hosting St. Michael’s at 11 a.m. ET, the juniors hosting Royal Crown at 1 p.m. ET and the seniors hosting King Heights at 3 p.m. ET.
Dec 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end Johnny Mundt (86) celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Sam Darnold (14) against the Arizona Cardinals in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.
Oct 30, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell congratulates tight end Johnny Mundt (86) after his first career touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
2) Vikings Suddenly Hold Major Leverage: Good chance that Mr. Greenard sticks around. Capable pass rushers are hard to acquire. Even harder is getting capable pass rushers who are operating on strong contracts and who provide excellent leadership. Kicking over some added compensation to keep him happy makes sense.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell chats with cornerback Tavierre Thomas before kickoff at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., Aug. 9, 2025, as the Vikings prepare to face the Houston Texans during preseason action. O’Connell surveys warmups while addressing Thomas along the sideline inside the stadium moments before the game begins. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
4) Vikings See a Young, Ascending Talent Stolen Away: The price tag is large. But, to be sure, Ryan Wright has improved a ton over his career (and may still have more development in front of him). Wish him well in New Orleans. Meanwhile, the Vikings are on the hunt for a new punter.
5) Kyler Murray Sweepstakes Looking Like a Two-Horse Race: The final race may have simply been the Vikings competing against themselves. Going to Pittsburgh made sense insofar as there’s a QB need alongside a roster that’s looking to compete. The Vikings, though, make a lot more sense.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) lines up on offense at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during the regular-season matchup played on Oct. 24, 2021, between the Cardinals and Houston Texans. Murray surveys the defense before the snap while directing Arizona’s offense in the cross-conference contest. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.
Carl Froch believes Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao 2 is “more exciting” than their first encounter, with the American hoping to avoid a “stain on his legacy”.
Their welterweight showdown in 2015 resulted in a clear unanimous decision victory for Mayweather, who largely controlled proceedings with his sharper movement and defensive nous.
It was later revealed, however, that Pacquiao had suffered a shoulder injury during his training camp, which only added to the frustration that their clash had arrived far too late.
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Although it is statistically the most lucrative boxing event of all time, most believe the contest failed to live up to its billing as the ‘Fight of the Century’.
As for their rematch, which takes place at the Sphere, Las Vegas, on September 19, it is difficult to know exactly what to expect from the two Hall of Famers.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, boxed to a draw against Mario Barrios, the then-WBC world welterweight champion, in July, proving that he is still capable of maintaining a considerable pace.
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For that reason, Froch has said on his YouTube channel that Mayweather must be careful not to lose his unbeaten record – which currently stands at 50-0 (27 KOs) – or else he risks diluting his legacy.
“This fight’s probably a little bit more exciting than their first fight, because Mayweather’s still unbeaten – he still keeps himself active [in the gym] – but Manny Pacquiao has just gone 12 rounds and got a draw with Barrios.
“So Manny Pacquiao can obviously still fight a little bit. Mayweather has got to be careful because, if he gets beat, he’s lost that unbeaten record, and that would be a little stain on his legacy. He’s one of the all-time greats.”
While Mayweather is risking his legacy, to some extent, by putting his unbeaten record on the line, many believe he ultimately has enough left in the tank to defeat Pacquiao once again.
2 min read Last Updated : Mar 14 2026 | 3:05 PM IST
In the span of three days, Mexico has lost two players for the World Cup.
Midfielder Marcel Ruiz tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, his club Toluca announced on Friday.
The 25-year-old Ruiz injured the joint on Wednesday in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match against San Diego of the MLS.
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Toluca said in a statement that in addition to the ligament rupture, Ruiz also suffered a meniscus tear in the same joint and will undergo surgery.
“Everyone at this club regrets what happened and we stand in solidarity with him, wishing him a speedy recovery,” the team said.
Mexico plays the World Cup opener on June 11 against South Africa.
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Ruiz was key in helping Toluca win their second consecutive championship last December.
Ruiz received his first call-up to the senior national team in 2023, and has been one of the most consistent players since Javier Aguirre took over as manager in August 2024. The midfielder has 17 matches with the national team and was expected to go to his first World Cup.
His absence adds to Club America goalkeeper Luis Malagon, who was diagnosed on Wednesday with a ruptured Achilles tendon in his left leg.
Mexico has another half-dozen players sidelined, although the most serious case is that of right back Rodrigo Huescas, who tore a knee ligament last November.
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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sep 10, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings punter Ryan Wright (14) punts the ball during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Next week, another wave of NFL free agency will hit, but let’s take a moment to examine who went where for the Minnesota Vikings, a team with a tranquil philosophy, other than Kyer Murray, regarding adding newcomers.
A handful of ex-Vikings quickly came off the board as free agency moved into its next phase.
It’s the quietest Vikings free agency since 2020; here’s a look at who left for other ventures.
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Minnesota’s Departures Are Starting to Fill Out around the League
No real surprises, aside from the punter, on the list.
Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen discusses joining the Minnesota Vikings after signing in free agency, speaking about the transition from Washington and his expectations for the defense on March 12, 2025, during an appearance on the team’s official YouTube channel as Minnesota introduced one of its most notable defensive additions of the offseason. Mandatory Credit: YouTube
Jonathan Allen, DT Cincinnati Bengals
Allen inked a two-year, $26 million contract in Cincinnati, an advantageous development for Minnesota because Allen’s dead cap charge will become a financial wash for the Vikings next offseason.
After five days of free agency, the Bengals’ defensive tackle roster includes:
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B.J. Hill
Jonathan Allen
Kris Jenkins Jr.
T.J. Slaton Jr.
McKinnely Jackson
Jordan Jefferson
Howard Cross III
Despite this depth, the Bengals may still select another defensive tackle early in April’s draft, given the DT talent available.
Javon Hargrave, DT Green Bay Packers
This man pulled the turncoat maneuver, signing in Green Bay and adding a veteran presence to Jonathan Gannon’s defense, hoping his experience and pass-rushing skills can offset the loss of Kenny Clark, who was traded to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal.
According to Pro Football Focus — and the eye test — Hargrave is a slightly above-average interior defender. In 2025, he earned a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-defense grade, resulting in an overall score of 68.0, ranking him 35th among interior linemen. While his pass rush remains a strength, his run defense has been less consistent.
His raw statistics bear it out. In 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53% of the time), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures. That pressure total ranked him 34th among all defensive tackles.
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Hargrave is expected to provide stability for Green Bay’s iDL, though his recent performance metrics suggest he is a middle-of-the-road NFL defensive tackle. And — there’s the inevitability that Minnesota will face him twice annually.
Jalen Nailor, WR Las Vegas Raiders
Nailor secured $35 million over the next three years from Las Vegas, the city that raised him. He’s instantly the WR1 on the Raiders’ depth chart — believe it or not — which was probably an alluring factor. Nailor has never accrued more than 500 yards in a single season. That might change in Sin City.
Nailor will also catch passes from Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to go off the draftboard first in April. Meanwhile, there’s a decent chance that Nailor gets an old friend at quarterback if the Raiders sign Kirk Cousins for bridge passer duty.
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Regardless, Nailor got his bag.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor secures a pass while New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor defends during third-quarter action on Nov. 12, 2023, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the Vikings offense attacked through the air in a competitive NFC matchup against the visiting Saints. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Silver and Black Pride‘s Marcus Johnson on Nailor: “The former Michigan State receiver didn’t have a major role with the Vikings in Minnesota and has a chance to showcase his skill set with the Silver and Black. The Vikings lined him up inside and outside, which displays what his role will be with the Raiders.”
“This past season, he was in the slot 60% of the time, making a play that could move around all over the line of scrimmage. Nailor becomes a replacement for Jakobi Meyers, who was traded midseason in 2025. Nailor has upside that goes along with all the free agent signings this offseason. If he could reach his potential, he could add a hidden gem to Klint Kubiak’s offense.”
Ben Sims, TE Miami Dolphins
Following the first three days of free agency and the acquisition of Ben Sims, the Dolphins’ tight end roster includes:
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Greg Dulcich
Ben Sims
Jalin Conyers
Cole Turner
Zack Kuntz
Darren Waller, the team’s primary tight end last season, is still a free agent. However, due to Miami’s offseason coaching and front office changes, his return appears improbable.
David Njoku is another free agent to monitor. While he has had a productive career, he hasn’t attracted much free-agent attention so far. A team seeking a tight end, like Miami, could be a possible destination.
Sims played in eight games for the 2025 Vikings, catching 3 passes for 30 yards when given the chance.
Ryan Wright, P New Orleans Saints
Most fans thought Wright would return as the Vikings’ punter in 2026, and that’d be that.
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Minnesota Vikings punter Ryan Wright celebrates after drawing a penalty late in the game against the New England Patriots on Nov. 24, 2022, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, reacting with enthusiasm as the Vikings gained favorable field position during fourth-quarter action in the Thanksgiving night matchup. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
But then he swerved, signing with the New Orleans Saints for $14 million over the next four years. Wright’s career has resembled an odyssey — fantastic in 2022 as a rookie, snakebitten by struggles in 2023 and 2024, and back to majestic form in 2025.
As a result, Minnesota will need a new punter, and all signs point to a rookie, either in the last round of the draft or shortly after, from undrafted free agency.
The Vikings also lost valuable continuity in the field goal process, as Wright was Will Reichard’s holder in 2024 and 2025. Just Minnesota has a good thing going — Reichard was the best kicker in the NFL last season — a bit of disruption arose.
The Americans are making an adjustment ahead of their World Baseball Classic semifinal showdown against the Dominican Republic.
Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman will replace Clayton Kershaw for Team USA, joining the team ahead of Sunday’s game, the club announced on Saturday.
The U.S. advanced to the semis after a 5-3 win over Canada in Friday’s quarterfinal.
Hoffman, 33, has pitched two innings this spring with three strikeouts.
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During the 2025 regular season, his first with the Blue Jays, he pitched 68 innings and owned a 4.37 ERA with 84 strikeouts, 27 walks and 33 saves recorded.
He recovered his form during the post-season, though, with a 1.46 ERA across 12.1 innings, with 18 strikeouts, four walks and two saves.
He allowed the game-tying homer to Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas in Game 7 of the World Series, in which the Blue Jays would go on to lose in extra innings.
If called upon, this will be Hoffman’s first appearance in a World Baseball Classic.
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Kershaw, a three-time NL Cy Young award winner, retired at the end of last year after playing 18 MLB seasons. The left-hander came out of retirement to suit up for Team USA, but did not pitch in any of the team’s five games in the WBC.
Kershaw will remain with the team through the tournament despite being removed from the roster.
Mike Tyson has named the only fighter he gives a chance at defeating Shakur Stevenson, branding him a “force of nature”.
There are, indeed, very few fighters that would be given even a puncher’s chance against Stevenson, who many regard as one of the finest pound-for-pound technicians in boxing.
In 25 professional outings, the 28-year-old seems to have barely broken a sweat, often controlling the action behind a commanding lead hand.
His unanimous decision victory in January has therefore led many to question whether he will ever be beaten, especially as he seems head and shoulders above the competition between lightweight and 140lbs.
One man who Tyson believes has the potential to defeat Stevenson, however, is Gervonta Davis, who was stripped of his world championship status at 135lbs earlier this year.
This was partly due to the American’s inactivity but also because of his arrest warrant, which was issued on charges of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping.
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Instead of removing him from the lightweight picture, though, the WBA decided to make ‘Tank’ its ‘champion in recess’, affording him the opportunity to eventually reclaim his belt.
In any event, Tyson has told Fight Hub TV that, before Davis’ career was thrown into disrepute, he was convinced that the prolific knockout artist would have come closest to defeating Stevenson.
“He’s a great fighter. I don’t know if he’s as serious as he used to be but, when he was serious, he was a hell of a fighter that nobody came close [to beating].
“He’s the only one I gave a chance against Shakur. Tank is just a force of nature – you’ve just got to give him the credit. He’s the f**king man.”
Regardless of the controversy attached to Davis’ career, a showdown between him and Stevenson would certainly be welcomed by the boxing fraternity.
NEW DELHI: Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed on Saturday sparked debate after making a surprising comparison between Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. His remarks came after India’s strong campaign in the T20 World Cup, where Bumrah played a key role in the team’s success.Bumrah was one of the standout players of the tournament, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets alongside Varun Chakravarthy.
IPL 2026 should be audition for the next India T20I captain
His best performance came in the final against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad, where he produced a brilliant spell of 4/15 in four overs. The performance helped India secure a dominant 96-run victory and defend their title, earning Bumrah the Player of the Match award.Explaining his comparison, Javed said Bumrah’s bowling style is rare because of his unusual action and the difficulty batters face in settling against him. “In today’s era, across this entire World Cup, there is only one bowler like that – Bumrah. Because he is different. He is not a normal bowler. Even his action is unusual. When he comes in to bowl, I always say he is like the Usman Tariq of fast bowlers,” he told reporters.He further explained that Bumrah’s pace and unique rhythm make him extremely hard to face. “He bowls so quickly and in such a unique manner that a batter never really finds any flow or rhythm against him. He simply doesn’t allow it,” he added.Javed also argued that bowlers with the aura of past greats are becoming rare in modern cricket. “Other than him, tell me one more bowler in this entire World Cup – from any team – whom you can look at and feel satisfied that he carries the reflection of a Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, or anyone like that. You won’t find one anymore,” he further noted.
Antonelli’s new record – he is 19 years and 212 days old – beat the previous held by Sebastian Vettel, who was 21 years and 72 days old when he took pole at the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.
Antonelli said he was “very happy” but accepted that he might well not have taken pole had Russell had a problem-free qualifying.
He said: “George had an issue, so probably could have been a different story but happy to be on pole for the first time.”
Russell described his second place as “damage limitation” after a litany of problems through qualifying.
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The championship leader said: “It was a crazy session. Front wing broke at the end of Q2. The team weren’t sure it had broken but I was sure it had. Then got stranded on track and just made it back out in time. It was more a case of just getting a lap done.
“P2 is better than I was expecting when I started the lap with no battery and tyre temperature. Really happy to be here because I could have been down in 10th.”
In the first session, Leclerc became the first driver to beat Russell in a competitive session this year with a time just under 0.1secs quicker than the Briton.
Then in the second session, Russell ended up third fastest behind Antonelli and Leclerc after he suffered a broken front wing flap.
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Heading out for the final session with a new wing, Russell’s car stopped on track on his out lap as the gearbox refused to change gear.
Antonelli drove past his team-mate as he set the fastest time on his first flying lap, 0.3secs quicker than Leclerc.
After frantic work in the garage, Mercedes managed to fix Russell’s car by applying a series of default procedures such as switching the car off and on again and swapping out the steering wheel.
He got just out in time to set a lap but his rushed preparation meant the car was not in its optimum condition as he went for a time.
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However, Antonelli had his own problems on his final run – he suffered the same front wing problem has Russell had done in Q2.
Hamilton, who tussled with Russell for the lead in the opening laps of the sprint race earlier on Saturday, was 0.351secs off pole and said he had hopes of challenging the Mercedes again in the grand prix.
“It was a really tough qualifying,” Hamilton said. “A bit harder with the wind. It is so gusty today. So challenging.
“Really happy and grateful to be up here with these guys. Engineers did some great work over the break and managed to get a little closer to these guys.
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“It’s still going to be a challenge but I am sure we’re going to have some fun. Learned a lot in the sprint race and our goal is to break the gap to these guys somehow.”
The McLarens were just over 0.1secs behind the Ferraris and Norris said: “We’re happy we’re close to them, gives us a good shot at tomorrow.”
But Verstappen was downcast to be nearly a second off the pace in the Red Bull.
“We change a lot on the car, and it makes zero difference,” the four-time world champion said.
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“The whole weekend we’ve been off. The car is completely undriveable. I cannot even put a bit of a reference in. Every lap is like survival.”
Barcelona have lost to Real Madrid in the race to sign one of Spain’s most promising young talents.
The player in question is teenage defender Victory Okorie, who has been attracting strong interest from across Europe.
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According to journalist Matteo Moretto in MARCA, the young player has decided to join Real Madrid despite interest from Barcelona and several other European sides.
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Okorie currently plays in the youth system of Deportivo Alaves, where he has built a strong reputation as one of the most exciting young defenders in the academy.
His performances at the youth level have drawn attention from clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Atletico Madrid, all of whom were monitoring his progress closely.
However, Real Madrid moved to secure the player’s future.
Who is Victory Okorie?
The 16-year-old left-back has signed with the Spanish giants and will officially join the club’s academy, La Fabrica, at the end of the current season.
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Okorie has already gained experience with the Spain U16 national team, having been called up for several matches.
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The 2010-born defender is known for his impressive physical attributes and maturity on the pitch despite his age.
Coaches who have worked with him describe him as a player with great athletic ability, strong defensive awareness, and excellent attacking potential from the left-back position.
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In fact, there is already significant excitement about his arrival at Real Madrid, as some scouts have even made bold comparisons while describing his playing style.
According to internal assessments, Okorie has qualities that remind them of a “mix between Alphonso Davies and Roberto Carlos,” two players widely considered among the most explosive left-backs in modern football history.
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Notably, Real Madrid had been leading the race for the youngster for some time. E
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ven though Barcelona’s academy La Masia is famous for attracting young talents from across Spain, Okorie ultimately decided that Madrid offered the best pathway for his development.
Andrade is set to compete in a major match at AEW Revolution. However, the Jacksonville-based promotion has changed his name just a few days before the show. He is now back to using his old name that he had before he went back to WWE in 2024.
The Former United States Champion used to be have “Cien Almas” in his name during his first run in WWE. However, when he went to All Elite Wrestling he dropped it and started using “El Idolo” with his name instead. Ever since he returned to AEW back in January, he had only been using his first name.
However, AEW recently posted a graphic for Andrade’s upcoming match with Mascara Dorada on this week’s Collision. In the graphic, the promotion brought back the El Idolo name for the Mexican superstar.
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“The night before facing @BandidoWrestler at #AEWRevolution, the Idol will clash with one of the most spectacular wrestlers from @CMLL OFICIAL, Golden Mask! Andrade vs Dorada TOMORROW!”
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It will be interesting to see if this is a one time thing or the company will keep using this name for the former NXT Champion.
Andrade will face Bandido at AEW Revolution
After Brody King challenged Swerve Strickland to a match at Revolution, his tag team partner Bandido was also looking for a fight. The Most Wanted star’s challenge was accepted by none other than Don Callis Family’s newest member and the former NXT Champion.
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In a backstage segment on Dynamite few weeks ago, the two stars had a backstage interaction. Bandido told his opponent about how he grew up watching him. The former NXT Champion belittled his opponent by calling him a fan and tried to assert his dominance.
It will be exciting to see who will leave Los Angeles with the victory. El Idolo has been booked very strongly ever since his AEW return and fans are wondering if his dominance will continue at the event.
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