TEMPLEGATE tackles Friday’s racing looking to land some winners and build the bank for Champions Day on Saturday.

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WADE OUT (1.35 Uttoxeter, nap)

Olly Murphy’s five-year-old won his only point-to-point in Ireland before taking a Market Rasen bumper in first gear. He showed a good engine there and has a bright future over hurdles. This trip on decent ground should be ideal.

CHARGING THUNDER (2.00 Fakenham, nb)

He won his sole run on the Flat after moving to James Owen and his staying power will come in handy now he’s jumping a hurdle. He’s built for the winter game and the booking of Harry Cobden takes the eye.

SOMETHING (5.00 Newcastle, nb)

Had three lengths in hand here on Tuesday and can follow up under a penalty. He will take some pegging back from the front.

UNIQUE SPIRIT (4.25 Newcastle, Lucky 15)

Did well to score from a mile back here last time. A 2lb rise won’t put the brakes on.

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Liam Lawson says thinking about auditioning for a Red Bull seat in 2025 is “very far” from his focus, which is simply on meeting the performance criteria set by RB on his Formula 1 return.

The New Zealander will return to an F1 seat in Austin after Daniel Ricciardo was let go by RB following the Singapore Grand Prix, with Red Bull seeking to assess his performance versus Yuki Tsunoda as it considers its driver options for the future.

Lawson was touted as a potential replacement for Sergio Perez earlier this year, although Red Bull decided to put its faith in Perez lifting himself out of a mid-season slump.

Asked if there were any indications from Red Bull over what Lawson needed to do to put himself in the frame for a Red Bull drive, potentially as early as 2025, he replied that he was only focused on the performance targets he had been set.

“I mean, I think [that thinking about a Red Bull drive is] very far ahead, honestly,” Lawson said. “The target or the goal that’s been set out is the same as it’s always been since I was 17 and joined the program.

“It’s all performance-based, and that’s basically how they’ll be looking at it. Obviously, Yuki’s done a very good job the last couple of years, and especially this year.

“He’s the benchmark for them to compare me against; he’s the only one in the same car as me. So I’ll be directly compared with him.

“I guess the goal or the expectation from them is for me to compete alongside him. In terms of where that sets me out for next year or in the future, I have absolutely no idea. But that’s the target that’s been set out.”

Liam Lawson, Reserve Driver, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

Photo by: Alastair Staley / Motorsport Images

Lawson said that there were no specific points targets set out that he needed to achieve, but he felt that he needed to break into the top 10 quickly to help RB cement its claim for sixth in the constructors’ championship.

He added that the nature of the Austin F1 sprint weekend was a “difficult” way to return, given his lack of experience on the circuit and the limited practice running available to him.

“[The break has been about] just preparing as much as possible; it’s a difficult time to come into the season, obviously with a sprint weekend this weekend, new track, end of the season, so I’m just trying to be as ready as possible.

“I think it’s not as simple as a position or like ‘this is where I want to be’. I think it’s scoring points mainly for myself, because what the team’s going to judge me on is how I perform, and the best way to do that is score points.

“And also for the team, fighting for P6 in the championship as well. I’ll basically be trying to get to the points as soon as possible, for me that’s the goal.”

In recent years, there’s typically been a quarterback or two that have established themselves as the best or one of the best prospects at their position for the ensuing NFL Draft. Caleb Williams entered the 2023 season as a clear favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 while Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud were battling for that honor during the 2022 season, eventually going Nos. 1 and 2 in the 2023 NFL Draft.

As the 2024 college football season reaches its halfway point, there doesn’t appear to be a similar consensus formed among the quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Colin Cowherd believes there’s one quarterback who’s already emerged from the pack: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. 

“I think it’s pretty obvious: That’s the No. 1 pick,” Cowherd said of how he felt watching Sanders in Colorado’s loss to Kansas State last Saturday.

While Sanders wasn’t able to get the win, he had another impressive performance in Week 7. He completed 34 of 40 passes for 388 yards, three touchdowns and an interception against the Wildcats. He’s completed 72.6% of his passes for 2,018 yards, 17 touchdowns and four interceptions this season.

As Sanders is in the midst of another impressive campaign, Cowherd thinks his play, along with concerns he has about the other top quarterback prospects in the draft, make Sanders the top quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.

“First of all, Quin Ewers, like him, [but he’s] hurt again, don’t love that,” Cowherd said. “Cam Ward, feels small. I’ve fallen for [that] before. Shedeur Sanders, same height, I never think about his height. It may not [make sense], but when I look at Shedeur Sanders — [Patrick] Mahomes and Shedeur Sanders are the same size. They play big. I think [Ward] comes across as a mover and a playmaker. I think Shedeur Sanders is easily the best quarterback in college. I think he’s separated [himself from the rest]. … Carson Beck without Brock Bowers is not the same.”

Cowherd isn’t alone in thinking that Sanders is the top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang has Sanders as the first quarterback being selected in his most recent mock draft. He has the Las Vegas Raiders selecting Sanders with the fourth overall pick.

[Read more: 2025 NFL mock draft: Ashton Jeanty surges up board, Travis Hunter remains No. 1]

FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt is also a fan of Sanders’, thinking he can be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

“I think Shedeur Sanders is such a better player than he gets credit for because everybody loves to hate on Colorado, Shedeur Sanders and his dad,” Klatt said on “The Herd.” “He didn’t have his two best receivers and they’re going against Kansas State and they have a lead with two minutes to go. I felt like the coaching staff for Colorado fumbled the game at the end. 

“He’s fabulous. He’s accurate. He’s tough — you talk about tough, there’s no one in the last two years in college football who’s been hit more than Shedeur Sanders and he gets right back up. He continues to stand in the face of pressure and throw dimes. I love that about him. He’s an anticipatory thrower. He’s smart. He understands defensive structure. His game translates.”

Is Shedeur Sanders the best QB in College Football?

However, Klatt disagreed with Cowherd’s notion that Sanders has “separated” himself from the rest of the quarterback prospects. He believes that Ward has been “sensational” enough to possibly be the first quarterback taken in next year’s draft while poinitng out a couple of flaws in Sanders’ game. 

“[Sheduer’s] got to quit holding onto the football,” Klatt said. “He’s allergic to incompletions, so he doesn’t want to throw the football away. You’ve got to throw the football away, particularly at the next level, or you’re going to get hurt. The next thing is, he’s got this — and it’s happened twice this year — weird, ‘I’m going to take the fade’ and it’s not the situation to throw the fade.

“Fourth-and-6 on Saturday night against Kansas State, they’ve got to drive down and kick a field and he throws a fade. Dude, you got blitzed from the wide side of the field, you’ve got an in-breaking route that’s got inside leverage on the support defender. Throw the in-breaking route!”

Sanders has been sacked more than any other quarterback since he transferred to Colorado in 2023. He was brought down for 52 sacks last year and has been sacked 23 times this season, just one short for the most in the nation. 

As for Ward, Klatt didn’t touch on why he’s a big fan of his during his appearance on “The Herd.” But he’s raved about Miami‘s quarterback for much of the season on “The Joel Klatt Show,” recently ranking him third on his Heisman ballot ahead of any other quarterback. Ward has thrown for 2,219 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions this season to go with 11 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. 

Still, Klatt believes Sanders is a strong quarterback prospect and might be the first player whose name is called at the NFL Draft next April. 

“There are things that frustrate me about Shedeur, namely those decisions in critical moments and that he holds the football,” Klatt said. “But everything else, this guy is fabulous. He’s accurate, he’s tough. He absolutely could be the first pick in the draft.”

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Norris said: “If I finish second it’s because Red Bull and Max have done a better job.

“We started (the season) a long way behind. Everyone thought Max was going to have an easy win.

“For that not to be the case after the gap they had after race one, it’s still a year to be proud of.

“But as the season goes on, you always reevaluate what are our expectations and now we are a top team and fighting for drivers’ and constructors’ championships.

“I’ve been doing a good job. I have been happy with the job I have been doing and what we are doing as a team and confident if we keep our heads down and keep pushing, we can close the gap.

“It’s not easy, we need more than me first and Max second but I can’t change that, just keep my head down and focus on myself.”

Verstappen has won seven races this season to Norris’ three but has not taken the chequered flag first since the Spanish Grand Prix in June.

Speaking in Austin on Thursday, the Dutchman said: “It’s 50-50 – yes or no. There is a lot that can go well or go wrong in these six races, plus sprint races as well. Nothing is guaranteed from both sides. I prefer not to think too much and live weekend to weekend. From now on, every weekend is crucial.”

Norris said McLaren’s belief changed after he took his maiden F1 victory in Miami in early May, but he acknowledged that he and the team had made some mistakes that had stopped them narrowing the gap quicker.

“(There are) races we kind of regret not winning, probably Silverstone being the main one that didn’t go our way when it should have done,” he said. “And we look back on that with a bit of regret that we didn’t end up in better positions than we did.

“From Silverstone there was more focus from everyone, including the mechanics  and engineers, because it became more and more real that we were in a position we had worked very hard to be in.

“I’m loving it… there is more pressure and a few more nerves but I am still very relaxed and chilled about it.”

The PFL will host back-to-back events in Saudi Arabia.

During Thursday’s PFL: Battle of the Giants press conference, PFL CEO Peter Murray announced that their annual World Championship card will take place in Riyadh on Nov. 29. Six fighters will walk away with season championships, along with the grand prize of $1 million.

It will be the first time the event will be held outside of the United States.

For the women’s flyweight season title, rising star Dakota Ditcheva will face one-time UFC title challenger Taila Santos. Ditcheva earned her spot with a quick knockout of Jena Bishop, while Santos cemented her place in the finals with a decision win over Bellator champ Liz Carmouche.

Brendan Loughnane also looks to cash another $1 million check as he faces Timur Khizriev for the featherweight crown.

Check out all of the title fights below.

Dakota Ditcheva vs. Taila Santos – women’s flyweight title fight

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev – featherweight title fight

Brent Primus vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov – lightweight title fight

Shamil Musaev vs. Magomed Umalatov – welterweight title fight

Impa Kasanganay vs. Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov – light heavyweight title fight

Denis Goltsov vs. Oleg Popov – heavyweight title fight

Max Verstappen is poised to continue his ongoing row with the FIA after he was punished for swearing.

The Formula 1 world champion was hit with a community service sanction at the Singapore Grand Prix after he used foul language in a live televised press conference.

The Red Bull driver responded to the penalty by holding his own impromptu press briefings in the paddock in Singapore after giving short answers during the FIA press conferences, which is he requested to attend.

Verstappen said he had yet to receive the full details of his punishment but he would continue to hold his own media round tables where he would continue to speak his mind.

Speaking at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, he said: “I have not heard anything [from the FIA], so for me it doesn’t really change anything.”

When asked to clarify what he meant and whether he would do his own media, away from the FIA, he added: “With the situation. I mean, I also have to talk less, so it is fine for me.”

Verstappen’s stance has received the backing of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, with George Russell saying the organisation is hoping to have a hearing with the FIA next week to discuss the incident.

Verstappen also said he would be open to discuss the matter with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem – and would be waiting for his call.

He added: “At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion, but it is quite clear that, like I said already it was silly stuff.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

“I am always open for a chat [with Ben Sulayem], but from my side at the moment it is not that I am the one who has to reach out with this stuff. I just live my life and continue, nothing changes.”

When asked if the FIA had made something from nothing, Verstappen said: “Yeah, but that is in general the world in which we live in, right? A lot of stuff is like that.

“This particular scenario, I think it is very unnecessary. Of course I know you can’t swear but that is more related to insults and then you see comments from people saying they don’t want kids seeing that.

“Well, when I was five years old, I never watched a press conference in my life anyway. At school, you say way worse things than that, that’s just how life is.

“If you want to set an example, yeah, sure, but I don’t think you should make a big deal of it. I just want to live my life, and if I don’t agree with something I will say it. That’s it.”