Mohammad Amir, Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif of Pakistan watch the big-screen replay during day two of the 4th Test Match between England and Pakistan at Lord’s on August 27, 2010 in London, England. (left) and archive photo of the front cover of the News of the World newspaper. (Photo/Getty Images)

England has not often been a happy place for Pakistan cricket in recent times. In the ongoing three-Test series, Pakistan have already lost the first two matches by big margins. They suffered an innings defeat in the series opener at Headingley before losing the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs. The third Test is set to begin at Edgbaston on Wednesday.However, what followed the defeat at Lord’s surprised even those familiar with the unpredictable nature of Pakistan cricket.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent seven players home and called up another seven, with five of the replacements uncapped at Test level.The PCB also removed Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. They were replaced by Pakistan’s white-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan at Headingley in the absence of the injured Babar Azam, was among those sent home. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who took a five-wicket haul in that Test, was also released.Experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imam-ul-Haq were also told to leave. Imam did not bat in either innings at Lord’s because of a calf injury.Hesson admitted last week that the changes had added to the uncertainty around the team.“The guys are probably more used to a little bit of chaos than I am. I don’t think anyone wants this to happen in the middle of a series.”The situation took another turn on Monday when the PCB announced an investigation into the squad’s conduct during the England tour, bringing the issue of match-fixing back into focus.As reported by TimesofIndia.com, the changes within Pakistan cricket were driven by reasons that were “more than cricket” and were not simply a response to the team’s poor performances.According to Pakistani outlet 365 News, the players’ devices have been handed over to the PCB and will remain in the board’s custody until the final Test is completed. The report did not reveal which players had their phones taken, while the PCB has not publicly explained why the devices were confiscated.

Horror of 2010

The developments have also brought back memories of Pakistan’s 2010 spot-fixing scandal, one of the biggest corruption cases in cricket.The scandal took place during Pakistan’s tour of England, during the fourth Test at Lord’s. It centred on allegations that Pakistani players had deliberately bowled no-balls at specific points in the match in return for money.When Mohammad Amir overstepped the crease while bowling a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Lord’s Test, there was no indication that the moment would become part of a fixing scandal that would affect Pakistan cricket for years.Two days later, it emerged that three no-balls — two by Amir and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif — were part of a betting deal.Pakistan captain Salman Butt had arranged the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist Mazhar Majeed, who was posing as a bookmaker.The scandal, exposed in the sting by Britain’s now-defunct News of the World tabloid, rocked the cricketing world , and aftershocks can still be felt more than a decade on in Pakistan. Not only did that dark morning at the revered ‘home of cricket’ derail the careers of three players who were banned and jailed, the saga also led to calls for Pakistan to be booted from international cricket. Butt, Amir and Asif were tried in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act and were jailed in November 2011.Announcing the sentences, the judge underscored the severity of the crime. “The image and integrity of what was once a game, but is now a business, is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded three of you as heroes,” Justice Jeremy Cooke said. It marked a new low for Pakistan cricket, already reeling from the aftermath of terror attacks in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team a year before, which triggered the suspension of home internationals.In November 2011, after a high-profile trial in London, all three players were found guilty of corruption and conspiracy to accept illegal payments. Salman Butt received a 30-month prison sentence, Mohammad Asif was jailed for a year, and Mohammad Amir, due to his age and early confession, was sentenced to six months.Only one of them, Amir, returned to international cricket after serving the ICC-ban when he made his comeback in 2016.

My Gladiola has finally conquered the Group 1 challenge, clinching victory in the Moir Stakes held at Sandown.

This year’s Group 1 sprint over 1000 metres, usually contested at Moonee Valley, was shifted to Sandown as The Valley undergoes essential reconstruction.

The 1000-metre weight-for-age contest proved to be a thrilling spectacle. My Gladiola ($9.50), with jockey Jamie Mott in the saddle, surged past Cavalry Girl ($8.50) in the closing stages to win by a short-neck. The $3 favourite, Natural Fling, trailed a further three-quarters of a length behind in third place.

Prior to this Saturday’s triumph, My Gladiola had finished second to Tentyris on two occasions in both the Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Lightning Stakes (1000m), races that are both run on the straight track at Flemington.

Trainer John McArdle commented that it was fitting for My Gladiola to finally break through at the highest level.

“She has run against the best her entire career,” McArdle said.

“We ran second to Tentyris a couple of times, in incredible times and she was deserving of this, but I didn’t think it was going to be today.

“I did before the rain came, but all the team at home have done a great job with her.”

McArdle had contemplated scratching My Gladiola when the rain arrived during the early hours of Saturday morning, softening the track surface.

The trainer had been considering reserving the mare for the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19.

“Thank God, I second guessed myself a little bit,” McArdle admitted.

“We were thinking about scratching and thankfully they put it up as a (soft) seven.

“If it had been an (heavy) eight, we may not have been here.

“Things went her way today. The wind and the sun dried the track out a bit, and Jamie gave her a great ride.

“Getting a good barrier we didn’t have to go as far back as we normally do and she’s got the job done.”

McArdle expressed that it was particularly pleasing to secure a Group 1 win alongside Mott.

“Motty has been our stable rider for a long time,” McArdle stated.

“When he was getting a couple of rides in the bush, we were putting him on in Group races with Humma Humma.

“I always said, ‘you stick with me, I’ll stick with you’ and we have. We’ve been close plenty of times and now we’ve done it.”

Mott, who achieved his fifth win at the highest level, shared his emotional experience in guiding My Gladiola home.

“Just to do it for John is just unbelievable,” Mott said.

“He’s had a Group 1 winner in the past and he’s loyal to me as a jockey, and I’ve loved working closely with him and his team.

“Obviously with her coming along, she’s been so special. (She was) yet to tick off that Group 1, but we knew she was good enough.

“I’m absolutely over the moon.

“My fifth Group I and I haven’t been this emotional (for the others), so it’s pretty special.”

Check out the betting sites for the upcoming racing season.

Lindermann has returned to his peak form, while Fangirl may have raced for the last time following the delayed Group 2 $300,000 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick today.

A significant storm, bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds, swept across Randwick shortly after the Concorde Stakes, leading to a 20-minute delay for the Chelmsford Stakes.

The weather had improved by the time the weight-for-age mile race was run, and Lindermann, with Nash Rawiller in the saddle, led throughout, a near carbon copy of his victory in the same race last year.

The only notable difference this year was Lindermann’s more decisive win, finishing nearly two lengths clear.

Chris Waller, the Hall of Fame trainer who secured his ninth Chelmsford Stakes title with Lindermann, was full of praise for the horse and rider.

“That was Lindermann at his best, Nash at his best,” Waller said.

“He came through that first-up run which had a frantic pace and bounced back today.

“He has his confidence back now.”

Lindermann, the $2.70 favourite, shot clear in the straight and ran away to win by almost two lengths from the closing Ceolwulf ($3.60), with Fangirl ($3.30) a further three-quarters of a length behind in third.

Both Ceolwulf and Fangirl surpassed the $11 million prizemoney barrier with their placings in the Chelmsford Stakes, but the reactions from the connections of each horse were starkly different.

Trainer Joe Pride and jockey Chad Schofield were ecstatic with Ceolwulf’s fast-finishing second, which puts the horse in a strong position for a third consecutive victory in the Group 1 $5 million King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 17.

“He was huge,” Schofield stated regarding Ceolwulf. “We knew the race lacked pressure and we knew Lindermann would get the lead he got.

“We just didn’t want to go reinventing the wheel with him second up by putting him up on speed. I took him back from a bad draw and he ripped home late. I’m very happy.”

Fangirl had won the King Charles III Stakes in 2023, but Waller admitted the mare is not performing at her peak.

“Fangirl was brave again but I would say that will be her last run,” Waller conveyed. “I will have a talk with the Ingham family on Monday.

“She was gallant but nowhere near her best. She would have got them a year ago, even a few months ago.

“She has been an awesome horse for Sydney to follow but I would say she has run her last race. She has been so good for so long.”

Lindermann has also been a standout performer for the Waller stable, and as a seven-year-old gelding, he is racing as well as ever.

“We were going hard enough early and you don’t have to be in a hurry to get over with this horse,” said Rawiller after his fifth win in the Chelmsford Stakes.

“Once Lindermann got into that rhythm, he is tough to run down. He is a beauty.

“I trialled him and was so happy with him then his first-up he was too bad to be true but to Hugh Bowwan’s credit, he didn’t knock the horse around when he was beaten and that was why he was able to bounce back today.

“The last 12 months have been his best, he is going so well. There is some talk he might go to the Group 1 Underwood Stakes next – he would be hard to beat around Caulfield.”

Waller admitted he was unsure about Lindermann’s next step, though he hesitated at the possibility of a clash with stablemate, the champion mare Autumn Glow, in the Group 2 $1 million 7 Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on September 19.

“I’m not sure where to go next with Lindermann, we will have a look at things,” Waller concluded.

“Then the 7 Stakes is going to be tricky in two weeks time but we will weigh everything up and see what is best for him.”

Get the best racing odds by checking out these online bookmakers.

India’s para-archer Sheetal Devi, left, and others compete during the World Archery Para Series. (PTI Photo)

India’s para archers enjoyed a strong penultimate day at the World Archery Para Series Stage III, with the men’s recurve and compound teams winning gold while the women’s recurve team secured silver.In the men’s compound team final, reigning world champion Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami defeated Iraq’s Abbas Kadhim and Anwer Aldawod 152-139 to claim the top prize.The recurve team of double Paralympic medallist Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi also finished on the highest step of the podium after beating Slovakia’s David Ivan and Denis Ivan 6-2.India’s women’s recurve team of Bhawna and Pooja, meanwhile, had to settle for silver after China won the final 6-0. The country also narrowly missed another medal in the women’s compound event, with Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag losing the bronze-medal playoff to China.

Toman and Swami deliver compound gold

Toman and Swami overcame a sluggish beginning to take control of the men’s compound final.The Indian pair managed only an 8 in the opening end but quickly raised their level. Their accuracy improved over the next 12 arrows, during which they dropped just five points.That consistency allowed the Indians to build a substantial advantage over their Iraqi opponents. They maintained their scoring pressure through the remainder of the contest to complete a convincing victory and secure the gold medal.

Harvinder leads recurve fightback

Harvinder and Sundi had to recover from an early setback before securing India’s second men’s team gold of the day.The Slovakian pair took the opening set 37-34 after India managed a 7 without finding a 10. The Indians responded immediately, producing stronger scores in the following sets.Harvinder, who won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics before becoming the first Indian archer to win Paralympic gold at Paris 2024, played a key role in India’s recovery.India moved ahead 4-2 after winning the third set 38-34, with the pair producing three 10s. They then held their nerve in the fourth set, winning it 35-31 to complete the 6-2 victory.

Bhawna and Pooja take silver

Bhawna and Pooja could not match China in the women’s recurve final, losing 0-6.China took the opening set 34-23 after India struggled with scores of 4, 5 and 6. The Indians improved in the second set, shooting three 8s and a 9, but still lost 33-35.The third set remained tight at 30-31, but India again struggled for consistency and failed to register a single 10 across the entire final.China did not produce its most clinical performance either, but India’s inconsistent arrow placement allowed the Chinese pair to retain their advantage and secure gold.

Sheetal and Payal miss bronze

Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag were also left without a medal after China’s Wang Huiting and Gao Fangxia won the women’s compound bronze-medal playoff.The Indian pair found it difficult to maintain their scoring level across the 16-arrow contest. Their strongest spell came in the second end, when they trailed by just one point at 73-74.However, a poor third end allowed China to open up a decisive gap. India could not recover from there and eventually had to settle for fourth place.With two golds and a silver on the penultimate day, India remain in contention for a strong finish at the World Archery Para Series Stage III.

The PGA Tour continues to head towards the FedEx Cup Playoffs as just two more events remain in the regular-season portion of the schedule. Up next is the 2026 Rocket Classic, which tees off on Thursday from Detroit Golf Club. A few big names such as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are taking the week off, but it’s still a strong 2026 Rocket Classic field headlined by Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele. 

Young is the +950 favorite (risk $100 to win $950) in the latest 2026 Rocket Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, following by Schauffele at +1600 and three-time 2026 PGA winner Chris Gotterup at +1800. Jackson Koivun, coming off a win at the 3M Open, joins Si Woo Kim at +2000. Before locking in any 2026 Rocket Classic picks, be sure to see the 2026 Rocket Classic predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

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Now that the 2026 Rocket Classic field is set, the model simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.

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2026 Rocket Classic predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Rocket Classic 2026: Koivun, who has the fourth-lowest odds in the field after last week’s win, barely cracks the top 10 this week. He’s a golfer to fade. The 23-year-old PGA rookie out of Auburn shot four rounds of 68 or lower, including a 61 on Saturday to surge past Scheffler and others at the 3M Open. It’s been an extremely impressive start overall, but the model isn’t comfortable backing him as one of the favorites quite yet considering he also missed the cut at the John Deere Classic a few weeks back. See who else to fade here. 

Another surprise: The model is high on J.J. Spaun at +3000. Spaun has struggled in the majors, but has been very competitive in the other events. He has four top-10 finishes and ranks 20th in the FedEx Cup Playoff standings. He didn’t compete in this event last year, but had two top-10s at it in the prior three years, making him a golfer to target in Rocket Classic best bets this week. See who else to pick here. 

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How to make 2026 Rocket Classic picks

The model is also targeting a massive longshot of around +3500 to make a run up the leaderboard. You can only see the model’s picks here. 

Who will win the 2026 Rocket Classic, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2026 Rocket Classic odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors, including three in 2025.

2026 Rocket Classic odds, field

Get full 2026 Rocket Classic picks, best bets and predictions here.
(odds via FanDuel and subject to change)

Cameron Young +950
Xander Schauffele +1600
Chris Gotterup +1800
Jackson Koivun +2000
Si Woo Kim +2000
Wyndham Clark +2200
Russell Henley +2500
Jake Knapp +2500
Hideki Matsuyama +2700
Patrick Cantlay +2700
J.J. Spaun +3000
Ben Griffin +3300
Ryan Gerard +3500
Akshay Bhatia +3500
Michael Thorbjornsen +4000
Nicolai Højgaard +4000
Harris English +4000
Rickie Fowler +4000
Keegan Bradley +4500
Michael Brennan +5000
Jacob Bridgeman +5000
Davis Thompson +5500
Eric Cole +6500
Jackson Suber +7000
Aldrich Potgieter +7000
Marco Penge +7000
Corey Conners +7000
Ryo Hisatsune +7000
Doug Ghim +8000
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +8000
Mac Meissner +8000
Jordan Spieth +8000
Max Greyserman +8000
Ben James +8000
Sungjae Im +8000
Pierceson Coody +8000
Matt Wallace +8000
Denny McCarthy +8000
Jordan Smith +8000
Johnny Keefer +8000
Ben Kohles +8000
Seamus Power +10000
Nico Echavarria +10000
Christiaan Bezuidenhout +10000
Sudarshan Yellamaraju +10000
Samuel Stevens +10000
Michael Kim +10000
Andrew Novak +10000
Harry Hall +10000
Billy Horschel +10000
Nick Taylor +10000
Tony Finau +10000
Emiliano Grillo +10000
Zecheng Dou +12500
Stephan Jaeger +12500
William Mouw +12500
Chandler Phillips +12500
Steven Fisk +12500
Ricky Castillo +12500
Lee Hodges +12500
Jesper Svensson +12500
Mackenzie Hughes +12500
Taylor Moore +12500
Max McGreevy +12500
Chris Kirk +12500
Beau Hossler +12500
Kevin Yu +12500
Keita Nakajima +12500
Zach Bauchou +15000
Rasmus Højgaard +15000
Richard Hoey +15000
Taylor Pendrith +15000
Lucas Glover +15000
Matt McCarty +15000
Kristoffer Ventura +15000
Kevin Roy +15000
John Parry +15000
Matti Schmid +15000
William Jennings +15000
Zac Blair +15000
Patrick Fishburn +17500
A.J. Ewart +17500
Haotong Li +17500
Thorbjørn Olesen +17500
Austin Smotherman +17500
Neal Shipley +22500
Adrien Dumont de Chassart +22500
Garrick Higgo +22500
Chandler Blanchet +25000
Patrick Rodgers +25000
Austin Eckroat +25000
Luke Clanton +25000
Andrew Putnam +25000
Hayden Springer +25000
Chad Ramey +35000
Erik van Rooyen +35000
Alejandro Tosti +35000
Pontus Nyholm +35000
Davis Chatfield +35000
Tom Hoge +35000
Karl Vilips +35000
Cam Davis +35000
Joel Dahmen +35000
Mark Hubbard +35000
Ben Silverman
Brandt Snedeker +50000
Nick Dunlap +50000
Matt Kuchar +50000
Takumi Kanaya +50000
Trace Crowe +50000
Matthieu Pavon +50000
Justin Lower +50000
Davis Riley +75000
Aaron Wise +75000
Lanto Griffin +75000
Vince Whaley +75000
Hank Lebioda +75000
Adrien Saddier +75000
David Lipsky +75000
John VanDerLaan +75000
Webb Simpson +75000
Kevin Streelman +100000
Stefano Mazzoli +100000
Brendon Todd +100000
Jeffrey Kang +100000
Ryan Ruffels +100000
Brad Dalke +100000
Christo Lamprecht +100000
Brian Campbell +100000
Dylan Wu +100000
Kensei Hirata +100000
Joe Highsmith +100000
Marcelo Rozo +100000
Patton Kizzire +100000
Joseph Hooks +100000
Adam Svensson +100000
Danny Walker +100000
Adam Schenk +100000
Brice Garnett +100000
Gordon Sargent +100000
Peter Malnati +100000
Rafael Campos +100000
Patrick Wilkes-Krier +100000
Justin Quiban +100000
Keenan Huskey +100000
Daniel Azallion +100000
Ryan Celano +100000

The 30-man squad flew to Birmingham on Monday before training early evening in the Midlands, with Fermín Lopez continuing his recovery from injury.

The midfielder missed out on Spain’s World Cup success after breaking his foot against Real Betis in May.

Flick’s squad is a mix of senior players, along with others from Barcelona B and the under-19s, including forward Orian Goren who only turned 17 in March.

Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong has travelled despite a knee injury which was expected to keep him out for months.

The 29-year-old damaged the medial collateral ligament in his right knee at the World Cup.

Another surprise inclusion is Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has been expected to move to Ajax on loan. No deal has been struck so the German goalkeeper has travelled to England and could face Birmingham in Friday’s game.

Barca had a double session on Tuesday and are training on the pitch reserved for the England senior team.

After their trip to St Andrew’s, Barca will take on Preston behind closed doors at St George’s Park next Monday.

Paul Heckingbottom’s side started their pre-season with a 4-1 win against Northern Premier League Premier Division side Bamber Bridge at the start of the month.

Barca also travel to Italy for two 45-minute matches against Nottingham Forest and Udinese in the Friuli Venezia Giulia tournament on 8 August.

Barcelona squad: Ter Stegen, Fort, Balde, Araujo, Cortes, Guille Fernandez, Toni Fernandez, Farinas, Abdelkarim, Tommy, Xavi Espart, Yaakobishvili, Adeyemi, Christensen, Fermin, M Casado, Gerard Martin, Roony, Tunkara, Torrents, Bernal, Gonzalez, Kluivert, Szczesny, Goren, Gistau, Diarra, Pesquer, Rodriguez, De Jong.

Lindsay Park is preparing a strong three-horse contingent for Saturday’s Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington. A key feature will be the return of champion jockey Blake Shinn aboard War Machine, marking his first race since a significant fall on Melbourne Cup Day.

Also returning from a winter break is Mark Zahra, who will ride Arkansaw Kid after his recent Royal Ascot campaign. Jye McNeil completes the stable’s representation on Ndola, a horse that recently tasted victory.

The training team at Lindsay Park is aiming to replicate their 2019 success in the Aurie’s Star Handicap, when So Si Bon claimed the Group 3 sprint under David Hayes, Ben Hayes, and Tom Dabernig.

Ben Hayes indicated that jockey Blake Shinn selected War Machine after riding both stablemates in jump-outs at Flemington last Friday. “He rode them both in jump-outs last Friday and I don’t think there’s much between them,” Hayes stated. “He knows War Machine well and he’s going back to his old buddy.”

War Machine has not competed since finishing third in the Newmarket Handicap over the Flemington straight in March. Hayes noted that the gelding has benefited from a longer spell after a demanding preparation that began in April last year.

“He lost his way a bit last preparation,” Hayes commented. “He had a long prep. He went to Queensland, freshened, came back, went to The Everest, came back, but just didn’t come up in the autumn. He had a long break, and he seems to have come back really well. His work at home has been great and seems a happier horse. He’s enjoying his trackwork, so hopefully that converts to some good runs.”

Arkansaw Kid has experienced a different preparation, spending time at Lindsay Park’s Euroa base and Pakenham before recent jump-outs at Traralgon and Flemington. “We changed things around with him to keep him thinking,” Hayes explained. “He’s been in work a long time, so it was like changing stables, without changing stables. I thought his Traralgon jump-out was good, his jump-out on Friday was great and he’s always been a consistent, good horse for the stable and is a horse we all love. He’s good down the straight, he’s won a couple of Bobbie Lewis Qualities, so he knows what he’s doing.”

Ndola enters Saturday’s feature race following a win in the Listed Santa Ana Lane Series Final first-up on July 4, and subsequently defeated War Machine in a jump-out last week. Hayes mentioned the trial was designed to maintain the gelding’s fitness during the four-week break between races.

“He was good fresh when he got away with murder in front and they couldn’t catch him,” Hayes said. “It’s a step up in class and he’s running against some very good horses, but he deserves to be there.”

Check out the latest racing odds at online bookmakers.

After Oleksandr Usyk’s title vacation, the heavyweight division is searching for its next standout operator. Two of the frontrunners to be the divisional poster boy are Moses Itauma and Agit Kabayel, and Usyk has predicted how a fight between the undefeated duo would play out.

Usyk was linked to fights with both Itauma and Kabayel whilst reigning as the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight world champion, but his decision to vacate all three of those world titles has all but ended any hope of seeing the Ukrainian take on either man.

Instead, it is believed that Usyk will pursue Deontay Wilder for his career finale, dubbed his ‘last dance’, whilst Kabayel has been elevated to WBC heavyweight world champion and Itauma is preparing for an intriguing battle with Filip Hrgovic next month.

Should Itauma be successful against the Croatian, it seems as though a world title shot is almost guaranteed to follow, with Kabayel being confirmed as possible target for later this year.

Speaking on the DAZN broadcast of Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga on Saturday, Usyk admitted he would favour the 21-year-old to trump Kabayel, nodding his head in agreement with Tony Bellew when asked if Itauma is the one to succeed him as the man to beat.

Kabayel has also recently been mentioned for a potential world title unification against newly-crowned WBA heavyweight champion, Murat Gassiev – a move which could force Itauma to instead fight for the WBO crown against the winner of Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley’s pending rematch.

This year’s F1 championship introduced the biggest rule change in the sport’s history, with new aerodynamic and engine regulations.

While the chassis rules have generally been a hit – even if the cars are a little slower than last year – the new engines most definitely have not.

The nominal 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power (more like 53-47 in reality) combined with the architecture of the engines, has left them energy starved.

And when the battery is empty, the cars have only about 540bhp – less power than a Formula 3 car, but with loads more grip.

The need to constantly charge the battery has neutered many of the best corners on many of F1’s greatest tracks, reducing them to what Fernando Alonso has called “charging stations”.

The flip side is the energy starvation has led to some interesting battles, known as “yo-yo racing”, with cars swapping positions repeatedly over a number of laps.

But the drivers point out this is artificial, and that overtakes are often happening simply because one driver suddenly has 350kW (470bhp) more than the other.

As four-time champion Max Verstappen says: “Sometimes people say: ‘Ah yeah, but this was a great race.’ I say: ‘Yeah, but it’s not really realistic the way we are racing.’

“And then you arrive to some tracks and you’re driving on not a lot of horsepower for F1 standards. And it’s a little bit painful, which I could see coming already for years. So, it’s then, of course, not the most exciting.

“At one point I’m also a little bit fed up with repeating myself, because it’s already hard enough just having to drive it.”

The drivers – especially Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, but most of the others, too – were very vocal about this from very early in the season. The sport as a whole recognised there was a problem, and has reacted.

Tweaks to the rules to lessen the problem were made after just three races, and the engine split will be modified to become 60-40 by 2028, with an intermediate step for next year.

That will significantly reduce these issues, but not eradicate them completely.

F1’s governing body the FIA was warned repeatedly in the years leading up to 2026 that this energy starvation issue would happen.

This has left an easy target for FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to propose a return to naturally aspirated V8 engines for 2031.

It’s an idea with distinctly limited support among F1’s stakeholders. It lacks imagination and analysis, comes with its own set of problems, and is effectively turning the clock back 15 years.

The issue is not hybrid engines or turbos per se; it is the lack of energy recovery possibilities.

It’s a situation F1 forced on itself by removing the MGU-H, which recovered energy from the turbo and exhaust, and not allowing recovery from the front axle.

The sport needs to take a pause, intelligently and rigorously analyse what it wants from its engines in the future.

Then it needs to come up with a package that satisfies the manufacturers, has road-relevance, embraces concerns about the climate crisis, does not create a noise-hazard threat to some of the sport’s most high-profile races, is cheaper, allows the drivers to almost total access to full power, and gives a facility for overtaking.