Formula E organisers have cancelled the upcoming pre-season test in Valencia following torrential flooding in the area which has left at least 158 people dead and will instead hold the event in Jarama.

The all-electric championship was due to hold four days of running for all 11 teams and the new Gen3 Evo machines between 4-7 November at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit.

But the Valencia region in eastern Spain was hit by a year’s worth of rainfall in the space of just eight hours on Tuesday, causing widespread devastation that has killed well over 100 people with many still missing.

The access roads in and out of the circuit have been completely swept away in the flash flooding, with Formula E organisers announcing on Wednesday that it was inaccessible by vehicle.

Although the Ricardo Tormo Circuit itself was undamaged, problems gaining access to the site as well as the wider logistical problems in the area have meant Formula E has cancelled the test.

Circuit Ricardo Tormo after flooding

Photo by: Paco Alcobendas

“We have all been monitoring the tragic situation in Valencia, where flash floods have devastated the region and claimed many lives,” said a Formula E statement released on Thursday.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these terrible events and we at Formula E are looking at how we can practically support the region during this awful time.

“Following consultation with local authorities, the FIA and our colleagues at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, we have decided not to proceed with our pre-season test in Valencia, planned for 4-7 November.

“While it may have been possible to go ahead logistically, it is important not to create any distraction or use valuable resources that are much better served supporting the local community.

“We have a number of Formula E team members who have been working on the ground in Valencia over the past week, and we want to personally thank them for everything they’ve done, and continue to do, to support the area.”

The statement went on to add that a new venue in the form of the Circuito del Jarama would host the scheduled event – as well as the all-female test – which will run from 5-8 November.

It added: “The full event schedule will be confirmed in due course, as we navigate a number of logistical and operational challenges which will determine if it’s possible to move our test operations to Madrid within this timeframe.”

The Ricardo Tormo Circuit is currently due to host the conclusion of the 2024 MotoGP season the following week on 15-17 November, with organisers stating on Wednesday that the championship is “committed” to running the race but that its focus is on supporting those in the community.

Ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, Marc Marquez claimed that “ethically speaking, I don’t think the Valencia Grand Prix should be held”, adding that it should only take place if all the proceeds are given to the families of victims.

Most recently, the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled by Formula 1 organisers after flooding in the area that resulted in two deaths.

McLaren’s Lando Norris says title rival Max Verstappen “knows he did wrong” in their battle in last weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver was given two 10-second penalties for his actions in a battle with his McLaren rival.

Norris said: “Max knows what he has to do. He knows he did wrong, deep down he does. And it’s for him to change, not me.

“Max is one of the most capable drivers on the grid, if not the most. He knows what he can and can’t do and what the limits are.”

Verstappen, who heads into this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix 47 points ahead of Norris with four races to go, says he finds criticisms of his defensive driving “annoying” and pays no attention to them.

This week, 1996 world champion Damon Hill accused Verstappen of “Dick Dastardly stuff”.

The Dutchman said: “I don’t listen to those individuals. I just do my thing. I am a three-time world champion. I think I know what I’m doing.”

He added: “Some people are just being very annoying. I know who these people are and I don’t really pay a lot of attention to them. I have got this far in my career. Some people are just a bit biased.”

Norris said: “I expect a cleaner battle than what we had but it’s not up to me.”

Verstappen’s racing tactics have come under the spotlight following two incidents in the last two races.

In the first, in the United States Grand Prix, Norris was given a five-second penalty for overtaking off the track.

That led to the F1 drivers discussing the incident five days later in Mexico, with many making it clear to governing body the FIA that they felt Norris should not have been penalised.

That is because Verstappen’s driving contributed to the incident – the Dutchman, who was defending his position on the inside, also went off track.

Then, in the race in Mexico, Norris again went off track trying to overtake Verstappen on the outside, at Turn Four.

Although Verstappen stayed on the track, he was adjudged to have forced Norris off the track and was given his first penalty. Four corners later, Verstappen again forced Norris off, and regained the position, and was penalised for gaining an advantage by going off the circuit.

Asked whether he would do anything different from now on, he said: “It’s my 10th year in F1. I think I know what I’m doing.”

He added: “I have my opinions, I don’t need to share them.”

And asked whether he was happy with the racing guidelines, Verstappen said: “It’s not that straightforward clearly even between how many seconds you get. Sometimes they work for you, sometimes they work against you.

“It is never going to be perfect because even if you remove rules, if you get into a battle you want more rules because it’s not clear what is allowed or not, then when you have too many rules you want less rules.

“Do I think it’s over-regulated? Probably yes. In general the rule book is only getting bigger and bigger every year and I don’t think that’s always the right way.”

Verstappen said he took advice only from “people who are objective and close to me”.

And he also made a veiled criticism of the FIA while pointing out that, while he had been punished for swearing in a news conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, no action had been taken despite Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc doing the same in Mexico.

He said: “People who are not just there to stir… I can’t say the word and apparently it only counts for me. After the race someone was swearing and I didn’t hear anything [about it].”

Verstappen is reported to be getting a five-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race as a result of taking a new engine, having already exceeded his new allocation.

But he was unable to confirm it, saying: “I haven’t heard anything yet. I know I will have to take one at some point, so we’ll see.”

Red Bull have not responded to requests for comment on the matter.

EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – Mike Malott was surprised by the end of his most recent fight as well as the immediate aftermath, but he hopes he’s better from it.

On the wrong side of a Comeback of the Year candidate, Malott (10-2-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) lost by third-round TKO to Neil Magny in January. Nine-and-a-half months later, Malott hopes to show off the lessons he’s learned Saturday when he takes on Trevin Giles (16-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 246 at Rogers Place.

“You’ve just got to reassess and see what went wrong,” Malott told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “I feel like you do the same thing after a win, right? See what you can improve on? But it’s how much do you want to dive into that. You can write it off to being like, ‘Well, I won 14 minutes of that fight and just made a couple of bad decisions at the end and a couple things went wrong, so if I just don’t do those, then I’ll be fine next time and I beat that guy nine times out of 10. Or we can do what we did.

“It’s like, look, it’s probably the symptom of a much larger problem that we didn’t recognize as much. How do we dive into that and figure out where we can get the most growth? That’s what we did. So the last nine (or) 10 months, I’ve been focused on improvement and growth and getting back in here to be the most confident version of myself, the most prepared for the fight that I can possibly be.”

The loss was one thing. The blowback afterward was another entirely.

Given Malott was a hot prospect pedestaled as the next torch bearer for Canadian MMA, opportunists emerged out of the digital woodwork to kick him while he was down.

“I’ll be honest. It was surprising at first,” Malott said. “I assumed there would be some negative criticism. But man, I was blown away by how many people were waiting for me to fall. But also on the opposite side, too, we can focus on that all day. There’s a ton of negativity you can focus on, but there’s also a ton of positivity. A ton of people messaged me and were like, ‘Look, man. You obviously showed some great stuff in that fight. You were winning the majority of that fight.’ It’s not like I got steamrolled for 15 minutes and have to rethink my entire game.

“Again, I think I win that fight most times. If we run that fight back however many times, I think I win the vast majority of those fights. I think I showed some solid skills in that fight, but I also showed some things that need to be improved. We just focused on what needs to be improved the last eight or nine months or whatever. Again at first, it was a little bit surprising. It got to me for the first week or two. I was really down on myself about it a little bit. But once I was able to get back in the gym and actually make or take steps toward making improvements and resolving issues, that kind of took care of itself.”

Now Malott has a shot at redemption. The circumstances are similar in some ways, as he has the opportunity to prove himself in his home country against a veteran fighter.

“It would’ve been nice to fight in July (in Denver as was scheduled), the fight that I prepared for,” Malott said, referring to his canceled bout vs. Gilbert Urbina. “But I’d much rather pull out of a fight in Denver than a fight in Edmonton. I’m excited to get back in front of those Canadian fans.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 246.

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY has called on Ruben Amorim to let him stay at Manchester United and help take the club back to the top.

Van Nistelrooy’s position as an assistant manager is under threat now Erik ten Hag has gone with Amorim planning to bring his own backroom team in.

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But the interim boss, who oversaw a 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester on Wednesday, says he has the ability and knowledge of United to help him as part of that new management team.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I decided to come back here for a very important reason.

“I came as an assistant to help the club move forward and I’m still motivated to do so in any capacity.

“I’m very motivated to stay here and help the club forward, that’s my absolute goal.

“It’s gonna be a short job as an interim, that was communicated very clear, I was happy with that, I will then go back to my assistant contract that I have here for this season and next.

“When a new manager is signing and conversations take place we have to see how things develop.”

Van Nistelrooy was given the interim job after Ten Hag was sacked just three months into his third season after winning the Carabado Cup and FA Cup in his two full campaigns in charge.

And Van Nistelrooy revealed the manager was emotional about having to leave.

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He said: “He is very disappointed and touched. I really felt he loved and cared for the club.

“He wanted to bring this club forward and that’s why we connected. That is why it hurt that he had to leave, but he was also proud of the achievements with the club winning two cups.

“In the end it’s also clear in football it’s the results and Erik also said that.

“In pre season we had new staff, it was very positive, and we were working hard to bring the club forward.

“Obviously there are things you can’t explain sometimes.

“I remember the Brighton goal we scored that was ruled out, then you concede and it’s 2-1.

“There’ve been so many games we could’ve got a better result; at Palace, West Ham, Fenerbahce and Porto, but it’s about results this game, that’s our jobs.”

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The club legend scored 150 goals in 219 games for the club and was understandably given a warm welcome when he took his place in the dug out on Wednesday.

He will be back there for Chelsea‘s visit on Sunday and probably two more games before the current Sporting Lisbon boss takes the reins after the next international break in mid-November.

The former PSV Eindhoven gaffer admitted it was strange to be in the Old Trafford dugout 18 years after he left the club as a player.

He said: “I left in 2006, Oh my God what a long time ago.

“But it was special to come back to the club and city I loved so much and still do, I enjoy being around Manchester and enjoy being around players and staff here.

“It’s the other side, being a football player or manager or assistant, it’s complete opposite sides.

“I’m standing in front of the team, talking to them about what Manchester United is about, playing at Old Trafford, what songs are being sung by the fans and why.

“You try to transmit that lovely feeling of playing for this club and it is a proud moment to do that and share it with the players.”

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Not surprisingly he turned to his former boss Sir Alex Ferguson for advice before the game.

The pair fell out leading to Van Nistelrooy’s exit back in 2006 but have long since made up.

He said: “We spoke about my situation and the team. Most of all he wished me luck. It is always great to speak to him.”

Ten Hag spent £600million in his time as boss including another £200million this last summer.

It has left many wondering if it was money well spent but Van Nistelrooy wants to show it was.

Van Nistelrooy said: “I think what is important is to get the maximum from these players.

“This Premier League season, and all the other games we are going to play, will give us a very good and clear picture where the club is.

“It is a big challenge, everybody is convinced with this group of players that we can and have to perform better than we have at the moment.”

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Rose Namajunas hopes to get into title contention with a win over Erin Blanchfield at UFC Edmonton on Saturday, but she could have arguably been closer already if her previous fight happened as scheduled.

Back in July, Namajunas was set to face Maycee Barber in a fight that potentially was to determine the No. 1 contender in the division. Unfortunately, Barber fell ill in the days leading up to the fight and she still hasn’t return to action as she continues to deal with her medical issues.

Namajunas moved on and defeated Tracy Cortez in dominant fashion instead and was happy to then book the fight against Blanchfield on Saturday rather than revisit the matchup with Barber.

“I always had my eye on Erin whenever she started her momentum and stuff in the UFC,” Namajunas said during UFC Edmonton media day. “I was in strawweight and thought she was a great competitor and somebody that if I ever got the chance to face her, I’d be really excited about.

“It’s unfortunate with Maycee there’s a lot of ambiguity, a lot of questions what’s going on. I still wish her health and wellness and hopefully she can get back to things but it really sucks when you train specifically for a fight and then it just gets all the way down to it and then it doesn’t [happen]. I’m good at adapting and changing scenarios and things like that. I would just be a little hesitant to book that fight right away because there’s a lot of questions with what’s going on with her.”

While Barber just recently posted an update that she’s continued to work with multiple doctors searching for answers so she could begin working towards her comeback, Namajunas wasn’t going to wait on that possible fight. Instead, she gets a higher ranked opponent in Blanchfield (currently No. 4 at 125 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings), who looks to rebound after suffering her first loss in the UFC in a unanimous decision to Manon Fiorot.

By all accounts, Fiorot, who also holds a win over Namajunas, is expected to get the next flyweight title shot against reigning champion Valentina Shevchenko sometime in 2025. Nothing has been signed, sealed or delivered by the UFC when it comes to that matchup, however, so Namajunas wouldn’t complain if she got the chance to jump the line with an impressive win over Blanchfield on Saturday.

“I guess anything’s possible and that’s my intention to put on a really good performance enough to where there’s no doubt I could be next,” Namajunas said. “But I just feel as if Manon deserves it next anyways regardless of what I do. She technically has a [win] over me. I do feel like if that was a five-round fight, I think I could have found a way to win. I was finding it towards the end. But it is what it is.”

Namajunas wouldn’t complain if she was granted a title shot, but again she’s not going to be too upset to potentially face Fiorot in a rematch or get the chance to go up against Shevchenko, one of her idols in the sport.

“If [Manon Fiorot] wins the belt, that would be great to fight her again or even have that dream matchup with Valentina one day,” Namajunas said. “So I’d be excited to see them fight but if the UFC wanted to put me ahead of that with a very spectacular performance, I’d be open to that as well.”

Namajunas has often talked about her adoration for Shevchenko after they trained together in the past. It might be bittersweet to face her in a title fight, but Namajunas couldn’t imagine a better person to fight than somebody she admires so much.

“She’s definitely always been my favorite female fighter,” Namajunas said about Shevchenko. “She’s somebody that I admire a lot and trained with a lot. It would be hard for me to not just be fanning out while I’m fighting her at the same time, it would be kind of weird.

“At the same time, just as a martial artist, it would be the ultimate dream to test myself against I’d say one of the truest martial artists in the game right now.”