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Man Utd say Amorim is ‘one of most exciting coaches in Europe’… but we’ve heard it ALL before with Ten Hag, Moyes and Co

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Man Utd say Amorim is ‘one of most exciting coaches in Europe’… but we’ve heard it ALL before with Ten Hag, Moyes and Co

ALL the messages coming out of Manchester United were very positive.

The appointment of a coach who “has proved himself to be one of the most exciting and successful coaches in Europe, renowned for his team’s attractive, attacking football and commitment to youth”.

Ruben Amorim will officially take over at Old Trafford on November 11

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Ruben Amorim will officially take over at Old Trafford on November 11Credit: EPA
Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday after two years at the club

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Erik ten Hag was sacked on Monday after two years at the clubCredit: Getty

That was April 21, 2022, and the words of then football director John Murtough on the announcement that Erik ten Hag was becoming the new manager of Manchester United.

Hang on, haven’t we heard all of this before?

Remember, there was also the bloke after Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013 who had “all the skills needed to build on United’s phenomenal legacy”.

So said chief executive Ed Woodward and yet just ten months into a six-year contract, David Moyes was gone.

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Wait. Then Woodward also introduced the next man who had “a track record of winning leagues and cups across Europe making him the perfect choice… we have secured the services of one of the outstanding managers in the game today”.

That was Louis van Gaal, who went on to bore Old Trafford rigid with his football and get the boot straight after winning an FA Cup.

Fear not! Because in May 2016 it was announced by Woodward that United had secured “quite simply the best manager in the game today”.

A man Woodward was barely on speaking terms with two and a half years later as Jose Mourinho exited after two cups and a second-placed finish, which the Special One described as one of his greatest achievements.

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He was not even ‘Special’ enough.

So, that was five years since Sir Alex went and three bosses down.

Sporting fans give verdict on Ruben Amorim ahead of move to Man Utd
David Moyes endured a horrid time as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor

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David Moyes endured a horrid time as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successorCredit: PA:Press Association

It was now time to rediscover ‘the soul’ of Manchester United under a man who said he knew it’s DNA.

He would also find the revolving door at Old Trafford that had spun out those who went before.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left with tears in his eyes after believing he had come “so close” to achieving something special.

Let’s not forget too all the interims and caretakers along the way — Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and, of course, Ralf Rangnick, who told the club they needed “open heart surgery” and now Ruud van Nistelrooy after Dutchman Ten Hag’s sacking on Monday.

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But the club believe they really have cracked it this time because in Ruben Amorim they have, as a club statement said, “one of the most exciting and highly rated young coaches in European football”.

Sorry, I thought that was Ten Hag.

The 39-year-old is also “highly decorated as both a player and coach”.

Highly decorated in Portugal anyway, as Ten Hag was in Holland.

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Louis van Gaal won the FA Cup but was dismissed after two seasons

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Louis van Gaal won the FA Cup but was dismissed after two seasonsCredit: PA:Press Association
Jose Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League before being sacked

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Jose Mourinho won the League Cup and Europa League before being sackedCredit: PA:Press Association

The Premier League, however, is another level again and 11 years since Sir Alex bid farewell, the club is as far away as ever from challenging to win it.

The point here is that there are no guarantees coming with this bloke either.

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Ten Hag had studied United long before Murtagh and the then chief executive Richard Arnold arrived to interview him.

They were bowled over by the amount of information he had on them and the details of his plans to put United back on track.

He will claim he did just that with two trophies but after that first season it just never looked right.

The club wanted a disciplinarian and yet the way he handled Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho was, in the end, used as a stick to beat him with.

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Ruben Amorim is ‘Mourinho 2.0’ who turned Sporting from ‘walking dead’ into Portuguese champs… he can revive Man Utd

WHEN Ruben Amorim took charge of Sporting Lisbon in March 2020, one club official compared their situation to the “walking dead”, writes Jordan Davies.

Optimism and hope was at an all-time low.

But the Amorim-effect was almost instantaneous, guiding the Portuguese sleeping giants to their first league title for 19 years in 2020/21, losing just once and only conceding 20 goals.

Since then, Sporting have lifted another league title in 2023/24 – as well as two League Cups – and currently sit top with nine wins from nine this term.

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He may be young, but Amorim already has an eye for rebuilding and revitalising fallen super powers with his infectious charisma and intense tactical philosophy that hardly ever wavers. 

The “walking dead” at Manchester United must be praying for a similar sort of revival.

And they may just get it from one of the most talented young coaches on the continent – a man accustomed to breathing new life back into crumbling institutions such as Old Trafford.

Amorim has spent the last decade dreaming of one day gracing England’s Premier League, such was his admiration for an ex-United boss in Jose Mourinho growing up.

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Often nicknamed ‘Mourinho 2.0’, Amorim spent a week with his coaching idol in an internship capacity at United’s Carrington training base in 2018, going on to cite him as his “reference point”.

United should not be expecting a mini-Mourinho, as Amorim said himself: “Mourinho is one of a kind. There won’t be another Mourinho. Mourinho is unique.”

And yet, you cannot help but compare the two.

For all the mismanagement in the Old Trafford hot seats over the years, this would be a real get – finally a slap in the face United’s Prem rivals have no answer for.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was let go after a trophyless three years at the helm

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was let go after a trophyless three years at the helmCredit: AFP

‘Head coach’ Amorim will find dealing with this club and this level of player very different to Sporting Lisbon, where he was the highly lauded and respected boss who landed them two titles.

The players responded to him, the football was marvellous — and he is now going to try and make that happen at Old Trafford.

There will no doubt be a jump when he first arrives, there always is under a new boss. Ole won ten of his first 11 games.

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The problem comes when performances dip and you are left dealing with a dressing room of highly paid stars all too ready to down tools because they know, in the end, the manager will carry the can.

This is probably a bigger job now than it was for any manager post-Fergie.

That has happened in every instance since Sir Alex went. So why won’t it happen again?

Amorim will have his own ideas on how to play in a 3-4-3 as he tries to reprogramme players and club who have been reprogrammed so many times it is a wonder Carrington has not short-circuited.

The facts are that while £545.9million was lavished on this squad under Ten Hag, it is still not very good.

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The first team can be beaten by anyone in the Premier League. At their best they are not as good as any club currently in the top six.

The mood in the dressing room is rock-bottom and there are sulky stars everywhere you look.

This is probably a bigger job now than it was for any manager post-Fergie.

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This club is a giant, a monster and nobody seems able to control it.

It has eaten up and spat out some of the biggest and best names in the game.

Now we have someone who it clearly seems won’t have it all his own way as he is the first to be named ‘head coach’ in the club’s history rather than the manager.

Which suggests there will be plenty of influence from the management team assembled above him by new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox are set to be much more hands-on than they felt able to be in their brief time working with Ten Hag.

So, welcome Ruben, hope it goes well… until the next best coach in Europe is left to pick up the pieces.

Above them, new chief exec Omar Berrada has spoken about a three-year plan to have the club winning the Prem by the 2027-28 season and celebrate their 150th year in style.

Amorim will still be in charge at Old Trafford then, if the club have triggered the year extension in his contract — but nobody should be holding their breath.

The state the club are in at the moment, it will take until then just to get back into the top four.

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Sorry to sound cynical but how else can you view the current situation on the evidence of the last decade or more.

So, welcome Ruben, hope it goes well… until the next best coach in Europe is left to pick up the pieces.

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Norwich’s Kellen Fisher reveals maddest moments – from dinner with Delia to team-mate getting egged in dressing room

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Norwich's Kellen Fisher reveals maddest moments - from dinner with Delia to team-mate getting egged in dressing room

DEFENDER Kellen Fisher has revealed tales from his time at Norwich including having dinner with former owner Delia Smith and team-mates being egged in the dressing room.

The right-back, 20, joined Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side in 2023 from Bromley.

Kellen Fisher has detailed some of the best stories from his career so far

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Kellen Fisher has detailed some of the best stories from his career so farCredit: Reuters
Fisher has revealed he went for dinner with former owner Delia Smith - who is also a famous TV chef

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Fisher has revealed he went for dinner with former owner Delia Smith – who is also a famous TV chefCredit: Rex

He has already racked up 23 appearances for the club and helped them reach the play-offs last season.

They lost in the semi-finals to Leeds – a club whose fans he is full of praise for in SunSport’s exclusive interview.

Both on and off the pitch Fisher has a host of stories to tell – from dressing up as a zebra to playing on a “mud bath”.

Here are some of the trials and tribulations of Championship life seen by Fisher – in his own words.

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Best ever EFL player?

Gabriel Sara, he was on another level last year.

You see some of the goals he scored last year, you’d think ‘What a player he is’.

Wildest night out?

On our Christmas do, we went to Winter Wonderland and we all had to dress up as a certain letter.

Luckily got a Z, which was a zebra. So we all started walking around Winter Wonderland in these funny costumes.

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I think Shane Duffy was dressed up as Goldilocks or something.

Fisher is a regular in Norwich's side under Johannes Hoff Thorup

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Fisher is a regular in Norwich’s side under Johannes Hoff ThorupCredit: Rex

Maddest dressing room tale?

It was Callum Doyle’s birthday and Borja Sainz told me to start filming and I didn’t know what was going on either.

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Lincoln’s Ethan Erhahon reveals players STOLE the physio’s car and he was offered a ‘scrap’ with a fan – What the EFL

Borja Sainz comes through behind him and throws three eggs and he said it was his birthday.

To be fair, Callum wasn’t too happy.

Wildest owner antics?

When I first joined the club, the player liaison Phil said to me that Delia wanted to have dinner with my family before one of the games just to get to know everyone.

I think she makes that effort with everyone to meet everyone’s families.

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I think it was steak pie and I think mash and gravy.

Delia sold her majority stake in Norwich last month after 28 years in charge

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Delia sold her majority stake in Norwich last month after 28 years in chargeCredit: Alamy

Iconic training ground tale?

I’d say one of the coaches scoring a worldie. One of the free-kicks, it’s gone over the wall, the keeper’s saved it and it’s come rolling back perfectly for the half volley.

I remember Glyn [Head of Physical Performance for Norwich] just absolutely smashed it and it’s gone flying.

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It’s gone flying into the top corner and everyone was a bit shocked.

Best EFL fans?

I think I’ve got to say Leeds.

Last year in the play-off [semi]final, the place was absolutely bouncing.

Dodgiest EFL facilities?

I would say FA Youth Cup when I was at Bromley. The away changing rooms were all painted pink.

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I think the pitch we played on wasn’t great either. It was just a mud bath.

Most annoying EFL fans?

I think I have to say Leeds again, in that play-off game.

I was on the bench just warming up, you’d hear little things in your ear in the corner.

Just getting a lot of stick from the home supporters.

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Norwich sit eighth in the Championship, one point adrift of the play-off places

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Norwich sit eighth in the Championship, one point adrift of the play-off placesCredit: Alamy

Moment that haunts you?

I made a little bit of a mistake in the cup game, FA Cup, Bristol Rovers at home.

I think the ball come to me, the keeper parried it and I’ve controlled it in the box and sort of just panicked and just flicked it around the corner and no one sort of reacted to the ball.

And then a Bristol Rovers player just come onto it and volleyed it into the top corner.

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Ashton Jeanty scores his second TD of the night, extending Boise State's lead over San Diego State

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Ashton Jeanty scores his second TD of the night, extending Boise State




Ashton Jeanty scored his second TD of the night to extend the Boise State Broncos’ lead over the San Diego State Aztecs.



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West Indies vs England: Marcus Trescothick backs side’s youth policy

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West Indies vs England: Marcus Trescothick backs side's youth policy

England are missing several regulars, with skipper Jos Buttler injured and a large number of the Test squad resting after the recent series loss in Pakistan.

In their absence, a number of untried and untested players have been chosen, rather than lean on the experience of players such as James Vince and Sam Hain, who have impressed in domestic 50-over cricket for numerous seasons.

In Antigua, spinner Adil Rashid outnumbered the caps of the rest of the line-up put together, with 140 to 127.

Furthermore, some of England’s debutants lacked experience of 50-over cricket, with Jordan Cox, 24, and Dan Mousley, 23, playing their first List A games in 20 months and three years respectively.

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Of the other new caps, 21-year-old all-rounder Jacob Bethell had played 21 times in List A cricket, with fast bowler John Turner, 23, appearing 17 times.

It appears to be increasingly difficult for England’s best young players to experience List A cricket because of the scheduling of the domestic One-Day Cup at the same time as The Hundred.

“You can see the direction of where we’re trying to go, and that means blooding the next guys coming through,” added Trescothick.

“Playing people who have played before probably goes against the mantra of what we’re trying to do. I could give you five different examples of where we could go, but that’s not what we are trying to do.

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“The opportunities are there for the guys to come in. That’s what they’re going to get. They’re going to pick up what it’s like to play in the Caribbean and they’ll be better for it.”

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Bagnaia sets early pace with FP1 scorcher

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Francesco Bagnaia made an early statement in his bid to beat world championship leader Jorge Martin by setting the fastest lap time in Friday’s Free Practice 1 for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

In contrast to Pramac Ducati’s Martin, factory Ducati rider Bagnaia chose to run a soft front at the end of the session, a move that powered him to a time fully 1.647s better than Martin’s.

Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) and Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Ducati) joined Bagnaia with late runs on soft rubber, and duly set laps good enough for second and third on the timesheets respectively. Vinales was however 0.743s in arrears of Bagnaia, with Bezzecchi over a second adrift.

Jack Miller (KTM) in fourth was quickest of the riders to take the more conventional approach to the session by simply running a medium front tyre throughout.

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Tech 3 GasGas rider Pedro Acosta was fifth behind the Australian and the only rider to drop his bike during the session, with a very late crash at Turn 9.

Martin was third-quickest of the riders to stick with the mediums and thus sixth overall. The Spaniard, who leads the championship by 17 points over Bagnaia with one round to go after Malaysia, made one small mistake during the session as he outbraked himself and ran wide at the final corner.

Alex Marquez (Gresini Ducati) was seventh-fastest, followed by Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo.

Quartararo led much of the session before the likes of Bagnaia pitted for soft rubber. The Frenchman’s bike broke down with a few minutes remaining in the session, although he was able to coast it back to the garage.

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MotoGP returnee Andrea Iannone broke into the top 10 for VR46 Ducati, where he is replacing the injured Fabio di Giannantonio. This ninth-fastest time was also courtesy of a late lap on a soft front, however.

Only five riders in total pulled the soft-rubber move, with Trackhouse Aprilia’s Lorenzo Savadori the fifth and slowest of these in 18th.

Acosta’s team-mate Augusto Fernandez completed the top 10, almost two seconds down on the pace-setting Bagnaia.

Gresini’s Marc Marquez was 12th and Bagnaia’s factory Ducati team-mate Enea Bastianini ended FP1 14th. The pair are battling for third in the world championship.

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Track action at Sepang started in slightly damp conditions after rain earlier in the morning, which led to an FP1 that was largely cautious and uneventful. It can also be regarded as inconclusive given the varying tyre strategies at play.

Photos from Malaysian GP Practice

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African nation a big part of Junior Nsemba’s rise – as he helps kids in need

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African nation a big part of Junior Nsemba's rise - as he helps kids in need

JUNIOR Nsemba will have plenty of backing as he steps up to England level – not least from the children helped at his family’s orphanage.

Wigan’s back row sensation will make his Test debut against Samoa today, sparking scenes of celebration in the capital of Cameroon, Yaounde.

Junior Nsemba has revealed how he helps orphaned children in Cameroon - who will be supporting him as he makes his England debut

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Junior Nsemba has revealed how he helps orphaned children in Cameroon – who will be supporting him as he makes his England debut

And you could expect to see more kids on the streets wearing rugby league gear, almost 5,000 miles from where the 20-year-old will be doing his stuff in Leeds.

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For Nsemba revealed his mother Giselle helps run an orphanage in her home city and donations mean plenty of those it aids can be found in the Warriors’ cherry and white.

“It’s a real tough thing to do,” said Nsemba, who will head to Cameroon in the off-season, after a holiday with pal and England team-mate Kai Pearce-Paul.

“It’s in Yaounde, where all my family is based, but I don’t actually know its name. I’d have to ask my mum as I don’t go into it too deeply with her. I just know she runs one.

“So we’ll sort the containers for there out and I’ll head to Cameroon with my mum. Kids there literally don’t have anything.

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“But all the players at Wigan have helped massively. They give clothes they don’t want or need, or that don’t fit any longer, and we send them over in a container.

“It’s more than just once a year. One goes out whenever it’s full – now the kids are repping Wigan Warriors kit.

“There are dozens of kids running around Yaounde wearing Wigan’s kit. It’s good.”

Not everyone in Yaounde will be trying to watch Nsemba in action. He admits his fiercely protective grandmothers would be screaming at the TV if they saw him being tackled.

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But Cameroon can claim credit for creating the breakout star of 2024, who Wigan were quick to get on a six-year contract as NRL talk swirled.

For its food helped turn an 18-year-old ‘tall, lanky thing’ into the powerhouse he is today after he announced his talents to some of his now team-mates in a 2022 pre-World Cup training session.

Nsemba has earned Test debut after breakout season with Wigan

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Nsemba has earned Test debut after breakout season with Wigan

“It’s purely down to the gym and my mum’s food,” added Nsemba, who actually started pre-season on crutches because of a knee problem.

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“It’s Cameroonian food, let me tell you! The main thing is jollof rice but there’s plantain and your meats – the way they cook them is different.

“When I was on crutches, I was 97 or 98kg, now I’m 110kg.

“And at that training session, I was a tall, lanky thing, so I thought I was a target. Coming up training against England was a big thing.

“Being called up for that might not seem like it to some but it was for me. Just to see what the standards and training were like.

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Nsemba puts his size down to Cameroonian food

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Nsemba puts his size down to Cameroonian food

“If anything, I was more nervous then than I am now. I’m a pretty nervous guy when it comes to things anyway but as you get older, you learn to control them.”

Nsemba is not the only Wigan player coming into England’s side today. Winger Liam Marshall will finally earn a cap while prop Luke Thompson is back from suspension.

And he is ready to put lessons from his enforced watching brief into action.

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He said: “It was about seeing things I could exploit and having a look out for them – there were a few things we’ve spoken about that we could’ve done better.

“We started well but we’ve got to stick with that for longer. Hopefully, we’ll get better than last week and Test rugby definitely sees things go up a few notches.”

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2024 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix session timings and preview

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Max Verstappen leads the championship by 47 points heading to the Brazilian GP, which will be run to a sprint format.

Event Date

11:30  

FP1

SPRINT QU

SPRINT

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QU

Race

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian Grand Prix session timings in different timezones

Session

GMT

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CET

ET

PT

AEDT

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JST

IST

FP1

14:30

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15:30

10:30

07:30

01:30¹

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23:30

20:00

Sprint Q

18:30

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19:30

14:30

11:30

05:30¹

03:30¹

00:00¹

Sprint

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14:00

15:00

10:00

07:00

01:00¹

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23:00

19:30

Quali

18:00

19:00

14:00

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11:00

05:00¹

03:00¹

23:30

Race 

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17:00

18:00

12:00

09:00

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04:00¹

02:00¹

22:30

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in local time

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 11:30 – 12:30 local time
  • Sprint Shootout: 15:30 – 16:14 local time 

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 11:00 -12:00 local time
  • Qualifying: 15:00 – 16:00 local time

Sunday 3rd November 2024

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in the UK/Portugal 

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 14:30 – 15:30 GMT
  • Sprint Shootout: 18:30 – 19:14 GMT

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 14:00  GMT
  • Qualifying: 18:00 – 19:00 GMT

Sunday 3rd November 2024

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in Europe

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 15:30 – 16:30 CET
  • Sprint Shootout: 19:30 – 20:14 CET

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 15:00 CET
  • Qualifying: 19:00 – 20:00 CET

Sunday 3rd November 2024

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in the US (Eastern Time) 

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 10:30 – 11:30 ET 
  • Sprint Shootout: 14:30 – 15:14 ET 

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 10:00 ET 
  • Qualifying: 14:00 – 15:00 ET 

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Please note daylight saving ends in the US on Sunday, with clocks moving back one hour at 2:00

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in the US (Pacific Time)

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 07:30 – 08:30 PT
  • Sprint Shootout: 11:30 – 12:14 PT 

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 07:00 PT
  • Qualifying: 11:00 – 12:00 PT 

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Please note daylight saving ends in the US on Sunday, with clocks moving back one hour at 2:00

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in Australia

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 01:30 – 02:30 AEDT
  • Sprint Shootout: 05:30 – 06:14 AEDT 

Sunday 3rd November 2024

  • Sprint: 01:00 AEDT
  • Qualifying: 05:00 – 06:00 AEDT

Monday 4th November 2024

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in Japan

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 23:30 – 00:30 JST

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint Shootout: 03:30 – 04:14 JST 
  • Sprint: 23:00 JST 

Sunday 3rd November 2024

  • Qualifying: 03:00 – 04:00 JST

Monday 4th November 2024

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in Africa

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 16:30 – 17:30 SAT / 17:30 – 18:30 EAT
  • Sprint Shootout: 20:30 – 21:14 SAT / 21:30 – 22:14 EAT 

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint: 16:00 / 17:00 EAT
  • Qualifying: 20:00 – 21:00 SAT / 21:00 – 22:00 EAT

Sunday 3rd November 2024

  • Race: 19:00 SAT / 20:00 EAT

2024 Formula 1 Brazilian GP session timings in India

Friday 1st November 2024

  • Free Practice 1: 20:00 – 21:00 IST

Saturday 2nd November 2024

  • Sprint Shootout: 00:30 – 01:00 IST
  • Sprint: 19:30 IST
  • Qualifying: 23:30 – 00:30 IST

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Can’t find your country or region in the list? Check the Formula 1 schedule page for the broadcast times in your local timezone.

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