Franco Colapinto‘s strong arrival in Formula 1 has created a small earthquake that threatens to shake up the 2025 grid amid rumours linking him to Red Bull’s teams.

The 21-year-old has impressed since replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams, having scored points in two of his six outings with the Grove-based team.

Although Colapinto doesn’t have a full-time seat for 2025, Williams boss James Vowles admitted the team was actively working with rival squads to find a spot for him on the grid next year.

Speculation during the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend went as far as linking him with a Red Bull drive alongside Max Verstappen, taking over the seat of the struggling Sergio Perez.

The interest in the Argentine by Red Bull was confirmed by the team’s executives themselves during the Interlagos weekend.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner visited the Williams hospitality to meet Vowles – a meeting that was not missed by those present in the paddock.

Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

While Colapinto is attracting interest from Red Bull, the question remains as to where he would be placed should he end up joining the energy drinks company’s roster.

According to rumours picked up over the Interlagos weekend, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko sees Liam Lawson, who has made a strong return to F1 since the United States GP, as Verstappen’s team-mate in 2025.

In this scenario, an RB seat would be available for Colapinto alongside Yuki Tsunoda.

However, speculation suggests Horner’s plan would be different, as he would prefer to promote Colapinto directly to Red Bull alongside Verstappen, in which case Lawson would be heading for his first full season in F1 at RB.

Horner would be interested in this scenario in order to maximise the financial potential of Colapinto, whose popularity has exploded in Argentina and throughout Central and South America.

The move would not be without risk, however, given Colapinto’s limited experience.

Franco Colapinto, Williams FW46, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Horner’s vision also would not support the work of the Red Bull Junior Team, a programme that was once flourishing but has stalled in recent years.

For Marko, the possibility of promoting Lawson represents a return to the process that until a decade ago ensured the team was able to draw successfully from its own pool of young drivers.

Placing Colapinto alongside Verstappen after four seasons in which the role was held by Perez would be a blow to the junior programme, and Red Bull would find itself in the situation of locking its youngsters into RB for the fifth consecutive season.

In the past this has also been influenced by the calibre of the drivers, but Lawson appears to be doing everything he needs to do to be a candidate for a role in the main team.

At the moment, however, Colapinto is still a Williams driver. Vowles has raised the bar quite high for those interested in him, with rumours claiming a demand of $20 million.

Jack Doohan, Reserve Driver, Alpine F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

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On top of that, a wild rumour has also emerged this week linking Colapinto with Alpine, despite the team having officially confirmed Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan for 2025.

But not all the choices have been made by the current management.

Also endorsing this hypothesis was a test run by Alpine last Tuesday in Qatar with the 2022 car, a test that was intended for junior driver Victor Martins and Doohan, but Gasly surprisingly also took to the track.

Gasly’s presence is considered by some as a desire from the team to have feedback about Doohan’s performance.

DARTS coverage on Sky Sports is brought to you by a team full to the brim with professional playing experience and broadcasting talent.

Here we get to know the channel’s presenters, pundits and commentators.

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Who are the members of the Sky Sports darts coverage team?

Emma Paton

Emma Paton is a regular host for Sky Sports and Sky Sports News, and is best known for presenting darts championships.

She originally joined the TV station back in 2012 as a journalist — before making the jump to presenting in 2019.

Bringing enthusiasm and knowledge to her role, she regularly provides predictions and analysis for major tournaments, including the World Matchplay and the World Darts Championship.

In an exclusive interview with SunSport in January 2024, Emma revealed some of the difficulties of working in front of a raucous darts crowd.

She said: “It is really loud. There are some occasions when it’s just a wall of noise.

“There are times when I actually can’t hear what Wayne Mardle, Mark Webster or John Part are saying. I can’t even hear the director in my ear.

“I just have to hope we are on the same page for running order and not too much has changed.

“Working with Wayne has helped me, he is someone who has always backs me. He’s one of those people who wants people around him to succeed.

“He’s like the Gary Neville of Sky Sports Darts. He’s so engaging and his analysis is second to none and his stories are ridiculous!”

Wayne Mardle

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Wayne Mardle is one of the most recognizable voices in darts commentary.

A former professional player, he offers insightful analysis and is known for his passionate and sometimes colourful commentary.

Wayne is often referred to as Hawaii 501 — a play on the TV series Hawaii Five-O — because he began wearing Hawaiian shirts after losing a bet.

He began commentating at the 2011 PDC World Darts Championship alongside Sid Waddell and Dave Clark.

Wayne was also tasked with predicting results in the tournament with Eric Bristow and Rod Harrington.

Mark Webster

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Another former professional player, Mark Webster brings knowledge and experience to the Sky Sports darts punditry team.

He provides balanced and thoughtful analysis, often weighing in on player performances and tournament predictions.

During his playing career, Mark won the BDO World Championship in 2008, defeating Simon Whitlock in the final.

Laura Turner

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Laura Turner is a prominent figure in the world of darts.

As a professional darts player, she competes in WDF events, making her World Championship debut in 2019.

Laura joined the Sky Sports Darts commentary team for the 2020 PDC World Darts Championship, brining her expertise to the channel’s broadcasts.

Rod Studd

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Rod Studd is a veteran Sky Sports Darts commentator, known for his perceptive analysis and expert knowledge of the sport.

He often shares his thoughts on player performances and tournament outcomes, as well as insights into the state of professional darts.

Rod is known for his eloquent commentary and deep knowledge of the sport.

His distinctive voice and style have made him a favourite among darts fans.

Stuart Pyke

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Stuart Pyke is another seasoned sports commentator and broadcaster.

A prominent voice in the sport for many years, his commentary style is characterised by his deep knowledge of the game and ability to capture the excitement of crucial moments.

Stuart’s expertise and enthusiasm for the sport have made him a respected figure among darts fans and a key part of Sky Sports’ darts broadcasting team.

Polly James

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Polly James is a rising star in the world of darts commentary and punditry.

She has become an integral part of the Sky Sports team, bringing a fresh perspective and energy to the broadcasts.

Polly combines her knowledge of the sport with an engaging presentation style, making her popular among viewers.

She revealed: “For some reason with me and darts I was like a leech to it. 

“I had always wanted to go because I watched it every Christmas. I think in about 2010 my other half surprised me with tickets on my birthday which is the 27th. 

“That was it, I had the darts bug then. I’m sure my first match was Gary Anderson then the following year I actually met Michael van Gerwen.”

She added: “I’m not a traditional sports reporter. I’m a radio DJ and I’m lucky enough to do my dream job on the side.

Dan Dawson

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Dan Dawson is a prominent figure in darts commentary and broadcasting.

He regularly commentates on matches, bringing his engaging style to Sky’s coverage.

Dan’s commentary is characterised by his in-depth knowledge of the sport, quick wit and ability to provide engaging narratives during matches.

John Part

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John Part occasionally provides expert analysis, particularly during major tournaments like the World Darts Championship.

Nicknamed “Darth Maple”, he is a Canadian darts player and commentator.

John’s a three-time World Champion, winning the BDO World Darts Championship in 1994, as well as the PDC World Championship in 2003 and 2008.

He was inducted into the PDC Hall of Fame in 2017.

A “hybrid model” for hosting the Champions Trophy will not be accepted by Pakistan, according to its Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Pakistan is due to stage a first global tournament since 1996, an eight-team 50-over competition in February and March next year.

However, political tensions between Pakistan and India mean the two countries have not played each other outside major tournaments in 11 years and India have not visited Pakistan since 2008.

As a result, there is speculation India could play their matches in a country other than Pakistan, possibly the United Arab Emirates.

“Sports should stay above politics and cricket should not be sacrificed at the altar of politics,” said PCB chair Naqvi.

The situation has not been publicly addressed by the International Cricket Council, which is yet to officially publish fixtures for the event. The tournament is slated to begin on 19 February, 100 days from Monday.

Confusion over the schedule is making it difficult for teams, supporters and media to make plans for the event.

The tournament is made up of two groups of four, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. If India’s matches are played outside of Pakistan, it leads to the prospect of the semis or final potentially needing two grounds more than 1,000 miles apart, with the eventual venue not known until India’s progress is determined.

Race manipulation isn’t a new concept in NASCAR or racing in general. Stock car racing had SpinGate with Clint Bowyer in 2013, Formula 1 had CrashGate with Nelson Piquet Jr. in 2008, and IndyCar had its recent P2P scandal involving Team Penske. But as Penske’s own Joey Logano pointed out during Championship 4 Media Day, the way a sanctioning body reacts to such moments will be critical for keeping the sport intact.

“Well, it’s everything, right?” said Logano when asked about the maintaining the sport’s integrity. “I mean, you see plenty of documentaries on how sports and people have kind of done things in the wrong way, how it can destroy a sport. NASCAR is backed up against the wall to where they had to do something, right? They have to do something to control us. It’s everybody, right?

“Whatever the rule is, whether it’s this 100% rule or it’s putting the cars together, if the rules aren’t enforced, the sport will fall apart. It’s important to keep that.”

The 100% rule was implemented following Michael Waltrip Racing’s attempt to influence the 2013 playoff race, a very gray-area rule that essentially says all competitors must race at 100% of their ability with the goal of achieving their best possible finishing position in an event. 

The growing influence of manufacturers 

But while race manipulation has been a hot topic this week, so has the role of the manufacturers and how tightly aligned teams representing the same OEM now are. Ross Chastain and Austin Dillon weren’t Hendrick Motorsports drivers and neither team even runs Hendrick engines. Despite that, they put their own race aside to safeguard the No. 24 of William Byron. 

Earlier this week, Denny Hamlin said that the manufacturers have “way too much say in the outcomes of these races,” but Logano looked more at the current car and its role in all of this.

Joey Logano, Team Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang, Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, MotorcraftQuick Lane Ford Mustang

Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images

“Yeah, I mean, in some ways it’s grown and in some ways not,” explained Logano when asked about manufacturer influence. “But I think the Next Gen car itself has kind of made the manufacturer matter a lot more because there’s only certain things that we can control, right? The car is the car. The body becomes important. That’s one thing that the OEM can control. The engine. There’s your other one, right? Those are two big speeding ops.

“The teams, they have the ability to tune and make a car better than others. There’s times where we’ve seen it, right, what happened earlier this year, the Fords were off, all of them. You tell me all the teams were off? No. The OEM matters. We’ve been able to turn that around all together, which is great.”

Are the penalties enough?

The penalties issued by NASCAR this week did not factor in the car makes, focusing on the three teams accused of race manipulation. However, said penalties were substantial, totaling $600,00 in fines, nine suspensions, and the loss of 50 driver/owner points between each organization. But was it enough?

“I don’t know,” admitted Logano. “I know that NASCAR had to do something just because if you let that go, it will just keep becoming more extreme every time. They put their foot down. Is it enough? Well, we’ll see this week. If they do it again, then you know the penalty wasn’t big enough.”

Trackhouse attempted to appeal the penalties this week, but lost. Both RCR and 23XI withdrew their own appeals. Now onto Phoenix where each manufacturer has at least one car in the Championship 4 fight. With all four title combatants entering the finale on equal ground, there will surely be temptation to meddle again if the opportunity arises. For the sake of the sport and for the reasons already stated by Logano, hopefully they do not.

Anatoly Malykhin might have a fight booked against Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane on Friday at ONE 169 but he hasn’t forgotten about pursuing an eventual showdown with ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

It’s a fight he’s been chasing ever since Ngannou signed with the PFL, which opened up the possibility for a cross-promotion matchup between arguably the two best heavyweights outside of the UFC. Actually, Ngannou could make a compelling case that he’s still the real lineal heavyweight champion considering he left the UFC in free agency while still holding the title.

Following a two-fight stint in boxing, Ngannou finally returned to MMA in October when he dispatched Renan Ferreira inside the first round to extend his overall win streak to seven in a row. Malykhin was keeping a close eye on Ngannou’s first fight back in MMA since 2022 but truth be told, he wasn’t exactly blown away by what he witnessed that night.

“Of course I watched the fight and actually I didn’t see anything special,” Malykhin told MMA Fighting about Ngannou’s win. “Nothing too impressive in that fight. He did not surprise me with anything.

“So I do think that 2025 could be the year for us to face each other. I’m ready. I’m ready to face him. He made a statement that he was the [best] fighter on the planet. I don’t think so. He cannot and he shouldn’t be saying that until he faces me.”

After initially calling out Ngannou earlier this year, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong didn’t scoff at the idea of working with the PFL to make Malykhin’s dreams come true, although he didn’t expect a very compelling fight if it happens.

“Francis has one-punch KO power, great striking, but he doesn’t have a ground game,” Sityodtong told MMA Fighting in June. “I mean, genuinely [he has] blue belt level jiu-jitsu and no wrestling. Anatoly would take him down in a heartbeat. I don’t think it would be competitive, just to be very blunt.”

Malykhin won’t argue with Sityodtong’s assessment but that doesn’t make the fight any less intriguing thanks to Ngannou’s established name and resume.

“100 percent, I agree with Chatri,” Malykhin said. “I watched his fight and he doesn’t have decent wrestling. He doesn’t have good cardio. He cannot feel the distance properly. He has a very strong punch. That is very true. But my overall skill set is much better than his.”

Before he can seriously pursue the Ngannou fight, Malykhin first has to get through the hulking Senegalese wrestler standing in his way on Friday.

The 32-year-old heavyweight best known by his nickname “Reug Reug” comes into the title bout off three straight wins including a unanimous decision over multi-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling champion Marcus Buchecha.

While this is a heavyweight championship fight, Malykhin doesn’t see his upcoming opponent as a massive threat, especially when it comes to his overall MMA arsenal.

“My opinion is [he’s still very raw] and I also think he’s a fitness model type of fighter,” Malykhin said. “All he does, he trains in the gym, he trains for girls, he looks good, but it doesn’t give him the teeniest, tiniest chance to defeat elite sportsmen, elite fighters like me. Name me one name of a good fighter, a decent fighter that he beat? No.

“The only thing that he did was fall from some invisible punch, as far as I’m concerned. That’s all I can see. Somewhere I just punched the air and ‘Reug Reug’ just fell down.”

Obviously, Malykhin is more than confident that he’s going to retain his title in impressive fashion and he hopes to use “Reug Reug” as a way to send a message to Ngannou.

“I’m going to finish the best wrestler who is coming from Africa,” Malykhin said. “In 2025, I’m ready to finish the best puncher from Africa.”