Formula 1 is to introduce a device to cool drivers when conditions become too extreme in hot weather.

The move, which from next season will mandate a “driver cooling kit” when a heat hazard is declared, is a response to last year’s Qatar Grand Prix.

Drivers complained after the race in the Gulf state last October that conditions were “beyond the limit”.

A number of drivers needed medical attention for either dehydration or heat exhaustion after a race run in high temperatures and humidity.

Alpine driver Esteban Ocon said he had vomited in his helmet.

The new cooling system involves a series of measures all aimed at reducing the temperature in the cockpit when conditions could lead to heat-related medical concerns.

These include a method of blowing cool air on the drivers, possibly using heat exchangers, and increasing cooling apertures in parts of the car around the cockpit.

The use of the device was approved on Wednesday at a meeting of the F1 Commission, which involves governing body the FIA, commercial rights holder F1 and the teams.

Its introduction follows what were described in a statement by FIA and F1 as “encouraging test results”.

The idea of a sprint race for rookie drivers at a post-season test was revisited but it was decided that one would not happen before 2026.

Further discussions to refine the idea will be held next year.

Following a chaotic wet race in Sao Paulo earlier this month, new rules for closing up the grid when drivers cannot make the start will be introduced.

Conor McGregor had his day in court.

According to reports from the Irish Mirror and ESPN, the UFC superstar testified at the High Court in Dublin, Ireland, on Wednesday in regards to a civil suit in which McGregor is accused of sexually assaulting Nikita Hand. Hand claims McGregor and another alleged assailant named James Lawrence raped her in a Beacon Hotel penthouse suite in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.

At Wednesday’s hearing, McGregor vehemently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he and Hand had a consensual sexual encounter after previously conversing online.

(NSFW: Some of the testimony below is very graphic.)

“I thought we were getting on well,” McGregor said of the encounter at a hotel, where he and Hand entered a bathroom. “She was very boisterous, very energetic, very enthusiastic as I began zipping up my trousers after using the toilet, we began kissing and became more passionate and it took off from there.

“She performed oral sex on me at that moment. We were both clothed and then began to take off our clothes. It progressed very quickly.”

Harrison has also denied the allegations.

Prior to McGregor’s testimony, Hand testified that the encounter was far more violent. She alleges that during the night in question, she was with McGregor and the fighter became increasingly aggressive. According to Irish Mirror, Hand recalled that she and a woman named Danielle indulged in drugs and alcohol provided by McGregor, and that the party was “just being silly.”

At some point, Hand felt endangered when she became isolated with McGregor and his security.

“I remember security guard over by the window and another security guard closing the door between the two rooms,” Hand said. “I remember panicking. Why is there three men in the room, and I’m the only one in here?

“I also remember walking into the bedroom area and I remember walking the two rooms looking around and Conor was in the bathroom and he said something inappropriate to me. He told me to suck on that.”

Hand claims McGregor then made physical advances on her, which she attempted to fend off (she denies that any sex between them was consensual, referring to the account proposed by McGregor’s legal team as a “made-up story”). On Day 2 of her testimony, Hand gave her account of the alleged rape.

“He then pinned me down,” Hand said. “He put his whole body weight on top of me and I couldn’t breathe. I tried my best to get away from him. I was trying to wiggle my way out, do whatever I could. I remember biting him really hard. I remember his arm around me and choking me.

“I was trying to fight as much as I could. I bit him, and he didn’t like it, it was like he was just behind me then. He choked me, put his arm around me. I just remember him behind me and I think I was sitting on the bed. He put his arm around my neck and choked me three times.”

Several witnesses, including a doctor called to the stand, described Hand as having visible injuries afterwards to her jawline, neck, arms, legs, fingers, knuckles, buttocks, and right breast. Hand’s legal team later shared a text exchange in which she told a friend, “My tampon is stuck inside me so I had to remove it. Never going out again,” a situation she attributes to the alleged assault.

Hand also testified that she feared for her life during the assault.

“I just froze and I couldn’t move and I couldn’t breathe,” Hand said. “I looked at the bedpost and was thinking about my daughter. I kept thinking I was going to die and I was never going to see my daughter again. … I just completely thought I was going to die.”

“He let me go and I remember I was saying sorry to him,” she continued. “Saying I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It felt like I’d done something wrong. I kept saying sorry…so he wouldn’t hurt me again.

“Then he said that’s how he felt when ‘I was in the octagon and I had to tap myself out three times.’ I just thought it was such a weird thing to say. I promised him I wouldn’t tell anything. I just let him do what he needed to do to survive. My mind was completely gone. He was aggressive, pulling my clothes. Dragging out of my clothes.”

Though Hand struggled to recall specifics of the events following the alleged assault, she distinctly remembered identifying her assailant when later talking to a friend.

“Whatever I told [my friend], I was obviously very confused,” Hand said. “I told her I was raped and battered and that was the main detail.

“I do remember telling her it was Conor McGregor,” she added when further questioned.

On Wednesday, Day 6 of the civil trial, McGregor took the stand and issued a number of denials in regards to the allegations.

“I will tell you where she didn’t get them, from me,” McGregor said of the bruising on Hand’s body. “I would say the sex with me was athletic, physical, and it was prolonged and it was in a multitude of positions.

“I had my hands on hips, buttocks, back of legs, no time did I go near her neck. At no time did I bite her, did she bite me. At no time did I scrape her, nor did she scrape me.”

McGregor added that it was “lies and more lies” as far as his having made sexual advances towards Hand. He also did not recall the alleged victim wearing a tampon.

“There was none,” McGregor said. “If there was, and she was on her cycle, I would not have had sex with Nikita Hand.”

Hand claims that the alleged assault left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and damaged her mental health to the point that she has been unable to return to work. Dr. Ann Leader, a psychologist, testified that Hand was “anxious, tearful, and in my opinion, came across as someone who was traumatized” following an examination.

Leader added, “[Hand] withdrew from life, felt unable to be present for her mother, her child and her partner” and that Hand’s PTSD manifested in the form of “nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks.”

“Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said Wednesday to Hand’s lawyer, according to ESPN. “Everything is a lie.”

The Dublin sexual assault allegations first surfaced on Dec. 12, 2018. In January 2021, it was reported that no charges were filed against McGregor following a two-year investigation by Irish police and McGregor was not prosecuted. However, a personal injury case was filed that same month, and this past October, a date of Nov. 5 was set for a civil trial to begin with the woman later identified as Hand seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

The trial was to begin in the summer, but was delayed when McGregor was booked to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. McGregor ended up withdrawing from that bout due to injury and Chandler was later rescheduled for a rematch against Charles Oliveira, which takes place at UFC 309 this Saturday.

ARSENAL have suffered another injury blow with Ben White out until next year.

The right-back has undergone minor surgery to fix a joint problem in his knee.

1

Reports claim he is expected to be out for around eight weeks, which means he will not play again until 2025.

White wants to play through the pain barrier and hopes to be back sooner.

The 27-year-old missed three games earlier this season against Leicester, Southampton and PSG due to his knee issue.

Mikel Arteta previously said that White has a “little issue” and “we have to protect him”.

But the boss now has a defensive crisis to deal with as Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are already out, with Jurrien Timber only just back from a muscle strain.

Further up the pitch, both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have both withdrawn from the England squad due to injury concerns.

After the 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, Arteta revealed he has been “praying” for an end to Arsenal’s fitness problems after a “nightmare eight weeks”.

White will miss several huge games if he remains sidelined until next year.

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The Gunners face Nottingham Forest, Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League and West Ham in the week after the international break.

Clashes against Fulham and Manchester United then follow ahead of a busy period around Christmas.

Eric Williams

NFL Reporter

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Kyler Murray is playing like an MVP candidate in leading the Arizona Cardinals to the top spot in the NFC West, showing that head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort were right to stick with the former No. 1 overall pick rather than find a new QB.

Murray can play at an elite level, and the Cardinals would have been hard-pressed to find someone of similar ability through the draft, free agency or trade. 

“I felt like he was a premium player, and I think that I felt in my mind if we put the right people in place and coach them the right way, he could elevate his game to another level, which I think he has,” Gannon said. “[And] I don’t think he’s hit his ceiling yet.”

Now in his sixth season, the Oklahoma product has finally matured, showing command of the Arizona offense. Murray has played particularly well in the past month. During Arizona’s four-game winning streak, he has completed 70.8% percent of his passes for 872 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception for a 104.0 passer rating.

In a lopsided win over the Jets on Sunday, Murray connected on a franchise-record 17 straight attempts, completing 91.7% of his passes overall for 266 yards and a score. He also rushed for 31 yards and two touchdowns. 

In the process, Murray passed Jake Plummer for third-most passing yards in franchise history with 17,705. For his effort, Murray was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. 

Murray also showed his toughness on Sunday. He took a vicious hit on a sack by New York’s Quincy Williams, and then went on to throw a touchdown to rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on that drive. 

“I’m kind of glad it happened,” Murray said about the play in which his helmet flew off. “It felt good. It’s playing football. I don’t get hit too often, so I get it, it’s kind of an adrenaline rush. It’s a physical, violent game. It’s part of the game. I appreciate it.” 

Murray had the most significant move up the MVP odds leader board, going from 20/1 last week to 15/1. Lamar Jackson remains the leader, followed by Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. After his five-interception performance last week, Lions QB Jared Goff dropped from 7/1 to 20/1.

Here’s my top five as we head into Week 11. 

1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Current MVP Odds: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

The reigning league MVP continues to play at an elite level in leading the Ravens. And he’s been particularly clutch with the game on the line. In the fourth quarter this season, Jackson has completed 64.3% of his passes for 723 yards, with seven touchdowns and no interceptions for a 120.1 passer rating.

Jackson also has been lethal completing passes in the intermediate area of the field (10 to 19 yards). According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has completed a league-high 73.9% of his passes for an NFL-high 10 touchdowns with no interceptions on those throws.

Tom Brady’s 3 Stars of Week 10: Lamar Jackson, Ja’Marr Chase, Leo Chenal | DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

2. Josh Allen, Bills
Current MVP Odds: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)

On Sunday, Allen had two interceptions in one game for the first time this season, but Buffalo still managed to hold off the Indianapolis Colts. Allen could potentially be looking at more turnover-worthy plays when the Bills host the undefeated Chiefs this week.

Kansas City blitzes 36.5% of the time, fourth highest in the league. However, Allen has thrown for 705 yards, with a league-high 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions against the blitz this season, according to Next Gen Stats.

3. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Current MVP Odds: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)

Interesting stat line for Hurts: He averaged 33 passes a game in the first four weeks of the season. But since the Eagles’ bye week, he has thrown just 21 times per game and is responsible for 16 total touchdowns (eight passing, eight rushing) and just one interception during his team’s five-game winning streak.

So, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s emphasis on Saquon Barkley and the running game is paying dividends for Philadelphia. 

4. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Current MVP Odds: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)

Speaking of the running game, Arizona offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s ability to marry his diverse running game with the play-action passing game has led to an explosive offense for Murray and the Cardinals.

Arizona averages 5.24 rushing yards per carry, No. 2 in the NFL. That success running the ball has opened the play-action passing game for Murray. According to Next Gen Stats, Murray has completed 72% of his passes for 817 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions for a 109.7 passer rating on play-action passes. 

5. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Current MVP Odds: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)

Washington’s rookie quarterback had an uneven performance in a one-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing just 50% of his passes for 202 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. 

However, Daniels still leads all rookies in passing yards (2,147), completion percentage (68.7%), passer rating (101.7) and is No. 3 in rushing yards (464). 

Honorable mention: Patrick Mahomes, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jared Goff, Joe Burrow

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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The San Antonio Spurs say veteran coach Gregg Popovich is “expected to make a full recovery” after he suffered a mild stroke earlier this month.

The 75-year-old has missed the Spurs’ last six games with what was originally described as an undisclosed health issue.

He suffered the a stroke on 2 November at the team’s arena before a home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

A club statement said Popovich “has already started a rehabilitation program” but the “timeline for his return to the sidelines has not been determined”.

Assistant Mitch Johnson has stepped in as interim coach in Popovich’s absence.

Popovich, the oldest coach in NBA history, is the league’s all-time leader in victories with 1,390 regular season wins and another 170 post-season triumphs.

He has guided the Spurs to five NBA titles in his 29 seasons at the helm.

The UFC is back in New York for UFC 309, and the popular “Embedded” fight week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In the headliner, heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time when he takes on former champ Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in a fight delayed by a year. In the co-feature, former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) takes on Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) after he was left at the altar by Conor McGregor.

The third episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Stipe Miocic runs some final fight week errands before hitting pads; Charles Oliveira says goodbye to his family before heading to New York; Michael Chandler trains at the hotel and goes to GMA; Jim Miller rings the New York Stock Exchange bell; Jon Jones has boxing practice.

Previous UFC 309 ‘Embedded’ episodes

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.