Max Verstappen feels the current Formula 1 racing guidelines are overregulated, as he refutes claims that he never intended to make Turn 12 in his United States Grand Prix fight with Lando Norris.

Both Verstappen and Norris went off at Turn 12 on the 52nd lap of the race at Austin when Norris was attempting to overtake the Red Bull driver, and Norris stayed ahead despite getting the change of position completed off-track.

Norris suggested that Verstappen was quite happy not to make the corner and simply aimed to follow a line in the racing guidelines that the car ahead at the apex was entitled to the position.

Verstappen countered his point of view and stated that he always wanted to take the corner correctly, and that it was simply a showcase of hard racing between the two drivers.

He added that defending was made more difficult with the hard tyres, which shifted the grip away from his front axle and made him more cautious on the brakes.

“It’s quite impressive that people can read my mind [with apex tactics]. It’s crazy,” Verstappen said.

“I always try to make the corner, I didn’t want to look for a shortcut, so I don’t even know what to answer to this one. We’ve always said we wanted to race each other hard, that’s what we like to do.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“It was quite a difficult second stint. I lost a lot of grip on the front axle, it’s very difficult to brake. That’s what made my defence more difficult, because I know that if I braked a little bit too late, I would lock up and I really didn’t have the front grip.

“It wasn’t easy for me out there. I think all in all we still had a positive weekend for us, but still a few things of course that we want to do better, to be in that fight.

“I honestly believed, going into the race, that I would be in the fight, and we weren’t, so that wasn’t ideal. But at least it did show some promising signs that maybe we could be back in the fight.”

Verstappen joked that the rules of engagement were becoming so complex that he needed the handbook with him during the race, noting that it was becoming much more involved in recent years.

However, he accepted that removing the rules would result in calls for greater vigilance from the stewards over potential incidents. He added that he had “no concerns” about his driving being addressed in a future meeting with the other drivers.

“I think we are getting to a stage where I always need the book in the car! If you look of course over the years, the book has grown quite a lot,” Verstappen said.

“It is definitely overregulated, but then I can see the other point of if we take rules away, and there’s again an incident… ‘Oh, you need more rules! We need to be strong about this!’

“It’s always the same thing. In the past, we have maybe less rules, and you have the same argument: ‘You know, we need to be strong on this, on that’. It’s always the same story.”

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is crossing over to Hollywood with his first major acting role booked in upcoming film directed by Adam Wingard, who is also responsible for Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Pereira is expected to portray the villain in the movie Onslaught, which is described as a “gonzo action horror thriller” with DNA similar to some of Wingard’s early films such as You’re Next and The Guest. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the casting news with additional sources confirming Pereira’s casting to MMA Fighting on Thursday.

Pereira is expected to star alongside Adria Arjona (Hit Man) playing “a mother who falls back on a particular set of skills in order to protect her loved ones after she runs afoul of a threat that has escaped a secret military base,”

Pereira plays that threat as a character called The Butcher and he’s expected to incorporate some of his fighting skills in the featured role for the project.

Wingard is set to direct Onslaught with a script from longtime collaborator Simon Barrett, who just recently penned the screenplay for the Samara Weaving led horror film Azrael. The film is being produced by A24, Lyrical Media and Ryder Picture Company.

The role is a first for Pereira, who has quickly become one of the biggest stars on the entire UFC roster after he conquered both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions in record time. Most recently, Pereira dispatched Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, which was the third defense of his title in 2024.

Following the fight, Pereira said he had some commitments to fulfill but hoped to return to action in early 2024. It appears playing a villain in the upcoming film Onslaught is one of those obligations now.

SARINA WIEGMAN wants England to avoid getting swept up in Euros glory nostalgia, when they face Germany for the first time since the 2022 final. 

This evening her Lionesses return to Wembley for a friendly against the side they beat to become European Champions. 

3

3

Advertisement

Both teams, who have qualified for next Euros and are ranked among the world’s top four sides, have undergone some changes since that 2-1 victory for Wiegman’s players. 

Aston Villa skipper Rachel Daly called time on her international career in April. 

The 84-capped Leeds-born striker, 32, who won the WSL’s Golden boot in the 2022-23 season, started in every single game for England at the last Euros. 

Meanwhile Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, 56, who guided Germany to the final, left her job as head coach by mutual consent last November. 

Her departure followed their  shock exit from the Women’s World Cup group stage last July.

The team will also be without the services of long-serving striker Alexandra Popp for tonight’s game which kicks off at 7:30pm,

The prolific forward, who has scored 66 international goals, will play her 145th and final game for her country next month when they face Austria. 

And while Wiegman sees England’s Euros win against Voss-Tecklenburg’s former side as a moment to cherish, her sole focus is on preparation for next year’s contest. 

The Lionesses chief said: “It was one of the biggest moments of my career and of my life. We will always cherish that.

“But moving forward it’s a totally different Germany team and we are a different team because we’ve moved on too. 

“It’s the start of [going into] the next Euros, next summer.

“We always want to go faster but I think the game has increased, the level of the leagues in international football has increased and developed. 

“That’s what we want so that means we have to develop too.”

England’s results have at times been mixed since reaching last year’s World Cup final in August where they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Spain. 

Three of the six qualifiers that saw them secure their spot at next year’s Euros resulted in two draws and one defeat in addition to three wins. 

Wiegman expects to face a powerful and physical test from Germany who are now managed by head coach Christian Wuck. 

They have won four of their last six competitive games. 

She adds: “Germany have always been a powerful team, very physical and one that wants to play a possession game, but doesn’t hesitate to play long balls either

“They have a new coach now, so they will probably do some other things too and that’s a challenge for us but a nice one.”

Tonight’s game could see Wiegman contend with a central defender selection headache. 

While Leah Williamson missed Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat of West Ham last Sunday with her club wanting to manage her load, the England skipper is in the running to start for the Lionesses. 

Her fellow centre-backs Millie Bright, Alex Greenwood and Jesse Carter are all in solid form for their clubs Chelsea, Man City and Gotham FC.

Wiegman said: “That is absolutely a headache because they’re all really good and really competing for minutes. 

“But these are absolutely the headaches I want to have and it’s a hard decision to make.”

England’s first friendly fixture this season in the run-up to next year’s Euros follows a mixed start to the season for Williamson’s club side who are currently fifth in the WSL. 

The Gunners are currently on the hunt for a new women’s head coach following Jonas Eidevall resigning earlier this month.

His departure followed the team picking up one win from their first four WSL games this term and suffering a 5-2 loss to Bayern Munich in their Champions League group stager opener

And former Man City Women’s boss Nick Cushing has reportedly been linked with the vacant role. 

When ask if her confidence, ahead of England’s upcoming games, had been affected by Arsenal’s recent results, Lionesses skipper Williamson said: “There’s no difference in the confidence levels. 

“We are all footballers and deal with different scenarios. 

“Now we are here with England and it has been a consistent environment, at least for the last couple of years, so now we’re back and it’s nice.

“It’s been a different start to the season. 

3

“Results tell a story but I think (from) the work that I’ve seen going on, especially from my club and I can only speak for that. 

“But you can see again that the level of the whole world of football has gone up and everyone is enjoying that challenge. 

“It’s a Euros year now. Everyone is focused.”

It’s tough to stand out in combat sports for the right reasons. Yet, with so much going on, Franco Tenaglia left his mark on 2024.

Tenaglia, along with Tony Soto, put on one of the wildest fights of the year as they went toe to toe for the vacant lightweight title in the BKFC Marbella main event in Spain. After a thrilling and destructive affair, Tenaglia got his hand raised to be crowned champion.

“It’s almost like a religious experience,” Tenaglia told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “It’s something extremely energetic. Every fighter has their own life. Every fighter has their own thing they fight for. I respect all fighters. I respect everyone in general; I’m a very respectful person and very humble, but I obviously have a maximum respect for him.

“Obviously, after what we shared, he’s going to be part of my life forever. For me, it was an incredible experience and people saw the battle of who wants it more, which made it insane. This was better than ‘Rocky’ because this was without gloves, real, and even more punches.”

Tenaglia impressed many, including BKFC co-owner and UFC star Conor McGregor who was in attendance. After the fight, McGregor jumped in and grabbed the microphone, not only to announce that Tenaglia and Soto were getting bonuses, but also double their base pay.

“That, to me, meant more. I don’t care about the money,” Tenaglis said. “That Conor McGregor, your idol, tells you that you’re incredible and congratulates you on the fight and tells you that the world is yours, someone that’s an icon in MMA telling you something like that, it’s priceless. It’s worth more than the double pay, but obviously I’m happy about it because, as you know, us fighters don’t make as much compared to other athletes.”

As far as what’s next, the Argentine fighter, who trains out of Climent Club with UFC champion Ilia Topuria, wants to remain as active as possible.

“I”ve done it my whole career. I usually fight six or seven times a year because I combine it with MMA, bareknuckle MMA, and bareknuckle boxing,” Tenaglia explained. “So I fight at least seven times a year, and I want to keep it that way, This is therapy for me. If I don’t have a fight, I sometimes feel like I’m training for nothing. I want to defend the belt many times and make it clear that I’m the best bareknuckle boxer in the world.”

McLaren has instigated a right of review request into Lando Norris’s penalty in Formula 1’s United States Grand Prix – the first step in trying to get the sanction overturned.

Norris was hit with a five-second penalty for overtaking Red Bull’s Max Verstappen off the track as they duelled late in the race at Austin.

The right of review hearing will take place at 14:30 Mexico City time on Friday, ahead of this weekend’s race in the Mexican capital, where McLaren will have to show the FIA that there was new, significant and relevant evidence that had not been available at the time of the decision.

More to follow