One of the greatest defensive fighters of all time, Floyd Mayweather, returns to the ring this September for a rematch with fellow icon Manny Pacquiao. The man many believe to be heir to that technical throne – Shakur Stevenson – has weighed in on the match-up.
While many have their reservations about fighters at 49 and 47 years old engaging in combat sports, there’s no doubt that the boxing world will stop and watch. That includes Stevenson, who seems excited by the match-up.
Advertisement
On a recent livestream, the three-weight world champion backed ‘Money’ Mayweather without any doubt.
“PacMan versus Floyd. Floyd gonna cook [him]. Bet all your money … The GOAT. Bet whatever on Floyd, he gonna outbox him, make it easy, get his cheque, go home.”
The prediction, whilst boosted by a personal connection to Mayweather, speaks to Stevenson’s preferred style of fighting, and how impactful he knows that the old mantra of ‘hit and don’t get hit’ can be inside the ropes.
Mayweather retired in 2017 and has only stepped through the ropes for exhibitions since. He is, however, known to keep himself in tremendous shape.
Pacquiao benefitted from a full training camp last year before his pro return against then welterweight world champion Mario Barrios, fighting to a draw and thus not winning the belt to break his own record as the division’s oldest world champion.
New Zealand’s leading try-scorer Portia Woodman-Wickliffe has announced her retirement from international rugby for a second time.
The 34-year-old winger helped the Black Ferns win the Women’s World Cup in 2017 and 2022, and initially retired after claiming a second rugby sevens gold at the 2024 Olympics.
Woodman-Wickliffe was already the record try-scorer in World Cup history and stretched her tally to 22 with two tries in England.
Advertisement
Her score in the pool win over Japan was her 50th international try and meant she surpassed Doug Howlett to become New Zealand’s outright record try-scorer.
The two-time World Rugby women’s player of the year will retire from both international sevens and XVs rugby.
“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to represent my country, my [people], one last time on the World Cup stage, a moment I will cherish forever,” she said in a message on social media, external.
“As I step into this next chapter of my life, I feel both excited and a little nervous, but I’m ready.”
One of Todd Monken’s main priorities as the new head coach of the Cleveland Browns is figuring out who will be his starting quarterback for Week 1.
Monken has three options to look at this season — Deshaun Watson, who wasn’t available all last season due to injury; Dillon Gabriel, the team’s third-round pick in 2025; and Shedeur Sanders, the Browns’ starter at the end of last season.
Monken hopes one of these quarterbacks can set themselves apart over time. But all eyes will be on Sanders, who started the final seven games of the 2025 season for the Browns, to emerge as the starter for Monken.
Todd Monken talks with the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, in Berea, Ohio.(Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
During the NFL Scouting Combine this week, Monken was asked about his quarterbacks, specifically whether he sees Sanders as the team’s starter.
“I think what you see is elite playmaking ability,” Monken said, according to the New York Post. “That’s in him. You’ve seen it, we’ve seen it. You saw it in college. You saw it on tape last year. Sure, there’s a ways to go, but what rookie isn’t? What first-year player doesn’t have a long way to go? I’m excited to get started with him and all of our quarterbacks and all of our players.”
Sanders went 3-4 over those seven starts, while Gabriel was 1-5 after taking over for Joe Flacco, who was traded to the division rival Cincinnati Bengals after an injury to starter Joe Burrow.
Advertisement
It’s worth noting the Baltimore Ravens, with Monken as offensive coordinator under former head coach John Harbaugh, wanted to draft Sanders to back up Lamar Jackson, the team’s two-time MVP quarterback. However, Sanders made it known he wished to go somewhere in the draft where he had a chance of being the team’s starter.
Todd Monken speaks to the media after being introduced as head coach of the Cleveland Browns during a press conference at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus Feb. 3, 2026, in Berea, Ohio.(Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Sanders was never going to jump Jackson on the depth chart in 2025 and beyond, so the Browns eventually took him in the fifth round after a shocking fall down the draft board last April.
Watson is in the final year of what has been a disastrous $250 million, fully guaranteed contract for the former Houston Texans ace signal-caller. While playing in three Pro Bowls during his time in Houston, Watson has played just 17 games during his time in Cleveland, which included suspensions on top of his injuries.
Yet, Monken believes a player who has shown elite talent on the field, no matter when it was, deserves a shot.
Advertisement
“I think you are always going to give them the benefit of the doubt that somehow we might be able to get that out of them again,” Monken explained. “I think that’s how you should look at every player. I’m going to let it play out.”
Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns stands for the national anthem before a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium Aug. 8, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C.(Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
In his 17 games with the Browns, Watson is 9-10, which includes a 1-6 mark in 2024 before an Achilles injury ended his season.
Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his seven starts for Cleveland last season. He was eventually named a Pro Bowl replacement.
NEW DELHI: Former captain Kumar Sangakkara did not hide his anguish after Sri Lanka crashed out of the T20 World Cup, admitting there was “a lot of hurt all round” and warning that the nation risks falling behind if urgent changes are not made. Sri Lanka’s campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion with a heavy 61-run defeat to New Zealand in Colombo, leaving fans stunned and the cricket fraternity searching for answers.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Taking to social media after the elimination, Sangakkara captured the emotional devastation gripping the country and the dressing room.
T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka bow out of the tournament; Pakistan’s hopes dim
“There is a lot of hurt all round. The fans are devastated, disappointed, and angry. The players are hurting badly too. I have been in similar dressing rooms. It’s not easy,” he wrote. He reminded players of the responsibility that comes with national duty, adding, “This responsibility comes with the turf. It’s a burden and a great privilege to represent your country and your people.”Sri Lanka’s exit was particularly painful as it came at home, where hopes were high of a deep run. After reducing New Zealand to 84/6, the hosts lost control as Mitchell Santner and Cole McConchie revived the innings before their batting collapsed under pressure during the chase. The defeat sealed consecutive Super Eight losses and ended their semifinal hopes.However, Sangakkara stressed that the problems run deeper than one defeat. In a strongly worded warning, he said Sri Lanka must evolve with the changing demands of modern cricket. “There is a lot of work to be done at all levels to course correct. We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly,” he wrote.His most striking line reflected his biggest fear for the future. “We haven’t adapted, and the danger is irrelevance.”
The Dutchman has 28 points in his past two games, much to the dismay of any FPL managers who sold him for Gabriel before Arsenal‘s double gameweek.
Like Brentford, Liverpool also have a great run of fixtures and a match in blank gameweek 31 so, even if you have missed his recent points, a move for Van Dijk still makes sense.
Since Pep Guardiola switched Nico O’Reilly into midfield four games ago, only Haaland and Antoine Semenyo have had more shots and big chances for City.
And it all came to a head with his two-goal performance against Newcastle last week.
He does not really collect defensive contribution points in this role, like you might expect, but £5m for an OOP (out-of-position) defender with a goal threat is great value.
Just keep an eye on City’s gameweek 31, which is currently a blank, and make sure you have a plan.
VANCOUVER — A team that has been tearing at the seams for two seasons is trying to trade a glue guy.
Respected senior defenceman Tyler Myers, part of the Vancouver Canucks’ leadership group and one of the most popular players among teammates, sat out Wednesday’s loss against the Winnipeg Jets after management reportedly presented him with a trade proposal that requires the 36-year-old to waive his no-movement clause.
As an extra skater, Myers participated in Vancouver’s pre-game warmup at Rogers Arena, potentially his final time in a Canucks jersey after he returned to his “home” province as a free agent in 2019.
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin, who is on a scouting trip, announced about three hours before Wednesday’s game that Myers would not play due to “roster management.” The team made no trade announcements, although players and coach Adam Foote were asked about the situation after Vancouver lost 3-2 in overtime on Cole Perfetti’s goal 1:37 into three-on-three.
Advertisement
Most of them sounded resigned to Myers leaving.
“He’s such a big voice in the room,” winger Brock Boeser, another long-serving Canuck, told Sportsnet. “He’s a big leader and losing him will suck. He’s such a good guy, a great guy for the young guys and everyone around the rink. Personally, I think he deserves the chance to go win a Cup and just hope he chooses the right team.
“We know what’s going to happen; it’s the position we’re in. They’re going to move guys and get what they can. So, yeah, it sucks but it’s part of the business.”
32 Thoughts: The Podcast
Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.
With the countdown to the National Hockey League’s March 6 trade deadline ticking louder by the day, Canucks populate various media trade boards like Norwegians populate medal podiums at the Winter Olympics.
Advertisement
And yet, Myers’ name has been rare on these trade lists — not because the veteran isn’t a desirable pickup for teams with Stanley Cup ambitions, but because there didn’t seem much chance that the transplanted British Columbian would agree to a move.
The 36-year-old, who was born in Houston but grew up in Calgary, has made Kelowna his home since he won the Calder Trophy with the Buffalo Sabres in 2010. Myers and his wife, Michela, have three children and the eldest, Tristan, has cerebral palsy. Myers has spoken publicly about his family.
The family is settled in B.C. and has support for Tristan.
The fact that Myers didn’t just say no to whatever Canucks management presented him is likely indicative of its potential appeal to a player whose 18-year career in Buffalo, Winnipeg and Vancouver has been played without a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
Advertisement
While Myers’ no-movement clause gives him a veto now, his trade protection diminishes to a 12-team no-go list on July 1 for the final season of his three-year contract. Whether he wants to be traded or not — and Myers has said he’d like to stay — the defenceman is empowered to control his destination now than he will be this summer or next season.
His departure would certainly be a blow to teammates and, especially, the young defencemen on the team he willingly mentors. Myers is frequently the veteran player Tom Willander, Elias Pettersson (Junior) and Zeev Buium approach for advice or support.
“I’m so new to this I don’t know how any of this works, but I love him,” Buium, the 20-year-old rookie, said after the game. “He’s been amazing to me since the first day I got here, texting me, making me feel comfortable. And little things on the ice, systems, getting to know me, speaks volumes to who he is as a person and a player. You can’t just play 1,100 games in this league, so he’s been awesome. Awesome to sit by him (in the locker room) and just pick his brain and hang out with him. Everyone respects him.”
“If he ends up being traded, it will definitely be a missing piece in the locker room, for sure,” Willander, another 20-year-old freshman, said. “It’s not just the knowledge he provides, but he’s also a great person in the locker room, you know? On the ice, he helps with stuff and gives me tips. But I think he’s a great person off the ice, too, and the more people you have like that in the locker room, the better. So it would definitely be a missing piece.”
Advertisement
Of course, other teams appreciate these pieces, too — players who bring value to a dressing room like they bring experience to the ice.
Attrition alone doesn’t explain why Myers, a free-agent signing by former GM Jim Benning, has become the third longest-serving Canuck, surviving one major regime change and four different head coaches.
Without Myers, Vancouver failed twice to hold one-goal leads against the Jets, who have under-achieved this season at least as much as the Canucks have.
Goals by Canucks Drew O’Connor and Evander Kane near the start of the first and second periods were offset by goals from Jets Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi.
Advertisement
Goalie Nikita Tolopilo, starting for Vancouver due to Olympic bronze medallist Kevin Lankinen’s late arrival home from Italy, was the main reason the Canucks made it to overtime.
But after making big saves on Connor and Mark Scheifele in OT, Tolopilo couldn’t stop Perfetti’s point-blank shot at the end of a three-on-two rush enabled by Marco Rossi’s poorly-timed change at the end of a long shift.
Myers was replaced in the lineup by Pierre-Olivier Joseph. Willander logged 19:08 of playing time and was on the ice for the overtime winner. In his first game since suffering a facial fracture Jan. 25, Buium finished with 16:30 of ice time while second-year defenceman Pettersson (Junior) logged 19:34. Veteran Canuck blue-liner Filip Hronek led all skaters at 28:53.
Vancouver does not play again until Saturday in Seattle.
Advertisement
“There’s a couple ways to look at it,” coach Adam Foote said of the situation. “Obviously, as a coach, you want to have all the veteran Ds, you want to have all the best players in the world. But this is a different situation where (there is) development and. . . where this organization wants to go. It’ll get a guy like Willander, for example, more reps. Get him prepared in those situations faster to be asked to play in a place that he might not be ready to play in right now. You look at our league, guys are asked to be men before their time starts at 18, 19, 20, right? Just pro hockey, pro sports.”
Foote told reporters he was aware Tuesday night that Myers might not be available to play and was told Wednesday morning that the defenceman had to come out of the lineup. Foote said he asked Myers to take the warmup in case something happened to a teammate.
“He’s a great, great guy, a good human as you all know,” Foote said. “Really enjoyed coaching him, that’s for sure. You know, every year it seems like you lose one you like. It’s part of the game.”
The Canucks traded superstar captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in December, and sent leading goal-scorer Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks in January.
Advertisement
Fifteen teams sent pro scouts to Wednesday’s game.
Kevin Na, in talking about a PGA Tour return, says “we’ll see how it goes.”
But he said he won’t be rejoining LIV Golf.
Na’s comments came this week ahead of the Asian Tour’s New Zealand Open, his first event since the longtime pro and LIV parted ways. Na had served as a team captain with the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit since its first event in 2022, but he told Golf Australia Magazine that he wouldn’t be returning in the future.
“I enjoyed it,” Na said of his time on LIV. “I thought it was great. It was a great product. I think it was a part of my life which I gave my all to while I was there.
Advertisement
“I’m happy to move on. Excited about my next chapter.”
Na’s departure from LIV was confirmed in the middle of last month, when the league said that Byeong Hun An would captain Na’s former team, though Na wasn’t named in the press release and the reason for the separation remains unclear. In the last event Na played, the PIF Saudi International event last November, Na wore LIV Golf clothing and he was noted in a LIV Golf press release.
Fourteen days after An was named captain, the PGA Tour said that Na’s PGA Tour membership had been reinstated following his departure in 2022, but it also said that Na was facing “disciplinary action for outstanding violations of the regulations” and that a return date would be given “when appropriate.”
In the Golf Australia Magazine story, Na said that “it’s one step at a time” when looking at a potential Tour return. The 42-year-old had played 458 events on the circuit, earned over $37 million and won five tournaments. With LIV, Na had five top 10 finishes, and last season he finished 44th in the season-long standings.
Advertisement
“Obviously, the PGA Tour is an amazing place,” Na told Golf Australia Magazine.
“I really enjoyed my 19-year season there, and we’ll see how it goes.”
This week, Na accepted an invitation to play in the New Zealand Open, which features a field of 156 players and awards a spot into the Open Championship. In the Golf Australia Magazine story, Na didn’t say where he would play next.
“I want to have some fun,” Na told Golf Australia Magazine. “I think sometimes we get caught up in performance and whatever other things are going on. I want to be that kid again. When you first start playing, and you travel to different parts of the world, you’re excited. Maybe when you do this for a long time, sometimes that fades away. But I know it’s still there.
Advertisement
“I’m really excited this week. I think I want to find that bubbly, exciting feeling again.”
Editor’s note: To read the entire Golf Australia Magazine story, please click here.
Dimitrius Graham was arrested on Sunday, February 22, in Los Angeles on a Metro train. The former American Idol and The Voice contestant reportedly failed to show his ticket, which led to his being in jail for 24 hours.
TMZ reported that the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested Dimitrius Graham in a Metro on Sunday. They also shared a video of the incident, where some cops were seen handcuffing the singer. He is also heard telling the cops that he is trying to buy a TAP card, i.e., a train ticket.
Blogger Perez Hilton has reacted to this incident on his website, writing:
“He said his phone died, so when police asked him to show a ticket, he wasn’t able to — which resulted in his arrest and trespassing charge. A big ordeal for a $1.75 card!”
Advertisement
The LAPD told TMZ that Dimitrius Graham allegedly acted erratically and said that he would buy a ticket only when he was detained. The singer, however, has denied these allegations and claimed that he had bought the ticket. He said that his phone battery died, but he could show the date and time of his purchase.
Moreover, Graham uploaded a video on Instagram on Tuesday, claiming he was “racially profiled”. He also said that he’s gone through it multiple times, but expressed gratitude for the support from fans after the video of the incident went viral.
Dimitrius Graham alleges “racial profiling” against LAPD cops, gives advice to young people
In his video on Instagram, Dimitrius Graham opened up about his arrest and the support he’s received from fans. He also shared some advice for young people, especially from the black community. He told the young people to know their rights as Americans and not to carry any “crazy thing” in their bags, like marijuana.
Graham explained that the police didn’t care who he was, despite his appearing on numerous TV shows, saying:
“I told them, I said, yo, I’m a I have a bachelor’s degree. I have been on multiple TV shows. I’m an opera singer. They didn’t care, so if they don’t care about what I’m saying, do you think they care about what you’re saying?”
He also referenced the likes of Emmett Till and George Stinney, who were victims of alleged racial violence and wrongful conviction. He explained that it was a “blessing from God” that he wasn’t “killed”. He added:
“That was a public humiliation on yesterday. Public humiliation, bro. I’ll be Because of what? $1.75? I took a 20 out my pocket. I said, here, y’all can have that. Bro. Like, it’s consequences, bro. Things happen. Know your rights.”
Dimitrius Graham also urged the American authorities to pay their police officers more, saying:
Advertisement
“Last but not least, America, take care of our police officers so they can stop being so damn mad and trying to take out all their anger out on us, ’cause y’all ain’t paying them nothing.”
Dimitrius Graham appeared on Season 17 of American Idol and reached the Top 10 in 2019. He was also on Michael Bublé’s team in Season 27 of The Voice, before being cut in the battle round.
Man Utd announced their financial results for the second quarter on Wednesday afternoon – and something big is at stake.
06:00, 26 Feb 2026
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting was radical at Manchester United after his acquisition of a minority stake, but club chiefs believe the latest financial numbers vindicate the wide-ranging decisions.
Advertisement
On Wednesday, United announced their second quarter financial results, revealing an operating profit of £32.6million in the first six months of fiscal 2026, compared to £3.9m operating loss in the same period in 2025.
United believe they have effectively managed their structural cost base to increase profitability, along with putting the club in a strong position should they qualify for the Champions League.
Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings
Omar Berrada said: “We are now seeing the positive financial impact of our off-pitch transformation materialise both in our costs and profitability. We continue to take a football first approach and invest in both our men’s and women’s first teams.
Advertisement
“On the pitch, our men’s team sits fourth in the Premier League and our women’s team are second in the Women’s Super League, as well as reaching the League Cup final and the quarter-final of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
“Today’s results demonstrate the underlying strength of our business as we continue to push for the best football results possible for our men’s and women’s teams.”
United are still burdened with more than £1bn worth of debt. Wednesday’s numbers also confirmed that commercial and matchday revenue are both down on the same period last year, but the Ineos hierarchy feel their decisions have put the club on a firm financial footing.
The Reds must return to the Champions League, though. The press release for the second quarter financial numbers highlighted United’s position in the table, and sources privately mentioned the competition.
Advertisement
It looks like fifth place in the Premier League will be enough to secure Champions League qualification this season, and United’s win against Everton meant they are three points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool.
Before United’s visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Carrick discussed the prospect of guiding the club back into Europe’s competition, saying: “It‘s good that everyone’s asking that question. It shows that we’ve put ourselves in a good position to start with.
“I think going back to what I’ve just said before really, we’re not getting too carried away now all of a sudden after a few weeks. We know where we’re at, we’re in a good position.
“I’d still like to be in a better position, mind you, but we’re in a good position. We’re positive, I think we should be. I think there’s a lot of good things to take and look forward to. But then again, it’s up to us and putting it into play really. It’s possible, it’s up to us to take the opportunity.”
Advertisement
When it was put to Carrick that a two-year absence from the Champions League was too long for a club of United’s size, Carrick said: “Yeah, of course, it’s where we want to be. It’s where we want to be. We’ve had success in this competition before, and some great experiences in this competition. For all sorts of different reasons, it’s where we want to be. So it’s definitely what we’re pushing for.”
United need to qualify for the Champions League for commercial and footballing reasons. The best players want to play in the competition, and securing Champions League football will help in the transfer market.
The competition would also provide United with close to £100m from prize money and broadcast revenue. That hefty sum would certainly help to balance the books more kindly.
In the summer, club sources explained a return to Europe was the target for this season. Ruben Amorim refused to outright say Champions League was the target, but Darren Fletcher broke ranks during his stint as caretaker and said United needed to return to Europe’s most lucrative competition.
Advertisement
Carrick has made a remarkable impact, meaning United are now well-placed to return to the Champions League. Ineos have steadily improved the club’s financial position, but their work would be undermined if United fail to qualify for the Champions League again this season.
Have Formula 1’s new rules this year damaged its status as the ultimate challenge for a racing driver?
Listen to the sport’s top drivers, and it would be easy to get that impression.
“Not Formula 1,” says Max Verstappen of the need to manage energy in the new cars. “Ridiculously complex,” says Lewis Hamilton. “The chef could drive the car at that speed,” says Fernando Alonso. “Not the purest form of driving,” says Lando Norris.
Advertisement
Advertisement
When the sport’s four active world champions make comments like that, it would be foolish not to listen.
But before jumping to a conclusion that F1 has been ruined by what amounts to the biggest rule change in the sport’s history, it’s important to establish a frame of reference.
What, in essence, is the job of a racing driver? It is to get a car around a race track in the shortest possible time.
In its purest form, this means braking as late as possible for a corner, driving around it at the highest achievable speed, exiting it as fast as one can and reaching the highest speed on the straight before doing the same again, lap after lap.
Advertisement
Advertisement
But that’s not what a racing driver does all the time. It can’t be. The way they drive on a qualifying lap, for example, is not the same as over a 200-mile grand prix distance.
Tyres and fuel need to be managed, there might be problems with the car to take into account, and so on. That’s still getting the car around the track as fast as possible, but it’s doing so within the constraints presented at the time. Flat out in motorsport is only sometimes.
So when Verstappen, Alonso and co talk about the degree of energy management required with this year’s new hybrid engines, are they saying that they are no longer ever driving on the limit of grip in the corners?
Advertisement
At last week’s pre-season test in Bahrain, I asked that question to all of the above drivers, as well as Mercedes’ George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, and Haas’ Oliver Bearman. They all said they were still on the limit of the grip the vast majority of the time, that skill still mattered, that a faster driver would still beat a slower one.
Advertisement
The new cars have less downforce than last year, so they have less grip, but the drivers are still on the limit of that grip in the corners.
Bearman said: “Some corners on this track, which were last year limitations or places that you have to be aware of, are not really corners any more, they’re more power-limited. Like Turn 12 and Turn Seven.
Advertisement
“So you do change the way that you approach those corners. And where last year Turn 12 you were 40km/h faster this year, it’s not really a corner any more. And that is a bit strange.
“But for the rest, you’re still pushing to the limit even if the limit is a bit lower at the moment. But it’s not feeling out of this world. Once we get used to the differences in some corners, you just adapt your driving style. And then it feels like normal.”
Advertisement
The balance of going flat-out and ‘harvesting’
Max Verstappen in his Red Bull during pre-season testing in Bahrain, where the slower corners allow drivers to recover energy more easily than faster circuits [Getty Images]
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has an intimate knowledge of what it takes to be a top driver, having worked as a race engineer with Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Alonso. He is also interested in this topic for the good of the sport.
Advertisement
He says: “What we’ve seen in Bahrain definitely confirms that it’s the ultimate challenge.
“Probably this is because Bahrain is a harvest-rich circuit, so you drive in a very normal way. And if anything with these regulations the cars slide quite a lot more and the role of the driver if anything is even more involved in extracting the most out of the car.
Advertisement
“Barcelona was a slightly different situation because, being a relatively harvest-poor circuit, there were some special manoeuvres that needed to be made, like not being flat-out in high-speed (corners) in order to balance the level of harvesting and produce the fastest lap time. That meant that in Barcelona not necessarily you could be at the fastest speed in high-speed corners.”
Advertisement
Stella’s remarks refer to the drivers’ need to perform what McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has described as “counter-intuitive” driving techniques.
The combination of a near 50-50 split between the internal combustion engine (ICE) and electrical components, three times the amount of electrical power compared with last year’s engines and a battery about the same size means the new engines are energy starved.
With the battery emptying itself within about 11 seconds of full power, it is emptying and being recharged constantly around a lap. The engineers have to work out how best to deploy whatever energy they can recover through a lap for the optimum performance.
Advertisement
Advertisement
This has led to unnatural techniques, such as not accelerating at full speed out of a corner before starting a qualifying lap until some way down the straight, choosing not to deploy energy for maximum speed in some high-speed corners, even not deploying on the straight at the end of a qualifying lap because the energy was better used exiting a corner elsewhere on the lap.
Other energy-recovery tasks include:
Lift and coast, a feature for many years, where drivers lift off for a short time before applying the brakes for a corner
Using a lower gear than would be optimum for performance in corners so the turbo can be kept spooling fast to recharge the battery
‘Super clip’, where the electric motor is run against the engine at full speed on the straights to recovery energy
But how much of a difference is this really making?
BBC Sport has seen a telemetry data overlay of a quick lap from Bahrain with last year’s cars compared with one from this year.
Advertisement
There are differences. The slow corners are now taken slightly faster, the quick ones slightly slower. Acceleration is initially much faster, but so is the rate at which it tails off later on the straights. The lap time is a couple of seconds slower overall – as is always intended in the case of an F1 rules reset. But fundamentally, the traces look very similar.
Advertisement
And on track? Well, they still look like F1 cars, is the bottom line. It takes a very well trained eye to notice the differences.
Why overtaking is expected to be difficult
Melbourne’s Albert Park, which stages the season-opening Australian Grand Prix from 6-8 March, is an energy-starved circuit because of its long straights and fewer braking zones [EPA]
Nevertheless, there is an ongoing debate in F1 as to whether the new cars have moved the sport too far away from the purity of the driving challenge, and some think changes could be made to reduce the levels of energy management.
Advertisement
At the moment, the rate of energy recovery with the ‘super clip’ – frankly, jargon that would be better kept away from public consumption because of the potential for confusion – can be a maximum of 250kw.
Advertisement
But the engines are capable of recovering energy at 350kw, and do so when a driver has lifted off the throttle. So why not let them do that when flat out?
Another proposal is to reduce the output of the electrical part of the engine, currently limited to 350kw (470bhp), to about 300kw (402bhp) or even 250kw (335bhp). The idea being to cut overall power but allow it to be applied for longer, to make driving feel more natural.
Advertisement
Going even further, some would wish to increase the amount of fuel the engine is allowed to use, and rebalance the ratio between the ICE and electrical, perhaps to 65:35 or 70:30.
The opposing view is that these last two would require wholesale changes to the engine design and other aspects of the car such as gear ratios. Opponents also argue it would not have the effect required.
Advertisement
A related problem is the new ‘overtake’ button. This replaces the drag reduction system (DRS) overtaking aid, which no longer exists because both front and rear wings open on the straights, part of a series of tweaks made as a consequence of the new engine formula.
Advertisement
‘Overtake’ mode provides the drivers with electrical energy for longer. It does not create more power or, as DRS used to, more speed. As a result, overtaking is expected to be difficult.
Herein lies another argument for reducing the electrical output to 300kw – then, the remaining 50kw could be used for overtake mode.
An added complication is that the circuits all require different levels of energy management.
Advertisement
Advertisement
In Bahrain, the above techniques were not really needed because there are a lot of braking phases into slow corners to recover energy in the standard way.
But Albert Park, which hosts the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 8 March, is an energy-starved circuit, and lift and coast and super clip are expected to be needed extensively, even in qualifying.
Melbourne joins Saudi Arabia, Austria, Silverstone, Monza, Azerbaijan and Las Vegas among the worst circuits for energy – tracks with long straights but not much facility to recover in braking zones.
The teams are in ongoing discussions about whether to take action, and if so, what form it should take, with governing body the FIA and F1.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Stella says: “Definitely there could still be cases in which the driver needs to approach driving in what is not a common way – (where) we just drive as flat as possible, brake as late as possible, go as fast as possible in every corner.
“When it comes to improving the balance between the regulations in their current format, and some other driving challenges, there is time to fix this.
“For instance, there is a way of changing the way in which we deploy the electrical engine such that this requirement to do these special manoeuvres is reduced.
Advertisement
“So there are things that can be done in the future, but I think we should monitor a little bit more in some other circuits (before deciding what to do).”
Jeff Galloway, a renowned coach, mentor, and innovator whose training methods and programs helped hundreds of thousands of runners reach their racing goals, has died. He was 80.
According to Runner’s World, Galloway died from complications following a stroke and brain bleeding.
Advertisement
A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Galloway began his competitive running career at Wesleyan University. He gained fame as a long-distance runner after graduating.
Galloway represented the United States in the 10K at the 1972 Olympics. The following year, he finished fifth in the Boston Marathon.
Galloway gained his biggest following as a guru for amateur runners. He shared his running philosophies — namely, the “run-walk-run” method — through books, websites, retreats, and as a training consultant for runDisney, a series of races at Disney-branded resorts.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Galloway believed walking during a run reduced the risk of injury, conserved energy and kept confidence afloat, according to his Associated Press obituary.
“I’ve been using them ever since,” he said, “continuing to fine-tune the ratios of running to walking based upon pace per mile and individual needs.”
A message posted on Galloway’s instagram account Wednesday informed followers of his death.
“Jeff spent his life proving that anyone could cross a finish line,” the message read. “He celebrated every mile, every walk break, and every finish. He coached millions, but found fulfillment in each of your stories of personal accomplishment.
Advertisement
Advertisement
“Jeff had an almost supernatural ability to look at any person, any age, any fitness level… and see not what they were, but what they could become, in fitness and in life.”
Galloway is survived by two sons and six grandchildren, according to the AP.
