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Teen F1 leader Antonelli takes Miami pole as start time moved
Mercedes’ championship-leading teenager Kimi Antonelli claimed pole position Saturday for the Miami Grand Prix, as the race’s start time was brought forward by three hours due to expected heavy rainstorms.
The 19-year-old Italian, the youngest title race leader in F1 history, resisted a late charge by four-time champion Max Verstappen in a tense qualifying session.
Antonelli produced a fastest lap of one minute 27.798 seconds to top the times ahead of Red Bull’s Verstappen with Charles Leclerc third quickest in his Ferrari. albergomalica.it
World champion Lando Norris, who won the sprint race earlier in the day, will start his McLaren from fourth in Sunday’s grid.
It was Antonelli’s third pole and his third in consecutive races, a feat that draws him alongside great former champions Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in the record books.
His Mercedes team-mate George Russell was fifth ahead of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton in the second Ferrari and Oscar Piastri, who was seventh in the second McLaren.
Alpine’s Franco Colapinto was eighth ahead of Isack Hadjar in the second Red Bull and the second Alpine of Pierre Gasly.
“It has been an amazing day for me to be on pole again,” said Antonelli.
“It was obviously a difficult sprint for me earlier, but I am super happy with this recovery. I got a little too excited in that last lap in Q3, but my first lap was good enough.
“I was so stressed because I was waiting for everyone to finish their laps, but it was good enough and now, hopefully, I will have a magic start tomorrow.”
‘Heavier rainstorms’
The Miami Grand Prix will start at 1.00pm local time (1700 GMT), rather than 4.00pm, due to a forecast of extreme weather including potential thunderstorms, officials announced on the eve of the race.
The sport’s governing body FIA, along with commercial rights holders and local promoters, acted “due to the weather forecast that is expected to bring heavier rainstorms later in the afternoon close to the original planned race start time,” they said in a statement.
“This decision has been taken to ensure the least amount of disruption to the race, and to ensure the maximum possible window to complete the Grand Prix in the best conditions and to prioritize the safety of drivers, fans, teams and staff.”
The change comes as F1 returns from an enforced five-week hiatus, due to the conflict in the Middle East, which several teams exploited with upgrade packages on their cars.
“For me to be on the front row is way better than I expected,” said Verstappen, who was close to his best in his heavily revised Red Bull.
“Let’s hope for a good start — I’ve not had many of them this year.
“The team has worked flat out for the past few weeks to make me more comfortable in this car.”
Added Leclerc: “I was right on the limit. But we were just not fast enough today. We brought a significant package here, which helped us, but we still need to improve, although P3 is a good position to start.”
‘No grip’
The qualifying session began in sweltering heat and a swirling wind as Valtteri Bottas led out in his Cadillac ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez.
It took time for the lap times to tumble before the leading contenders clocked fast laps with Norris and Verstappen setting the pace with Antonelli and the two Ferraris.
Verstappen grumbled his tires “have no grip” as he was outpaced by both Ferraris with Hamilton top in 1:28.477 until Antonelli took over in 1:28.352 with Russell slotting in third with an identical time to Hamilton.
Ferrari had clearly improved their set-up following the earlier sprint race won convincingly by Norris in a McLaren 1-2 ahead of Piastri.
Like the Italian team, Mercedes also seemed to be quicker and Antonelli improved to 1:28.289 before, in a final flurry, Verstappen took command in 1:28.116 to finish Q2 ahead of Antonelli, Leclerc, Piastri and Hamilton. Norris improved to seventh.
Piastri and Norris set the pace in Q3 before Verstappen and Leclerc outdid them and Antonelli with a sizzling lap in 1:27.798 secured provisional pole after the first runs, three-tenths clear of Leclerc’s Ferrari.
The top five were separated by just hundredths of a second with Hamilton sixth, 0.578 off the Italian’s pace as they paused before the drama of the late final runs.
ALG : Mai, le mois des choix pour le Mondial
On l’imagine devant son calepin, entouré de ses petites notes prises ici et là, et celles transmises par ses collaborateurs, jetant un coup d’œil par-ci puis un autre par-là. Il passe en revue des images de matchs, tout en regardant la montre pour voir si le coup d’envoi des rencontres des internationaux approche ou pas. Il doit se programmer pour voir au moins un ou deux matchs, et laisser le soin à ses autres adjoints d’en suivre d’autres, surtout le week-end où la compétition s’empile. En attendant, il passe un coup de fil pour demander une information un peu plus précise, sans oublier de jeter un œil sur son micro-ordinateur dans sa quête de renforcer un choix.
Oui, on est en mai et c’est le mois des choix que doit faire Vladimir Petkovic, le sélectionneur national des Verts au même titre que les 47 autres coachs des sélections participantes au grand rendez-vous mondial du football. Et si la première liste, celle qu’on appelle élargie pouvant compter de 35 à 55 joueurs est plus abordable à établir et dont la date limite est arrêtée pour le 13 mai, celle définitive devra, elle, tomber avant le 1er juin 2026, date de sa transmission à la FIFA. Cette dernière peut compter 23 à 26 joueurs, sachant qu’au passage, les clubs sont appelés à libérer leurs éléments le 25 de ce mois.
D’ores et déjà, on sait que Vladimir Petkovic va opter pour 26 joueurs, soit le maximum pour se donner toutes les possibilités autour de l’effectif qu’il aura à choisir, avec la sempiternelle hantise des blessures de dernière minute, une situation souvent vécue par les sélectionneurs à l’approche des grands événements. Devant cet exercice, cet examen de conscience, où il est pratiquement interdit de se tromper, ou de céder à des paramètres subjectives, aux sentiments, aux états d’âme voire à des influences ou pressions extra- sportives, le sélectionneur national sera seul devant ses responsabilités, tout comme ses choix qu’il aura à défendre devant l’opinion et les médias.
Il est quasi clair que certains noms sont faciles à cocher sur son calepin, alors que d’autres le sont moins. Il y a ceux qu’on aurait souhaité avoir sous la main, quant à d’autres, les gribouiller relève d’une longue réflexion, et parfois d’un arbitrage. Une concertation avec les plus proches adjoints, et pourquoi pas le président de la fédération et la DTN si cela s’avère nécessaire. Parallèlement, les médias et réseaux sociaux sont scrutés par les uns et les autres, même si le sélectionneur se défend d’en être un adepte de peur d’être intoxiqué par les flux d’informations et quelques fakes, qui chahuteraient ses choix qu’il voudrait précis et chirurgicaux sur la base de données réelles et évidentes.
Vladimir Petkovic est finalement, comme ses élèves et étudiants face à leur examen de fin d’année, où il n’a pas à se rater, un peu moins sur l’écrit (la liste), mais surtout pas sur l’opérationnel (le résultat du terrain).
– MOHAMED MALIK
L’article ALG : Mai, le mois des choix pour le Mondial est apparu en premier sur Foot Afrique.
‘The Tank’ aims to follow in Bok’s footsteps
The powerful Ethan Adams is striving to emulate one of his all-time heroes as the Junior Springboks centre continues to hone his craft.
The 19-year-old Adams, who weighs 102kg and stands 1.75m, told Rapport he has modelled his game on two-time World Cup winner Damian de Allende and All Blacks great Ma’a Nonu.
“There wasn’t just one person I looked up to,” Adams said. “It was those guys. I wanted to play like them.”
ALSO: Pead on the grind to live his Bok dream
Nicknamed ‘The Tank’, the youngster delivered a Man of the Match performance against Argentina in the opening round of the U20 Rugby Championship in Gqeberha on Monday – proving why the Lions moved early to secure his signature.
“I like the Lions’ game and it suits my game too,” Adams added. “I’m grateful that they gave me a chance. The main reason I went there is because they have good junior structures.”
Adams has already featured for the Lions U23 side and is expected to partner Stormers rising star Markus Muller in midfield when the Junior Boks head to the U20 World Cup in Georgia.
The Junior Boks take on Australia in their second Rugby Championship match on Sunday.
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
The post ‘The Tank’ aims to follow in Bok’s footsteps appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Le Gabonais Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a encore du feu dans les jambes
Qui sera l’élu pour le prix Marc-Vivien Foé 2026 ? Ils sont 11 sur la ligne de départ pour le trophée de meilleur joueur africain de la saison de Ligue 1. Chaque jour jusqu’au 5 mai, jour de la proclamation des trois finalistes, RFI vous présente les nommés pour la succession du Marocain Achraf Hakimi. Aujourd'hui, c’est le Gabonais de l’Olympique de Marseille Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang qui est à l’honneur. Malgré ses 36 ans bien tassés, l’attaquant des Panthères griffe toujours autant sur les terrains de Ligue 1.
Euro cup expats a credit to SA rugby
The likes of Jacques Nienaber and Thomas du Toit highlight the Republic’s influential presence in the Investec Champions Cup playoffs this week, writes MARK KEOHANE.
A two-time World Cup winner with the Springboks, Nienaber will experience the European cup final for the second time with Leinster after helping the Irish giants beat Toulon in Dublin on Saturday.
A regular in the pack for Bath since his move from the Sharks in 2023, Du Toit is set to play a key role in the English club’s first Champions Cup semi-final in 20 years against Bordeaux Bègles on Sunday.
The versatile prop has thrived under the guidance of former Munster, Vodacom Bulls and Bok tactician Johann van Graan at the Somerset outfit.
Read more: best bets for the Champions Cup semi-finals
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane argues both Nienaber and Van Graan have earned their elite status through relentless improvement and an ability to thrive far from home.
“South African rugby knows how to produce coaches and props,” Keohane writes.
“Nienaber and Van Graan love a challenge, which is evident in the assignments they have undertaken in their careers.
“Both are a credit to South African rugby.”
He singles out Du Toit as a rare talent capable of starting Tests at loosehead or tighthead, with a try-scoring record to match a winger. Fellow South Africans Francois van Wyk and Carlü Sadie will also feature in the Bath and Bordeaux tight fives, respectively.
The South African coaching footprint extends to Bordeaux’s backroom staff, where Heini Adams and Shaun Sowerby both serve as assistants after long playing careers in France.
Photo: James Crombie/INPHO
The post Euro cup expats a credit to SA rugby appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.