List of All Articles with Tag '1'

Prominent Chinese billionaire Liu Yiqian sold only 29 of 39 artworks in a Hong Kong auction with results

The photo-op was meant to project an image of unity: Thailand’s new prime minister and his central bank

Fernando Alonso has hailed Max Verstappen as Formula One’s best driver since Michael Schumacher – with the Dutchman on the brink of clinching his third world crown. The 26-year-old needs to score only three points in Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar to complete a hat-trick of world titles. Lewis Hamilton has won a record 103 races and stands on seven world titles with Schumacher. But Alonso, 42, omitted the British driver when asked if Verstappen must now be ranked alongside the sport’s modern-day greats. “I’ve only been wheel-to-wheel with Michael, but with Michael maybe, yes,” said the double world champion. “And for the next few years he will keep adding championships so we will compare him with Michael even closer in the future.” Following a Red Bull blip in Singapore, Verstappen returned to his all-conquering best at the last round in Japan to take his 13th win from the 16 rounds staged so far. Since Verstappen claimed his maiden title, at Hamilton’s expense, at the controversial season-ending Abu Dhabi race in 2021, Verstappen has won 28 of the 38 races staged – including a record run of 10 straight victories earlier this year. Hamilton, third in the championship in his Mercedes and 210 points adrift of Verstappen, said: “I wouldn’t rank him because ranking people is an opinion-based thing. “But he has earned his position, and he has done an amazing job with the package he has. Him and the team have been phenomenal and faultless this year. “They have raised the bar and as a team we have to look at that, and look at the areas where we can be better and match that and compete. “I do hope at some stage we can fight them and have them defending, but they should enjoy the moment because they have worked for it.” Verstappen will be the first driver to clinch the championship in a sprint race if he finishes sixth or higher in Saturday’s 19-lap dash at the Lusail International Circuit. He will become the 11th driver to have won more than two world titles, emulating the likes of Sir Jackie Stewart and Ayrton Senna with three. His dominance has been compared to Schumacher’s stranglehold on the sport at the turn of the century. Verstappen said: “Michael’s achievements were incredible, but when he was achieving these kind of things it was seen as normal because it was an amazing driver with an amazing team and everything came together. Maybe people got bored of it? But it was incredible to have achieved those kind of things. “I don’t think about reaching seven. We will see year-by-year what happens, but I am very proud. I live in the moment and I want to achieve more. “I know when I stop racing I will be able to look back and I will be able to appreciate it more but it wasn’t something I ever thought was achievable when I was a little kid.” Read More Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to pole after tense qualifying for Japanese GP Lando Norris narrows gap on Max Verstappen at final practice in Japan Max Verstappen returns to form in Japanese Grand Prix practice Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team How can Max Verstappen win 2023 F1 world championship in Qatar? British F2 star to make F1 debut with Haas

Venture capital funding for video games slumped to a three-year low last quarter, reflecting investors’ growing distaste for

British Formula 2 star Oliver Bearman will drive for Haas in practice sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi later this year. The 18-year-old, from Chelmsford, is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and Haas currently receive their engines from the Italian giants. As a result of their partnership and Haas’ requirement to fill at least two first practice sessions a season with a rookie driver, Bearman will feature in FP1 in Mexico City later this month and at the season-finale in Abu Dhabi in November. Bearman is currently sixth in the F2 standings with four victories to his name. He won the Italian F4 championship in 2021 and raced in Formula 3 last year, finishing third. “I am so happy to be joining MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driving in Mexico and Abu Dhabi,” said Bearman. “Getting to Formula 1 has been my dream since I was go-karting so to be driving a car for the first time this year is really special. “I’m grateful to the team, and of course Ferrari, for allowing me this chance. I’m working hard to make sure I’m ready to support the team as best I can on both occasions.” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner added: “We’re very happy to offer Oliver Bearman these outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi “He’s had a stellar rookie season in Formula 2, four wins is testament to that, and as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy – we know his background preparation coming into these weekends will be first-rate. We look forward to welcoming Oliver into the team and have him drive the VF-23.” Bearman will be present in the paddock this weekend in Qatar as he embeds himself within the Haas team ahead of his first outing in Mexico City on 27 October. Read More ‘Referees make mistakes’: Pierre Gasly compares Liverpool VAR farce to Abu Dhabi controversy Aston Martin boss urges F1 to stick to 10 teams Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive

Alpine driver Pierre Gasly admits the VAR farce surrounding Liverpool’s disallowed goal against Tottenham made him think of Abu Dhabi and the controversial end to the 2021 Formula 1 season. Luis Diaz’s goal was ruled out for offside in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday, despite replays showing the forward to be onside. The audio of the conversation between the VAR which resulted in the mistake was released on Tuesday, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp then calling for the match to be replayed. Gasly, a PSG fan, could not resist having his own verdict on the matter and believed the situation is comparable to the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, when Lewis Hamilton was cruelly denied an eighth world title in his battle with Max Verstappen after a controversial – and ultimately wrong – ruling by then race director Michael Masi to swing the race in Verstappen’s favour. “The Liverpool [situation] was a bit of a surprise and definitely a talking point of the weekend,” Gasly said, ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.. “We had a conversation last night and there were comments made about Abu Dhabi 2021. “It’s sport – referees also make mistakes. It’s tough to swallow when you’re on the wrong side of it. But it’s sport, even though it shouldn’t happen sometimes, it does.” Masi was later sacked as the race director following a review into the controversial ending to the 2021 season, when Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap of the final race to win his first world title. As for Liverpool, despite Klopp’s unprecedented stance the Premier League insist a replay of the match will not happen. “Something like this never happened, so that is why I think a replay is the right thing to do,” Klopp said. “The audio didn’t change it at all. It is an obvious mistake. There should be solutions for that. The outcome should be a replay. But it probably won’t happen. “The argument against that would be it opens the gates. It is unprecedented. I’m used to wrong and difficult decisions, but something like this never happened.” On whether the club had asked – or would ask – the Premier League for a replay formally, Klopp added: “At this stage, we are still going through the information we have.” Read More Jurgen Klopp should know better — calling for replays sets a dangerous precedent Liverpool-Tottenham replay possible under Uefa rules loophole Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admits his call for Tottenham replay is unlikely Aston Martin boss reacts to Andretti’s bid to become 11th F1 team Daniel Ricciardo ruled out of Qatar Grand Prix Mercedes chief details ‘very ambitious targets’ for 2024 car

Dubai cemented its status as the world’s busiest market for luxury homes with buyers pouring $1.59 billion into

There won’t be all-electric supercars for several years as it will take time to develop the right technology

Hong Kong’s government will refrain from selling commercial sites in land tenders this quarter as the office market

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll says the British luxury-car maker needs no new

The European Union has formally launched an anti-subsidies probe into electric vehicles manufactured in China, setting in motion

Daniel Ricciardo will miss his fifth grand prix in a row this weekend in Qatar with Liam Lawson again filling in for AlphaTauri. Ricciardo, who only returned to the F1 grid in July after replacing the axed Nyck de Vries, broke a bone in his hand during second practice at the Dutch Grand Prix in August. Red Bull junior driver Lawson has since stepped in and impressed, recording the team’s best score of the season with a ninth-place finish in Singapore. Nonetheless, in the meantime, both Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda have been confirmed as AlphaTauri drivers for 2024. Yet this weekend’s sprint weekend in Qatar will once again come soon for 34-year-old Ricciardo, who will now target a return at the United States Grand Prix in Austin on October 20-22. Ricciardo has only competed in two races for AlphaTauri – in Hungary and Belgium prior to the summer break – while Lawson has featured in four. New Zealand driver Lawson, despite his eye-catching performances, has not found a seat for 2024 – though has been linked with the only unconfirmed spot on the grid at Williams amid Logan Sargeant’s struggles. Ricciardo, meanwhile, will race with Red Bull’s sister team next year in the hope it puts him in a position to take Sergio Perez’s seat for 2025. Perez’s team-mate Max Verstappen can secure his third straight world title during the sprint race this Saturday in Qatar. The Dutchman only needs to finish sixth or higher in the 100km dash around the Lusail International Circuit. Read More Mick Schumacher holds talks with Alpine over 2024 drive Christian Horner admits ‘keeping an eye’ on Lando Norris amid Red Bull link Mercedes chief details ‘very ambitious targets’ for 2024 car