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Ted Lasso actor Cristo Fernandez has signed for American second-tier side El Paso Locomotive after a two-month trial.
The 35-year-old Mexican, who played Dani Rojas in the hit Apple TV+ programme between 2020 and 2023, will now take up a different role for the USL Championship side.
Fernandez played youth football in his home city of Guadalajara, but stepped away from the game at the age of 15 because of a knee injury.
Having moved to London, he was cast in Ted Lasso, which won multiple awards over its initial three-series run.
“Football has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart,” said Fernandez, who also trialled with the second team of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire earlier this year.
“I’m incredibly grateful to El Paso Locomotive FC – the club, coaches, staff, and especially my team-mates – for opening the doors and giving me the opportunity to compete from day one.
“This journey back to professional soccer is about believing in yourself, taking risks, and continuing to chase your dreams no matter how unexpected the path may be.
“Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams… so being here with the ‘Locos’ actually makes perfect sense.”
“Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line,” said Locomotive head coach Junior Gonzalez.
There was a moment when the Lakers were humming along near the end of the NBA’s regular season, when they went 16-2 in the month of March as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James found their groove together as a dynamic threesome.
But on April 2 at Oklahoma City, Doncic (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) went down with injuries and it was left to James to lead the group.
James did, leading the Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Reaves joined James in Game 5 of that series and the two of them led the charge into the Western Conference semifinals against the Thunder, a series in which Los Angeles got swept, 4-0.
Through it all, Doncic was and still is the center of the Lakers’ universe.
So with James and Reaves looking at free agency, Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday at the team’s exit interviews that the organization wants both players back to team up with Doncic.
James, 41 and in his 23rd season, made $52.6 million last season but will be a free agent this offseason, when he can retire, return to the Lakers or play for another team.
“I think in terms of LeBron, we probably haven’t seen a player that has honored the game to the extent that he’s honored the game. He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization,” Pelinka said. “And the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back. And I think the first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are.
“Does he want to play another year in the NBA? And that’ll be, as he said to you guys last night, family time [and] I think time with his inner circle. And we just want to honor that for him. Of course, any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster. That’s a blessing in itself just with what he does.”
Reaves is expected to opt out of his contract that will pay him $14.8 million next season and become a free agent. The Lakers can pay Reaves the most, a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season. Reaves could sign with another team that has cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to all of that, but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”
The Lakers have their star in Doncic and will collaborate with him going forward.
He led the NBA in scoring (33.5 points per game), was third in assists (8.3) and was a most valuable player candidate.
Doncic, who missed the last five regular-season games and all of the playoffs, signed a three-year extension last summer for $165 million.
The Lakers want to build on that.
“He’s an incredible partner,” Pelinka said of Doncic. “His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see as fans. [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick]) and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with.
“His knowledge-base is vast and so those collaborations with him are really inspirational. He also does it in a way that he wants to do his job great, and he wants to let JJ do his job great and let me do my job great. So, they really are productive conversations through that lens.”
Brandon Clarke, a former first-round draft pick who spent all seven of his NBA seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, has died. He was 29.
His agency, Priority Sports, confirmed the news Tuesday on social media. No cause of death has been disclosed.
“Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friend you could ever imagine,” the agency wrote. “He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed. We love you, BC.”
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Clarke played basketball at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, Ariz., before spending two years at San Jose State and one at Gonzaga. He was selected at No. 21 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2021 NBA draft but he was traded to the Grizzlies weeks later.
Clarke played in 309 games for Memphis but only two this past season because of injuries. Clarke averaged 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds during his career.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also released a statement.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Silver said. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”
The Dodgers added a bounce-back candidate to their organization’s outfield depth, trading for Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas on Tuesday.
In exchange, the Dodgers sent 18-year-old outfielder Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks. They also designated outfielder Michael Siani for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Thomas, in his fifth major-league season, had a slow start to the year after establishing himself as a standout for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
“He’s an absolute stud,” Team Mexico manager Benji Gil told reporters after Thomas went three-for-three with a home run against Team Brazil. “He’s about to have a breakout year. I think he’s going to become a perennial All-Star, a Gold Glove candidate every single year.”
Thomas’ offensive production, however, didn’t continue into the regular season. He was hitting .181 with a .563 OPS when the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment last week.
The Dodgers signed Requena out of Caracas, Venezuela in January, and he has yet to appear in a professional game.
Siani, who the Dodgers twice claimed off waivers this offseason, had a .659 OPS in Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak have been named in Sweden’s World Cup squad.
However, the summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States has come too soon for Tottenham forward Dejan Kulusevski, who misses out having not played this season because of a knee injury.
Sweden coach Graham Potter said it was difficult to leave out the 26-year-old.
“A very, very difficult decision in terms of where he [Kulusevski] has been and what he’s done over the last year, where he’s at in terms of his rehab with four and a half weeks to go to that first game,” Potter told a news conference.
Isak, 26, has also had an injury-hit campaign and has only started eight league matches for Liverpool since his £125m British record transfer from Newcastle last summer.
“We obviously hope he finishes the season in Liverpool with some game time,” added Potter. “Our challenge is to get Alex in the best moment of the season and for him to hit top form, because if he does, he’s a world-class player.”
Sweden endured a miserable qualifying campaign, finishing bottom of their group with two points, but their performance in the Nations League gave them a second chance and wins over Ukraine and Poland in the play-offs took them to the finals.
“It’s incredibly exciting – a huge honour for me,” said Potter, who became Sweden manager in October. “The positive response from our supporters has been fantastic, and now we’re looking forward to creating more memories together during the World Cup.”
Gyokeres and Isak are two of 11 British-based players in the squad, which also includes goalkeepers Viktor Johansson (Stoke) and Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby) and defenders Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds) and Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa).
Midfielders Yasin Ayari and Lucas Bergvall, who play for Brighton and Tottenham respectively have also been named, as have Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga and Celtic forward Benjamin Nygren.
Sweden are in Group F and play Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on 14 June (03:00 BST, 15 June) before two games in the United States – against the Netherlands in Houston on 20 June and Japan in Dallas five days later (00:00 BST, 26 June).
Northern Ireland fans will be delighted that O’Neill has agreed to continue in his role as manager, especially given the foundation he has laid for possible future success.
He had said that he would “return to the status quo” for Northern Ireland’s June fixtures when asked about his future in March, but then said in April that a decision was still to made, which would have set alarm bells ringing.
Thankfully, for all parties, a decision has been made swiftly, allowing O’Neill to work towards preparing his NI squad for June’s friendlies and the upcoming Nations League campaign, while Blackburn now have plenty of time to appoint a permanent boss ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
O’Neill, like in his first spell, inherited a struggling Northern Ireland side from predecessor Ian Baraclough and while they missed out on qualifying for Euro 2024 and this year’s World Cup, he has certainly shaped them into a more competitive and attractive side.
The average age of O’Neill’s starting team for the defeat against Italy in their World Cup play-off in March was just 22.5 years – the country’s second youngest on record since World War Two.
Add in three key players in Conor Bradley, Dan Ballard and Ali McCann, who were missing for the game and the age profile remains the same, demonstrating the high ceiling this youthful but talented team has to grow.
With O’Neill remaining in the role, belief will really start to grow that he can guide the team to another European Championships as he did after a period of building with his squad in 2016.
The Irish FA would have known that the job would have been much more attractive now to potential candidates than before O’Neill returned in 2022, but will be pleased that he has decided to stay on for the next qualifying campaign and there won’t be any upheaval before the Nations League starts in September.
Before the docuseries’ new season debuts, it is already known the club has fallen short of getting promoted to the Premier League, but the show is about much more.
There are lots of coaches in the Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs glad to see that Villa Park is in the Division 2 playoffs because of the Spartans’ strong pitching.
Villa Park, the No. 1 seed in Division 2, has a terrific one-two starting duo in junior Logan Hoppie (10-1, 1.28 ERA) and senior Jack McGuire (6-2, 1.62 ERA).
McGuire is 6 feet 5 and has 82 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings. He had a 16-strikeout performance this season. Hoppie has a two-hit shutout of Crestview League champion Cypress on his resume.
Villa Park finished the regular season at 19-8-1 under veteran coach Burt Call and in second place in league. If the Spartans can get some hitting help, the pitchers will handle the rest. Villa Park opens the playoffs on Thursday at home against Elsinore.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
That day had to be Monday night, the only day that mattered for a Lakers team on the brink of elimination.
The Lakers came close, but they did not win the day, losing Game 4 115-110 to the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers’ season is over, having been swept 4-0 in the Western Conference semifinal series.
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When the game was over, James hugged several of the Thunder players.
James is in the final year of a contract that paid him $52 million this season, and at 41 and in his 23rd season, the conversations now turn to his future.
Will James retire? Will James return to the Lakers? Will James play for another team?
You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.
It’s time for the Lakers to turn out the lights on the greatest player in NBA history and begin forging a new future without his stultifying aura and suffocating presence.
If this is no longer LeBron James’ team, then it can no longer be his franchise.
If the Lakers really want to build around Luka Doncic, they can’t do it at a job site still dominated by the NBA’s most venerable cornerstone.
When James becomes a free agent this summer after his $52.6-million deal expires, the Lakers should not offer him a similar contract, a greatly reduced contract, or any kind of contract.
If he wants to retire, show him the love. If he wants to keep playing, show him the door.
Dodgers’ offensive funk continues in loss to Giants
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts reacts after striking out in the third inning of a 9-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Monday night.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
From Maddie Lee: The Dodgers were building momentum one no-out single at a time, an offensive cascade threatening to break through — until it didn’t.
Until a bases-loaded opportunity resulted in just a pair of runs. And the Dodgers’ struggling offense fell quiet again.
Their 9-3 loss to the Giants on Monday was more of the same for an offense that hasn’t scored more than three runs in a game this homestand, four games in.
“We’re not taking this lightly right now,” said Max Muncy, who went two for four with a home run. “But we also understand it is 162 [games] and you know, we’ve gone through stretches like this in the past, and we’ve also gone through good stretches. So we’re having a lot of conversations, but it’s also trying not to overreact to something still early in May.”
Shortstop Mookie Betts returned from injury, but he didn’t magically fix the Dodgers’ problems.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena is constructing a new field-level club seating area in the south end of the stadium that will include more than 1,000 VIP seats.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
From Sam Farmer: For years, the Rose Bowl has walked the precarious line between tradition and technology, striving to keep up with modern-day venues while maintaining the nostalgic touches that make it a national landmark.
Get ready for one of the most dramatic changes in its 103-year history.
The stadium is undergoing a major overhaul of its south end — the one facing the San Gabriel mountains — that will transform 5,000 underutilized bench seats into a field-level club featuring slightly more than 1,000 VIP seats. The transformation is expected to be finished in time for UCLA football‘s home opener against San Diego State on Sept. 12.
René Cárdenas waves to the crowd as he is inducted into the Houston Astros Hall of Fame on Aug. 17, 2024.
(Kevin M. Cox / Associated Press)
From Ed Guzman:René Cárdenas, the first radio announcer to broadcast major league baseball games in Spanish to a domestic audience while with the Dodgers and who helped start Spanish-language broadcasts for two other teams, died Sunday in Houston. He was 96.
The Dodgers announced his death Sunday night, noting his 21 years — over two stints — with the team starting in 1958. The broadcasting pioneer also served as the Houston Astros’ first Spanish-language announcer starting in 1962.
Cárdenas called games for 38 seasons with the Dodgers, Astros and Texas Rangers and paved the way for Jaime Jarrín, who joined the broadcast team in 1959 and served as the Dodgers’ broadcaster for 64 seasons.
Cantillo (3-1) allowed five hits, walked one and struck out four.
Brayan Rocchio put the Guardians ahead 2-0 when he greeted reliever Jose Fermin with a single in the second inning after opener Brent Suter was lifted.
The undefeated and untested son of Nyquist was made the co-second choice on the morning line when post positions were drawn Monday afternoon at Laurel Park, the temporary home of the Preakness while Pimlico — about 30 miles north — is being rebuilt. Laurel Park, located halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., has never hosted the Preakness, which will start just after 4 p.m. PDT on NBC.
Njoku, 29, played nine seasons in Cleveland after being drafted by the team in 2017. His best season came in 2023 when he posted career highs for catches (81), yards (882) and touchdowns (six) en route to a Pro Bowl selection. He ranks second in Browns history for most receptions (384) and touchdown catches (34) by a tight end.
Second round All times Pacific Game 1: at Oklahoma City 108, Lakers 90 (box score) Game 2: at Oklahoma City 125, Lakers 107 (box score) Game 3: Oklahoma City 131, at Lakers 108 (box score) Game 4: Oklahoma City 115, at Lakers 105 (box score)
Ducks playoffs schedule
Second round All times Pacific Game 1: at Vegas 3, Ducks 1 (summary) Game 2: Ducks 3, at Vegas 1 (summary) Game 3: Vegas 6, at Ducks 2 (summary) Game 4: at Ducks 4, Vegas 3 (summary) Game 5: Tuesday at Vegas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN Game 6: Thursday at Ducks, 6:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO MAX Game 7*: at Vegas, TBA, ABC or ESPN *-if necessary
This day in sports history
1909 — The Preakness Stakes is held in Maryland after 16 runnings in New York. As part of the celebration marking the return of the Preakness, the colors of the race’s winner were painted onto the ornamental weather vane at Pimlico Racecourse for the first time.
1917 — Omar Khayyam, ridden by Charles Borel, becomes the first foreign-bred (England) colt to win the Kentucky Derby with a 2-length victory over Ticket.
1924 — Walter Hagen wins the PGA championship with a 2-up victory over Jim Barnes.
1970 — Ernie Banks hits his 500th career home run off Pat Jarvis in the Chicago Cubs’ 4-3 victory over Atlanta at Wrigley Field.
1973 — 6th ABA championship: Indiana Pacers beat Ky Colonels, 4 games to 3.
1974 — The Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 102-87 to win the NBA championship in seven games.
1976 — 20th European Cup: Bayern Munich beats Saint-Etienne 1-0 at Glasgow.
1979 — Chris Evert’s 125-match winning streak on clay comes to an end.
1980 — West Ham United wins the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley Stadium; midfield playmaker Trevor Brooking scores winner with a rare header.
1982 — FC Barcelona of Spain win 22nd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Standard Liège of Belgium 2-1 in Barcelona.
1993 — Parma of Italy win 33rd European Cup Winner’s Cup against Royal Antwerp of Belgium 3-1 in London.
1995 — Martin Brodeur ties NHL record getting his 3rd playoff shutout in 4.
1996 — LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, DuPont CC: England’s Laura Davies wins by 1 stroke ahead of runner-up Julie Piers.
1996 — A three-way dead heat is run at Yakima (Wash.) Meadows, the 20th such finish in thoroughbred racing history there. In the day’s third race, a trio of $8,000 claimers — Fly Like A Angel, Allihaveonztheradio and Terri After Five — hit the wire together after a one-mile race.
2001 — English FA Cup Final, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (72,500): Liverpool beats Arsenal, 2-1 with Michael Owen scoring twice for the Reds.
2006 — Laure Manaudou of France breaks Janet Evans’ 18-year-old world record in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing in 4:03.03 at the French national swimming championships. Manaudou beats the time of 4:03.85 set by Evans in winning the 400-meter freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
2006 — Justin Gatlin breaks the 100-meter world record with a time of 9.76 seconds at the Qatar Grand Prix. A week later, the International Association of Athletics Federations announces a timing error gave Gatlin a time of 9.76 seconds. His time of 9.766 seconds, should have been manually rounded up to 9.77, tying Asafa Powell’s world mark of 9.77.
2010 — Montreal follows up a monumental upset by pulling off another. The Canadiens, who eliminated the Washington Capitals, beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Montreal accomplishes what no team had done since the current playoffs format was adopted in 1994. And that is beat the Presidents’ Trophy winner and defending Stanley Cup champion in successive rounds as an eighth-seeded team.
2010 — Kelly Kulick, the first woman to win a PBA Tour title when she beat the men in January in the Tournament of Champions, wins the U.S. Women’s Open for her second women’s major victory in 15 days. Kulick beats Liz Johnson of 233-203 in the final.
2013 — Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-4 in the final of the Madrid Open to retain her No. 1 ranking and collect her 50th career title.
2013 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Tiger Woods wins his second PC, 2 strokes ahead of David Lingmerth, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Streelman.
2014 — LeBron James ties his playoff career high with 49 points, Chris Bosh makes the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57 seconds left, and the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
2019 — Manchester City beats Brighton, 4-1 to claim back-to-back English Premier League titles with 98 points, 1 ahead of runners-up, Liverpool.
Compiled by the Associated Press.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
As LeBron James sat at the podium following the Lakers’ season-ending loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday night, he was asked about his future.
He had just completed his 23rd season in the NBA at 41 years old and he will become a free agent this summer.
James has been asked about retirement all season — and if he would return to the Lakers next season or play for another team.
So after finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds in the 115-110 loss, James addressed the situation again.
“With my future, I don’t know, honestly,” James said. “It’s still fresh from obviously losing. And I don’t know. I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously. As it stands right now, tonight, I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back, like I think I said last year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them, and spend some time with them. And then when the time comes, then obviously you guys will know what I’ve decided to do.”
James said he’ll talk to his wife, Savannah, his daughter, Zhuri, and his son, Bryce.
James was asked what his decision process will be like.
“I don’t know,” he said. “If I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena five-and-a-half hours before a game to start preparing for a game, giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play. Showing up to practices, 11 o’clock practice, I’m there at eight o’clock preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in.
“So I think for me, I’ve always been in love with the process and not the aftermath of, OK, we won that game, or we won a championship. I’ve always enjoyed the process and not the outcome. So, I think that would be a big factor.”
LeBron James, center, celebrates with his Lakers teammates after defeating the Miami Heat for the NBA title on Oct. 11, 2020.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
James has been with the Lakers for eight seasons. He helped the team win an NBA championship in 2020 in the COVID-19 bubble in Orlando, Fla.
James was asked what has stood out during his time with the Lakers.
“Obviously winning a championship in 2020 would stand at the top,” James said. “That was the reason why I came here, to restore that level of play and restore this franchise back to what it was known for, winning championships and playing at a high level. … So that would be at the top.”
James was asked if those were the last handshakes of his career.
“Last handshakes? No, I don’t know. ‘Cause I don’t, I have no idea,” James said. “None of us even know what the future holds. None of us.”
The Lakers know that they could have eight unrestricted free agents in their immediate future.
After James, the next biggest potential free agent is Austin Reaves. He is expected to opt out of his deal that will pay him $14.8 million and become a free agent, according to people familiar with the situation not authorized to comment. The Lakers can pay Reaves a maximum deal of $241 million over five years, with a starting salary of about $41.5 million next season.
The Lakers value Reaves and are expected to meet his demands. Reaves could sign with another team that has salary-cap space, but that deal would be for four years and about $178 million.
“I take life day by day and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game,” Reaves said. “I make good money. But like I said, don’t think about what I’m really going to do in the future. Just day by day.”
Center Deandre Ayton had an inconsistent season, averaging 12.5 points on 67.1% shooting and 8.0 rebounds. He can opt out of his deal that pays him $8.1 million next season and become a free agent. But Ayton hasn’t yet made a decision, according to people familiar with the situation not authorized to comment.
Lakers star Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Thunder on Monday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Marcus Smart, a locker room leader and their best defensive player, also has a player option for next season at $5.3 million. He hasn’t made a decision yet on whether he’ll test the free-agent market. According to several NBA executives, a few teams probably will show interest in him.
The deadline to exercise or decline an option is June 29.
Rui Hachimura’s ($18.2 million), Luke Kennard ($11 million), Maxi Kleber ($11 million) and Jaxson Hayes ($3.4 million) are also in the final year of their deals.
Doncic, who missed the playoffs and the last five games of the regular season with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, signed a three-year, $165-million extension last summer, keeping him under contract through the 2027-28 season.
Jarred Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), Jake LaRavia ($6.0 million), Dalton Knecht (4.2 million), Bronny James ($2.2 million) and rookie Adou Thiero ($2.1 million) are under contract for next season.
At the same time, most senior figures in F1 – including some of the drivers – agree that there has been a positive effect on the racing, even if some of the increased number of overtakes that have been seen can be argued to be artificial and down to offsets between states of charge.
TV figures over the first three races were up by more than 20% – all three of Australia, China and Japan had significant increases. Miami’s are not available yet.
Now, as for the genesis of the new regulations, the target when talks started five or so years ago was to attract more manufacturers.
At the time, the direction of road-car technology was firmly electric, so it was decided in concert with the manufacturers to increase the amount of electrification.
A nominal 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric was agreed. Fully sustainable, carbon-neutral fuels were added for further environmental credibility.
The MGU-H, a part of the hybrid system that recovered energy from the turbo, was removed. The reasoning being it was complex and expensive – and therefore hard for new manufacturers to compete with existing ones – and not road relevant.
Following the announcement of those rules, first Audi committed to F1. Soon afterwards, Ford and General Motors did the same, and Honda reversed its decision to quit.
Had the rules not changed, F1 now would have a maximum of three manufacturers or possibly only two, Mercedes and Ferrari, if Renault had gone ahead with its withdrawal.
Instead, it has six.
The problems started when the teams started to look at what a near 50-50 energy split with an engine devoid of an MGU-H meant in terms of operating the cars.
Very early on, at least by 2023, there were warnings that the cars would be energy starved.
Energy recovery from the front axle could have solved this, but this was rejected on the basis that it could give Audi an advantage as it had experience in it from world endurance racing.
The result was a series of sticking-plaster solutions – such as active aerodynamics – that only tickled with the fundamental problem.
It’s hard to get a definitive answer as to why someone in authority did not ask everyone to stop, step back for a minute, look at the big picture, and ask whether the 50-50 split was really so important. And whether the sport should change tack. Clearly, that was a failure.
So now the rules have to be amended. And solutions that could have been introduced before 2026 – such as altering the energy split and making it more in favour of the internal combustion engine – are now likely to be introduced for 2027.
Parallel to that, talks are now ongoing on what comes next – from either 2030 or 2031.
The trajectory of road cars has changed. Electrification is still coming, but – it seems – not to the same degree or at the same speed as was thought five or so years ago.
In F1, a reversal away from electrification to some degree is inevitable. But how much remains to be seen.
A naturally aspirated engine – most likely a V8 – with token hybrid is being pushed by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
But for various reasons that exact solution may not be acceptable to all stakeholders, nor the panacea its proponents claim. Negotiations are ongoing.
Matt’s family say he often struggled to emotionally switch off from football, and that negative comments on social media had begun to have an impact on his mental health.
He found breaking bad news to players about their place in the squad or future plans particularly difficult emotionally, according to Debbie.
“Matt always felt so bad having to let someone down,” she explains. “There would be tears, they might have shouted at him, and the player’s family and the fans could sometimes be negative towards him too.
“He and other staff members would make the decisions but, because he had to deliver the news, the emotional burden all came down on to him.
“Matt was there for everybody and he hated letting people down. He looked out for everyone else, but sadly not himself.”
In the summer leading up to his death, Matt had been appointed manager of Burnley in the third tier.
But Matt’s family say he wasn’t happy with the way the club was being run. WSL side Leicester City made it known they were interested in hiring Matt.
BBC Sport understands Burnley turned down an offer from Leicester to buy out the rest of Matt’s contract. Matt then resigned, but the move to Leicester never came to pass.
Burnley placed Matt on gardening leave, meaning he was unable to work or talk to other clubs for a period of three months.
Burnley declined a request to comment from BBC Sport on the nature of Matt’s departure from the club.
UC Irvine men’s volleyball coach David Kniffin has spent 14 seasons leading the Anteaters program.
He watched this year’s team surge at the right time, pulling off a string of upsets he hopes the players remember more than their loss to Hawaii in the NCAA Division I national title game Monday at Pauley Pavilion.
“These guys have a lot to be proud of this season,” Kniffin said. “I feel it is the most important thing in the world.”
The Anteaters returned to the men’s volleyball championship game on Monday for the first time since 2013, but the team came up short against Hawaii (30-5, 9-1 Big West).
The unranked Anteaters (21-9, 5-5) knocked off No. 1 UCLA in the quarterfinals, winning 4-3 (25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 19-25, 16-14).
UC Irvine then defeated No. 4 Ball State in the semifinals, winning 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 27-25, 25-19).
Hawaii, however, tripped UC Irvine, with the Anteaters falling 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 18-25, 20-25) in the championship match.
The Anteaters had alumni cheering them on during the title tilt at Pauley Pavilion. That support was especially meaningful to Kniffin.
“I’m watching these guys become fathers, husbands and so on,” Kniffin said of his former players. “Most of these guys didn’t get a chance to win the national championship, but they are crushing it in life right now.”
UC Irvine held a sizable lead in the first set against the Rainbow Warriors and eventually pulled away to win 25-15. The Anteaters couldn’t get anything going in the second set despite being within distance of the Rainbow Warriors. The Anteaters went on a 3-0 run to make it 15-11, but Hawaii’s front four proved to be a problem as the group sparked a 25-18 set win.
The Anteaters started the third set down 2-0 to the Rainbow Warriors, but they tied it 3-3. Hawaii and UC Irvine finished the set with nine ties and two lead changes. Hawaii pulled away to win the set 25-18.
UC Irvine started the fourth set with a 6-4 lead before Hawaii’s outside hitter Louis Sakanoko got an ace that started a Hawaii 4-0 run.
Outside hitter Andreas Brinck helped the Anteaters tie it 9-9. UC Irvine got within one, trailing 17-16, but Hawaii kept pace and eventually mounted a back-breaking 5-0 run to take a 23-18 lead.
“I just want to say congratulations to Kniffin and UCI for a fantastic season,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. “We don’t get here without the support of a lot of people, and I’ve always said this, but volleyball is a big deal in our community. This matters.”
Tel had already shown his erratic side in the first half when he found himself in a tight spot in his own penalty, then attempted to resolve the problem by delivering a perfect cross onto the head of an onrushing Leeds United forward, only for Kevin Danso’s desperate clearance to spare his embarrassment.
This was nothing compared to a bicycle kick in his own area that connected with Ethan Ampadu’s head, leaving the Leeds captain in a heap.
The Video Assistant Referee merely confirmed what everyone else in stadium knew, De Zerbi raising his eyes to the heavens as Dominic Calvert-Lewin slammed home the penalty.
After being a relatively low-key presence in his early Spurs games, which have included vital wins away at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, this was the night when the Italian’s combustible temperament bubbled throughout.
De Zerbi jumped up and down on the spot in disgust at slow play from his team in the first half, then incurred the wrath of referee Jarred Gillett, who delivered a touchline dressing down as the Italian repeatedly left his technical area.
He received a yellow card as things threatened to boil over late on, with 13 minutes of added time increasing the unbearable tension around the stadium.
No wonder De Zerbi looked so frustrated at the final whistle, because the door to survival that opened wider when West Ham United lost so contentiously to Arsenal on Sunday, suddenly closed again as they missed the chance to open up a significant four-point advantage going into the final two games of the season.
De Zerbi told Match of the Day that the pressure of their situation may have had an impact on his players.
“We didn’t play a great game – we played a good game,” De Zerbi said.
“I think we deserved to win anyway but maybe the pressure, the crucial game, the crucial part of the season, we suffered too much.
“Anyway I am happy because I watched my players with the right spirit, with the right mentality.
“We made too many mistakes. If we want to win we have to reduce the mistakes, but we knew before this game it will be tough until the end of the season, until the last game. It is tough for us and tough for everyone.”
On Tel, he said: “He is young and is a talent. I will kiss him and hug him. He doesn’t need too many words. He was sorry for the mistake. It can happen to a young player.”
De Zerbi added: “I think we have to consider the result, but we also have to consider the performance. We played a good game, we are making points – in the last four games we made eight points.
“Congratulations to Leeds. They played a great game. They have to play the last game at West Ham and we’ve no doubt that they will play the same way.”
It has not been a straightforward two seasons in English football for the forward.
He joined the East Yorkshire club from Portuguese outfit Farense in August 2024 and enjoyed a decent start only for an anterior cruciate ligament injury at Oxford in November to end his season.
By the time he returned to action last August the club had sacked both Tim Walter and his replacement Ruben Selles and brought in Jakirovic.
Understandably after such a serious injury it took him time to get back up to speed and two hamstring injuries have kept him out for four months of this campaign.
He started Friday’s goalless first leg and hit the post after just two minutes but Jakirovic said he began Monday’s game on the bench as he had not been able to train since.
“He was very tired and had fatigue in both his hamstrings and Achilles so the plan was to give him the second half,” Jakirovic told BBC Radio Humberside.
“It was a great substitution and a great decision. Now I am very smart, if they do nothing I am stupid. It’s always like this.
“This group of players is unbelievable with the chemistry between them.”
Skipper Lewie Coyle was also full of praise for the match-winner and the club’s medical staff.
“He’s incredible. We are so lucky that we’ve got so many players that can come on and impact the game,” he said.
“We all know what that boy’s about. I’m so pleased for him.
“He’s had an incredibly tough injury but it says a lot about him and the recovery team that he’s come back as he has.”
The undefeated and untested son of Nyquist was made the co-second choice on the morning line when post positions were drawn Monday afternoon at Laurel Park, the temporary home of the Preakness while Pimlico — about 30 miles north — is being rebuilt. Laurel Park, located halfway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., has never hosted the Preakness, which will start just after 4 p.m. PDT on NBC.
With Golden Tempo becoming the second straight Kentucky Derby winner and third in the last five years to race in the Preakness, there will be just three runners from the Derby — Ocelli (third), Incredibolt (sixth) and Robusta (14th).
Among the full field of 14 starters, though, only Taj Mahal can complete the “Triple Crown” for women trainers, with Russell seeking to follow DeVaux and Jena Antonucci, who captured the Belmont three years ago with Arcangelo.
“It would sort of feel like probably a fairy tale,” Russell said. “ … It would mean an awful lot.”
Taj Mahal was one of three horses listed at 5-1 on the morning line behind lukewarm 9-2 favorite Iron Honor. He is the only Preakness starter who has raced at Laurel; in fact, he has never run anywhere else, going three for three there, including an 8¼-length triumph last month in the Federico Tesio.
His Beyer Speed Figure that day was 92, just two points (equal to about a length) behind Ocelli’s number in the Kentucky Derby. Chip Honcho, with a 92 for his runner-up effort in the Risen Star in February, is the only other Preakness horse with a Beyer number above 90 in a route race.
Taj Mahal was in the same yearling sale as Iron Honor (also a son of Nyquist) in September 2024 at Keeneland and sold for $50,000 more than his rival this week ($525,000 to $475,000). The colt originally was trained by Bob Baffert but was sent to Russell last fall when he wasn’t progressing.
“When he first showed up, it took some time for him to come around,” Russell said. “And, honestly, that’s why he was sent my way. If horses aren’t progressing or need a change of scenery, luckily for me it’s kind of become their place [for the owners] to send them.
“… The first time I worked him, did I think he would become a star? No, it took some time, but he developed and he progressed.”
Taj Mahal won a maiden race Feb. 6, then came back 15 days later to win a minor stakes race. He had almost two months between that race and the Tesio on April 18.
Russell’s husband, Sheldon, will ride Taj Mahal, who will break from the rail.
“To be fair, he’s a good gate horse,” Sheldon Russell said. “He broke so sharp last time. If he were to do the same thing again, he’d put me in a great spot. We’ve just got to hold that spot until we get to the bend, but we’ve got a longer run this time. He’s going to have to overcome a few things, but good horses overcome things.”
Iron Honor, who joins Taj Mahal as the most inexperienced horses in the field with three starts each, won his first two races, including the Gotham at Aqueduct. But he finished seventh last month in the Wood Memorial, his only try around two turns. He will be ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat.
“[He] got bothered in the first turn from a bad post and … just never really relaxed,” said his trainer, Chad Brown, who won the Preakness in 2017 (Cloud Computing) and 2022 (Early Voting). “We took the blinkers off the horse, gave him a chance to get over that experience and he seems to be in a good place right now, training just the way we want.”
The other horses listed at 5-1 were Incredibolt, who wasn’t even mentioned as a possibility for the race until Monday, and Chip Honcho, who finished ahead of Golden Tempo in the Risen Star but skipped the Derby after a poor showing in the Louisiana Derby. Ocelli is 6-1, and Napoleon Solo, the only Grade 1 winner in the field (last year’s Champagne Stakes), is 8-1.
Incredibolt, trained by Riley Mott, at least spares the Preakness from not having a single graded-stakes winner in a two-turn race. The son of Bolt d’Oro captured the Grade 3 Street Sense last fall over 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs. (He also won the ungraded Virginia Derby this year at 1⅛ miles at Colonial Downs.)
Chip Honcho will break from the No. 6 post under Jose Ortiz, who won the Derby. Ortiz’s brother, Irad Ortiz Jr., who was second in the Derby with Renegade, will be next to him in the No. 5 post aboard Talkin.
Ocelli is the most experienced horse in the race, with seven starts. He’s also the only starter not to have won a race. No maiden has won the Preakness in the modern era, with the last victory coming in 1888. Bodexpress was the last to try, in 2019, but he reared leaving the starting gate and dumped his jockey.
Two months ago questions were raised as to whether Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky would ever play for the club again.
The Czech Republic international endured a nightmare 17 minutes in their Champions League last-16 match against Atletico Madrid in March which saw him concede three goals before being substituted off by then-manager Igor Tudor.
But after making one of the saves of the season to deny Leeds a late winner on Monday – ensuring Tottenham earned a point towards potential Premier League survival – the 23-year-old may just have gone some way to redeeming himself.
Mathys Tel’s 50th-minute strike had put Spurs ahead but the forward conceded a penalty for a high boot on Ethan Ampadu 24 minutes later and Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted from the spot to level at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Both sides probed for a winner in 13 minutes of added time and Leeds thought they had found it in the 99th minute when James Justin played Sean Longstaff through and the midfielder unleashed a powerful strike at the near post from close range.
Enter Kinsky, who stretched to get fingertips to the ball and ensure it clattered off the crossbar and not into the roof of his net.
It is impossible to say how important that save could be come the end of the season but for now it leaves Spurs two points clear of West Ham in the relegation zone with two games remaining.
“That save is one of the saves of the season,” said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carrager on Sky Sports.
“Football is an absolute rollercoaster and who would have thought he would ever play for Tottenham again – and then he does that.
“You would have to have a heart of stone if you weren’t delighted for him. Everyone thought his career was over but that save can be the moment that keeps Tottenham in the Premier League.”
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi says his players are good enough to stay up after their draw with Leeds United leaves them two points clear above the relegation zone with two games to play.
Dick Advocaat could make a surprise return as head coach of the Curacao national team after his successor Fred Rutten resigned just a month out from their World Cup debut.
Advocaat made history last November when he led the Caribbean island to the finals but stepped down three months later because of his daughter’s health.
Throughout Rutten’s short tenure, which included defeats to China and Australia in March, Curacao’s football federation (FFK) has been under pressure from players and sponsors to reinstate Advocaat.
On Friday, the FFK put its full support behind 63-year-old Rutten, stating he “will represent Curacao as national head coach during the World Cup”.
However, just three days later, following “open and constructive” talks, Rutten has departed, saying: “A climate that damages professional relationships among players and staff must not be allowed to emerge. It is prudent to step back. Time is pressing and Curacao must move forward.”
Reports in the Dutch media suggest Advocaat, 78, is open to returning to his former role following improvements in his daughter’s health.
Should he return, he will become the oldest coach in World Cup history.
Curacao, the smallest country to qualify for a World Cup, face Germany on 14 June in their Group E opener, with further matches against Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
Huddersfield Town boss Liam Manning has left the club by mutual consent, two months after taking compassionate leave.
Manning stepped back from his role in March, with the League One side saying in a statement at the time that the decision was made after he “made the club aware of ongoing personal matters relating to the tragic passing of his newborn son Theo in October 2024”.
“I want to pay huge tribute to Liam today,” chairman Kevin Nagle told the club website.
“Stepping away from this role is the correct decision for him and his family, and that comes before absolutely everything else.”
