Alonso

Mercedes’ George Russell was fourth fastest, ahead of Verstappen’s Red Bull and the Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton, who was 0.848secs off the pace.

The seven-time champion had two spins during the day, both times without hitting anything.

The first was in the first session, when he spun entering Hugenholtz, the second when he ran a little wide out of the tricky right-hander at Turn Nine and put his rear wheel on to the grass.

Nevertheless, Hamilton ended the day 0.096secs and two places ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc, an encouraging start to the final part of the season after a difficult end to the first for the Briton.

Hamilton said: “Not been the worst of days. We were making progress. We were quite far off in P1, a lot further than normal. We progressed but still quite a chunk off so we have some work to do overnight.

“Pace-wise we are where we are. I don’t know how we’re going to find 0.8secs but we will try our best.”

He said of his spins: “First one was just pushing too much. Also ride quality is not where we’d want it, so the car is quite unpredictable. The second one I touched the grass and had a snap.”

Leclerc described it as “a very, very, very, very difficult Friday, probably the worst of the season” and said they were losing “90% of the time” in two corners. He did not name them, but it was the tricky two right-handers of Turns Eight and Nine.

Leclerc said it would take a “miracle” to turn the situation around.

Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda was seventh and Alex Albon was another to crash in the second session in the Williams, going straight on at the first corner, Tarzan, and breaking his front wing against the barriers.

Verstappen himself had an off after the end of the first session, misjudging his braking into the Tarzan hairpin that starts the lap after doing a practice start.

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli crashed in the first session, running off track at Turn Nine and ended the second session 12th.

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger says he was racially abused at the end of his side’s Club World Cup win against Mexican side Pachuca.

Rudiger clashed with Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral in injury time when the Germany defender went down claiming he had been fouled by the Argentine.

Rudiger then spoke to referee Ramon Abatti Abel, who crossed his arms in front of his chest, which signals the anti-racism protocol has been activated.

It is unclear whether the alleged racial abuse was from someone in the crowd or a player.

Fifa’s three-step process for racism is stopping a match, suspending it and finally abandoning it if the problem continues.

The match ended soon after the incident – with Real winning 3-1 – and the players again arguing after the final whistle.

Real manager Xabi Alonso said: “That’s what Rudiger said, and we believe him.

“It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. Fifa now is investigating. That’s all I can say.”

In 2021, Rudiger, then at Chelsea, says “nothing ever really changes” after anti-discrimination campaigns in football, but he will “continue to fight” against racist abuse.

Last week campaigners criticised Fifa after it appeared to drop anti-racism messaging at the Club World Cup.

Erik ten Hag is on the brink of agreeing a deal to replace Xabi Alonso as manager of Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Ten Hag has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in October.

The Dutchman has received a number of offers but opted to stay out of the game until this summer.

Earlier this month sources close to Ten Hag told BBC Sport the former Ajax boss was preparing to return at the beginning of July and was willing to assess any suitable offer.

Alonso, who is expected to replace the outgoing Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid manager, has quit Leverkusen after leading the club to their first Bundesliga title in 2024 in an unbeaten league campaign.

Leverkusen also completed a domestic double last season, beating Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final.

Although the club has not been able to maintain the same high standards this season, they still managed to finish second to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Ten Hag has experience of German football after spending two years in charge of Bayern Munich’s second team from 2013.

The 55-year-old won the FA Cup and League Cup in his two full seasons as United boss, finishing third in the Premier League in 2022-23.

However, although United kept faith with him after extended deliberation in the wake of last season’s surprise FA Cup final victory against Manchester City, he was sacked on 28 October following a 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso poised to replace departing Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, according to media reports.

Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso is set to become the club’s next manager on a three-year deal when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen after this season, Spanish media report.

Alonso, 43, is expected to replace Real boss Carlo Ancelotti, who – despite having a year remaining on his Madrid contract – has just been confirmed as the new manager of Brazil in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Monday.

Alonso, who said earlier this month that he was leaving Leverkusen after guiding them to the double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 15 to July 13, multiple media reports said.

Alonso, who also played for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, last season steered Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, ending the Bavarians’ 11-year domination, and they also won the German Cup and German Super Cup.

Ancelotti’s departure from the club come as no surprise after Real’s 4-3 defeat at Barcelona in a thrilling El Clasico on Sunday left his side on the brink of a trophy-less season.

The 65-year-old Italian, who returned for a second stint at Real in June 2021, led the Spanish giants to two Champions League and La Liga doubles, the latest of which came last season.

He exits Real Madrid as the most successful manager in the club’s history with a total of 15 trophies and the first coach to claim titles in Europe’s top five leagues.

However, this season Real were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals by Arsenal, and allowed Barca to fight back and win 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final.

Second-placed Real are seven points adrift of Barcelona, who could secure the league title on Wednesday without kicking a ball if Real fail to win at home to Mallorca.

Regardless of Real’s result, a Barca victory in the city derby away to Espanyol on Thursday would clinch the title.

An official announcement regarding a managerial change is expected before Real’s last game of the season at home to Real Sociedad on May 25.

Ancelotti is expected to receive a fitting farewell, recognising his four highly successful years with the club.