Grand

Piastri said he simply did not have the pace to compete and was 0.366secs off pole.

He said he and McLaren had expected to be able to compete at the front.

“My first lap of Q3 felt reasonable,” Piastri said. “It certainly didn’t feel 0.4secs off. We just didn’t have the pace tonight, which was a little bit of a surprise for us. We were relatively confident going in.”

Piastri’s performance, though, was a return to form for the Australian after a difficult race in Baku, where he made a series of mistakes, culminating in crashing on the first lap.

Starting two places in front of Norris, he has a good chance to extend his 25-point championship lead.

Norris said: “We weren’t quick enough., the Mercedes were quite a lot faster. I didn’t put it all together and you need to do it on a track like this.

“There’s still chances so we have to wait and see.”

Hamilton outqualified Leclerc for the first time since the British Grand Prix to underline an upturn in his form in recent races.

He was fastest in the first session and said he felt Ferrari had mismanaged the rest of qualifying.

“The pace was there,” Hamilton said. “We just didn’t optimise the sessions, Q2 onwards.

“I’m definitely more comfortable in the car, this weekend I think I have been driving really well.

“P6 is not good. I definitely think we should have been further ahead but it was all about tyre temp today. It is every week. Tomorrow is going to be tough from where we are. There is not really much we can do from here.”

Williams, whose drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz qualified 12th and 13th, have been reported to the stewards because their rear wings were found to exceed maximum dimensions. This is likely to lead to their disqualification from qualifying.

Draper was modelling next summer’s collection for one of his sponsors last week and has been working out regularly at the National Tennis Centre in London this week.

The work is primarily physical at the moment, and when pre-season training begins in earnest later this month, the initial on-court drills are likely to be low in intensity.

The British number one first felt discomfort in his upper left serving arm during the clay court season in the spring, and following a scan after Wimbledon, did not hit any serves for a month.

But the period of rest proved insufficient. He won his first-round match at the US Open, but withdrew before the second, and the opportunity to make his debut at the season ending ATP Finals was gone.

”He’s top 10 and he played half of the year. Just to say how good he is…” Mouratoglou added.

“His only problem for the moment is the injuries: he has been through several injuries already in the past.

“I always thought he was going to be a top player, but for every player that is supposed to become a top player, there are things to solve.

“For him, it’s to find a way to be injury free as much as possible because that’s what made him lose a little bit of time otherwise he would be higher [in the rankings], I think.”

Leclerc’s crash made it another dire day for Ferrari after Hamilton failed to make the top-10 shootout.

The session ran for two hours and the six red-flag stoppages broke a record that had previously been tied by the 2022 Emilia-Romagna and 2024 Sao Paulo Grands Prix.

The first person to crash was Williams’ Alex Albon, who hit the inside apex at Turn One, causing the first of three red-flag stoppages in the first session.

Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg caused the second, by crashing at Turn Four, and the session ended a few seconds early after both Alpine drivers made mistakes at the same corner after the restart.

Pierre Gasly first sped up the escape road, before his team-mate Franco Colapinto misjudged his entry into the same corner, despite waved yellow flags, and crashed on the exit.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman then brought out the next red flag when he oversteered into the wall on the exit of Turn Two early in the second session. The session then ran to the end without incident, although Piastri hit the wall on the exit of Turn 15 but was able to carry on with his lap.

The excitement was increased during the stoppages in the final session because light rain was starting to fall, which may have influenced the crashes of Leclerc and Piastri.

Leclerc, who had been on pole in Baku for the past four years, went straight on into the tyre barrier at Turn 15, before Piastri did the same thing at Turn Three on the restart.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the last film in the Downton Abbey franchise and fans have been walking out of cinemas in tears.

The grand conclusion of Downton Abbey is finally upon us, with the cast of the renowned ITV period drama bidding an emotional adieu after 15 years.

The last film in the Downton Abbey series, directed by Simon Curtis and penned by Julian Fellowes, graced UK cinemas on September 12.

Devoted fans have been left teary-eyed as they bid farewell to their favourite characters, reports the Express.

“Take tissues,” one viewer advised on Rotten Tomatoes, as another fan shared: “They wrapped up the whole saga so well. I was crying. Beautiful and triumphant.”

A third wrote: “Loved this movie. It wrapped up loose ends and answered questions. The ending did make me cry. I’m very sorry to see it over.”

What is Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale about?

The synopsis for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale reads: “The cinematic return of the global phenomenon follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s.

“When Mary finds herself at the centre of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble, the entire household grapples with the threat of social disgrace.

“The Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.”

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An annual plan costs £59.99 – equal to £4.99 per month – after a seven-day free trial.

How many Downton Abbey movies are there?

There are three Downton Abbey movies in total, with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale confirmed as the third and final film in the franchise.

The first movie, entitled Downton Abbey, came out in 2019, while second film Downton Abbey: A New Era was released in 2022.

How long is Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale?

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is exactly 125 minutes long, meaning the run time is 2 hours and 5 minutes.

The original 2019 Downton Abbey film had a similar run time of 122 minutes, while sequel film Downton Abbey: A New Era was also exactly 125 minutes long.

How many seasons of Downton Abbey are there?

There are six seasons of Downton Abbey in total, with season 1 first airing on ITV in 2010 and the final season airing in 2015, finishing with a Christmas special.

The award-winning show’s incredible popularity meant that it became the most successful British costume drama since ITV’s 1981 TV adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited.

Where can you watch Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale?

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is now available to watch in cinemas across the UK and is anticipated to stay in theatres for several weeks.

Where can you watch Downton Abbey?

The original 2010 series of Downton Abbey is available to stream in its entirety on ITVX.

The 2019 film Downton Abbey is also available to stream for free if you have a subscription to Disney Plus or Prime Video, while the 2022 sequel Downton Abbey: A New Era is free to stream on ITVX.

Carlos Alcaraz claimed the latest chapter of his compelling rivalry against Jannik Sinner with a four-set victory to regain the US Open title.

Spain’s Alcaraz started strongly, weathered a second-set fightback from Italy’s Sinner, before powering to a 6-2 3-6 6-1 6-4 victory in New York.

The men’s final was delayed by half an hour because of extra security measures put in place due to US President Donald Trump’s presence.

Once under way, the pair produced another engaging contest – albeit short of the drama and quality of their French Open and Wimbledon finals earlier this year.

Reigning French Open champion Alcaraz’s superior serving – an area which let him down against Sinner at the All England Club – ensured he reclaimed the US Open title that he first won in 2022.

The 22-year-old has now won six Grand Slam titles – making him the second youngest man behind Bjorn Borg to reach this tally.

Alcaraz’s victory ensures an even split between him and Sinner – who won the Australian Open as well as Wimbledon – at the four majors in 2025.

Alcaraz has also wrestled the world number one ranking away from Sinner, who held the position for 65 weeks.

After Sinner saved two championship points, Alcaraz reset to take his third opportunity with an ace out wide – celebrating with a now trademark golf swing.

The four-time world champion earned his third Italian Grand Prix at the famous track and is the first driver to win from pole position at Monza since 2019.

Max Verstappen claimed a dominant victory at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of title contenders and McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

It was a first win since May for Verstappen – and only his third of the season – and capped a wonderful weekend at Monza for the four-time world champion, who had posted the fastest lap in Formula 1 history at the track on Saturday to claim pole position.

“That was unbelievable, guys! Well done, everyone,” Verstappen said on team radio. “We executed that really well. What an unbelievable weekend. We can be really proud of that.”

Norris was second, nearly 20 seconds behind Verstappen, to trim the gap to Piastri in the title race to 31 points. He had started the day 34 points behind the Australian driver, who was not happy after he was ordered to let his teammate past towards the end of the race.

The switch came after Norris had a slow pit stop, which appeared to put his title chances further in jeopardy when he came out behind his teammate. But McLaren ordered Piastri to let the British driver past, which he did despite grumbling about the decision on team radio.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had solid performances at the team’s home race. Cheered on by the passionate, red-clad “Tifosi” fans, Leclerc finished fourth while Hamilton surged through the field at the start to cross the line in sixth – after starting from 10th following a five-place grid penalty.

Norris was desperate to rebound from a disastrous Dutch GP, where he retired with a rare engine problem. Starting from second at Monza, he tussled with Verstappen from the start and was forced off into the grass at the first corner.

“I always know it is going to be a good fight with Max, and it was,” Norris said. “One of those weekends where we are a bit slower, but a good fight, and I enjoyed it.”

Verstappen was told to give the place back and duly did so, but the Red Bull driver reclaimed the lead at the start of lap four, diving past Norris into turn one.

From there, it was almost a procession to victory for Verstappen. He briefly found himself behind the McLarens after pitting on lap 38, but retook the lead when Piastri was brought in on lap 46, followed by Norris a lap later.

McLaren have been determined to keep the fight between their two drivers as fair as possible but their approach was always likely to lead to controversy at some point.

That was certainly the case at Monza, as they interfered after the sort of twist of fate that often turns driver’s races.

Norris unquestionably deserved the second place on the balance of the race, but his pit stop problem left the team with an agonising quandary.

It is normal practice to pit the lead driver first in such a scenario but McLaren decided they wanted to pit Piastri first, saying they made the decision to ensure he was clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had pitted earlier on a conventional strategy.

Norris questioned it when told of the decision, saying he was fine “as long as there was no undercut”, which would be him being passed by Piastri going faster on his out lap. He was assured there would be no such thing.

Piastri’s stop was faultless at 1.9 seconds but Norris’s front right wheel gun had a problem and his stop was 5.9, so Piastri was in the lead when Norris re-emerged on to the track.

Piastri was immediately told to let Norris back past. His engineer Tom Stallard said: “Oscar, this is a bit like Hungary last year. We pitted in this order for team reasons. Please let Lando past and then you are free to race.”

Piastri replied: “I mean, we said a slow pit stop was part of racing, so I don’t really get what’s changed here. But if you really want me to do it, then I’ll do it.”

After the race, Norris said: “Every now and again we make mistakes as a team. Today was one of them.”

The point of view of both drivers is understandable, and it will be interesting to see how McLaren manage this in the increasing tension of a title fight.

Speaking to Sky Sports later, Piastri was accepting of the decision, saying: “The decision to swap back was fair. Lando was ahead of me the whole race. I don’t have any issues with that.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen snatched pole position for the Italian Grand Prix from Lando Norris with the fastest lap in Formula 1 history.

The Dutchman’s time of one minute 18.792 seconds beat the lap set by Lewis Hamilton at Monza in 2020 for Mercedes by 0.095secs – at an average speed of 164.484mph.

Norris had just leapt to the top of the times after a difficult first run left him seventh, but Verstappen pipped him by 0.077 seconds for his first pole since the British Grand Prix in July.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, leading Norris by 34 points in their championship battle, was third fastest, ahead of the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

But the seven-time champion has a five-place penalty and will start the grand prix at Monza 10th.

That promotes Mercedes’ George Russell to fifth, ahead of team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda.

Verstappen’s pole time seemed to surprise even the Dutchman himself, after he struggled for pace through the practice sessions.

Djokovic has scaled down his playing time considerably over recent seasons, tailoring his schedule to focus on the majors.

Moving clear of Australia’s Margaret Court in terms of Grand Slam titles is the biggest ambition left in his mind.

His body is not, however, complying.

Djokovic might have defied logic to reach the semi-finals of all four majors this year, but a straight-set defeat by 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows was another example of his waning physical powers.

Alcaraz and 24-year-old Jannik Sinner have cleaned up the past seven major titles between them, having taken their games to a far superior level than anybody else on the ATP Tour.

“I can do only as much as I can do,” Djokovic said.

“It will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of Sinner and Alcaraz in best-of-fives at Grand Slams.

“I think I have a better chance in best-of-three, but best-of-five, it’s tough.

“I’m not giving up on Grand Slams in that regard. I’m going to continue fighting and trying to get to the finals and fight for another trophy at least.”

McLaren have traced the engine failure in last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix that dented Norris’ title hopes to a broken oil line – a McLaren issue rather than a problem with the Mercedes engine.

Leclerc’s fastest time was his third attempt to do a lap on the soft tyres after aborting his first two runs.

The second incident led to a scare because Leclerc passed a Sauber just after a red flag was thrown because of gravel on track, despite braking as hard as he could.

He was worried he would receive a penalty, but stewards immediately reviewed the incident and accepted there was nothing he could do.

Verstappen was 0.575secs off Hamilton, while the second Williams of Alex Albon was seventh.

A number of drivers ran wide during the session, and the red flag was as a result of Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar running off track at the Ascari chicane and spraying the circuit with gravel.

Gravel at the second Lesmo, deposited by Norris, also needed to be cleared.

Other drivers to run wide and kick up gravel included Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who was ninth fastest behind George Russell’s Mercedes.

Russell ended the session parked on the grass beside the track before the Roggia chicane as a result of a power loss, which left him stuck in seventh gear with the rear wheels locked.

Hadjar completed the top 10.

In a week that saw the S&P 500 lose value, one stock in particular, space rocket operator Rocket Lab (RKLB 1.42%), glowed a bright shade of green as it rocketed to close the week 9.5% higher on Friday.

And I know why.

Because I was there to see it.

Image source: Rocket Lab.

Welcome to Virginia, LC-3

On Thursday morning, Aug. 28, Rocket Lab officially opened its third “launch complex” in the world, LC-3, at the Virginia Spaceport Authority’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, just off the Virginian eastern seaboard.

LC-3 will be home to Rocket Lab’s newest and biggest rocket, the 141-foot-tall, methane-and-liquid oxygen-fueled Neutron. Capable of lifting 13 metric tons to low Earth orbit, Neutron will be 43 times more powerful than its little brother (and Rocket Lab’s current only rocket), the Electron. Neutron is scheduled to make its inaugural test flight from LC-3 later this year.

Of course, all of this we already knew about Neutron. We’ve know this since Rocket Lab CEO Sir Peter Beck promised the rocket was coming, four years ago. But here are three things you probably didn’t know about Rocket Lab stock and Neutron., things I only learned myself by attending the LC-3 ribbon-cutting last week.

From MARS to Mars

As Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pointed out in his opening speech before assisting with the ribbon-cutting, Neutron will be launching from a site at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport — “MARS,” the spaceport. And as CEO Beck observed, bigger rockets can send bigger payloads farther distances — including to Mars, the planet.

Rocket Lab actually already has two satellites built and ready to go to Mars, as part of the ESCAPADE science mission for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA. What it hasn’t had is a rocket big enough to get them there, and delays caused by trying to hitch rides on other companies’ rockets — SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and Blue Origin’s New Glenn — have delayed the mission.

Neutron, when it’s ready, could solve that problem by giving Rocket Lab a way to get to Mars under its own power.

Targeting SpaceX

With 43 times the payload capacity of Electron, which can itself often carry multiple small satellites at a time to orbit, Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket is often described as ideal for the deployment of Earth orbit satellite constellations. Rocket Lab’s most recent descriptions of the medium-lift rocket, however, suggest the company is preparing to compete with rivals such as SpaceX and Northrop Grumman (NOC 0.36%) in the “cargo resupply” market as well.

Resupply whom, you may ask? Well, the International Space Station is the party most obviously in need of regular resupply runs, and currently, SpaceX and Northrop Grumman are fulfilling that function. NASA has indicated openness to allowing other companies to bid on Commercial Resupply Services contracts, however, awarding one to Sierra Nevada Corporation in 2016, for example. Nearly a decade later, Sierra Nevada has yet to actually perform a resupply mission.

Seems to me that opens up a gap that Rocket Lab may soon be able to fill.

Uncle Sam is looking for a few good astronauts

Arguably the biggest reveal of last week’s LC-3 opening, though, was a heavy hint Rocket Lab dropped as to a previously unexpected aspiration: putting astronauts in orbit.

Describing the missions it hopes Neutron to perform once it starts launching, Rocket Lab named all the things we’ve already discussed — launching constellations, visiting other planets, “and eventually human spaceflight,” too.

This revives an early hope that Neutron might give NASA and other space-users a third way to send astronauts to space, in addition to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing‘s (BA -0.54%) ill-starred Starliner.

Admittedly, Rocket Lab stopped short of giving any real detail on its plans to develop a human-rated spacecraft for Neutron to carry. Just the hint it did drop at the LC-3 opening, though, already has investors talking about what Rocket Lab’s plans might be along these lines, which could run the gamut from helping to keep space stations crewed, to sending astronauts to the moon or Mars, or even conducting space tourism around Earth.

Stay tuned. As soon as I know more, so will you.

Formula One returns after the summer break and ahead of Sunday’s race day, BBC Sport’s Harry Benjamin picks his five things to look out for at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort.

READ MORE: How to follow Dutch Grand Prix on the BBC

Available to UK users only.

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.

EMMA RADUCANU suffered one of her heaviest defeats at the Grand Slams as she was blown away by clean-hitting Elena Rybakina.

The former US Open champion was crushed 6-1 6-2 in the third round by the 2022 Wimbledon conqueror.

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The pair may have shared the doubles court together and have a decent relationship in the locker room but it was one-way traffic for the Eastern European.

Fashion mogul Anna Wintour watched on from Raducanu’s box as the 22-year-old, wearing her lucky colour of red, was easily beaten before most New Yorkers had grabbed their lunches.

It is her misfortune that she has been dumped out of the four Slams this year by multiple champions Iga Swiatek (Australia and French Open) and Aryna Sabalenka (Wimbledon).

The first clash against the Pole represents the heaviest major loss on her CV – a 6-1 6-0 walloping in Melbourne in January.

Up to 34 in the world, her task ahead of the 2026 Australian Open is to be one of the top 32 seeds so she avoids a big name in the opening rounds.

Raducanu’s serving had been impressive this week but then she did have to play two qualifiers from Asia, Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen, who were both eliminated in under 62 minutes.

This was a significant step-up in class, though Rybakina does not have a great record at the US Open, having never made the quarter-finals before.

Raducanu, 23, was broken for the first time in the tournament as Rybakina managed to read the return and was hitting the ball cleanly and with authority, crushing every ball from the baseline.

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The Moscow-born Kazakhstani, 26, was giving Raducanu no time to breathe on a much cooler morning at Flushing Meadows, far removed from some of the more stifling, humid days the players have had to experience in tournaments past.

Rybakina was firmly in charge when she broke for the second time in game six of the first set.

The Brit had no answer and after 27 minutes, despite coach Francisco Roig’s constant talk and instructions from the sidelines, she was a set behind.

Even when she thought she could make an inroad into the Rybakina serve, her opponent produced a powerful first serve in response.

Having cruised through her opening two appearances, this was an example of the real Grand Slam challenge, with Rybakina hitting 11 winners, six off the forehand.

Things got any worse at the start of set two as Raducanu crumbled from 40-love up and was  broken by the No9 seed.

Roig, formerly in the Rafa Nadal camp, shouted out “the ball is very heavy” and that is true but it does not help when it comes back at you at such pace and precision.

On the Louis Armstrong Stadium, named after the famous New Orleans-born trumpeter and jazz musician, Raducanu did not have all the time in the world.

In fact her time in the event was all over when 62 minutes on the match clock — her quickest Grand Slam exit.

Tennis stars following in parents’ footsteps

TALK about pressure…

These rising stars are all making their way in tennis.

But they have got something in common – they’ve got a famous parent who also made their name in the sport.

So who are the players hoping to follow in the footsteps of their tennis mums and dads?

Great Britain’s Ben Turner produced a stunning sprint finish at the Vuelta a Espana to claim his first ever Grand Tour stage win.

Turner won the fourth stage of the race – a 206.7km medium mountain route from Susa to Voiron – from Belgian duo Jasper Philipsen and Edward Planckaert, who finished second and third.

The 26-year-old – a late call up to the Vuelta when Ineos team-mate Lucas Hamilton pulled out through illness – powered to victory on a long, rising finish.

“It’s a crazy feeling. I really believed in myself today and trusted what I had to do,” said Turner, who picked up his third win as a professional.

France’s David Gaudu, who won the third stage, leads the overall standings having finished enough places in front of Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark to take the red jersey on count-back.

More to follow.

Aug. 26 (UPI) — Wednesday night’s Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $815 million, the lotto said Tuesday, making it the seventh-largest pot in the game’s history.

The prize has an estimated cash value of nearly $368 million, Powerball said in a statement.

The jackpot soared after no one won Monday’s draw for the pot that then sat at $750 million.

Though there was no grand winner Monday night, two tickets sold in Georgia and Texas were worth $1 million each as they both matched all five white balls, while 26 tickets won $50,000 prizes.

According to the lotto, Wednesday’s drawing will by the 38th since a ticket in California won the grand prize on May 31.

Wednesday’s Powerball Jackpot is only surpassed in worth by six others, five of which were in the billion-dollar range. The most valuable was the Nov. 7, 2022, draw for $2.04 billion.

With the power units being made simpler next year, will they generate more noise than presently (I accept they will never sound like they did up until 2013)? I consider it an embarrassment for the sport that the F3 cars (and Porsche Cup cars) that also race on the F1 weekends are louder than the main event – Raffi

The impression might be that the new engines being introduced next year should be louder because they will no longer have an MGU-H – the device that recovers energy from the turbo.

But I am told that while they might be a little louder than currently, they won’t be that different, because they still have turbos, which is the overriding impact on the sound.

As you may have read, there is a push from governing body the FIA at the moment to return F1 to older-style naturally aspirated engines, and that’s partly because of the noise.

Initially, this seems to have come from a whim of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, with influence from Bernie Ecclestone and Christian Horner, rather than a reasoned opinion based on thorough research of the desires of the audience.

However, it does chime with concerns that exist about how F1 will look next year because of the energy-recovery demands of the new engines, which have close to 50% of their total power output coming from the electrical part of the engine.

From what I’m told about fan surveys done by F1, there is no widespread agreement on whether louder engines would be a positive.

Some – like Raffi – obviously think they would be.

But the F1 fanbase has changed a lot in recent years, and inside the sport there is concern that newer members of the audience – more women and children now come to races, for example – would not welcome engines that made so much noise as to be virtually deafening, that made ear defenders an absolute necessity, that stopped people having a comfortable conversation when the race was on, etc. Likewise the guests in the corporate boxes.

Equally, city races such as Miami and Las Vegas would be threatened if the cars suddenly became much noisier than was promised to residents when discussions about the races took place.

It would highly likely revive the complaints that used to take place in Melbourne about this, too.

The world has moved on in many different ways since the first decade of this century, and it’s far from clear that effectively turning the clock back 20 or 30 years would be a good idea, even if it was with the addition of a token hybrid element to the engines and sustainable fuel.

Talks are ongoing on the future direction of engines from 2030 or so onwards, but they are a long way from reaching a conclusion.

There is a sense that V8s might return – many manufacturers in F1 still make V8s for road cars. But most say a hybrid element is non-negotiable, and some – such as Audi – are currently insisting on a turbo, too. A conclusion is a long way away.

NEW YORK — A federal judge who presided over the sex trafficking case against financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the government’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts.

The ruling Wednesday by Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend, also turned down the government’s request.

Barring reversal on appeal, Berman’s decision forecloses the possibility of grand jury testimony being released now that three judges have reached the same conclusion. A federal judge in Florida declined to release grand jury documents from an investigation there in 2005 and 2007.

The rulings are a collective repudiation of the Justice Department’s effort to divert attention away from its stated refusal to release a massive trove of records in its possession and make clear that the still-sealed court documents contain none of the answers likely to satisfy the immense public interest in the case.

President Trump had called for the release of transcripts amid rumors and criticism about his long-ago involvement with Epstein. During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump promised to release files related to Epstein, but he was met with criticism — including from many of his own supporters — when the small number of records released by his Justice Department lacked new revelations.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday.

Berman said the information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts “pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice.”

The Justice Department had informed Berman that the only witness to testify before the Epstein grand jury was an FBI agent who, the judge noted, “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.”

The agent testified over two days, on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The entire transcript was 70 pages. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women. She was recently transferred from a prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas. Epstein died in jail awaiting trial.

Maxwell’s case has been the subject of heightened public focus since an outcry over the Justice Department’s statement last month saying that it would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein sex trafficking investigation. The decision infuriated online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and elements of Trump’s base who had hoped to see proof of a government cover-up.

Since then, officials in Trump’s Republican administration have tried to cast themselves as promoting transparency in the case, including by requesting from courts the unsealing of grand jury transcripts.

“The government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein file,” Berman wrote in an apparent reference to the Justice Department’s refusal to release additional records on its own while simultaneously moving to unseal grand jury transcripts.

“By comparison,” Berman added, “the instant grand jury motion appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government’s possession. The grand jury testimony is merely a hearsay snippet of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged conduct.”

Meanwhile, Maxwell was interviewed at a Florida courthouse weeks ago by Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche, and the House Oversight Committee had also said that it wanted to speak with Maxwell. Her lawyers said they would be open to an interview but only if the panel were to ensure immunity from prosecution.

In a letter to Maxwell’s lawyers, Rep. James Comer, the committee chair, wrote that the committee was willing to delay the deposition until after the resolution of Maxwell’s appeal to the Supreme Court. That appeal is expected to be resolved in late September.

Comer wrote that although Maxwell’s testimony was “vital” to the Republican-led investigation into Epstein, the committee would not provide immunity or any questions in advance of her testimony, as was requested by her team.

Neumeister and Sisak write for the Associated Press. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.

L.A. County prosecutors tried to force City Councilman Curren Price’s wife to testify before a grand jury and served subpoenas on several members of his City Hall staff earlier this year, three sources told The Times.

The grand jury was convened in March, according to three sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because grand jury proceedings are secret under California law. Price’s attorney, Michael Schafler, also confirmed the existence of a grand jury proceeding in a new court filing on Thursday.

The convening of a grand jury, coupled with news that prosecutors filed additional charges against Price earlier this week, marks a significant uptick in the district attorney’s office’s focus on the veteran councilman. Price was first charged in 2023 after voting in favor of multiple measures that prosecutors allege would financially benefit his wife, real estate consultant Del Richardson.

Documents made public Thursday also show the district attorney’s office considered Richardson a “suspect” in the criminal investigation into her husband as recently as 2022.

The councilman has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.

Richardson ultimately did not testify before the grand jury, though it was not clear why, according to two of the sources. No criminal charges were filed against Richardson. The district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to questions about that decision Thursday.

“I would not expect Del Richardson to be charged because she has done nothing wrong,” said Richardson’s attorney, Adam Kamenstein. “She is also completely confident that her husband, Councilman Price, will soon be fully vindicated, and she looks forward to being able to put this matter behind them.”

Price now faces 12 criminal counts in total accusing him of grand theft by embezzlement, perjury and violating state conflict of interest laws. Prosecutors allege Price repeatedly voted in favor of measures to sell buildings or support grants for developers or agencies that had previously contracted with his wife’s consulting firm, Del Richardson & Associates.

Price has also been accused of bilking the city out of $33,000 in medical premiums by listing his wife as a beneficiary of his city-issued healthcare plan between 2013 and 2017, before they were legally married.

In documents made public Thursday morning, a summary of the district attorney’s office’s investigation written in 2022 described Richardson as a “suspect” in the case.

An investigator wrote that Richardson committed perjury and aided and abetted in Price’s alleged embezzlement by seeking to recoup healthcare costs from the city of Inglewood, where Price formerly served as a councilman, between 2015 and 2017, according to the summary document. Price and Richardson were not legally married at the time as Price did not divorce his first wife until 2018, prosecutors allege.

Prosecutors served subpoenas on several members of Price’s City Hall staff and several former employees of Del Richardson & Associates, which Richardson sold to the Greenwood Seneca Foundation several years ago, the sources said.

The purpose of the grand jury was also unclear, as two of the sources said questions asked by prosecutors were not focused on the charges already filed against Price.

In a motion seeking to dismiss all charges filed Thursday morning, Schafler questioned the legality of the grand jury proceedings.

Schafler said the grand jury hearings “appear to impermissibly have been for the primary purpose of discovery and preparing for the preliminary hearing and trial in this action, which had already been pending since June 2023.”

Grand juries are held in secret and transcripts of such proceedings only become public if an indictment is returned against the target of the hearing. Price has not been indicted.

The district attorney’s office said it could not comment on grand jury proceedings without court authorization.

“The Grand Jury process involves two types of Grand Juries: Investigative and Indicting. An Investigative Grand Jury investigates and does not seek an Indictment,” the office said in a statement.

It was not clear which type of grand jury was convened in Price’s case. It is rare for prosecutors to fail to convince a grand jury to return an indictment.

In a motion seeking to dismiss charges in 2023, Price’s attorney argued prosecutors could not prove that past payments to Richardson’s company had any influence on the councilman’s voting record. Many of the votes that prosecutors zeroed in on passed easily, with Price’s vote making no difference to their success or failure.

Under California law, criminal cases can proceed from the filing of charges to a trial by two pathways. More often than not, defendants face a preliminary hearing where a judge must decide if prosecutors have enough evidence to prove there is probable cause for a defendant to stand trial.

Prosecutors can also seek an indictment before a grand jury, a move that limits what counterarguments defense attorneys can put forth and protects witnesses from cross-examination. In recent years, L.A. County prosecutors have convened grand juries to indict disgraced porn star Ron Jeremy on a litany of rape allegations and to review manslaughter charges against Torrance police officers.

Price appeared in court on Thursday morning to answer the two new charges filed against him earlier this week. On Tuesday, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman said that between 2019 and 2021, Price voted in support of grants and funding for L.A. Metro and the city’s housing authority after Richardson’s firm was paid more than $800,000 combined by both agencies.

Joined by about two dozen supporters who sat in the back rows of the courtroom, Price pleaded not guilty to the new charges. His attorney said he would file a motion to dismiss those charges later on Thursday.

Prosecutors said the councilman’s staff “flagged the conflict of interest prior to the votes” that prompted the new charges.

Price’s spokeswoman, Angelina Valencia, did not respond directly to that allegation. But she said the councilman’s office has always “carried out a multi-layered process to identify and address potential conflicts of interests, work that is highly complex and requires thorough review.”

“Each month, our legislative team reviews hundreds of Council and Committee votes, cross-checking for potential conflicts,” she said.

Schafler has repeatedly argued that Price did not knowingly violate conflict of interest laws.

Drumnadrochit is a small village in the Scottish Highlands that is famous for being the home of the Loch Ness Monster, but it has so much more to offer than that.

Many tourists heading to Scotland aren’t chasing sunshine. They flock to these shores seeking breathtaking scenery and fascinating heritage – with some grub and tipples on the side.

There’s a tiny Highland village that manages to deliver on virtually every front for holidaymakers – yet most Scots likely couldn’t even tell you what it’s called. Drumnadrochit has earned fame as the supposed dwelling place of the Loch Ness Monster, but there’s more to it than that – it’s also home to one of the globe’s most celebrated and recognisable fortresses, provided you’re an Outlander fan.

The village itself houses barely 1,100 residents, though numbers balloon each year as monster seekers arrive hoping to spot the legendary beast, reports Scottish Daily Express.

Visit Scotland’s website hails Drumnadrochit as amongst the finest spots for discovering the Highlands. It states: “The village is surrounded by the glens, Glen Urquhart and Glenmoriston, as well as the Great Glen that reaches across from Inverness in the east to Fort William in the west.

“The area is rich in things to see and do with activities ranging from exploring Urquhart Castle, a classic romantic ruin jutting out into the loch, horse riding, cycling, cruising the length of Loch Ness and fishing trips.

“Loch Ness, the largest and most famous loch in the Great Glen, is a top UK holiday spot that draws crowds each year hoping to spot Nessie, the legendary Loch Ness monster.

“The Nessie replica might be as close as you get to the real deal, but you can also delve into the eerie history of monster hunting facts and folklore at the centre.

“Nessieland lets you watch a documentary about monster sightings over the years, and explore the Nessie caves to uncover the legends and mysteries. The attraction also boasts an adventure playground and offers cruises on Loch Ness.”

Urquhart Castle, with its stunning views and rich Highland heritage, has been the backdrop to some of Scotland’s most dramatic historical events.

It saw intense military action from the 1200s until 1692 when Edward I of England – known as the “Hammer of the Scots” – seized the castle in 1296. The fortress was later retaken by the Scots and once again fell into English hands.

Urquhart Castle has a 4.3 out of five rating on TripAdvisor with one visitor posting: “I came to Loch Ness for Urquhart Castle. The place transcends words, and inspires paintings. It’s so gothic and romantic, I loved the fact that it overlooks the deepest part of the loch and called out to Nessie from the beach next to the castle. The best views up close is definitely to be had on castle grounds.”

Another said: “The magnificent Urquhart Castle is on the shore of Loch Ness and a beautiful and short drive from Inverness. We left Inverness around 9am and had a very pleasant drive to Urquart Castle stopping once at a popular viewing point to see the Loch Ness.”

A third added: “The Urquart Castle was a great experience! We spend around an hour and a half there and we were lucky enough to get great sunny weather so we weren’t too cold and got great photos!

“We really appreciated that we didn’t need to go on an organized tour and we could just go through at our own pace and read all the information. The castle isn’t very big so you can really see everything they have there pretty quickly and see the amazing views. Our experience was probably made better our lucky weather but we would go back again for a peaceful walk.”