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MotoGP FT1 Valencia 2025: Jack Miller fastest with new tires

Jeffrey Gooding
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MotoGP FT1 Valencia 2025: Jack Miller fastest with new tires

Some riders put on new tires at the end – Jack Miller fastest ahead of Ai Ogura and Aleix Espargaro – Augusto Fernandez tenth with V4 Yamaha

At the start of practice for the 2025 MotoGP season finale in Valencia, tires were the deciding factor. Some riders opted for new Michelins at the end and significantly improved their times. Jack Miller set the fastest time. Rookie Ai Ogura (Trackhouse-Aprilia) and wildcard starter Aleix Espargaro (Honda) were in the top 3 (see results).

With an outside temperature of just 20 degrees Celsius, it was a cool start to the last race weekend of the season. Due to a lengthy interruption in Moto2 practice, the session started almost half an hour late.

Toprak Razgatlioglu’s former crew chief Phil Marron was on site for the first time in the KTM pit. He will be looking after Brad Binder next year. In return, Andres Madrid is moving to Tech3 and will be looking after Enea Bastianini in future. After around ten minutes, Binder had the first crash of the weekend. He was caught out in turn 8. Six minutes before the end of practice, Fermin Aldeguer (Gresini-Ducati) crashed. The best rookie of the year’s front wheel folded in at Turn 4.

In the final stages, several riders switched to new tires and significantly improved their times. Miller set the fastest time with 1:30.382 minutes. Ogura moved up to second place and wildcard starter Aleix Espargaro (Honda) set the third-fastest time.

Australia winner Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse-Aprilia) also switched to new tires and improved to fourth place. Franco Morbidelli (VR46-Ducati) followed in fifth place on used tires.

Alex Marquez (Gresini-Ducati) stuck with one set of tires. As a result, the vice world champion set his personal best time right at the start of his fifth lap. With this time, Alex Marquez was half a second behind and took sixth place.

The top 10 was completed by Joan Mir (Honda), Pedro Acosta (KTM), Fabio Di Giannantonio (VR46-Ducati), and Augusto Fernandez (Yamaha). The Spaniard is making his third wildcard appearance with the new V4 Yamaha. On Thursday, he confirmed that the engineers are still not releasing any more power. However, a revised chassis was used for the first time. Augusto Fernandez lost a few km/h on the home straight. Nevertheless, he was only 0.653 seconds behind. Francesco Bagnaia had technical problems. Both Ducatis were worked on for a long time in the pits. As a result, he drove slightly fewer laps than most of the other riders. Bagnaia finished 21st, 1.1 seconds behind.

Portimao winner Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia) also decided not to use a new rear tire. He was about a second behind and finished in 18th place. His teammate Jorge Martin returned after an injury break.

Martin emphasized beforehand that this weekend was primarily about completing laps and finding his rhythm again. He is not thinking about results, as he also has to serve two long-lap penalties. Martin finished last, one and a half seconds behind. Maverick Vinales (Tech3-KTM) also returned for the season finale. The Spaniard finished 19th, one second behind.

The afternoon practice session starts at 3:00 p.m. As always, this is when the decision will be made as to who qualifies directly for Q2.

Bitter setback for Italy!

Sports Of The Day
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Bitter setback for Italy!

The defending champions go into the final round in Bologna severely weakened.

More bitter news for the defending champions ahead of the Davis Cup: in addition to top star Jannik Sinner, the Italian team will also have to do without their second top 10 player in the final round of the international tournament in Bologna (starting November 18).

Lorenzo Musetti withdrew after his exit from the ATP Finals.

“We have decided that I will not participate in the Davis Cup due to my physical condition and family situation,” said Musetti, who is expecting a child in a few days: “Of course, I am very disappointed and regret this very much.” Italy will face Austria in the quarterfinals.

ATP Finals: Musetti’s defeat seals his exit

Musetti, together with Sinner, played an important role in the title wins in 2023 and 2024.

He joined the field for this week’s ATP Finals in Turin late and after an exhausting period – a defeat against world number one Carlos Alcaraz sealed his elimination in the group stage.

The German team will face Argentina on Thursday. Alexander Zverev has announced his participation, making the DTB team one of the favorites.

Cristiano Ronaldo lashes out and sees red – Ireland’s World Cup dream lives on thanks to Parrott

Lesley Summerville
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Cristiano Ronaldo lashes out and sees red – Ireland’s World Cup dream lives on thanks to Parrott

Portugal will have to wait a little longer: the Iberians lost 2-0 in Ireland – partly due to a disservice from Cristiano Ronaldo – and thus failed to secure their ticket to the World Cup. The Boys in Green, on the other hand, have forced a final showdown on the last matchday.

A win in Ireland on Thursday evening would have secured Portugal’s ticket to the 2026 World Cup. In Dublin, however, the Iberians faced a team with their backs against the wall. The Boys in Green, for their part, needed at least one point to reach the final for the play-off spot in Group F. To achieve this, the home side relied on a compact and structured defense, making themselves comfortable around their own penalty area from the start.

As expected, the favorites started the game with a lot of possession and recorded the first shots on goal through Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the 40-year-old failed to create any danger with a backheel (2nd minute), a set piece (8th minute) and, shortly afterwards, from the edge of the penalty area (10th minute).

The Boys in Green, on the other hand, focused on quick transitions – and were almost invited in by Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa (17th minute). Parrott was in the right place at the right time from the resulting corner and had only to head home from close range to give his side a 1-0 lead (17′). Even after falling behind, it was Ronaldo who tried to get his team back on track (26′).
However, it remained a lot of empty possession without any moments of surprise. As a result, the home side had little trouble defending the Iberian attacks.
And what did the Irish do? They almost made it 2-0 in the 38th minute.
However, Ogbene failed to beat the post. It was only after the next wake-up call that the Portuguese became more compelling. Vitinha tested Kelleher with a scissor kick, but Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t find a teammate on the rebound (39′).
However, Ogbene hit the post. It was only after the next wake-up call that the Portuguese became more assertive. Vitinha tested Kelleher with a scissor kick, but Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t find a teammate for the rebound (39′), before Diogo Dalot shot just over the bar from a turn and Joao Felix’s side kick was blocked (44′).

In the midst of this period of pressure, Parrott struck a second time, the Irish striker slotting the ball through the legs of a defender into the bottom corner to make it 2-0 at half-time (45′).

The Portuguese continued to search for an opening after the restart. They only found one from a corner, but Vitinha’s shot from close range missed the target (48′).

After 61 minutes, the task for the visitors became even more difficult thanks to a disservice from their superstar: away from the ball, Cristiano Ronaldo struck O’Shea in the back with his elbow. After reviewing the video footage, referee Glenn Nyberg from Sweden had no choice but to show him a red card for violent conduct instead of the yellow card he had initially given him. Even with one man down, the visitors remained the dominant team, but their search for an opening continued to be unsuccessful. Ireland focused on defending their lead.

As the game progressed, belief in a comeback finally waned among the Portuguese ranks, and apart from Goncalo Ramos’ fine finish (87th minute), Ireland had nothing else to contend with until the much-celebrated 2-0 victory in the cauldron of Dublin was confirmed.

This means that the decisions in Group F will be postponed until Sunday (3 p.m.). With a win against Armenia, Portugal could then secure World Cup qualification on its own. At the same time, Ireland will face Hungary in a final match for second place, which would qualify them for the playoffs.

MLS like Europe: US league aligns its schedule

Lesley Summerville
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MLS like Europe: US league aligns its schedule

Fundamental change in Major League Soccer: The US league wants to align its schedule with the top European leagues in the future, as was announced on Thursday.

According to the announcement, starting in the 2027/28 season, the season will always begin in mid- or late July and end in May with the playoff finals. The current season began in February 2025, and the MLS Cup playoff finals will take place on December 6, 2025.

Fewer problems with transfers and loan players?

After the upcoming 2026 season, which will still be played in the old format, there will be a transition in 2027: The shortened 2027 season will begin in February 2027. After 14 games in the regular season and the playoffs, the champion will be crowned just three months later in May, before the first season in the new format begins in July 2027. As in many European leagues, there will also be a winter break in the future, lasting from mid-December to early February.

As Don Garber indicated, the league hopes that the alignment will improve its chances on the market, particularly in terms of player transfers. In addition, synchronisation with the FIFA calendar should also make it easier to avoid conflicts regarding international call-ups, according to the MLS commissioner.

“One of the most important decisions in MLS history”

“The change to our schedule is one of the most important decisions in MLS history,” Garber said in a statement from the US league about the change. “Aligning our schedule with the world’s major leagues will strengthen the global competitiveness of our clubs, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure that our playoffs remain the center of attention without interruption,” the MLS boss continued.

Betting scandal: Turkish association bans 102 players

T0m@dmin1
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Betting scandal: Turkish association bans 102 players

The betting scandal in Turkey continues to spread. After already suspending numerous referees, the association has now banned over 100 players from the top two professional leagues.

The betting scandal in Turkey continues to spread. At the end of October, Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, president of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), announced that 371 of the 571 referees working in professional leagues had betting accounts and that 152 of them had actually placed bets. Shortly afterwards, the association announced the suspension of 149 referees.

However, it has long been clear that not only referees, but also players and numerous other officials from professional clubs are involved in the scandal. Just a few days ago, a court in Istanbul issued arrest warrants for eight suspects. Among them is Murat Özkaya, president of Eyüpspor, which is currently second from bottom in the SüperLig.

As was announced on Thursday, the TFF has taken further action and has now imposed initial sanctions on 102 of the more than 1,000 players who are currently suspended for the duration of the investigation on suspicion of match-fixing.
The suspensions range from 45 days to 12 months. Those affected include 25 players from the SüperLig and 77 professionals from the second highest division, as listed by the association on its website.

Former Osnabrück player Sangaré suspended for 45 days

Among them is Galatasaray’s junior national team player Metehan Baltaci (nine months), who, according to the state news agency Anadolu, admitted to having placed a bet several years ago “without really understanding the extent of the matter.” He later realized “that such behavior is not in keeping with a sporting attitude” and therefore stopped.

His club colleague Eren Elmali, who has played 20 times for the national team and has already played four times in the Champions League this season, has also been suspended and is therefore not allowed to play alongside Leroy Sané and Ilkay Gündogan for 45 days.

Nazim Sangaré, who was born in Cologne, was also suspended for the same number of days. The 31-year-old German-Turkish player started his career in the Regionalliga West for Alemannia Aachen and Fortuna Düsseldorf II before moving to Osnabrück. Sangaré played 38 games in the 3. Liga and one in the DFB-Pokal for VfL before moving to Turkey in the summer of 2017. Since August, the defender has been under contract with Gaziantep FK, who are seventh in the SüperLig. Sangaré has played six times for the Turkish national team.

Ancelotti names condition for Neymar’s World Cup participation—and contradicts Endrick

Jason Maverick
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Ancelotti names condition for Neymar’s World Cup participation—and contradicts Endrick

With Brazil, Carlo Ancelotti dreams of a sixth World Cup title for the proud soccer nation. It will be exciting to see which squad the Italian chooses for this mission. He named Neymar a condition for World Cup participation.

After his emotional departure from Madrid, which he left as the most successful Real coach in history, Carlo Ancelotti deliberately broke new ground. Instead of settling in Spain’s capital or Vancouver, one of his favorite cities, the Italian moved to Rio de Janeiro. To devote himself heart and soul to his new role as Brazil’s national coach.

Ancelotti spends most of the year in the Brazilian metropolis, as he now reveals in a major interview with the renowned Spanish newspaper AS. “I try to learn something every day about the current state of soccer in Brazil, the culture of the country, simply everything. I live in Rio de Janeiro as much as possible. I really like the city.”

Ancelotti no longer feels the pressure that was his constant companion in Madrid. “Now I have time to observe everything calmly.” This is more in line with his nature. Ancelotti is enthusiastic about “the players and the structure of Brazilian soccer, with a very young president who wants to change things for the better.”

The “European Brazilians” observe Ancelotti’s assistants

He deliberately lets his assistants observe European soccer more closely. Ancelotti, on the other hand, concentrates fully on the Brazilian “market.” Seven players in the current Selecao squad actually earn their money in their home country.

This is not an act of desperation, but rather a sign of confidence in the quality of Brazilian talent. Ancelotti cites Vitor Roque as an example, a player who had recently failed in Europe: “He is very good, has scored many goals for Palmeiras and is much better than he was during his time at Barcelona and Betis. A striker profile that I really appreciate.“

Only a few players have been guaranteed a place in the World Cup squad so far. ”Others, like Vitor Roque, can still fight for a place in the final list,” Ancelotti clarifies.

Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior, two former protégés at Real, have the best chances. The former is “back in top form and even more mature than before his two cruciate ligament tears,” Ancelotti praises the center back. Vinicius Junior, who has repeatedly been criticized for his poor performances in the national team, is also “getting closer to his best form here with us.”

Endrick, once celebrated as a prodigy, is undoubtedly a special case. This season, the striker has only come off the bench once in La Liga under Xabi Alonso, whom Ancelotti expressly praises for his work, and has not played at all otherwise.

“He is an extremely important player, as he is one of the talents that Brazilian soccer has produced. We are currently monitoring him,“ said Ancelotti, who then dispelled rumors: ”But it is not true that I said Endrick had to leave Madrid to go to the World Cup. That is a matter between Madrid and the player. Those who claim I said that are wrong. He needs to talk to the club and make the best decision for himself and for Madrid. I would never advise Madrid what to do with one of its players. The club knows very well what it has to do.“

”No one can deny Neymar’s talent, but …”

Another emotional topic in Brazil is Neymar, who, after a promising start at FC Santos, is reportedly declining and causing internal team discussions. The now 33-year-old is hoping for what will likely be his last World Cup—like Lionel Messi for Argentina or Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal.

However, there is still a long way to go before he can participate. Ancelotti makes that clear: “No one can deny Neymar’s talent, but he has been struggling with injuries lately. Now he is back on the pitch, but first he has to get back to his best physical condition. That’s quite normal in today’s football, which is very physically demanding and intense.”

Without the necessary fitness, someone else will take Neymar’s supposed place in the squad. Because Ancelotti has a plan—and a dream. “We have the quality to compete in the World Cup and fight for the title. The goal is to win our sixth World Cup title.” That goal must be in the minds of the players—despite all the quarrels of the past months and years.

“Not a great product”: Günther speaks out against NBA Europe

Sotd Editor
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“Not a great product”: Günther speaks out against NBA Europe

It’s no secret that the NBA wants to expand into Europe. However, it remains unclear what form this involvement will take. Former pro Per Günther is concerned that there may soon no longer be a single best league on the continent.

“If you take five great teams from the EuroLeague and pair them with Manchester and Rome, and then slap the NBA Europe label on them, that’s not a great product,” the former pro told MagentaSport. He was referring to recent rumors that some established EuroLeague cities are included in the NBA’s founding plans.

Instead, he prefers the current status quo in the EuroLeague: “I wish it could always stay that way. With the EuroLeague, we clearly have the best club basketball. All the big teams – except those from Russia – are under one roof.“ Nevertheless, Günther is not opposed to a new league per se; what is much more important, he says, is that the best teams can compete against each other – regardless of what the overarching label is called. ”If we no longer see these derbies on the big European stage, then we as basketball fans will simply lose something.”

However, Günther does not consider the fact that the European premier league has increasingly curried favor with the Middle East in recent years to be an exclusive argument against the EuroLeague. “Of course, there were things that made you shake your head afterwards. But I believe that even NBA Europe will have to make decisions at some point that are no longer so appealing.”

The new Harbor is set to make waves in the Valorant meta

Andrew Jackson
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The new Harbor is set to make waves in the Valorant meta

Because no one wants to play Harbor in Valorant, Riot Games promised a rework—and is now delivering with Patch 11.10. Tactician Clove is also being adjusted.

A tactician who controls the map by slowing down opponents and robbing them of their vision: Riot Games approached Harbor’s rework with this concept in mind. The theme of water remains at the core. The Indian agent uses the artifact in his bracelet to control waves. However, almost all other aspects of his arsenal have undergone at least minor changes.

A new ability—and a new old signature ability

Harbor is still a tactician. However, the rework has further strengthened the initiator elements that were already present in him. His new basic ability, “Storm Surge,” is a projectile that can be thrown, slowing down agents it hits and restricting their vision. Perfect for driving enemies out of corners and making it easier for the team to attack.
Harbor’s signature cascade is no longer a basic ability, but has been moved to the ultimate ability. “Guesswork” also slows down and blinds enemies it hits, and its size and range have been adjusted. Whether this is a buff for the agent remains to be seen—after all, the previous ultimate provided information about enemy positions. That is no longer the case. Finally, “Flood,” the water wall and previously Harbor’s signature ability, has become a basic ability for 300 credits. The bulletproof smoke “Bay” has been moved to the E key. It is now used like Omen’s smoke and only acts as a shield after reactivation. This makes the water ball much more flexible and allows even casual Harbor players to use it with precision.

Side blow for Clove and pick’ems for game changers

In addition to Harbor, Clove was also adjusted in Patch 11.10 of Valorant: The tactician can now only use a maximum of one Smoke after her death. Her “Tonic” ability now only restores 50 HP. The adjustments are intended to make other tacticians more popular in the rankings again – perhaps Harbor can capitalize on this. In addition to the gameplay changes, Riot Games is also bringing back the prediction game for VALORANT Game Changers. The World Championship for women and non-binary individuals will take place from November 20 to 30 in Seoul, South Korea.

Vinales ahead of MotoGP comeback: How fit is the Tech3 rider for the final race?

Sports Of The Day
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Vinales ahead of MotoGP comeback: How fit is the Tech3 rider for the final race?

After his shoulder injury, Maverick Vinales returns to the MotoGP final in Valencia – almost fully recovered, he reveals what is still causing him problems.

After missing several race weekends due to a shoulder injury sustained at the Sachsenring, Maverick Vinales is back for the MotoGP season finale in Valencia. The Tech3 rider says he feels much better, even if he is not yet 100 percent fit.

“I’m obviously feeling much better than I did at the last race in Mandalika,” Vinales explained on Thursday. “I’ve had enough time to relax and recover. Of course, I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m not far off.”

The Spaniard has recently been training a lot with smaller motorcycles to test his form. “I have references from the 600 and 1000, and I was competitive in terms of lap times. That’s why I feel ready for this race. Of course, I still have to see what my level is on the MotoGP bike. The performance is completely different, but it was definitely an improvement.“

In his own words, the biggest challenge remains the complete recovery of his tendons. ”They just need a little more time to get used to the unusual positions we take on the MotoGP bike.”

“In everyday life, I feel completely recovered, but on the bike there are still movements where the tendons say, ‘I need a little more time.’ But it’s already much better than before,” the 30-year-old affirms. Sitting at home while he actually felt healthy was therefore frustrating.

“Everything is fine in normal life, but when I’m riding, I still notice that there are areas where I need to improve. But we’re close. I’m gaining more strength every week, and that’s the sign we needed.”

Why he skipped Portimao

His return in Valencia was primarily motivated by sporting reasons. “I really wanted to be back on the bike for the last race here. I feel that I’ve regained my flow and speed, and I wanted to see if that was also the case on the MotoGP bike,” said Vinales.

An earlier comeback in Portimao was deliberately avoided: “We briefly considered starting there, but two race weekends in a row might have been too stressful. So we decided to focus all our energy on Valencia and the subsequent test here.”

During rehab, he mainly worked on strength and mobility. “But my mobility isn’t quite 100 percent yet. It’s difficult to build strength when you can’t perform the movement perfectly. We’re working hard on that, and it’s getting better.” However, he no longer has any limitations on the bike: “Not anymore, no. I can move naturally again on the training bikes.“

”Only when braking hard do I sometimes still feel something in my shoulder area, but with adrenaline, that will hardly matter,” Vinales remains confident.

Vinales praises replacement rider Pol Espargaro

The injury-related break also caused him to lose muscle mass. “I couldn’t train with heavy weights, so I had to work more gently. During the season, I weighed about 67 kilos, but after the injury, I was down to 62 or 63.”

“I’m now back up to 63 or 64 kilos. I feel good, so that shouldn’t be a disadvantage. The biggest problem was the pain in Mandalika—every time I changed direction. The pain inhibited my muscles; I wanted to accelerate, but nothing happened. That’s the biggest difference now.”

Support from the Red Bull Performance Center in Austria also helped him with his recovery. “They have tests that measure not only strength but also neural connection. That was very important. Some muscles were too tense and blocked others.”

“We worked on that, and now I’m much quicker to react, especially on the left side. Before, there was almost no connection. I thought, ‘Go!’, but the muscle didn’t respond. Now it works again,“ explains the Tech3 rider. Vinales also had words of praise for Pol Espargaro, who replaced him during his injury: ”He did a really good job and also took care of my crew. He did really well. Portimao was certainly difficult for him because of the memories, but it was good that he raced there.”

Audi boss misses F1 debut – for this simple reason

Lesley Summerville
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Audi boss misses F1 debut – for this simple reason

Why Audi CEO Gernot Döllner won’t be in Melbourne for his brand’s first Formula 1 race in 2026 and how he feels about the Grand Prix project

When Audi makes its Formula 1 debut in Melbourne on March 8, 2026, one key decision-maker will not be there: Audi CEO Gernot Döllner will miss his factory team’s Grand Prix premiere.

Döllner said on the sidelines of the Audi design presentation in Munich (see photo gallery!): “I have only one concern—that my schedule will not allow me to be in Australia on March 8.” But Döllner also assured: “The Formula 1 project is now entirely my responsibility.”

The move into Formula 1 was initiated by Döllner’s predecessor as Audi CEO: Marcus Duesmann. But just one year after the announcement, Duesmann’s time at the helm of Audi came to an end after almost three years, and Döllner took over as Audi CEO in September 2023 – and with it the Formula 1 project.

How Döllner realigned the Audi project

“At that time, an early project review was due—as for every other ongoing project in the company,” explained Döllner. “The analysis made it clear that a much more ambitious setup was needed for a successful entry into Formula 1 than I had found. As a result, the decision was made to take over the Sauber team earlier than originally planned.”

Audi also brought in an external investor, the Qatar sovereign wealth fund, “to raise the project to the required level,” according to Döllner. “With this step and the newly established program, the development of a new management structure began.” As a result, Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann, the previous project managers, had to leave, and Mattia Binotto and Jonathan Wheatley took over.

Döllner feels comfortable with this lineup and emphasized: “We are also very confident economically. The budget cap and the fact that everyone will start from scratch next year are crucial.”

This is the basis for Audi’s “three-step plan,” which Döllner explained as follows: “In the next two years, we will be the challengers. We have to improve on our current situation. From 2028, we want to be serious contenders, and from 2030, we want to be fighting for the world championship title.”

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