Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Home Blog

The Boey symbol: Eberl admits plans to sell

Sacha Boey could have left FC Bayern in the summer, but is now playing a role again—and making the most of the opportunity.

Every professional at FC Bayern is feeling relatively confident at the moment because every single one of them is needed right now. The squad has been deliberately kept smaller than in previous years, which makes it more difficult to compensate for potential absences but significantly intensifies competition.

“It’s not like those sitting on the bench are hoping that their competitors will play badly,” Joshua Kimmich assures us, and we can believe him, as he recently sat on the bench twice. “When you play yourself, you naturally try to play a little better than the others, but always in the interests of the team.” Because he finds it “special” to “be part of the team.”

After all, this team has set a club record and won the first ten competitive games of the season for the first time ever, scoring 38 goals and conceding only eight. And that with a constantly changing starting lineup.

In central midfield, where Kimmich normally plays, Tom Bischof and Leon Goretzka played against Bremen (4-0), for example, and a few days later, Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic played against Pafos in Cyprus (5-1). In Frankfurt, it was Kimmich and Goretzka again, while Pavlovic and Bischof came on as substitutes.

In defense, there are fewer options for rotation due to the numerous absences, which still include Josip Stanisic due to a medial ligament injury, but at least Min-Jae Kim has been able to play in central defense from time to time. At right-back, where Konrad Laimer has long been the first choice, Sacha Boey is needed because Laimer replaces Stanisic on the left.

And Boey, who had always been a weak link until recently, has performed so solidly in the recent past that hardly anyone has talked about him. Which is not a bad thing for a defender, after all, Boey had been receiving more negative than positive feedback until recently (and rightly so).

In the summer, the Frenchman was a candidate that Bayern would have let go if the right offer came along, as Max Eberl made no secret of on Saturday in Frankfurt. “We would have considered it if something had happened,” said the sporting director, which translates as: We would have been quite happy to sell him.

However, as the alternatives became fewer and fewer, Boey stayed and is now repaying the constant trust placed in him by coach Vincent Kompany. Starting with his substitution against Chelsea, through a promising start in Sinsheim, to his best performance so far in the 4-0 win against Bremen.

Boey has become more reliable and, in a sense, a symbol of the current Bayern team: don’t complain too much, just keep going. And then it will work out eventually. Even for someone who was worth €30 million a year and a half ago and played for a long time like someone for whom even €3 million would have been too much.

“Thank you soccer, thank you for everything”: Jordi Alba announces retirement

Jordi Alba has achieved pretty much everything there is to achieve in soccer. Now, at the age of 36, the Spaniard has announced his retirement.

“The time has come to close a truly significant chapter in my life. I have decided to end my professional soccer career at the end of the season,” Jordi Alba announced via Instagram, emphasizing that he is doing so “with complete conviction, calmness, and joy.”

He said he had pursued his path “with every ounce of passion I had” and that now “the right moment has come to open a new chapter and close the past one with the best possible feeling. Soccer has given me everything, thanks to all my teammates, coaches, club staff, and my opponents who pushed me to give my best.”

Jordi Alba was once trained at FC Barcelona, but had to take a detour before finally becoming a defining figure at the Blaugrana for many years. The 36-year-old has not forgotten his various stops along the way, and he explicitly addressed them in his farewell video.

“I would like to express my special gratitude to the clubs that have shaped my life: to Atletico Centro Hospitalense, where it all began; to Cornella, where they believed in me and helped me; to Nastic de Tarragona, where I learned and matured; to Valencia, the club that enabled me to fulfill my dream and make my La Liga debut; to FC Barcelona, the club of my life, with whom I had over ten years full of unforgettable moments and won every possible title.”

In total, Jordi Alba can look back on 387 La Liga games for Valencia and FC Barcelona. With the Catalans, he won six league titles (2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2023) and five cup titles (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021), among other honors. Internationally, he celebrated his greatest success by winning the Champions League in 2015 (3-1 against Juventus Turin) and the Club World Cup (3-0 against River Plate) in the same year.

National team, Miami, fans

The left-back was also part of the golden generation of Spanish players who dominated world football in the early 2010s, although he was not part of the team that won the World Cup in 2010. He was in the starting line-up for every game in the 2012 European Championship. He said that wearing the Spanish national team jersey, with which he also won the Nations League in 2023, filled him with pride. “I am grateful to have been a small part of their history.” Jordi Alba played a total of 93 international matches and scored nine goals, officially retiring from the Furia Roja in 2023.

Finally, the Spaniard also thanked his current club, Inter Miami, “where I was welcomed with open arms and allowed to enjoy this journey until the very last moment,” and he also revealed what soccer fans had taught him. “You taught me that you don’t just wear a jersey—you feel it. Today I close this chapter because I know I gave it my all. Soccer was and always will be an essential part of my life. Thank you, soccer, thank you for everything.”

FC Barcelona reduces debt to €469 million0

FC Barcelona has already presented its members with the annual financial statements for the 2024/25 season and the budget for the current season. The announcement refers to an “economic recovery.”

FC Barcelona’s annual general meeting will take place this coming Sunday, October 19, and the club already had some good news to report in advance. “For the second year in a row, the club has achieved a positive ordinary result (€2 million), consolidating its economic recovery and operational efficiency in all areas,” the announcement said. Ordinary income amounted to €994 million, even though the team still had to play at the Olympic Stadium. The move to the renovated Camp Nou has been delayed several times, but the good sporting results and the response from the fans have increased the stadium’s income by more than €39 million.

In the area of sponsorship, the Catalans reported a new record high. Thanks to the agreement with Nike and other strategic partnerships, the €259 million mark was reached, plus €170 million (55 percent more than in the previous year) from merchandising. Here, the international expansion of e-commerce seems to have paid off for Barcelona.

In the overall overview, Barcelona closes taking into account extraordinary items such as the UEFA fine for financial fair play (-15 million), the sale of VIP seats (+70 million) and the provision for the value of Barca Productions, whose value fell from €400 million to €178 million, with a loss of €17 million after tax. “The results show a solid financial structure and reduce debt to €469 million, €90 million less than last year,” said the Catalans.

Revenues of over €1 billion planned

The club closed the last financial year with a wage bill of 54 percent of ordinary income, which is an improvement of two points over the previous year and within the limits set by UEFA. For the current season, Barça has budgeted €1.075 billion in ordinary revenue, thanks in part to the imminent return to Camp Nou. An increase of €50 million is expected here, and in the long term, the club even wants to approach the €200 million mark. In addition, the club expects a positive pre-tax result of €5 million.

Stones considered ending his career last season: “I was fed up.”

John Stones had a frustrating season at Manchester City and even considered ending his career. Thomas Tuchel provided some unexpected encouragement.

The current season is still young, but John Stones is only seven Premier League appearances away from reaching his total from last season. After a foot injury slowed him down in November, thigh problems ended his season in February. Stones was so frustrated that he considered ending his career, the Manchester City defender revealed to the BBC.

“I didn’t want that,” but “I was tired of being so professional and trying to do everything in my power, only to break down again and again and have no answers. It was a very difficult situation,” the now 31-year-old revealed. “There comes a point where you don’t know why it’s happening, and it’s even harder when you’re trying so hard or being extremely professional to be able to play.”

Since moving from Everton to ManCity in 2016, Stones has never played more than 27 league games in a season, which in England actually consists of 38 match days. He has only exceeded the 20-game mark in four of nine seasons, most recently in 2022/23 with 23. And a few months ago, Stones apparently had enough. “I thought about quitting. My emotions were running high. I couldn’t think clearly. I don’t think I ever would have done it deep down inside.”

This season, he has already started in five competitive games, mostly as a center back, after Pep Guardiola repeatedly used him in defensive midfield in recent years – as in the 2023 Champions League final, which saw ManCity complete the treble. Stones is also back in the England squad for the first time in a year.

In June, Tuchel invited Stones to join the national team – despite his injury

Strictly speaking, that’s not entirely true. Thomas Tuchel, who nominated him for the friendly against Wales (Thursday) and the World Cup qualifier in Latvia (Tuesday), had already brought him back in June – despite his injury. Stones was to continue his individual training with the Three Lions. “When he said, ‘Do you want to come along?’, it was a no-brainer for me,” Stones recalls. “He looked at it from many angles. He knew I was lonely and in a difficult situation.” At the same time, Stones was able to serve as a role model and contact person for the younger players. “Knowing that someone is willing to come shows the new guys very clearly what England has built up over the years.” Stones is already approaching his 84th international cap.

Bulls win thriller in Cleveland, Pacers defy Timberwolves comeback

0

Two close duels, two narrow victories: In the NBA preseason, the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers each played nerve-wracking games. While Chicago won narrowly in Cleveland, the Pacers prevailed against Minnesota after overtime, despite squandering a 24-point lead.

The Chicago Bulls kicked off the preseason with a 118-117 win at the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Matas Buzelis taking center stage. The 20-year-old led Chicago with 19 points and eight rebounds, impressing especially in the first half with 13 points on a strong shooting percentage (5/7 FG). Support came from Zach Collins (16) and Ayo Dosunmu (12), while Jevon Carter shone in the closing stages with important steals and a decisive layup. Cleveland got off to the better start, leading by double digits after the first quarter, but increasingly lost control as Chicago picked up the pace. The Bulls dominated the paint (58 points) and outscored Cleveland 28-17 on fast breaks. De’Andre Hunter and Craig Porter Jr. each scored 17 points for the Cavs, but were unable to counter Carter’s layup with 37 seconds remaining.

NBA: Pacers defy slump and win in overtime

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 135-134 in overtime, despite squandering a 24-point lead in the final quarter. Pascal Siakam scored 14 points and was accurate early on (3/5 3P), while two-way guard RayJ Dennis was the top scorer with 16 points (4/6 3P). Jarace Walker (13) and Aaron Nesmith (12) also impressed, and Jalen Slawson made the difference with six points in overtime.

Indiana played aggressive defense from the start, forcing 21 turnovers by the Timberwolves. The Pacers scored 30 points off those turnovers and dominated the fast breaks (28:4). While the starters around Siakam, Nembhard, and Mathurin used their minutes efficiently and were rested early on, the second unit held on to the win. Despite Minnesota’s late comeback led by Johnny Juzang (20 points) and Anthony Edwards (17), Indiana remained ice-cold from the three-point line, hitting 20 of 46 long-range shots.

Valorant: The new agent has veto power

0

Just in time for the 2025 World Cup final, Riot Games has announced the next agent for Valorant: Veto is a Senegalese guardian who can defuse enemy abilities.

Valorant’s newest agent’s name says it all: Veto is the name of the guardian whose own abilities are based on a DNA mutation. He is therefore able to simply make enemy abilities disappear – as announced at the Champions Finals.

Riot Games has been trying for some time to minimize “visual overload” – in other words, to display fewer unnecessary visual effects. Veto could be the next step: instead of more new abilities, there will now be fewer flying across the battlefield.

Veto’s abilities: Trap, Teleport – and something new

Like every Guardian, Veto also has the ability to monitor a bottleneck from a distance with “Chokehold.” The trap is only visible to enemies at close range and inflicts decay and numbness when hit. This makes the Q ability a mixture of Killjoy’s Alarmbot and Fade’s Grasp – and Veto’s main tool for flank security.

“Crosscut” is an ability that allows Veto to teleport over short distances, similar to Chamber or Yoru. When first activated, a vortex is placed that can then be reactivated to provide a way out of dangerous situations.

The new agent’s signature ability introduces a completely new mechanic to Valorant: the “Interceptor” must be placed, then activated later, and then destroys all abilities within sight. At least all those that can either bounce off players or be destroyed by shots. The small blue sphere can also be destroyed, but it has the potential to turn the meta upside down. Once deployed, it is also available again in 45 seconds. Veto’s ultimate ability is also exciting for ranked players and pros alike: with “Evolution,” the Senegalese agent gains immunity to all abilities for an entire round.

Weapon-like abilities such as Jett’s knife or Chambers’ Headhunter can still hit Veto, but he is immune to flashes, stuns, and even damage from Raze’s rocket or Brimstone’s ultimate during his ultimate ability.

Is Veto guaranteed a place in the meta?

At first glance, Veto seems incredibly strong: His abilities are versatile and cheap. His signature ability has the potential to take some agents out of the game completely. Skye or Gekko, for example, whose abilities—including their ultimates—are all destroyed by Veto, could become increasingly rare to see.
The new agent’s offensive potential should not be underestimated either: As Riot Games already showed in the release trailer, Veto offers counterplay against other Guardians who have barricaded themselves on a site. After offensive placement, the “Interceptor” removes traps and other abilities before the push and opens the door for your own team or your own lurk. It is very likely that Veto will get a place in the meta. That it will completely take over, however, is less likely. The signature ability will reliably delay pushes, but it cannot prevent them. “Evolution” is strong, but smokes and coordinated team play cannot be prevented. Perhaps Veto will succeed in what Riot Games has been trying to do for several patches: bring a little calm to otherwise overloaded Valorant maps.

Aprilia: Jorge Martin to return in Sepang at the earliest

0

After the Japanese Grand Prix and Indonesian weekend, Aprilia factory rider Jorge Martin will also miss the Australian weekend – recovering in Austria

The MotoGP weekend for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island (October 17 to 19) will not only take place without the new world champion Marc Marquez. Last year’s world champion Jorge Martin will also not be competing “Down Under.”

While Ducati factory rider Marquez was at the start in Mandalika (Indonesia) last weekend, he was knocked off his bike by Aprilia factory rider Marco Bezzecchi in Sunday’s race and injured his shoulder. Bezzecchi’s Aprilia teammate Martin has been out of action since the previous race weekend in Motegi, Japan.

As a reminder, Martin caused the crash at the start of Saturday’s sprint race at Motegi, which also involved Bezzecchi, among others. Martin broke his right collarbone in the crash, which meant he did not travel to Indonesia for the weekend, but instead underwent surgery in Spain.

In Martin’s absence, Aprilia team manager Paolo Bonora said during the Mandalika weekend on Dorna Sports’ TV broadcast: “The operation went really well. However, after consulting with the doctors, I can confirm that [Martin] will not be available to us at Phillip Island. To assess how things will proceed, we will have to wait for the next medical tests.“

Jorge Martin: Recovery with training in Austria

In this context, Bonora revealed that it was ”not a simple collarbone fracture.“ But what was it? ”The bone was broken in two places. That requires a longer recovery period.”

Martin is currently undergoing this longer recovery phase, including physical training, in Austria, more specifically at the Red Bull Athletes’ Performance Center in Thalgau near Salzburg. This was announced by Aprilia on Monday.

Once again, Marco Bezzecchi will be the only regular rider from the Aprilia factory team to compete in Australia this weekend. Unlike the Ducati rider, the Italian escaped without injury when he crashed with Marc Marquez in Mandalika.

When asked whether test rider Lorenzo Savadori might once again replace Martin on the factory team’s second RS-GP25 at Phillip Island, Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola did not want to reveal his hand.

Aprilia plays it safe with Martin

Rivola avoided questions about Savadori during the Indonesian weekend. Regarding Martin, he said: “Jorge is someone who recovers quickly, especially mentally. But especially after what has happened this year, we prefer to play it safe and only attempt a comeback when the time is right.”

Rivola is referring to the long breaks Martin has already had to take twice this year before injuring himself again in the Motegi sprint. The first major setback for the 2024 MotoGP world champion was a broken hand, initially caused by his crash during testing in Sepang in February, which was made worse shortly afterwards by a crash during private motorcycle training. The second was broken ribs, which he sustained in Lusail just as he was making his MotoGP comeback. That was in mid-April, and he crashed again there. As a result of the crashes at the Malaysia test, during private training, and in the Qatar race, Martin has had to miss a total of ten race weekends. The recent Indonesian weekend was the eleventh MotoGP weekend of 2025 without the previous year’s world champion due to the crash at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix. And the upcoming Australian weekend will be the twelfth, according to Aprilia. Martin’s comeback will not be until the end of October at the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend in Sepang at the earliest.

Trackhouse provides update on Ai Ogura

Incidentally, Jorge Martin is not the only MotoGP rider in Aprilia’s service who was not in action last weekend in Indonesia. Ai Ogura from the satellite team Trackhouse Racing was also only a spectator in Mandalika due to injury.

As a reminder, Ogura crashed at high speed during Sunday’s Grand Prix in Misano at the beginning of September. Two weeks later, he wanted to compete in his home race in Motegi, but had to cut the weekend short after Saturday’s race (sprint). How is his recovery going?

“Of course, it’s not ideal, especially in his rookie season, that his learning process has been interrupted,” said Trackhouse team boss Davide Brivio in Mandalika, speaking on Dorna Sports’ TV broadcast.

“He crashed at more than 160 mph in Misano. After that, he went to Japan for his home race. He gave it his all there, but after Saturday’s sprint, the pain was too much. That’s why we decided against starting on Sunday,“ said Brivio about Ogura. According to Brivio, the decision to withdraw was ”made to give him a few more days of rest for Indonesia.” Unlike Martin, Ogura was on site in Mandalika. However, he did not make his comeback there. “Unfortunately, we had to cancel again. The goal now is for him to get fit again for Australia, Malaysia, and the rest of the season,” said the Trackhouse team boss about the MotoGP rookie from Japan.

“Would have done the same”: Wittmann responds after storm of criticism against Güven

0

Ayhancan Güven was the target of a storm of criticism after his aggressive maneuvers in the title finale: Now his rival Marco Wittmann has spoken out in defense of the DTM champion.

Two days after the DTM season finale in Hockenheim, with Ayhancan Güven’s controversial overtaking maneuver against Marco Wittmann four corners before the checkered flag, the Schubert BMW driver has spoken out once again. And he now sees the events that earned the Turkish Manthey Porsche driver the title in a slightly different light.

“The last lap was intense and probably the most exciting in the history of the DTM,” writes the two-time champion, who was unable to become champion in the last race himself, on Instagram. “In hindsight, I should have covered the inside more to stay in front and win the race.”

However, he says he “didn’t know at the time that victory was the only way for Ayhancan to become champion. So, of course, he tried – and it was victory or the gravel trap,” he says, showing understanding for his rival’s toughness, especially given the circumstances, who is now facing some below-the-belt comments, particularly on social media.

Wittmann shows understanding for Güven’s tough move

Wittmann now makes it clear that he is fine with Güven’s maneuver in the Sachskurve, when the Porsche driver squeezed past Wittmann on the inside with two wheels off the track. “I’m pretty sure I would have done exactly the same thing in his place,” said the Schubert BMW driver, who finished second in the end.

Immediately after the race, he had said that the move in the Sachskurve was “a bit controversial” and “open to debate.” He said he was “hit from behind, even though I actually slammed the door shut.”

Comparison with legendary duel between Paffett and Glock

Today, however, Wittmann is aware of what a thrilling finale the two delivered and that he too made DTM history with his spectacular overtaking maneuver on the straight in front of the Motodrom.

The spectacular final lap of the race reminded him “very much of the epic battle between Gary Paffett and Timo Glock—I hope we made you both proud with our final lap,” said Wittmann, referring to the legendary duel for victory at the 2018 DTM weekend in Hockenheim.

And he doesn’t miss the opportunity to congratulate Güven on his title. “Congratulations to Ayhancan Güven on winning the 2025 DTM championship title. With five wins and his commitment in the last race and on the last lap, he delivered under pressure – he deserved it!“ He leaves no doubt that he considers the Manthey Porsche driver a worthy champion.

Kelvin van der Linde comments on shitstorm: ”Really frightening”

Wittmann expressed his regret for his teammate, whose title hopes were dashed by the retirement, on the radio immediately after the incident in the first lap, when Rene Rast fell victim to a chain reaction after his duel with Güven, and also encouraged his Schubert team.

“Of course, I feel very sorry for Rene that he was taken out of the race so early,” Wittmann confirmed after the race, which he almost won from 17th on the grid.

Incidentally, he is not the only BMW driver to react to the sometimes harsh comments on social media. Kelvin van der Linde expressed his displeasure with the culture of discussion following Güven’s title win in a private Instagram comment.

“I find it really frightening that nowadays nobody can be happy for anyone else anymore,” wrote the South African.
“No matter what sport: so much envy and negative comments. It’s a shame.” He knows what he’s talking about, because in 2021, the then Abt driver himself was the victim of a shitstorm after the controversial title finale.

Fans suspect conspiracy: Did the FIA favor Lando Norris?

0

Some fans are wondering why Lando Norris didn’t have to change his front wing on Sunday – but the FIA has not intervened in such cases for some time now.

“They want Lando to win the championship,” wrote an obviously angry Formula 1 fan on social media after the Singapore Grand Prix. And he is not alone in his opinion that Lando Norris received preferential treatment from the FIA on Sunday.

Many fans are upset that the Brit was allowed to finish the night race with an obviously damaged front wing, while race officials have pulled other cars from the race in the past for similar defects.

Norris’ wing broke right at the start when he lightly collided with Max Verstappen in the second corner. The end plate on the left side was damaged to such an extent that it bent outwards. However, McLaren did not call Norris into the pits because of this.

And even during his regular pit stop later in the race, McLaren did not replace the broken wing. Many fans are angry about this because in the past, the black and orange “fried egg flag” was often used in such cases.

When race control shows this flag, the driver concerned must come into the pits to have his car repaired—in this specific case, the front wing. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen, for example, experienced this several times during the 2022 season. While some observers suspect a conspiracy, the real reason why race control in Singapore did not intervene is quite simple. At the end of 2022, the decision was made to use the “fried egg flag” much less frequently.

What led to a rethink at the FIA

The trigger for the decision at the time was a situation involving Fernando Alonso at the US Grand Prix in Texas. Alonso lost his mirror there, but still finished the race. He was subsequently given a time penalty, which was then withdrawn after several twists and turns.

This curious case raised the question of when race control should use the black and orange flag. The then McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl called for “a more uniform regulation so that everyone in the paddock […] knows how the rules are interpreted.”

The FIA subsequently decided to only use the flag in cases of major safety hazards. Alan Permane, then Alpine sporting director and now Racing Bulls team principal, said at the time that the FIA had realized “that things had gone a little too far.”

“I think from now on, minor damage such as a mirror or a wing end plate […] will no longer be considered a violation requiring a black and orange flag,” Permane said at the time. And indeed, the “fried egg flag” has been used much less frequently since then.

In Sunday’s race in Singapore, for example, the front wing on Gabriel Bortoleto’s Sauber was significantly more damaged than Norris’ car after a start accident. But even here, the race management did not intervene and the team voluntarily changed the wing later on.

And as early as 2023, the FIA’s then still relatively new guideline had caused controversy when the entire rear wing of Esteban Ocon’s Alpine had come loose at the Canadian Grand Prix. However, even then, the Frenchman was allowed to finish the race without intervention from the FIA.

“Shocking”: Laurent Mekies’ assessment of Tsunoda’s weekend

0

According to Laurent Mekies, Yuki Tsunoda had “very decent pace” in Singapore – but here’s why the Japanese driver still ended up without any points

After Yuki Tsunoda achieved his best result to date in the Red Bull cockpit with sixth place in Baku, the Japanese driver was unable to build on this result in the following race in Singapore. Instead, Tsunoda received the maximum penalty on Sunday.

Not only did the Japanese driver finish the race in twelfth place and thus without any points, he was also lapped by his teammate Max Verstappen. “It was definitely the worst start or the worst first lap of my life,” Tsunoda reported.

Qualifying on Saturday had already gone completely wrong for him, with him finishing in 15th place. However, because the two Williams drivers were subsequently disqualified, the Japanese driver was allowed to start from P13 on Sunday—and initially got off to a pretty good start.

On the way to the first corner, he was already alongside Liam Lawson, who had started one place ahead of him. But from then on, everything went wrong. “Everywhere I wanted to go, in every corner of the first lap, I was literally blocked by someone,” he said. “I just had no space. I lost so many positions in the first lap. It was definitely the worst start ever,” explains Tsunoda, who was gradually overtaken by Franco Colapinto, Lance Stroll, and Gabriel Bortoleto during the first lap.

Tsunoda annoyed: Pace was actually strong

As a result, he was only in 16th place at the end of the first lap, which virtually sealed his fate. “In my position, it was difficult to achieve anything,” said Tsunoda, referring to the Singapore circuit, where overtaking is traditionally difficult.
“So I tried to undercut the cars in front of me,” reported the Japanese driver, who started on soft tires and made his pit stop after just 14 laps. In fact, he managed to move up to P11 at one point, but in the end he finished twelfth without scoring any points.
“To be honest, the pace was one of the best I’ve had so far in my Red Bull career,” Tsunoda said, adding: “I think the most positive thing [about this weekend] was the long run. Until two races ago, I was almost hopeless.“

”But now I had really good pace,“ said Tsunoda, who, according to his own statement, was actually ”very competitive.” However, he was unable to show this because he was in a very poor starting position after a weak qualifying session and a botched start.

Tsunoda: Finally need to bring both together

“I think the key is to bring my pace over one lap and in the long run together,” he explains. Because while his long-run pace was better this time, his pace over one lap wasn’t right. Hence the poor starting position.

“Personally, I was happy with the work he did on Friday,” confirms Laurent Mekies. Tsunoda’s times may not have looked “spectacular,” but his long run was “at the right level,” according to the Red Bull team boss.

“Then Saturday was bad. We need to work with him to understand what went wrong. The first lap today was certainly shocking, but from that point on, I think he drove a very decent race,” he emphasized.

Tsunoda drove back to the front of the field “at a very decent pace.” Looking back, it was certainly Saturday that cost him points in Singapore. After all, Sunday was actually okay after the weak start.

But by then it was already too late to repair the final result.