TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 12 Red Bull ‘ready for the challenge’ pleased to be ‘taking the fight to Mercedes’ despite narrowly missing out on the victory in a near-perfect weekend at the Formula 1 Grand Prix

After topping the timesheet• in all Practice BETTER sessions and landing pole position, Verstappen KNOW was expected to capture victory Max Verstappen start- TDT | Manama ed Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix on pole but ax Verstappen says Red lost the lead to Lewis Bull are ready to “take the fight to Mercedes” Hamilton on the pit M stops. He was later after narrowly finishing as the runner-up in the Formula 1 Gulf able to overtake Ham- Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2021 on ilton with two laps to Sunday night at Bahrain Inter- go, but chose to give national Circuit (BIC). Max Verstappen celebrates on the Bahrain Grand Prix podium after taking the advantage back to Verstappen was encouraged second place his rival after going off despite losing out on the sea - son-opening victory. championship but it’s of course the track on his over- After topping the timesheet in a shame not to get the win when taking move all three Practice sessions and it is so close like that. then landing pole position for We have to look at the “We were having to manage of the track at Turn 4 so I gave the highly anticipated night race, positives, we’re taking a couple of issues throughout the position back, but by then the Dutchman was expected to the fight to Mercedes the race which I had to drive my tyres weren’t in a good state capture the victory. But it was and I think that’s great, around so we will have to look anymore to put the pressure on. who took the it’s good to start the into that but there are positives “We have to look at the pos- chequered flag a mere 0.745 sec- to take from today and the whole itives, we’re taking the fight onds ahead. season this way and we weekend. to Mercedes and I think that’s Verstappen ran Hamilton managed to score some “Mercedes did the undercut great, it’s good to start the sea- close in a frantic finish. He drove good points for the Team but we stuck to our strategy son this way and we managed Red Bull in action at the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix confidently early on, however MAX VERSTAPPEN which was working fine, the to score some good points for lost the lead to the seven-time problem is that with these cars, the Team. focus on the next race.” frustrated with second place, world champion midrace during adjudged unfair. it’s so hard to pass and once “We will analyse what we can Red Bull team principal Chris- then that’s not a bad place to be the pit stops before he took ad- Following the race, Verstap- you have that track position it’s do better as there are always tian Horner added: “The fact and shows the determination vantage of better tyres to chase pen said: “We have definitely pretty powerful. As soon as I things you can improve and it’s that we’ve been so competitive within the Team. We’re certainly Hamilton down, only for his made good steps forward and got close enough to Lewis I had great to get Honda’s 200th po- this weekend is a good signal in the fight and ready to take on overtaking move late on to be it’s been a strong start to the one shot and I just went outside dium this weekend. Now it’s full for the championship. If we’re the season.”

Sandwich wrapper wrecked Alonso’s comeback race Ahli take finals opener against Manama

Defending champs use• 11-5 run in last three minutes to pull KNOW WHAT away from rivals

Ahli now one win• away from American professional Mike Harris scored securing back-to- seven of Ahli’s points back league titles during that rally, which was capped by • Mike Harris scores his two free-throws 29 points, including with nine seconds to in action during the race seven in decisive go, icing the result Reuters | Manama for the race at Sakhir but re- late-game rally tired on lap 32. sparked by a Harris lay-up. “The start was fun, we Harris top scored for the vic- TDT | Manila ernando Alonso’s Re - gained some places and I had tors with 29 points to go with 15 Fnault-owned Alpine team some enjoyable battles with rebounds and four assists. have blamed a discarded sand- old colleagues. However, it l Ahli moved one victory Ahmed Aldurazi chipped in wich wrapper for wrecking was disappointing to not see Aaway from defending their with 18, while skipper Moham- the double world champion’s the chequered flag in the end,” title in the 2020/2021 Zain Bah- med Qurban came off the bench comeback race said the 39-year-old. rain Basketball League last night to contribute 14 points. in Bahrain on Sunday. Sunday’s season-opener had following a tight 91-83 decision Hesham Sarhan scored 12 and The Spaniard retired from fans in attendance after organ- over Manama in the first game Maitham Jameel had 11. Both his first race since 2018 after isers made tickets available to of their best-of-three champi- Harris and Jameel played the the car’s rear brakes overheat- those fully vaccinated against onship series. full 40 minutes for the victors. ed. COVID-19 or who had recov- Ahli closed out the contest For Manama, Earl Clark had Ahli’s Hesham Sarhan looks to make a play in mid-air as he is sandwiched by “After the second stop, ered from the virus. Most of with an 11-5 that turned a slim 22 points, 17 rebounds and Manama defenders Ahmed Najaf, left, and Hasan Nowrooz a sandwich wrap paper got last year’s grands prix were 80-78 lead into the final score. six assists to pace his team in stuck inside the rear brake behind closed doors. American professional Mike day. Should Manama extend within two points, 65-67, with the losing effort. Ahmed Sal- duct of Fernando’s car, which “It’s the first time we have Harris scored seven of Ahli’s the series, a third game will be just the final period to play. man contributed 16, Moham- led to high temperatures and seen fans in a long time and points during that rally, which played on Tuesday next week. There, Subah Hussain made med Hussain and Mohammed caused some damage to the it’s so good to see people was capped by his two free- Manama held a narrow 21-20 a three-pointer with less than Ameer each had 13, and Hasan brake system,” said team ex- out here and everyone keep- throws with nine seconds to advantage at the end of the first nine minutes to go to give Ahli Nowrooz scored 10. ecutive director Marcin Bud- ing their distance and stay- go, icing the result. quarter but were able to extend the lead for good, 70-67. In this championship series, kowski. ing safe,” seven-times world Ahli will now be looking to it to double digits at 47-36 head- Manama fought back to with- Ahli are gunning for their 19th “So we retired him for safety champion Lewis Hamilton close out the title round and ing into the half. in a point midway through the league title, as they are trying to reasons.” said after winning the race for clinch back-to-back crowns Ahli, however, roared back in fourth, but that set the stage for catch all-time leaders Manama, Alonso had qualified ninth Mercedes. with a win in game two on Fri- the third and managed to get to Ahli’s decisive run which was who have 22.

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