The farewell began on Saturday during the F1 sprint race in Spielberg. Verstappen, from Red Bull, showed why he is considered the most exceptional driver Formula 1 has ever seen. Defending himself from a fierce double attack from McLaren, led by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, in the six-lap race that turned into a Sprint.
However, it was a delightful display of elegant action. Norris chased and occasionally pressured Max before making a sudden move out of nowhere and taking the lead at Turn 1, with six laps remaining. Verstappen skillfully maneuvered to the outside to avoid the approaching orange car.
The race to Remus, the sharp right turn after Turn 3, saw car #1 cutting inside, surprising Norris, forcing him off the track, and allowing Piastri to overtake his teammate as well. And so the positions remained for the next 15 laps.
It was Verstappen’s way of asserting his dominance in F1. And there is no room for debate. A few hours later, he surprised everyone, including himself, with an incredible advantage of 0.404s over the next best driver in a 65s lap, which is extraordinary and perfect.
Therefore, it doesn’t take an expert to predict that he will easily surpass his rivals today, on the occasion of the 37th Austrian Grand Prix. Unless an unforeseen circumstance occurs – with Red Bull providing impeccable service to their World Champion and a Red Bull Ring filled with their loyal fans – Verstappen will win by a significant margin.
What was expected to be second and third places on the grid today for McLaren turned into just Norris securing a place among the top three, as Oscar Piastri’s best performance was invalidated for exceeding track limits. He believed he had done a perfect lap, but the FIA-appointed F1 Stewards disagreed and demoted him to sixth place on the grid.
The young Australian driver will face a tough challenge as Norris gains an advantage within the McLaren team. Their engine suppliers, Mercedes, also have confidence in their chances, with George Russell starting in third place and Lewis Hamilton in fifth place behind Max. Their car has had significant improvements, and the Red Bull Ring will further test the theory that they can be competitive in terms of race pace. Today we will have the answer.
Behind the Mercedes cars and following Lando, the Ferrari duo, Carlos Sainz in fourth place and Charles Leclerc in fifth place, line up. The Ferrari team needs a good result after their disappointing performance in Monaco. It will be interesting to see if they can fight for a place on the podium. Sainz would be optimistic if the enigmatic Ferrari cooperates.
Sergio Perez, the experienced Mexican driver, is facing harsh criticism from his teammate Verstappen. Interestingly, Perez’s performance has sharply declined shortly after Red Bull inexplicably decided to extend his contract. Some speculate that this extension was a way to appease Perez, whose position within the team is constantly questioned.
However, Perez has not yet shown his gratitude for this opportunity. It is certainly not easy for any driver to compete against someone like Verstappen, who is unbeatable in the same car. However, the performance difference between them should be smaller. It is concerning to see Perez starting in P6 on the grid, while his teammate comfortably secures P1. Something is wrong, and it seems that Perez will have a challenging afternoon as he tries to minimize the damage.
Assuming there are no incidents with these incredibly reliable cars, it is expected that the top four drivers will finish the race. This leaves only positions 9 and 10 available for the Formula 1.5 pack chasing behind.
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Brazilian football player Neymar Jr. is facing another controversy in his career. This time, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has been accused of assault by a woman who claims to be a victim of domestic violence. The alleged victim, whose name has not been disclosed, filed a police report alleging that Neymar assaulted her during an intimate encounter at a luxury hotel in Paris.
According to the woman’s account, she met Neymar through social media and they started exchanging messages. After a few days of conversation, they decided to meet in person. However, according to the alleged victim, the encounter turned violent when Neymar began verbally and physically assaulting her.
The woman claims that she tried to defend herself and seek help, but Neymar was aggressive and did not allow her to leave the hotel room. She only managed to escape when the player got distracted and she took the opportunity to flee. After the incident, the woman went to the police and filed the report.
Neymar has not yet commented on the allegations, but his press office released a statement stating that the player vehemently denies the accusations and that he is available to the authorities to provide clarification. The police are investigating the case and are expected to hear from both Neymar and the alleged victim in the coming days.
This is not the first time Neymar has been involved in controversies off the field. The player has previously been accused of rape, but the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Additionally, he has also faced legal issues with the Spanish justice system for alleged tax evasion during his time at Barcelona.
The accusation of assault against Neymar once again brings to light the issue of violence against women, especially in the context of abusive relationships. It is important that cases like this are rigorously investigated and that victims are encouraged to report their attackers, so that justice can be served and violence can be combated.
