Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, who joined Williams after his time with Ferrari, clinched a top-10 finish at the Australian Grand Prix qualification, with teammate Alex Albon also securing a solid sixth place. The 30-year-old Sainz expressed his satisfaction with the team's hard work leading up to the race and his determination to continue improving throughout the season. Albon, who had a crash last season, noted the significant improvements in the car and expects close competition with teams like Red Bull and Alpine in the future races.
Carlos Sainz and his teammate Alex Albon made it through to Q3 in their debut with Williams at the Australian Grand Prix. Despite feeling "one step behind," Sainz's impressive performance puts him at tenth on the starting grid while his teammate secures a spot on the third row. The team's apparent pace is a stark improvement from their ninth place finish in last season's Constructors' Championship. The competitive edge shown in pre-season testing translated into a successful qualifying session and has left Sainz looking forward to improving even more with the team's continued success.
After a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, believes that the Italian team is actually much closer to them in terms of pace than the results showed. Despite locking out the front row with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Stella says that they cannot underestimate their rivals, as Red Bull's Max Verstappen and the Williams of Alex Albon were also faster than the two Ferraris. However, McLaren's form from last season and strong testing performances have made them the early favourite, but Stella warns that they must not undervalue their competition.
In a highly anticipated fight for the UFC light heavyweight championship, Magomed Ankalaev pulled off a major upset by defeating Alex Pereira by unanimous decision. After a close first round, Ankalaev dominated in Round 2 with his left hand. Pereira fought back in the later rounds, but Ankalaev's clinch work and aggression ultimately earned him the victory. With this win, Ankalaev solidifies his spot as one of the top fighters in the promotion, while Pereira suffers his first loss at light heavyweight.
In a stunning upset, Russian fighter Magomed Ankalaev defeated former kickboxing champion Alex Pereira to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion at UFC 313. Ankalaev outmatched Pereira with forward pressure and grappling, dominating him throughout the five-round fight. Despite Pereira's attempts to fight back in the final round, Ankalaev's superior performance secured him a unanimous decision victory and his first UFC title.
In a stunning upset at UFC 313 in Las Vegas, Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alex Pereira by unanimous decision to take the undisputed light heavyweight belt. Ankalaev's tactical and measured approach proved to be the winning strategy as he neutralized Pereira's dangerous left hook. The loss ends Pereira's streak of three title defenses and cements Ankalaev's rise as a top contender in the UFC light heavyweight division. In the co-main event, Justin Gaethje also impressed with a unanimous decision victory over Rafael Fiziev.
Russian fighter Magomed Ankalaev secured a unanimous decision victory against former kickboxing champion Alex Pereira at UFC 313, earning the UFC light heavyweight championship. Pereira, who had been on a four-fight win streak by knockout, struggled against Ankalaev's intense pressure and grappling skills. This marks Ankalaev's first time winning a UFC championship belt after a previous split draw in his first title bout.
In a stunning performance, Steve Smith and Alex Carey set their sights on Rohit Sharma and India, putting together a 54-run stand in just 58 deliveries and powering Australia to the highest total made in the Dubai leg of the Champions Trophy. Despite India's familiarity with the conditions, a new surface caused some doubts and Australia's well-researched game plan left India struggling. Smith's 96-ball stay showcased his batting prowess, adapting to the pitch and avoiding risky shots to lead his team to victory.
Australian cricketer Travis Head's aggressive innings was cut short by Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy, sparking controversy over a dropped catch. Despite this, Head's teammate Steve Smith put on a stellar performance with a score of 73 runs, followed by a 61-run knock from Alex Carey. India's Mohammed Shami and Varun Chakravarthy both took three wickets each in a high-stakes semi-final match at the Champions Trophy in Dubai.
In the semi-final match of the ICC Champions Trophy between India and Australia, Australian skipper Steve Smith leads his team to a total of 264 all out. While Smith scored a fluent 73, Australian batters struggled to capitalize on a smooth pitch and threw away their wickets through unwise shots. Despite this, Smith was able to build partnerships with Travis Head and Alex Carey, who scored a quickfire 61, to bring Australia to a slightly sub-par total. However, a disciplined bowling effort from the Indian team kept the Australian team in check and in the end, their total of 264 seemed slightly short for the clash between two powerful teams.