Sports

AUGUSTA, Georgia — Nineteen months after completing one of the most amazing comeback tales in sports, Tiger Woods will defend his Masters title searching for top form in an unfamiliar Augusta National atmosphere.

Woods captured his 15th major title and the first since the 2008 US Open in April 2019 at Augusta National, completing a recovery from multiple back surgeries that left a normal life in doubt much less a golf career.

After knee surgery four months later, Woods made a comeback in Japan at the Zozo Championship and won his 82nd career US PGA title, matching the all-time win mark set by Sam Snead.

But Woods was struggling with back issues when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the 2020 season in March, pushing the Masters from April to November and imposing a five-month layoff on Woods between events.

“This entire year has been different for all of us,” Woods said. “And my run-up to Augusta is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. That’s just the way it is.”

Since his return, 44-year-old Woods has been a shadow of his former formidable self, sharing 37th at the PGA Championship in August for his best result in six starts and missing the cut at the US Open in September with back issues.

“That’s just the nature of my back. I wish it could be good all the time,” Woods said. “I have moments where it’s not quite as elastic as I’d like it to be, but I am moving a lot better.”

The five-time Masters champion has also been working on shots he needs to have any hope of contending in an autumn Masters with no spectators and unusual weather conditions.

“I’ve got a few weeks out imaging some of those shots already and I have been for quite a while, ever since the US Open,” Woods said. “So hopefully I’ll be ready.”

Woods knows Augusta National intimately, where to land shots and how putts will break. But he can’t make normal preparations for a Masters unlike any ever played before.

“It’s not normally this time of year. It’s not normally played this way. We’re not in a Florida swing. This is all different. This whole year has been different for all of us,” Woods said.

“I can’t simulate the ramp-up that I normally have and I don’t think anyone else can either. It will be different for all of us.”

Masters roars silenced

Woods has played Augusta National in November before, so he has a clue about what to expect.

“The few times I’ve played in November, it has been the same — it has been cold, ball doesn’t go very far,” Woods said.

“If you’re able to get the north wind that time of year, it can be awfully difficult and long and very different than what we normally play in April.

“Maybe a little bit longer and a little bit more softer than we’ve probably experienced, but you just never know.”

There will be no spectators to roar for great shots in a pandemic safety move, opening more areas for shots but bringing an eerie silence to the traditional electric atmosphere.

“It’s going to be odd in that sense, but it’s still the Masters,” Woods said. “It’s still the best players in the world... it’s just we’re not going to have the roars.

“Sometimes we’ve been on the putting green there before we tee off and you hear roars down there 12 and 13, they reverberate all the way up to the clubhouse — and there’s going to be nothing.”

There’s also a new set of formidable rivals, including US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and his long-drive style that some fear will overwhelm the sport.

“They should have been worried a long time ago, but the genie’s out of the bag now,” Woods said. “It’s about what do we do going forward and how soon can they do it.

“You’re not going to stop the guys who are there right now... I don’t see how they can roll everything back.”

LONDON — For the past three years Manchester City and Liverpool have dominated the Premier League to an extent never seen before in English football.

But after three seasons in which the title winner has averaged 99 points, neither side carries the same fear factor in an unpredictable campaign that offers a series of challengers hope of winning the league.

Defending champions Liverpool still head to City on Sunday in second place, trailing surprise leaders Southampton only by goal difference.

But Jurgen Klopp’s men have already dropped more points in seven games than they did in their opening 27 in romping to the title last season.

Of more lasting damage to their title credentials, the Reds have also lost the towering presence of defender Virgil van Dijk for what looks set to be the lion’s share of the season.

Even when the giant Dutchman was still present, Liverpool suffered a historic 7-2 humiliation to Aston Villa a month ago that leaves them with still the worst defensive record in the league.

“So many things are different this year,” said Klopp on Friday in a season where a packed schedule and empty stadiums appears to be levelling the playing field. 

“Nothing is to compare with last year. Nothing is to compare with the year before.

“We just have to make sure we get through very intense periods, line up the fittest players and play the best football we can. In this case it is against Man City, which is obviously one of the most difficult games to play in the world.”

Fitness issues have also contributed to City’s shaky start.

After a two-week long pre-season due to their Champions League commitments in August, Pep Guardiola’s men won just two of their opening five league games, including a 5-2 thrashing at home to Leicester.

Injuries to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus have left City often without a natural striker, while Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan also missed matches due to positive coronavirus tests.

City start the weekend down in 10th, albeit just five points off Liverpool and with a game in hand.

Too early to call

Both have steadied the ship in recent weeks and remain bookies favourites to fight for the title.

But they face stiff competition with Chelsea and Tottenham significantly strengthening for a title challenge, while Guardiola warned of the threat posed by Leicester and Arsenal.

“They [Liverpool] are the biggest favourite, but I think what happened with the pandemic this season is different, so I see other teams really strong,” said Guardiola.

Yet, the mutual respect between the two managers mean they continue to see each other as the biggest threat for the title.

Guardiola admitted earlier this year that Klopp’s Liverpool are “the toughest rival I have faced in my career.”

But City have never lost at home to Liverpool in the league since the Catalan arrived in Manchester, including a 4-0 thrashing of the newly-crowned champions when they last met in July.

Clashes between the two have gone a long way to settling the destiny of the title in recent years. After an uncertain start to the season, City’s 5-0 triumph over a 10-man Liverpool in September 2017 was the second of an 18-match winning run that catapulted them towards a record 100 Premier League points.

A thrilling 2-1 win for Guardiola’s side in January 2019 was Liverpool’s only defeat of the season in which they still missed out on the title despite amassing 97 points.

Last season it was Liverpool’s 3-1 success early in the campaign that opened up a nine-point lead between the sides that City never recovered from.

This time, though, Guardiola believes it is too early to make conclusions this time, much like another battle for power this week.

“It’s an important game, but like the presidential elections in the United States of America, all the votes must be counted,” he said on Friday. “There are a lot of points to play [for].”

PARIS — Lionel Messi scored as Barcelona overcame a depleted Dynamo Kiev 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, while Juventus eased Ferencvaros aside and Manchester United slumped to an unexpected defeat in Turkey.

Nine-man Paris Saint-Germain lost to RB Leipzig in a repeat of last season's semi-final and Chelsea proved too strong for Rennes, with Timo Werner twice converting from the penalty spot.

Making his 150th appearance in European competition, Messi dispatched an early penalty at Camp Nou after he was fouled in the area and Gerard Pique headed in Ansu Fati's cross on the hour.

Viktor Tsygankov grabbed a consolation for coronavirus-hit Dynamo as Barca, winless in four games in La Liga, recorded their third successive Group G victory to stay three points clear of Juventus.

"We are happy because we won," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman. "But we have to play better than we did today. We have to improve, above all without the ball, where we haven't played well."

Cristiano Ronaldo made his first start for the Italian champions since September after testing positive for COVID-19 in a 4-1 win at Hungarian side Ferencvaros.

However, the Portuguese star was outshone in Budapest by Alvaro Morata, whose two goals put Andrea Pirlo's team in control.

Paulo Dybala added a third before an own goal from Lasha Dvali, with Franck Boli netting for the hosts in the final minute.

United produced a shambolic first-half defensive display as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side lost 2-1 against Istanbul Basaksehir.

Demba Ba collected the ball just inside his own half and raced through to beat goalkeeper Dean Henderson on 13 minutes, with Edin Visca smashing in a second after Juan Mata was stripped of possession.

Anthony Martial's header cut the deficit before half-time but United saw their momentum in Group H halted after wins over PSG and RB Leipzig last month.

"You don't just turn up and get three points in the Champions League. We weren't good enough, that's it. It's not easy to be positive when you've lost the way we did," Solskjaer told BT Sport.

PSG capitulate in Leipzig

Emil Forsberg's penalty earned Leipzig a 2-1 victory as they came from behind to beat a weakened Paris Saint-Germain, dealing a major blow to the Champions League aspirations of last season's runners-up.

Angel di Maria had given PSG an early lead in Germany but he then crucially missed a penalty for the French champions, who were missing both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe due to injury and ended the contest with nine men.

Christopher Nkunku levelled before half-time for Leipzig and Forsberg converted from the spot in the 57th minute before the visitors had both Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe sent off.

"It's difficult. It's maybe our fault because we didn't get the second goal and then made a mistake on the penalty," PSG boss Thomas Tuchel told RMC Sport.

"There was a red card, it's then hard, 10 against 11. There were too many things going against us."

Chelsea strolled to a 3-0 win at home against Rennes who saw defender Dalbert sent off after conceding two penalties in the first half.

Werner took over spot-kick duties from Jorginho and confidently tucked both away before Tammy Abraham turned in a third for the Blues on 50 minutes.

Frank Lampard's men have yet to concede in Group E and are level on seven points with Sevilla, who rallied to defeat Krasnodar 3-2 despite the dismissal of captain Jesus Navas late in the first half.

Goals from Magomed Suleymanov and Marcus Berg, the second a penalty, put Krasnodar ahead in Spain but Ivan Rakitic pulled one back for Sevilla before the break.

Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri struck twice in four second-half minutes to floor Krasnodar and leave the Russians alongside Rennes on just one point.

Erling Braut Haaland notched a brace to lead Borussia Dortmund to a 3-0 win at Club Brugge and send the Germans top of Group F. Thorgan Hazard had opened the scoring in his native Belgium.

Felipe Caicedo's late equaliser earned Lazio a 1-1 draw at Zenit Saint Petersburg after Aleksandr Erokhin had struck in the first half in front of some 17,000 fans in Russia.

PARIS — Diogo Jota scored a stunning hat-trick in Liverpool’s 5-0 demolition of Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday, as holders Bayern Munich scored six and Real Madrid struck late to beat Inter Milan in a thriller.

On a prolific night across Europe which also saw a rampant Borussia Moenchengladbach hit six in Ukraine, the star individual performances came from Jota and Alassane Plea.

Portugal forward Jota joined Liverpool from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September and has wasted little time making an impact with seven goals from just five starts.

In Bergamo, against an Atalanta side who reached the quarter-finals last season, Jota was brought into the starting line-up in place of Roberto Firmino and required just 16 minutes to open the scoring.

Another emphatic finish allowed the 2019 Champions League winners to double their lead before the break, and Mohamed Salah then broke away to get the third just after the restart.

Salah set up Sadio Mane for Liverpool’s fourth before Jota got his hat-trick goal as the Premier League champions recorded their biggest win in Europe since beating Porto 5-0 away in February 2018.

“I’m playing in the best team of my career so far. I don’t know if it’s the best moment of my career but obviously scoring goals is my way of playing football,” Jota told BT Sport.

With three wins from three, Liverpool are well on course to top Group D, with Ajax and Atalanta both five points back.

Ajax won 2-1 away to Midtjylland in Denmark, as Brazilian youngster Antony opened the scoring in the first minute and Dusan Tadic netted from an indirect free-kick inside the box soon after. Anders Dreyer got one back for the hosts, who remain pointless.

French forward Plea had earlier scored a hat-trick as Gladbach claimed a stunning 6-0 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk in Kiev, the German side’s biggest European triumph since their 1970s heyday.

The unfortunate Valeriy Bondar scored an own goal, with Ramy Bensebaini and Lars Stindl also scoring as Gladbach went top of Group B, a point clear of Shakhtar and Real Madrid.

Gladbach coach Marco Rose said: “Six-nil is extraordinary. We did a lot right today — not to say almost everything.”

Rodrygo wins it for Real

Real, the 13-time European champions, ran out 3-2 winners in a dramatic encounter with Inter behind closed doors at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, as Vinicius Junior set up his fellow Brazilian substitute Rodrygo to lash in the decisive goal 10 minutes from time.

Karim Benzema had put the hosts ahead and Sergio Ramos headed in his 100th Madrid goal in the 33rd minute, but Lautaro Martinez pulled one back shortly after.

Inter were missing the injured Romelu Lukaku but looked set to escape with a draw when Ivan Perisic equalised midway through the second half, only for Rodrygo to pounce and leave the Italians bottom of the group.

Bayern make it 14 in a row

Reigning champions Bayern have now won a record-extending 14 consecutive Champions League games after a 6-2 victory against Salzburg in Austria.

German forward Mergim Berisha gave Salzburg an early lead only for Robert Lewandowski to level from the penalty spot, and a Rasmus Kristensen own goal put Bayern ahead before the break.

Japanese substitute Masaya Okugawa restored parity midway through the second half only for Bayern to run away with the game late on.

Jerome Boateng headed them back in front, Leroy Sane got their fourth and Lewandowski strained to head in his 12th of the season, before Lucas Hernandez wrapped up their win.

“We never give up — that’s what sets us apart,” Boateng told Sky Germany.

Hansi Flick’s side are firmly in control of Group A, five points ahead of Atletico Madrid, who drew 1-1 at Lokomotiv Moscow.

Jose Maria Gimenez’s header for Atletico was cancelled out by Anton Miranchuk’s penalty.

Meanwhile Marseille’s 3-0 loss away to Porto saw them equal Anderlecht’s record of 12 consecutive Champions League defeats.

Moussa Marega gave Porto an early lead before Dimitri Payet blazed a penalty over for Marseille.

Sergio Oliveira then scored from the spot to make it 2-0 for Porto and Luis Diaz sealed the win for the home side in Group C.

Manchester City are firmly in control of that section after Pep Guardiola’s side eased past Olympiakos 3-0, with Ferran Torres, Gabriel Jesus and Joao Cancelo netting.

LONDON — Marcus Rashford’s impact now stretches far beyond the football field as the Manchester United and England forward has become a global icon by taking on politicians to fight for an end to child poverty.

In the week of his 23rd birthday, Rashford scored his first career hat-trick in a 5-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig in the Champions League, gained the support of over one million signatures in a petition to try and extend free school meals during half-term holidays and inspired thousands of volunteers across the country to step into the breach when parliament did not intervene.

After his campaign forced a government U-turn over free school meals over the summer holidays, Rashford has formed a taskforce with major food suppliers, which is now helping to provide over seven million meals per week for those in need.

Rashford’s message has been powerful as he went through the difficulties millions face in the economic crisis caused by coronavirus as he relied on the help of friends and neighbours during an impoverished childhood.

The determination to make a difference has proved infectious with major brands, other football clubs and players inspired by the movement.

On Monday, Rashford announced a partnership with fashion brand Burberry that will provide grants to two youth centres he attended as a child, as well as a donation to provide over 200,000 meals.

Brighton, Bradford, Luton and Yeovil were among a host of other English clubs to provide meals during half-term week.

England international teammate Reece James has set up a similar project to raise £100,000 for a London food charity by the time he turns 21 on December 8.

‘The power is yours’

Following in the footsteps of NBA stars’ activism on racial injustice, footballers are no longer satisfied just doing their talking on the pitch.

Empowered by millions of followers on social media, they are using their platform to positively enact change.

After a disagreement on the government’s policy for hungry children Conservative MP Steve Baker tweeted: “You have 3.4m followers Marcus, to my 96k. The power is yours here.”

The campaign has even managed to unite the famously partisan world of football.

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson believes once supporters are allowed to return to stadiums that Rashford may be the first Manchester United player to get a standing ovation at Anfield.

“He’d definitely deserve it because thousands of families are getting fed now,” Scotland captain Robertson, who has himself been heavily involved in helping local foodbanks, told the BBC.

“He made politicians overturn the decision [over the summer holidays] because he wanted every kid to get fed.”

Rashford’s goal off the field is more important than any he has scored on it, but he has managed to maintain the balance of performing on the pitch with his activism off it.

His hat-trick against last season’s Champions League semi-finalists Leipzig came in just 27 minutes as a second-half substitute on a rare occasion where he was given a rest by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from the start.

He also scored the winner against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes for the second time in 18 months to put United in a commanding position in what was expected to be a tough Champions League group for the Red Devils.

Victory away to Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir on Wednesday will put United on the brink of a place in the last 16 and ease the pressure on Solskjaer after a dreadful start to his side’s Premier League campaign despite Rashford’s goals in wins over Brighton and Newcastle.

“I have a team that work behind me and we make sure we are all on the same page,” said Rashford last month on balancing his priorities.

“At the moment I feel in a good headspace, I feel comfortable doing both things. I feel ready to train every day and play the games.

“If it was taking a toll, I would have to look at a different way of doing things and find a way to support the kids and keep my career going in the right direction.”

Rashford’s star as a player is still rising, but he is already one of the most influential sportsmen of his generation for a battle that will take longer than 90 minutes to win.

AMMAN — Round 2 of the 68th Jordan Professional Football League starts on Thursday after a lacklustre league season that saw many matches postponed as club players and staff were sidelined with COVID-19.

Wihdat head into the next round atop the table after they beat their traditional rival Faisali 2-0, as well as, Sarih 2-1. They are trailed by Jazira, who jumped to second after holding Faisali 1-1 and scoring a 4-0 win over Shabab Urdun, who are now 11th. 

Faisali trail well behind in third place while Ramtha beat Sarih 3-1 to jump to fourth. Hussein are fifth after beating Sahab 1-0 in a postponed match, followed by Salt who beat Ahli 3-0 and are now 6th.

Sarih dropped to seventh after losing to Faisali 1-0 and Ma’an are 8th after holding Ahli 2-2. Sahab are 9th after losing to Hussein followed by Aqaba at 10th. Shabab Urdun are 11th after losing to Jazira while Ahli remained a distant last place and among four teams in the looming bottom two relegation zone.

The league champ will move on to the preliminary round of the Asian Champions League while the second and third teams, instead of the Jordan Cup champ, will play in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup after the Jordan Cup was scrapped for the season.

So far this season, Wihdat defeated Ramtha to win the 33rd Jordan Football Association Shield. It was their 10th Shield title while Ramtha, who have not won a major competition recently, last won the Jordan Cup in 1990-1991 and the Shield in 2001. 

On the other hand, Faisali beat Jazira to win the 37th Jordan Super Cup which has now been won by Faisali a record 17 times out of 25 final appearances, Wihdat have won 13 times, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each while Jazira, Hussein and Ahli won once each.

The season has been hit hard with the interrupted schedule, as well as, issues such as noticeably downsized prize money after the Jordan Football Association’s (JFA) main sponsor, the Manaseer Group, ended its 10-year sponsorship this season. Clubs had already been reeling with lack of sponsors, injuries and lack of momentum after a long break with reigning champs Faisali starting on an impressive form after they lost in the AFC Cup.

That was also compounded with the kickoff delayed for nearly six months for 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup national team qualifiers which have now been postponed until next year. This week, the JFA announced that the national team line-up is set to be announced ahead of a training camp in Dubai November 8-17 where they are slated to play Iraq and Syria in two friendlies as they get ready to resume the three remaining qualifiers.

In the past season, Wihdat beat Jazira to win the 36th Jordan Super Cup while Faisali won their 20th Jordan Cup title, adding it to their record 34th Pro League title, one point ahead of Jazira who had led throughout the competition and settled for runner-up. Titleholders Wihdat were third, Shabab Urdun fourth, Salt fifth and Aqaba sixth. Ramtha, Aqaba and Hussein maintained their spot in the elite group. Ahli, who were relegated last decade but came back to win the Jordan Cup in 2015 and played in the AFC, barely secured their spot as Baqa’a were relegated to the First Division after 18 consecutive seasons in the Pro League. They were joined by That Ras, a former AFC Cup participant and 2012 Jordan Cup champ. Ma’an and Sarih were promoted.

Since the league kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Urdun, Ahli and Homenetmen competing, Faisali are 34 time record league winners while Wihdat were crowned champs 16 times since they joined in 1980.

MADRID — Antonio Conte might have been in the Real Madrid dugout for Tuesday’s Champions League game against Inter Milan were it not for the five words spoken by Sergio Ramos in October 2018.

“Respect is earned, not imposed,” Ramos said, when asked about the prospect of a hard-line coach like Conte taking charge.

His answer was taken as a rejection of Conte’s methods and a rebuke to the idea that Real Madrid’s dressing room was in desperate need of a shake-up.

Until then, Conte, now in charge of Inter, had been the overwhelming favourite to replace Julen Lopetegui, who had just overseen Madrid’s 5-1 defeat by Barcelona in the Clasico and a day later would be sacked. 

Instead on the Monday, the day after Ramos spoke to journalists at Camp Nou, the deal was off. 

Santiago Solari was appointed and lasted less than five months before Zinedine Zidane returned in March to a mixture of surprise and relief from a club tired of upheaval and crisis. 

The reaction to Conte’s appointment would have been very different, even if the theory that Ramos’ comments spooked president Florentino Perez have been challenged by Conte himself. 

“The job at that time was a hot potato,” Conte told Gazzetta dello Sport a few months later. “There was a possibility but I don’t like starting mid-season, I prefer to work from the beginning.” 

Even if Conte believes the decision was more his than Madrid’s, there was no doubt he was seen as something the team needed, perhaps still need, but would not accept. 

Conte’s intensity, discipline, work ethic, attention to detail and relentless approach were seen as incompatible with Madrid’s squad of ageing stars, supposedly resistant to the new ideas of an unyielding coach. 

But almost exactly two years on, as Zidane’s Real get set to face Conte’s Inter, Madrid are still pending the revolution Conte might have initiated. 

Quality additions to drive a new era and younger players to adopt a more modern style are still on the agenda if Madrid want to regain their supremacy in Europe.

Nobody could argue Zidane’s re-appointment has not been a success. He targeted La Liga as the one trophy he wanted to win last season and delivered it as Madrid outlasted Barcelona to secure only their second league title in eight years. 

Tough decisions lie ahead

It was a huge achievement, not just because of the club’s recent underachievement domestically, but because of where Zidane found Madrid when he took over and where he took them. 

And yet few would argue either that Madrid’s standing has dipped.

They had enough to see off a collapsing Barcelona and a recovering Atletico Madrid last term but were outclassed over two legs by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Champions League. 

Even this season, they sit bottom of Group B after a loss to Shakhtar Donetsk and draw away at Borussia Monchengladbach, making victory on Tuesday all but essential. 

In the side will likely be Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane — the spine that Zidane relied on in his first spell and so impressively rejuvenated in his second.

Zidane had no choice but to stick with them again, as the coronavirus pandemic left Madrid strapped for cash and unable to sign a single player in the summer transfer window for the first time in 40 years.

Conte might not have been so diplomatic given his public demands for reinforcements were a regular feature of his time at Chelsea and now Inter, who signed six players in the summer, including Alexis Sanchez, Achraf Hakimi from Madrid and Arturo Vidal from Barcelona.

Conte would likely have been less forgiving when Madrid finished that 2019-20 season with a whimper and less loyal to ageing players who looked like their best years were behind them.

Yet at some point soon, Madrid will have to take those tough decisions Conte was almost appointed to make.

They might even need a more drastic, dynamic coach than Zidane to execute them.

IMOLA, Italy — Lewis Hamilton made the most of his luck to lead teammate Valtteri Bottas home in Sunday’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix as Mercedes sealed a record seventh consecutive constructors’ championship triumph.

The six-time champion capitalised on pole-sitter Bottas’s ill fortune in picking up a debris-damaged floor to win with a near-flawless tactical drive and the fastest lap of a dramatic and incident-filled race at Imola.

Hamilton recovered from a poor start, when he dropped to third, to fight back with a long first stint and the aid of a timely Virtual Safety Car intervention to grab the lead on a memorable day for the “silver arrows”. 

Daniel Ricciardo finished third for Renault ahead of Daniil Kvyat of Alpha Tauri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc after Max Verstappen had crashed out of the race in his Red Bull in the closing stages. He was unhurt.

Sergio Perez was sixth for Racing Point, Carlos Sainz finished seventh ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and the two Alfa Romeos of Kimi Raikkonen, in his 325th Grand Prix race, and Antonio Giovinazzi.

It was Hamilton’s record-increasing 93rd victory in a race that saw him complete 5000 laps as a race leader. The Mercedes one-two finish also not only secured the teams’ title, but also ensured that a Mercedes driver will take the drivers’ championship.

“That was an exhausting race,” said Hamilton.

“The speed we had to go after a poor start — it’s just overwhelming now because there are so many people in the team who are unsung heroes.

“I’m forever grateful to be a part of it and it always feels like the first time.”

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said: “I’m not so much into the numbers, but this is something to be proud of — as long as we can stay energised and motivated, I think we can push it for ever. We are looking forward to a new challenge.”

‘Terminal situation’

Bottas said: “The damage had a big effect for me today — suddenly out of Turn Seven on lap two there was debris. I tried not to run over it, but it made the car tricky to drive.”

Ricciardo said it had been “a bizarre one. I thought fourth was the best I could do!”

On a near-perfect autumnal afternoon with temperatures of 18 and 25 degrees for air and track, Bottas made an equally bright start from his 15th pole while Verstappen surged past Hamilton for second.

On lap nine, after an excellent start, Pierre Gasly was called in to retire his Alpha Tauri from fifth. “We have a terminal situation, we have to box and retire,” said the team, citing a coolant leak.

Verstappen came in on lap 19, releasing Hamilton. “I’m going to pick up the pace, don’t stop me,” he snapped as Bottas pitted, re-joining second.

The champion produced successive fastest laps to lead by 25 seconds before Mercedes told Bottas his floor was damaged.

Bottas then slid wide at Rivazza and Verstappen seized his chance to take second. With 16 laps to go, the Dutchman began his chase after Hamilton, who led by 14 seconds. 

His charge was soon over. On lap 51, his car failed — seemingly due to an instant right-rear puncture — as he braked and he lost control, crashing into a gravel trap and out of the race. “Something broke on the car,” he said.

A full Safety Car period ensued, during which both Bottas and Hamilton pitted, before Russell crashed, while weaving to warm his tyres behind the Safety Car. 

“I don’t know what to say,” he told Williams.

All this drama left Hamilton leading Bottas, when the Safety Car came in, for a six-lap dash to the flag in which the luckless Albon spun, while defending against Perez.

He pitted and fell to 15th and last as the “black arrows” finished with another one-two triumph.

Formula One takes a break next weekend before returning for the Turkish Grand Prix on November 15 where Hamilton could wrap up a record-equalling seventh drivers’ crown.

IMOLA, Italy — Valtteri Bottas said he had “the shakes” after snatching pole position for Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton with a dramatic late lap in qualifying at Imola on Saturday.

The Finn, who is 77 points adrift of series leader and six-time champion Hamilton with five races remaining in this year’s title, grabbed the prime grid position by a tenth of a second.

Hamilton, who was fastest in the only practice in the morning, had been on top through most of the qualifying session and took provisional pole on his first run in Q3 before Bottas beat him in the final seconds.

Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of his former teammate Pierre Gasly of Alpha Tauri, Daniel Ricciardo of Renault and Alex Albon in the second Red Bull.

Charles Leclerc took seventh for Ferrari with Daniil Kvyat eighth in the second Alpha Tauri ahead of the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz.

Bottas’s success brought him his fourth pole of the season and his 15th career pole as the Mercedes team claimed another front row lockout ahead of the race in which they can claim an unprecedented seventh consecutive constructors’ championship.

They need only one car to finish in the top four to seal that record success.

“It’s never easy to get pole position, but I really enjoyed it around this track,” said Bottas.

“I knew I had to improve on my last lap, so I found those little gains — and I had the shakes after the final run, which is always a good sign!”

Hamilton praised his teammate.

“Valtteri did a great job and it was a pretty poor lap from myself, but you can’t always get it right. This track is unbelievable, but I’m pretty certain it will be a boring race tomorrow — just a train after Turn One.”

Luckless Albon

Verstappen said: “It was tricky, but P3 is not bad really — though I expected to be a bit closer to the Mercedes.”

Having been limited to only 90 minutes’ practice, several teams struggled to deliver a consistent lap, Ricciardo securing his passage to Q2 with seconds remaining.

Among those out in Q2 was Kimi Raikkonen, 41, the only man in the field to have raced before at the circuit. He qualified 18th for his record-increasing 325th race just days after agreeing to stay with Alfa Romeo next year.

As he dropped out, George Russell of Williams, who was also confirmed for 2021 ahead of the race, maintained his impressive “Mr Saturday” form by squeezing into Q2 for the eighth time this year.

At the top, Hamilton’s best lap was deleted for overstepping the track at Turn Nine thus giving Bottas top spot in Q1.

The Finn and the defending champion, along with both Ferraris, headed out on medium tyres for Q2 as Red Bull faced trouble — Verstappen’s power unit suffering electrical problems that left his mechanics working against the clock to ensure he could take part.

The Dutchman’s teammate Alex Albon, under pressure to retain his seat next year, spun at Turn 15, flat-spotting his tyres, and also had to repair to the pits.

He was 11th with less than three minutes to go when Verstappen, armed with new spark plugs, re-joined the fray. With no time to spare, on a single run on mediums, he grabbed his passage to the top-ten shootout in sixth while Albon, on softs, took fourth.

Bottas led Hamilton at the top as Sergio Perez and his Racing Point teammate Lance Stroll were eliminated in 11th and 15th along with Esteban Ocon of Renault, Russell and Vettel.

The “black arrows” stayed on top in the opening Q3 runs, but with Hamilton taking provisional pole in 1:13.781 after dropping a wheel in the gravel, fractionally, at the final corner. Bottas was adrift by 0.031seconds with Verstappen third.

Albon’s lap, good enough for fifth in the opening salvos, was deleted, leaving the luckless Thai driver under pressure again as the second runs began.