Sports

DOHA — Japan stunned Germany 2-1 in their World Cup opener on Wednesday, punishing the four-time champions for not taking their chances after they dominated the first half.

The German team covered its mouths for the team photo before the match in a powerful protest against FIFA’s decision to ban rainbow-themed armbands.

Hansi Flick’s team came to Qatar under huge pressure to avoid the disaster of 2018, when they failed to make it out of the group stage in Russia as holders.

They took the lead through a first-half penalty from Ilkay Gundogan and should have been out of sight after creating a host of chances.

But Japan hung on and equalised through substitute Ritsu Doan in the 75th minute.

Takuma Asano then completed a remarkable turnaround eight minutes later, smashing the ball home to send the boisterous Japanese fans wild.

Germany’s World Cup future is now on the line, with games to come in Group E against Spain and Costa Rica.

Japan is eyeing a place in the knockout round after a dramatic comeback that scarcely looked possible at the end of the first half.

The Blue Samurai made a positive start, with Daizen Maeda putting the ball in the net as early as the eighth minute only for the linesman to flag for offside.

But it was to prove a false dawn for Japan as Antonio Rudiger headed past the post from a corner, before Joshua Kimmich tested goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda, with Gundogan blasting the rebound over the bar.

Gundogan put the Germans ahead after they were awarded a penalty when Gonda tripped David Raum, coolly slotting his kick down the middle.

Jamal Musiala give a glimpse of his immense talent when he turned and flashed a shot over the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Musiala returned to torment Japan after the break, skipping through the defence before blazing over.

The 19-year-old then turned provider, laying the ball off for Gundogan to lash against the post.

Japan brought on livewire forwards Asano and Kaoru Mitoma to try to inject some energy into the four-times Asian champions.

But Germany kept up its pressure and only a string of last-ditch saves from Gonda prevented Japan from falling further behind.

Hiroki Sakai had a golden chance to equalise but blazed wildly over the bar after Manuel Neuer had parried the ball into his path.

Doan showed him how it was done just minutes later, converting after Neuer had palmed away Takumi Minamino’s effort.

Asano then put the Japanese fans in dreamland, racing away into the box before lashing home a shot that Neuer was powerless to stop.

Germany threw everyone forward in a desperate search for an equaliser but it was too little to late.

In the other day’s early matches, Morocco held 2018 World Cup runner-up Croatia to a 0-0 draw as both teams took a point to open their Qatar campaigns on Wednesday.

Luka Modric’s Croatia had more of the ball but failed to break down the Morocco defence. Belgium plays Canada later in the day, also in Group F.

In the other late match, Spain outplayed Costa Rica, winning by a score of  7-0 in Group E.

AMMAN — The Kingdom’s football competitions will be on a long break as the local season has wrapped up and no competitions are scheduled until the national team plays at 10th West Asian Championship set for March 2023.

Jordan hosted the Spanish national team last weekend as the 2010 World Cup champions were on their way to Qatar for the World Cup. Spain won the match 3-1.

After an early exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the focus of Jordan’s head coach Adnan Hamad is on improving the team’s competitive form, its ranking on the world scene and reaching beyond the quarters of the 2023 Asian Cup, which will be held in Qatar.

Jordan has now qualified five times since first taking part in qualifiers in 1972. The highlight was at the 13th Asian Cup in 2004, when it lost to Japan in the quarterfinals and jumped to the best ever FIFA Ranking of 37th. Jordan also reached the Asian Cup in 2011, 2015 and 2019.

The Kingdom has had a very slow climb as it’s now at 84th in FIFA Rankings with Hamad trying to engage players from younger national teams to include a mix of young blood and experience in the lineup. Players were recalled from the U-23 team who won the West Asian Championship, but were eliminated from Round 1 at the 5th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Championship in their fifth time at the event.

Earlier this year, Jordan was one of 9 nations securing qualification to the AFC U-20 Asian Cup which will be held in Uzbekistan in 2023.  Jordan hosted Group A qualifiers for the U17 Asian Cup but failed to advance as Japan clinched the slot from the group which included, Syria, Philippines, and Turkmenistan as 44 nations contested qualifiers in 10 groups with the top team in each group and five second place teams moving to the finals in Bahrain in 2023.

The local 2022 football season has wrapped up with three teams splitting four titles: Wihdat defeated Aqaba in the Jordan Cup final — the last of the events held this year. Since the Cup started in 1980, there have been 40 editions with Faisali record 21-time champions. Wihdat have now won 11 times, Jazira, Ramtha and Shabab Urdun twice each, while Arabi, That Ras and Ahli won once each. In 2020, the Jordan Cup was scrapped from the agenda for the first time since the competition kicked off in 1980.

In the other competitions, Faisali were crowned Jordan Professional League (Pro League) champs, as they also won the 35th Jordan Football Association (JFA) Shield title when they beat Ramtha who in turn upset Faisali to win the 39th Jordan Super Cup. 

The 70th edition of the newly concluded Pro League saw a close-fought contest at both ends of the standings with veteran Jazira, a three-time league champ, relegated alongside Sarih, while Ahli and Jalil were promoted from the first Division. Faisali grabbed the title one point ahead of Wihdat and Hussein who tied in overall points and finished second and third respectively, followed by Shabab Urdun, Aqaba, Ramtha, Ma’an, Salt, Sahab, Mugheer Sarhan, Sarih and Jazira.

Last season, Ramtha won the league title for the third time in their history after playing 39 years without a league title. This year, they finished midway through the standings as another ambitious team, Jazira, will be the notable absentee next season. Their relegation will be the fourth – 1977, 1992, 2003, 2022 after the club was a frontrunner in the past five years and played in the AFC West Asia Zone final in 2018 and 2019.

Since the league kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Ahli, Urdun and Homenetmen competing, Faisali are now 35-time record league champs while Wihdat won 17 times since they joined in 1980. Although Faisali are the all-time record titleholders, Wihdat’s record is quite impressive. After four years in the Pro League, they won their first title in 1980 and have gone on to win the majority of titles since then. Ahli won eight times, Ramtha and Jazira three times each, Shabab Urdun twice, Amman and Urdun clubs once each.

DOHA — Brazil is hoping a fully fit and firing Neymar, and a well-balanced squad around him, will allow the five-time winners to live up to their status as World Cup favourites in Qatar.

They begin their bid to win a record-extending sixth title on Thursday when they play a dangerous Serbia side — and the world’s most expensive player is coming into the tournament in ominous form.

In 2014, Neymar’s World Cup ended in agony as he suffered a fractured bone in his back in the quarterfinal win over Colombia before the hosts were humiliated by Germany in the semi-finals, losing 7-1.

Four years later Neymar raced to recover from injury in time for the tournament in Russia, but Brazil never hit the expected heights before losing to Belgium in the last eight.

This time around, a 30-year-old Neymar arrives fresh from a fantastic start to the season with Paris Saint-Germain in which he has scored 15 goals in 20 games.

“I think Neymar is coming into this competition in great form,” veteran Brazil captain Thiago Silva, now with Chelsea but a former teammate of Neymar’s in Paris, told reporters on Wednesday.

“His preparation this time has been different. In 2014 he got injured just as he was playing so well, and in 2018 he came into the tournament in a different way because he had a serious injury so hadn’t played much.

“This time is different and he has not been injured. Neymar is a lot better prepared.”

With Brazil also facing Switzerland and Cameroon in Group G, Neymar will be hoping to get the two goals he needs to equal Pele’s all-time record tally of 77 goals for the Selecao.

But the responsibility in attack is not all his — coach Tite can also call on a raft of other exciting attackers, including Real Madrid pair Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

“In my opinion these players will help Neymar because they can divide up the responsibility and create space for him,” added Silva, who was the captain in 2014 and is still going strong aged 38.

‘Pressure is inevitable’

This tournament has already seen a heavily fancied Argentina lose in its opening match while Germany have been beaten too.

But Brazil are hoping for a strong start and a repeat of what happened in the only other World Cup to be held in Asia, when they won their last title in Japan two decades ago.

“The atmosphere in the squad is super healthy. The mixture of young players and more experienced ones creates a great connection,” said Silva.

“We have players who are accustomed to the pressure, who are used to the pressure of big games in the Champions League like Vini and Rodrygo, who are among the youngest players in the squad but have already shown they can be decisive.”

Silva is one of the few survivors of the 2014 team that was overwhelmed by the pressure of trying to win the World Cup on home soil.

This time he is hoping to be a calming influence on the rest of the squad.

“Some things change over time. I am now much better prepared for this moment, I am super calm and super determined,” he said.

“I am enjoying myself at the moment and I am eager to show the best version of Thiago Silva. At the age of 38 I am enjoying one of the best spells in my career.”

Coach Tite, 61, will step down at the end of the World Cup, whatever happens in Qatar.

He survived in the job after the quarterfinal exit in Russia in 2018 and this time he is hoping to depart Doha as a world champion.

“As Tostao said, it’s good to dream, so we are dreaming of having a good World Cup and winning it,” he said, citing one of the greats of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning side.

“Only one team can be the champions. Other teams want to be too. Pressure is inevitable.”

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka said Wednesday his side did not have to copy Germany’s mouth-covering protest against FIFA’s stance on rainbow-themed armbands.

“I don’t think we need to do anything as the Swiss team. We need to respect the rules and concentrate on our football, that’s all I intend to do,” captain Xhaka told reporters ahead of his team’s Group G opener against Cameroon on Thursday.

AMMAN — Jordan went up to 34th in the latest FIBA World Ranking following the end of Window 5 in Round 2 Asian basketball qualifiers for the FIBA World Cup 2023.

The Kingdom is now 5th in Asia and second among Arab teams after they beat New Zealand 92-75 and lost 74-66 to the Philippines in matches hosted in Amman last week as 12 teams are contesting the six remaining slots from the continent with the qualifiers concluding in February 2023.

Playing in Group E, which also includes Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, Jordan so far beat India 80-64 and lost 100-72 to New Zealand as Round 2 kicked off in August. Group F includes Australia, Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Japan and Bahrain.  

Jordan coach Wisam Al Sous, a star of the 2010 World Cup qualifying squad, has inspired his lineup to jump back from inconsistent results in Round 1 to a  winning spirit as the team finished 4th at the FIBA Asia Cup. 

Sous told the media this week that in their first match against the Philippines “the fear of losing dominated the lineup more than the appetite for a win”. 

The coach came under fire during the qualifiers for his choice of players, but rebounded after each slump added: “We let the win slip away, it was a tough lesson from which we learnt and jumped back in the New Zealand match.”

In the last round of qualifiers salted for February 2023 Jordan will face India and the Philippines with one win needed to qualify to the World Cup for the third time.

Eight nations from Asia and Oceania will join the 32-country FIBA World Cup 2023 field that will take place from August 25 to September 10, 2023. Japan and the Philippines qualify as hosts while third host Indonesia did not make it to the FIBA Asia Cup quarters and failed to qualify.

Jordan’s previous best ranking was 28th in the world after they finished runner-up in the 2011 Asian Championship when they were 4th in Asia and second among Arab teams. 

Australia currently leads Asia’s top 10 rankings followed by Iran, New Zealand, China, Jordan, South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Lebanon and Kazakhstan. 

On the world scene, Spain leads rankings followed by the US, Australia, Argentina, France, Serbia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Greece, and Italy.

Jordan previously reached the FIBA World Cup in 2010 and 2019, becoming the first and only Jordanian team to actually reach a World Cup in a team sport alongside the junior men’s team in 1995. Asia was last on the World Cup podium back in 1954 when the Philippines placed third.

The tournament serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where the top two teams from each of the Americas and Europe, and the top team from each of Africa, Asia and Oceania, will qualify alongside the tournament’s host France.

In Round 1 of the qualifiers, Jordan finished second after Lebanon in Group C.  In window 3, Jordan lost 89-70 to Lebanon before they beat Indonesia 77-52. In Window 2, Jordan beat Lebanon 74-63 and Indonesia 94-64 and in Window 1, they beat Saudi 68-61 and lost 72-64.

Jordan is powered by naturalised pro Dar Tucker and the towering Ahmad Dweiri, who led Fenerbahce Club to the Turkish League crown last season. Dweiri, who this season plays for Bursaspor Club, has carried the team together with Tucker as they combined with Freddy Ibrahim, who secured Jordan’s spot in the FIBA Asia Cup quarters on a dramatic half court three-pointer buzzer-beater to beat Chinese Taipei 97-96 — a result now etched in Jordan’s basketball memory, as Jordan won after being nine points down with just under one minute left.

The Kingdom then stunned three-time champs Iran 91-76 in the quarters and moved to the semis for the first time since 2011, where they faced three-time silver medalist Lebanon who ousted record 16-time champs China.  In the semis, injuries and a technical foul cost them a win, as Jordan handed the match to Lebanon 86-85, and settled for fourth place after losing to New Zealand as Australia beat Lebanon to win the title.

It was Jordan’s 16th time at the FIBA Asia Cup with the Kingdom’s best performance at the event placing third in 2009 and runner-up in 2011 when they reached the final for the first time in the country’s history.

DOHA — Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu is hoping the apprentices can upset the masters when they take on “role models” Germany in their World Cup opener on Wednesday.

Germany has become a popular destination for Japanese players in recent years, with eight of the current squad playing in the Bundesliga.

Moriyasu paid tribute to the contribution German football has made to his players’ development but urged them to show their own qualities when the teams meet in Doha.

“Germany have won the World Cup and that is our aim too — they are role models for us,” the manager said on Tuesday.

“We are learning from Germany but we also want to compete on the world stage with the qualities that Japan has.”

“We have a lot of feelings towards Germany but we have to treat tomorrow’s game as if we are playing any other team and just do our best.”

Japan have been handed a tough group, with Costa Rica and Spain also lying in wait in Group E.

The Blue Samurai have never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup but Moriyasu said they were hoping to “change history” by reaching at least the quarterfinals.

Captain Maya Yoshida acknowledged that their chances of progress could hinge on the result of their opening game.

The centre-back has witnessed Germany’s players at close quarters since joining Schalke in July, and is impressed by what he has seen.

“We understand that they have good qualities — speed, pace and physical ability as well,” said the former Southampton player, who is appearing at his third World Cup.

“The key is we have to defend well. Probably less opportunity to attack, but we need to make counter-attacks.”

Japan have had several injury scares in the build-up to the tournament, with doubts over the fitness of influential midfielder Hidemasa Morita.

Moriyasu said his entire squad was available for selection and wants his team to play “with no regrets”.

“We have players in the Bundesliga, playing with or against the best players in the world, and I want them to be confident when they play in tomorrow’s game,” he said.

Asian teams have suffered a torrid time at the tournament so far, with host nation Qatar losing 2-0 to Ecuador in the opening game and Iran hammered 6-2 by England.

Yoshida urged fans from across Asia to cheer on Japan.

“Germany is so strong so we need some support,” he said. “We are representing Japan of course, but at the same time representing Asia.”

“So hopefully many fans come to the stadium, not only Japanese but also the many Asian fans.”

Belgium ‘respect’ Canada

Belgium coach Roberto Martinez on Tuesday said his side have “huge respect” for Canada who will be playing their first World Cup game for 36 years when the teams meet in Qatar.

Martinez’s side finished third in Russia four years ago and will be heavy favourites against Canada, playing at the finals for the first time since 1986, on Wednesday.

Belgium faced a similar proposition in 2018 when they beat tournament debutants Panama 3-0 in their opening game with three second-half goals.

“We have huge respect for what Canada have achieved because when you finish top of the [qualifying] group ahead of national teams such as United States and Mexico, it’s something with substance, it’s not a coincidence,” Martinez told a pre-match press conference.

“They look like a team, not just a group of players coming together to play for the national team.”

“That’s a very dangerous situation, when you’re playing a team with nothing to lose. We saw that with Panama for 50 minutes, and we have to match that enthusiasm.”

Belgium, ranked second in the world behind Brazil, played a warm-up friendly against Egypt last week in Kuwait but lost 2-1.

“The friendly was important for us and we took that game almost as a competitive training session,” said Martinez.

Belgium’s record goalscorer Romelu Lukaku is set to miss their first two matches as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

But veteran defender Jan Vertonghen said Belgium would be ready, despite the unusual build-up to the first World Cup played midway through the European club season.

TURIN, Italy — Novak Djokovic said winning a record-equalling sixth ATP Tour Finals title on Sunday was a “deeply satisfying” ending to his troubled and truncated year.

The Serb beat Norwegian Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 in Turin to match Roger Federer’s record of six titles in the year-ending tournament for the top-ranked players.

The 35-year-old Serb, the oldest player to win the Finals, ended in style after a season in which he missed two majors because of his vaccine status.

“It feels deeply satisfying and, at the same time, a huge relief because of the circumstances that I have been through this year, situations earlier this year, of course, with Australia,” he said. 

“We don’t need to go back. We know what happened.”

In January, Djokovic was detained and deported from Australia over his COVID non-vaccinated status and missed the Australian Open.

“That had an effect obviously on my start of the year. For the first several months, I was trying to find that balance game-wise but also mentally in order to be able to come back to the court and find that tennis level that I need.”

Djokovic was initially barred from returning to Australia before 2025 but earlier in the week the new government in Canberra said the nine-time Australian Open champion would be free to compete in January’s tournament.

“I don’t know what the future holds but I know that what I hold in my mind is a huge hunger still to win trophies,” said Djokovic.

The win in Turin, which also brings a cheque for $4.7 million, came seven years after his last ATP Finals victory and will lift him from eighth to fifth in Monday’s new rankings at the end of a season in which he also won Wimbledon. Carlos Alcaraz, who missed the finals injured, is No. 1.

“In my mind I always see myself as the best player in the world, of course,” he said.

“I’m not. I’m fifth. This week I probably am. Overall the rankings are showing who had the best year, and Alcaraz is the No. 1 in the world.”

Djokovic and his wife brought his eight-year-old son and five-year-old daughter to Turin.

“Extremely special for me,” he said. “I don’t get to have these moments on the tour with them so much.”

“I took both of my children, particularly my son, a lot to the tennis training sessions, warmups, matches. He was very loud, I must say. I was very surprised. I could hear his voice the entire time.”

“They both are now aware of what’s going on, what the father is doing.”

‘Close points’

For the 23-year-old Ruud it was a third near-miss of the year. He also lost the finals of the French and US Opens.

“In the end it’s been disappointing to end up losing these big finals,” he said. 

“Overall if you gave me an offer to end the year at No. 3, play the finals that I’ve played, at the first of January this year, I would probably sign the contract right away.”

“I’ve overachieved compared to my own mind, so I’m very happy about that.”

Ruud has never taken a set from either Djokovic or his French Open final conqueror Rafael Nadal.

“They have this sort of ability in them to step up when they really have to that I don’t have,” Ruud said. “They always seem to win the close points, the close sets.”

The American Rajeev Ram and Britain’s Joe Salisbury took the doubles title with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 win over the Croatian pair of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic. 

Ram and Salisbury lost in last year’s final to French pair Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herber

DOHA — Coach Graham Arnold said on Monday he refuses to even mention the word France, let alone any of their players, as outsiders Australia prepare for their World Cup opener against the reigning champions in Qatar.

Even without Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, midfielders Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante and centre-back Presnel Kimpembe, France are full of global stars, led by Kylian Mbappe.

But Arnold doesn’t want his players to get overawed by illustrious opponents and has tried to present the French as faceless positions with specific strengths and attributes rather than star individuals.

“It’s not being disrespectful at all but I’ve hardly mentioned the word France and I’ve hardly mentioned any players’ names,” said the Socceroos coach.

“They all play in positions, the players know who they are but it’s about identifying those players’ strengths and it’s one against one.”

“There’s 10 blue shirts against 10 yellow shirts and it’s a fight.”

Captain and goalkeeper Mathew Ryan said it was about finding the right balance in their approach.

“The biggest focus for us has been the mentality and the boys have grasped the mentality: we go into every game, whoever we’re facing, with the right amount of respect,” he said.

“We don’t underestimate anybody and we don’t over-respect anyone and that’s a real challenge.”

‘Opportunity to change life’

French centre-back Ibrahima Konate admitted last week that he does not even know the names of any of Australia’s players, and Arnold is determined to change that by full time on Tuesday.

“It’s our job to go out there tomorrow to show them who we are as a nation,” said Arnold of the Group D clash.

“The players have that stage, it’s their stage and this is an opportunity in life that can change your life even more than what they have now.”

Arnold pointed to the example of winger Martin Boyle, who was ruled out of the World Cup on Sunday with a knee injury, as a reason for his players to grasp this opportunity.

“A lot of players don’t even get one chance. All I’d say is every player needs to look at Martin Boyle today and realise how fortunate they are to be here and run off the back of that.”

Running hard is the bare minimum Arnold expects from his players.

“I’ve banned the word ‘fatigued’ and I’ve banned the words ‘in pain’,” he added.

“This is the World Cup, there’s no such thing as being tired after a game or fatigued or having a bit of pain and stiffness: recover quickly and get on with it!”

One problem Australia will not have to deal with is Ballon d’Or winner Benzema, who has been ruled out due to a thigh problem.

But Arnold said he would have rather seen the prolific Real Madrid forward lining up in Qatar.

“I’m disappointed that he’s not playing because it’s a great experience to be able to play against the world player of the year, but that’s how it is.”

Lewandowski duck

Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes Robert Lewandowski will break his World Cup duck in Qatar as his country aims to reach the knockout phase for the first time since 1986.

Lewandowski is Poland’s record scorer with 76 goals in 134 games but the Barcelona star failed to find the net four years ago in Russia as the Poles exited in the group stage.

The 34-year-old has struck 25 times across the last two World Cup qualifying campaigns but has yet to open his account at the finals.

“I think it’s definitely important for him [to score],” Szczesny told reporters Monday on the eve of Poland’s opening game against Mexico.

“He’s very motivated before the World Cup. No one doubts that Robert is one of the best players in the world right now.”

ABU DHABI — Two-time world champion Max Verstappen claimed a record-extending 15th win this year with a “sublime” performance for Red Bull in Sunday’s tight and strategic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as Sebastian Vettel headed into retirement with a point.

The 25-year-old Verstappen dominated from start to finish, but he was unable to assist his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in his bid to beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and take second place behind him in the drivers’ title championship. 

Leclerc, driving with great precision and awareness, made his one-stop strategy succeed by resisting Perez, on fresher tyres after two stops, in the closing laps to confirm Ferrari finished second in the constructors’ contest as he did in the drivers’.

Carlos Sainz came home fourth in the second Ferrari ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Lando Norris of McLaren, Esteban Ocon of Alpine and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.

Daniel Ricciarcdo finished ninth in the second McLaren and retirement-bound four-time champion Vettel was 10th in his final race, for Aston Martin.

“I wish it would have been a couple more points,” said the retiring German driver.

“A big day, thank you for all the support and the smiling faces. I’m sure I’m going to miss more than I can imagine,” added Vettel who heads into F1’s sunset with four drivers’ world titles, 53 race wins, 57 pole positions and a chorus of tributes ringing in his ears.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who ran in third despite struggling with his Mercedes for much of the race, retired in the closing laps with hydraulics problems.

Hamilton, who lost out on an eighth world title in last year’s controversial climax on this track, has ended a season for the first time without a win.

Verstappen’s win was a third in succession in Abu Dhabi and the 35th of his career. His engineer came over the team radio telling the Dutch driver his twilight drive at the Yas Marina circuit had been “sublime”.

But it was Leclerc who cried with relief as he crossed the line. “Yes, baby, we got it,” he said. “Good job guys, really good race.”

After another hot day, the contest began with temperatures falling from 28 degrees as Alpha Tauri gave the departing Pierre Gasly a guard of honour as Aston Martin offered Vettel a cake ahead of his final race.

Verstappen made a clean start to lead from a thrusting Perez.

Hamilton struggled to shake off Sainz and, as the Spaniard forced his way by, took to a run-off area to avoid a collision, moving up to fourth. The stewards cleared Sainz of any misdemeanour, leaving the Briton to give the place back.

By lap five, Hamilton had found his way back and passed Sainz in the chicane, but again struggled to pull clear, complaining his car was damaged as he rode the kerbs on the opening lap.

Russell, sixth behind Sainz, told the team that “Lewis needs to pick up the pace... We can beat the Ferraris” but it was a forlorn plea as Sainz passed Hamilton again at Turn Nine on lap eight.

By lap 15, Verstappen led by 5.7 ahead of Perez, who was 1.3 clear of Leclerc as the first round of pit stops began.

Russell’s stop was delayed by three seconds and he swerved out across Norris’s McLaren, a reckless move that cost him a five-second penalty for an unsafe release.

By lap 32, the leaders were back in team order with Verstappen ahead of Perez, Leclerc and Sainz with Russell fifth ahead of a recovering Hamilton.

Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, in his last outing with Alpine before succeeding old friend and rival Vettel at Aston Martin, was called in to retire on lap 25 with a mechanical problem, not his first this year.

As Perez, Sainz and Russell pitted again Verstappen continued to dominate from Leclerc and Hamilton, all three on ageing rubber before Perez fought through to regain third on lap 46.

With ten laps to go, he was nine seconds adrift of Leclerc, setting up a tense finale as he sought to stay ahead of the charging Mexican on worn tyres as Hamilton slowed and retired with a hydraulics problem.