Catégorie : Sport News

Rookie Oliver Bearman and Estelle Ogilvy recently ended their relationship. While the Briton appears to have moved on, Ogilvy is finding it more challenging. Reports of Bearman dating someone new have seemingly made things even harder for her.

Breaking her silence on TikTok, Ogilvy made an emotional appeal, asking fans to stop tagging her in videos and pictures, presumably involving Bearman’s new relationship or referencing their past. She explained how such actions make it more difficult for her to let go and move on.

“I kindly ask everyone to please stop tagging me in videos and pictures,” Estelle wrote, according to @f1gossipofficial, an account on Instagram. “I understand it may not seem like much, but for me, it reopens wounds I’m trying to heal from.”

“Would deeply appreciate it if people could respect my feelings and give me space. I’m only human, and being constantly compared, criticized, and forced to relive something is unbearable,” she added.

The breakup seemed to have been messy, with rumors swirling that Bearman might have cheated on Ogilvy. Speculation began when she unfollowed the new Haas driver on Instagram, and he unfollowed her in return. Fans quickly noticed the signs, especially when Ogilvy shared TikToks hinting at feelings of betrayal.

One rumor that gained traction originated from @f1gossipofficial, which claimed that Bearman had cheated on Ogilvy at a party he attended with fellow racer Arthur Leclerc.

Bearman’s new love interest

The 19-year-old Briton is now rumored to be dating Alicia Torriani, who lives in Monaco and keeps a very private online presence. Torriani is connected to the F1 community, as she is followed by Charles Leclerc, his girlfriend Alexandra Mleux, and other close friends of the Leclerc family.

Torriani’s ties to the Leclercs make sense. She works as an Account Manager at All-Time, a company co-founded by Leclerc’s brother, Lorenzo, who is also the CEO.

According to her LinkedIn profile, Torriani has been with the company for over a year and a half and is likely connected to other sports personalities as the company provides services to various athletes.

After a storied career in Supercars, Shane van Gisbergen moved to the United States of America with his girlfriend to expand his horizons and reach a broader audience in NASCAR. The opportunity came to him when Trackhouse Racing offered him a full-time seat following his victory in his Cup Series debut at the 2023 Chicago Street Race.

However, the transition has proven to be anything but smooth. Speaking about the challenges of relocating, SVG shared his perspective, saying, “It’s not easy. Even now, I’m a lot older, but moving from Australia to America — being across the other side of the world from your family and friends — it’s difficult,” said the New Zealand native.

In a generous gesture, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had even offered to rent out one of his properties to help him settle. But despite such support, adjusting to a new country is no small feat and comes with its own hurdles.

Discussing his move to stock car racing, SVG shared insights from his perspective, saying “It’s been such a challenge and a big refresh for me. Some aspects of it have been a struggle, especially on the ovals, but that’s what guys grew up doing here. NASCAR also has a really hectic schedule, but I love it.”

Beginning in motocross, quarter midgets, and karts, and competing in championships like Formula First, New Zealand Formula Ford, and Toyota Racing between 1998 and 2007, he eventually turned to the Supercars Championship in Australia where he grabbed three driver titles in 2016, 2021, and 2022, alongside an impressive 80 wins and 46 pole positions.

After making headlines with a stunning debut victory in NASCAR in 2023, van Gisbergen competed in the Xfinity Series in 2024, finishing P12 in the standings. Beginning in 2025, he will take on a full-time role in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the #88 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.

SVG confessed to taking advice from former NASCAR veterans

Shane van Gisbergen secured three Xfinity Series wins this season, all on road courses. His best performance on an oval came at Martinsville, where he climbed from a P29 starting position to finish P12. Despite showing steady improvement, SVG has faced challenges adapting to oval racing and the nuances of the Xfinity Series car. Speaking about the difficulty of ovals, he remarked,

“The ovals are very, very, very difficult. But I feel like I’m getting better and better, finishing the races with straight cars and starting to get more and more competitive. Road courses are (my) strength, but I don’t know if ovals are a weakness.”

To bridge the gap, SVG has sought guidance from NASCAR veterans like Marcos Ambrose and Kevin Harvick, whose advice has bolstered his confidence ahead of his full-time move to the Cup Series.

He shared, “All of the drivers have been pretty friendly. You can’t not be friendly because you race each other every week. The cars are very different to what I’m used to, but hopefully the Cup car will suit me better. I’ve just got to be patient and not try to force things. The results will come once I get comfortable, but I’m definitely ready to go.”

In 2024, SVG competed in 12 Cup Series races, with his best result being a second-place finish at Watkins Glen. With the upcoming season, fans can expect the same levels of domination from the Kiwi during such events.

Lewis Hamilton’s 12-year association with Mercedes has come to an end, and the Briton is set to move to Ferrari at the turn of the year. However, there are no hard feelings between the two, with the Brackley team all set to cheer for their most successful driver ever, even though he will drive for a rival team.

Currently on a farewell tour, interacting with all of Mercedes’ employees and sponsors from around the world, Hamilton found himself sharing the stage with the German brand’s Head of Global Communications Rob Halloway.

Halloway revealed that he has always been a huge Hamilton fan, and that is not something he would change. “I’ve been a fan for years, and will continue to be so when Lewis is racing in red from next year,” he said.

The fact that a Mercedes boss would openly cheer for a rival team made a significant statement. Between 2014 and 2019, the Brackley-based outfit had several heated on-track battles with Ferrari.

Halloway’s decision to support Hamilton in his new journey only shows the profound impact Hamilton had on those who worked closely with him. Even Toto Wolff admitted that he would support Hamilton in 2025, provided Mercedes doesn’t go neck to neck with them.

Can Wolff compete against Hamilton and Ferrari?

There’s nothing the Mercedes Team Principal would love more. But looking at the pecking order in the closing stages of 2024, Mercedes are a long way behind Ferrari in terms of performance and have a lot of work to do to catch up.

Ferrari, meanwhile, ended the season just 14 points behind Constructors’ Champions McLaren after a late-reason resurgence saw them become one of the top teams of the grid. Now, a driver pairing of Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will only add to their advantage.

On the other hand, Mercedes’ lineup will include George Russell and Kimi Antonelli — the 18-year-old who would need proper grooming before getting up to speed. This comparatively inexperienced lineup could end up hurting Mercedes’ chances even if they field a strong car.

When Martin Adam emerged from the bench in Hungary’s opening game of Euro 2024, a million internet memes followed.

Standing 6ft 3in tall with a huge red beard, the targetman quickly became a cult hero all over Europe, described as ‘an absolute unit’ and ‘the Hungarian Viking’.

Hailing from the village of Forraskut, his overnight fame took some getting used to, as he appeared as a sub in all three of Hungary’s games at the tournament.

Cult hero of the year

Adam was interviewed for the awards issue of FourFourTwo magazine, after being named our cult hero of the year.

“I don’t like to be the centre of attention, but I seemed to become very popular,” he said of his summer. “There was a tall guy with a big beard who many found out existed for the first time.

“You just have to know how to handle it – I’m a laidback guy, so it wasn’t an issue. Some make fun of my appearance, but this is how I look.”

The targetman was a prolific goalscorer in Hungary with Paks – two-and-a-half years ago, he almost joined Luton Town.

“They wanted to sign me, but I still had to collect employment points to obtain a permit to work there,” he revealed. “That restriction’s since been removed, so I was unlucky.”

He eventually moved to South Korea with Ulsan HD, then earned a switch to Greek side Asteras Tripolis after his appearance at the Euros.

That didn’t go well, though: he left by mutual consent in November, without scoring a league goal.

“Some people thought I’d win games on my own because of the summer hype, but my performance was far from that – I was quickly rebuked in the local press,” he said.

“I was waiting for positive momentum, but I know how much work I’m putting in to try to turn things around. I chose to return to Hungary rather than sit on a bench in Greece every weekend.”

Next up: Wrexham?

Adam has since been looking for his next move, and the UK remains a dream – even League One, where Wrexham are chasing promotion under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

“I think English football would suit me – if an offer came, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d go immediately,” he said.

“Who knows? Maybe I could be signed by Wrexham! Jokes aside, I’m well known in Hungary and the Far East, so I’ll probably get offers from there. I want to prove myself to everyone in 2025, but primarily to myself.”

The full interview with Adam is in this month’s FourFourTwo magazine.

In June 2024, Chase Elliott revealed that his relationship with Martin Truex Jr. is far from being close-knit, as the two have rarely interacted during their decade of competing alongside one another. Speaking candidly, Elliott shared, “We’ve always gotten along well. Probably never spoke more than 20 words to each other in my nine years and we don’t have to.”

However, despite their limited interactions, Elliott has previously expressed that Truex Jr. would be his top choice in a very specific scenario. During a 2019 Rapid Fire interview with Meghan Kolb on 3 Wide Life, Elliott was presented with a hypothetical question: If stranded on an island and allowed to bring only one tool and one fellow Cup Series driver, what would he choose?

His answer caught many off guard: “I feel like Truex would be pretty good. He might have some items he stole or has from his sponsors [Bass Pro Shops]. There may be a lighter I feel like that’d be important to have.”

Considering Truex Jr.’s well-known passion for fishing and being outdoors in the wild, Elliott’s choice could have been a calculated move. Truex has previously admitted to missing the saltwater of the Jersey Shore, where he grew up, and frequently indulges in fishing to reconnect with those roots.

So, maybe on the stranded island, Elliott expects Truex to carry something useful since he is good at finishing. While the two drivers share a mutual respect, it is clear their relationship remains strictly professional rather than personal. However, Elliott remains confident that, should the need arise, Truex would be willing to lend a hand.

When Elliott defused a potential feud with Truex Jr.

In 2020, during the opening round of the playoffs at Darlington Raceway, Elliott and Truex Jr. found themselves locked in a close battle for the win. With just 15 laps remaining, Elliott led the race, with Truex hot on his heels.

After dominating much of the event and leading 196 of 367 laps, Truex made an aggressive move to overtake Elliott. The attempt resulted in both cars brushing the wall, severely damaging their chances of victory.

The incident created an opportunity for Kevin Harvick, running third at the time, to capitalize and snatch the win. Meanwhile, Elliott and Truex finished far down the order, with Elliott in P20 and Truex in P22.

After the race, both drivers addressed the incident with professionalism, avoiding blame. Elliott reflected, “I think we were both battling really hard for a win. I think any other time in the race, I probably give him the position. In that situation, you got to know, nobody is going to let anybody in for a race win with 15 laps left. I hate that it happened. It hurt both of us.”

He added, “I don’t think it was something he did on purpose. I think we were both being aggressive.”

Truex echoed similar sentiments, saying, “It was just kind of one of those racing deals where it was obviously really close. It was pretty much going to be the pass for the win in my eyes… Just really close, obviously, nobody’s fault. I don’t think you can really put blame on one guy.”

Still, now that Truex has retired from full-time competition, Elliott may view the absence of the former #19 JGR driver as a subtle advantage, reducing the competition from one of NASCAR’s most consistent drivers.

The Arsenal home kit for 2025/26 is a long way off with Gooners fully invested in the 2024/25 Premier League title race. But no one can pass up the opportunity to get a glimpse of a new kit.

The Gunners will hope they don next season’s shirt having won their first Premier League title since 2004, or perhaps a first ever Champions League trophy. They remain in contention for both, even if others have made stronger starts.

There won’t be any major surprises with the 2024/25 kit, of course. It will be some variation of the red and white we have seen at the Emirates for decades, but it’s all about the small details.

Arsenal home kit for 2025/26 prediction leaked

According to Footy Headlines, Arsenal’s new shirt will be released in early May. They have also “exclusively leaked” the fact that the strip will indeed be red and white. No shocks there then.

Arsenal fans will likely be relieved that Adidas are not tinkering with the traditional colours, as they have with other clubs – Bayern Munich and Juventus spring to mind.

There is no information on the design of the strip yet, although Footy Headlines have produced an image of an “early prediction”, which they caveat with the tag “very speculative”.

Arsenal’s kit this season appears to have gone down well with the fans, with a slight variation on the usual design. Blue stripes were introduced on the shoulders, sleeves and side of the shirt, with an all-white badge and sponsor on the front.

The previous season had seen the standard red and white paired with gold stripes, a nod to the Invincibles season of 2003/04, while the 2022-23 strip stood out because of a distinctive white collar.

All the most recent kits have been sponsored by UAE airline Emirates, of course, and that will continue in 2025-26, with a deal in place until 2028.

If Footy Headlines’ rough prediction is correct, next season’s shirt will be a return to a more simplistic design, with the club crest back on the front and no extra colours beyond red and white.

That might please some of the club’s more traditional supporters, while others might hope for a more creative design. But you can’t please everyone, and keeping things simple is often the way to go.

The Los Angeles Lakers are going through a slump. They have lost seven of their last 10 games. Although the team is reeling with injuries and that’s one of the major reasons behind their rough patch, LeBron James’ absence in the last two games has added to their misery.

The Lakers are slated to play against the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at Crypto.com Arena. They will need all the help they can get to put their campaign back on track. So, is LeBron James going to play tonight?

The Lakers superstar has been featured on the injury report as ‘Questionable.’ LeBron is doing injury management on his left foot. Several other players are featured in the report as well. Anthony Davis is listed as ‘Probable’ due to left plantar fasciitis. Four other Lakers are ‘Out’ for the next game.

Jaxson Hayes is out with a right ankle sprain/contusion, Jalen Hood-Schifino is out with a left hamstring strain, Jarred Vanderbilt with right foot surgery recovery, and Christian Wood with left knee surgery recovery. The last few weeks haven’t been good for the Lakers and LeBron. The all-time leading scorer has failed to cross the 20-point mark in five of his last six outings.

LeBron’s whereabouts are also a point of concern for the fans because recently when JJ Redick was asked about his absence, he said it was because of “personal reasons.” When asked if he knows when LeBron will be back with the team, Redick said, “No.”

Season #22 was going pretty well for LeBron. In 23 games, he is averaging 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 9.1 assists with 49.5% shooting from the field. However, the derailment happened gradually and we saw him and the franchise fall from grace at the same time. LeBron’s absence has also given birth to some strong trade rumors.

The internet has been buzzing with the possibility of LBJ leaving the Lakers to join another team for the last stretch of his career. The most popular destination for the 39-year-old is said to be the Golden State Warriors. The theories floating around suggest that he will team up with Stephen Curry and they’ll aim for another trophy together. Nothing is confirmed yet, so there’s no point believing that he’s leaving the Lakers.

Leeds United are aiming to make a return to the Premier League this season, two campaigns after they were relegeated to the Championship following Jesse Marsch’s dismissal in February 2023.

While Javi Gracia replaced Marsch, which ultimately ended in disaster as the Spaniard soon lost his job to Sam Allardyce for the remaining four games of the season, Leeds actually approached a different Spaniard over the vacancy.

Having impressed with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, Andoni Iraola caught the attention of Leeds as they sought to find the fix to their season. Rayo Vallecano blocked any discussion from taking place, however.

Leeds United blocked from speaking to Andoni Iraola

“It was an option that appeared,” Iraola explains. “I talked openly with Rayo Vallecano and we decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club mid-season – even if we were doing well. It wasn’t the right timing.”

Instead, Iraola left the Campo de Futbol de Vallecas at the end of the 2022/23 season anyway, joining Bournemouth in the Premier League after turning down a renewal offer with the La Liga side.

With that potential Leeds move blocked, the Basque boss had to forego the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Marcelo Bielsa, who managed him as a player at Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013.

Iraola’s eyes opened in 2011 when he crossed paths with Bielsa – even if El Loco had initial doubts about the right-back.

“He told me straight away what he thought of me,” Iraola reveals. “I remember I’d started for Spain against Italy. I’d only played the first 45 minutes, I didn’t have a good game and Marcelo was mad at me. Even though it wasn’t for Athletic, he wanted me to do better and demanded a better performance.”

Bielsa benched Iraola for La Liga’s two opening fixtures, coach telling defender he didn’t have the physicality to play his brand of high-octane football. By mid-September, tireless work changed El Loco’s mind. Iraola started 52 of Athletic’s 57 remaining matches in 2011/12 and captained the side in the Copa del Rey and Europa League finals.

“You need to get used to high demands when you play for Marcelo,” Iraola adds. “I had to wait for my first start and I had to win his confidence.”

Those demands would eventually influence his own philosophy.

“I just liked the honesty of Marcelo’s football,” Iraola says. “He accepted losing to a better team, but he wanted the football to be fair. He wasn’t scared of exposing his players, or his players covering big spaces, and he put bravery into his players because it’s not easy to play that way against strong opposition. I tried to keep some of that, along with the exercises and tactical approaches.”

Carlos Sainz became one of the most sought-after drivers in F1 when his Ferrari exit made him available for the 2025 season. Several teams expressed interest in signing him, including Alpine. However, the deal ultimately fell through due to disagreements during contract negotiations — something Flavio Briatore recently shed light on.

The biggest issue for Sainz was the length of the contract Alpine was offering him. “I spoke with Sainz. He was interesting for us, but only for four years,” Briatore said to AMuS. “It makes no sense to take a driver like Carlos for one or two years“.

For Sainz too, security was important. Even Mercedes was reportedly offering him a one-year deal, but he wanted more. Being a four-time GP winner (having won all with Ferrari), Sainz wanted his next team to be capable of winning as well. Unfortunately, none of the options—Alpine, Williams, and Sauber—looked suitable.

In the end, he settled for a project he believed in. Sainz signed for Williams and also accepted the fact that the Grove-based outfit would not be in a position to fight at the front.

Reports suggest that Sainz’s contract with Williams includes a clause allowing him to leave after just one season if a top team like Red Bull expresses interest. Given Sainz’s unlikely patience with driving for a backmarker team, Briatore explained that it didn’t make sense for Alpine to invest heavily in him.

“Either he believes in our program, or he doesn’t,” Briatore said, justifying the decision to abandon the pursuit of Sainz. Instead, Alpine chose to promote their reserve driver, Jack Doohan, who is expected to commit to the team for a longer period.

Why did Alpine sign Doohan?

Alpine decided to sign Doohan as a replacement for Esteban Ocon, who developed quite a strained relationship with Pierre Gasly. Since Alpine wanted more harmony and wanted their drivers to work together, they thought it was best to part ways with Ocon and sign someone young to get a mix of youth and experience in the team.

Doohan emerged as a top candidate for the role as he is just 21 and is also a part of Alpine’s driver academy. Since the 2025 season will be the young Aussie’s debut F1 season, Alpine decided to prepare him for the role by giving him the drive at this year’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The 21-year-old had a disappointing debut race as he was the slowest during qualifying and only managed to finish P15 in the race, one in which there were four retirements. In stark contrast, his teammate Gasly qualified in P6 and scored six points for the team by finishing seventh.

It’s been a month since Ruben Amorim began his tenure as Manchester United manager, with mixed results so far.

The Red Devils drew at Ipswich Town and beat Everton 4-0 in his first two league games, but have since lost at Arsenal and at home to Nottingham Forest.

In the Europa League, it’s been smoother, with a victory over Bodo/Glimt followed by Thursday’s comeback triumph at Viktoria Plzen.

Amorim’s sizeable task

Amorim was undoubtedly taking on a difficult job when he arrived at Old Trafford to replace Erik ten Hag, with the side in the bottom half of the Premier League.

He’d previously guided Portuguese side Sporting to their first league title in 19 years, then won the Primeira Liga again last season.

They had a 100 per cent record at the start of the current campaign, also thrashing Manchester City 4-1 in an unbeaten start to the Champions League league stage.

Rene Meulensteen was Manchester United’s first-coach under Sir Alex Ferguson between 2008 and 2013, and has seen the club’s results fall into decline under five different permanent managers since then.

By this point, he says, whoever they appointed was a risk – both for the club, and the person taking the job.

“My thoughts were that there were similarities with what they did with Erik ten Hag – they find a young manager, who’s done well in one of the ‘smaller leagues’,” he told FFT, speaking in association with BetIdeas.

“Ten Hag did that with Ajax, they played some good football, an attractive style, did well in the Champions League, and you see similarities with Amorim in Portugal.

“No matter who you appoint, it’s always a gamble, but knowing what Manchester United is about, the size of the club, the expectations, the scrutiny and also the timing when he was stepping in, I thought ‘Bloody hell, there has to be something that’s pushed him over the line and convinced him to come’.

“If I’d been Amorim, I’d think ‘OK, let’s see what I have already, and let’s see what I get – I’ve got a team here at Sporting that’s playing exactly as I want, we’re steaming off to another title, we’re doing well in the Champions League, what could be next for me after that?’

“It could also be someone like Real Madrid and have you got a bigger chance to be successful at Real Madrid – or you step into the world of Manchester United, who haven’t got it going for the last 12 years.”

A real gamble

Arguably, the appointment was a bigger risk for Amorim than it was for Manchester United. “I think it could be,” Meulensteen said.

“You think ‘Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Solskjaer, Ten Hag, why would I be different? Why would I be the one who can make it work, and all of those managers haven’t been able to do that? What’s going on here?’

“He must be very convinced about himself and the way he goes about things. But I think we all know how difficult it is at United at the moment.”