Fernando Alonso was handed back the 100th podium of his Formula One career, and second in two races for Aston Martin, after a U-turn by officials hours after the finish of Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old double world champion, enjoying a renaissance with his much-improved team, finished third in Jeddah but was demoted to fourth by a 10-second post-race penalty.
The Spaniard was initially handed a five-second penalty for an error on the starting grid and another for failing to serve it properly — the rear jack being in contact with the car before the five seconds were up.
That second penalty was then reversed when his team won a right to review after presenting new evidence to support their case.
“I am happy in the end with the result tonight and our second podium. We showed that we can be the second fastest team and we had good pace throughout the race,” said Alonso in a team statement.
The new evidence included the minutes of the latest Sporting Advisory Committee meeting and video of “seven different instances where cars were touched by the jack while serving a similar penalty… without being penalised.”
Stewards said the evidence called into question a supposed agreement between the teams and FIA that “touching the car in any way, including with a jack, would constitute ‘working’ on the car.”
Alonso, who had celebrated on the podium before the demotion, had criticised the FIA for the delay in imposing the second penalty more than 30 laps after his pitstop.
“I think it’s more an FIA poor show today, more than disappointment for ourselves,” he said then.
“You can’t apply a penalty 35 laps after the pitstop. They had enough time to really inform about the penalty. If I knew that, maybe I open 11 seconds to the car behind. Today we didn’t put on a good show, I think, for our fans.
“They told me just five seconds in the first stint and I opened seven or eight. Then in the second there was no information at all, not even investigated.”
The reversal meant Mercedes driver George Russell dropped back to fourth after appearing in the post-race news conference as third-placed finisher.
“The penalty on Fernando was harsh. They are deserving podium finishers today but I’ll take an extra trophy,” he said earlier.
Sergio Perez won the race from pole position in a Red Bull one-two with Max Verstappen staying top of the championship after racing from 15th to second with the fastest lap.
Double Formula One world champion Verstappen snatched the bonus point from Perez with a last-lap blast around Jeddah’s floodlit Corniche street circuit that left him a point clear of the Mexican.
The result was Red Bull’s second one-two in as many races this season but a reverse of the March 5 opener in Bahrain.
Perez had also started on pole last year before ending up fourth after an unfortunate safety car, but this time he made it stick despite another such intervention.
Verstappen now has 44 points, Perez 43 and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso 30.
Red Bull have 87 points in the constructors’ standings with Aston Martin and Mercedes level on 38.
Football fans travelling with Emirates this summer won’t have to worry about missing any FIFA World Cup 2026 action. Dubai’s flagship airline Emirates, has announced that it will broadcast every match of the tournament live onboard its flights through Sport24, its dedicated live sports channel available on the award-winning ice entertainment system.
Passengers will be able to follow every moment of the world’s biggest football tournament while flying at 40,000 feet. The move ensures customers can stay connected to the action no matter where they are travelling, with live coverage available throughout the competition.
Emirates said the complete FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast schedule is featured its ice magazine, allowing passengers to plan their journeys around key fixtures and follow their favourite teams during the tournament.
The live coverage will be available on most Emirates aircraft equipped with Sport24 and Sport24 Extra, although availability may vary depending on aircraft type and route. Selected FIFA World Cup matches will also be shown in Emirates Lounges across Dubai, giving travellers additional opportunities to catch the action before departure.
Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca was transformed into a global stage on Thursday Night as the FIFA World Cup 2026 officially got underway, marking the beginning of the biggest edition in the tournament’s history.
A vibrant opening ceremony showcased a blend of Mexican culture, music and modern spectacle, with performances from international stars including Shakira and Burna Boy. The ceremony was designed to reflect both the heritage of the host nation and the global nature of the tournament, which for the first time will be staged across three countries — Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Before the first whistle of the competition, the atmosphere inside the historic stadium reached a crescendo as thousands of fans filled the stands, waving flags and lighting up the arena in a sea of colour. The Estadio Azteca, already steeped in football history, has now become the first venue in the world to host matches across three separate FIFA World Cups, having previously staged the 1970 and 1986 finals.
In a further highlight of the ceremony, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed the tournament’s official anthem, adding a classical flourish to an evening otherwise defined by high-energy performances and large-scale choreography.
FIFA officials described the opening event as a “symbolic bridge between continents”, underlining the expanded format of the 2026 tournament. For the first time, the World Cup will feature 48 teams — up from 32 — and a total of 104 matches, spread across 16 host cities across North America. The expansion is intended to increase global participation and bring the tournament to a wider range of supporters.
Immediately after the ceremony, hosts Mexico faced South Africa in the tournament’s opening match, kicking off what is expected to be a month-long football spectacle. The match began under heavy security and heightened global attention, with millions watching around the world.
The expanded format has also brought logistical challenges, with teams required to travel across vast distances between venues in multiple countries. Organisers have emphasised investments in transport infrastructure, stadium upgrades and sustainability measures aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of the tournament.
The 2026 edition also arrives at a time when football’s global profile continues to grow rapidly, with record broadcast deals, increased digital streaming access and heightened commercial interest from sponsors. Analysts expect the tournament to break previous viewership records, particularly given its tri-nation hosting model and expanded team lineup.
Estadio Azteca itself remains one of football’s most storied venues. It famously hosted Brazil’s Pelé lifting the trophy in 1970 and Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” performances in 1986. Its role in opening the 2026 tournament has been widely seen as a nod to football’s rich history in Mexico, while also signalling a new era for the sport.
As fireworks lit up the Mexico City skyline following the ceremony, attention now turns to the next phase of the tournament’s opening schedule, with matches set to continue across North America in what promises to be the most geographically expansive World Cup ever staged.
For fans, players and organisers alike, the message from Mexico City was clear: the world’s biggest sporting event has begun, and it is set to be bigger, broader and more ambitious than ever before.
Emirati International Arbiter Abdullah Murad Al Mazmi has been appointed to the officiating panel for the 2026 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships, one of the biggest events on the global chess calendar.
The championship will take place in Hong Kong from June 16 to 22 and is expected to feature many of the world’s leading grandmasters, including world number one Magnus Carlsen.
Al Mazmi’s selection highlights the growing international recognition of Emirati chess officials. He currently serves as Chairman of the Arab Chess Federation’s Arbiters Committee and Tournament Director of the prestigious Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship.
Speaking about the appointment, Al Mazmi said he was proud to represent the UAE at one of chess’s most prestigious global events. He described the selection as a reflection of FIDE’s confidence in Emirati arbiters and their ability to officiate at the highest international level.
He added that the role carries significant responsibility and offers a valuable opportunity to exchange expertise with some of the world’s top chess officials while showcasing the progress of UAE chess on the global stage.
The appointment marks another milestone for Emirati representation in international sports administration and reinforces the UAE’s growing presence in the world of chess.
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