Category: 6. Sports

Number one grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, has won the inaugural online chess competition at the Esports World Cup. The 34-year-old Norwegian will take home $250,000 (around £188,000).

The Esports World Cup (EWC) being held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest multi-discipline tournaments in competitive professional gaming.

The inclusion of chess in this year’s schedule was somewhat controversial, but the tournament’s organisers argued it counted as an esport as it is played by millions of people of all ages.

This is the second time the EWC has been staged and it comes with a total prize pot of around $70m (£50m).

Over a period of seven weeks, teams from around the world compete across 25 popular games, including Call of Duty, Street Fighter and League of Legends.

The EWC said including chess this year has seen the game reach a “new milestone”, 139 years after the first World Chess Champion was crowned.

At the Esports world cup, competitors sit at their computer on a stage in front of a live audience, wearing heart-rate monitors. Much like with traditional sport, there are large screens, big name sponsors and commentators.

A number of grandmasters took part in the online competition, which saw players go through a group stage before the top-scorers made it to the playoffs.

It was the world’s best traditional chess player who cinched the title, after beating number eight Alireza Firouzja.

Carlsen is no stranger to embracing modernity in the embracing modernity in the game. Last year, said he would return to a major chess competition after the sport’s governing body agreed to relax its dress code.

Carlsen had quit the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York, where he was defending his title, when he was told he could not continue playing while wearing jeans.

“It’s been an amazing show, unlike anything that I’ve seen so far,” said Carlsen after lifting the EWC trophy, a gold coloured plate.

“I really hope that this is a big part of the future for chess.

“Maybe we can get on a bigger stage next time,” he added as it had proved popular at the tournament.

DUBAI:

A 14-member squad has been announced by Ireland for the three-match T20I series against Pakistan.

Gaby Lewis will continue to lead the side, with Orla Prendergast serving as her deputy.

The Ireland squad is bolstered by the return of off-spinner Freya Sargent, who makes her comeback after recovering from injury.

Fellow spinner Lara McBride retains her place in the squad after an impressive debut series against Zimbabwe.

The series serves as key preparation for Ireland as they gear up for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier, where they’ll be aiming to secure a spot in next year’s showpiece event.

The two sides have faced off 19 times in T20Is, with Pakistan holding the upper hand, having won 15 of those encounters.

However, in their last T20I series in 2022, it was Ireland who emerged victorious, clinching the series 2-1.

Speaking on facing Pakistan after a succesful series against Zimbabwe, National Women’s Selector Ciara O’Brien said, “After a strong 5-0 series win against Zimbabwe Women across formats under new Head Coach Lloyd Tennant, it’s great to be able to move so quickly into what will understandably be a much tougher assignment against Pakistan Women in Clontarf for this T20I series.”

“With the upcoming matches, our preparation continues for the ICC Women’s T20I World Cup Europe Qualifier in the Netherlands in a few weeks, so we’re looking to see this latest momentum continued by the squad at Clontarf.”

Ireland Squad :

Gaby Lewis (captain), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Laura Delany, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Jane Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Freya Sargent, Rebecca Stokell.

ZIMBABWE:

New Zealand captain Mitch Santner said a “great collective performance” enabled the Black Caps to beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets on the third day of the first Test at Queens Sports Club on Friday.

But while the bowlers had excelled, he said the batting could have been better.

Led by fast bowler Matt Henry, New Zealand bowled out Zimbabwe for 149 and 165 and needed only eight runs to win after taking a first innings lead of 158.

Henry was named player of the match, taking nine wickets for 90 runs across the two innings.

“There was more in it (the pitch) than we thought. We held our lengths and lines,” said Santner, who captained New Zealand for the first time in a Test in the absence of Tom Latham with a shoulder injury.

It was New Zealand’s first Test match of the year and Henry’s performance came immediately after a triangular Twenty20 series won by New Zealand in Harare, where Henry was player of the tournament.

“With the chop and change in formats, you’ve got to trust the work you’ve put in,” said Henry. “When you have assistance (from conditions), it was great we were able to exploit it.”

New Zealand were bowled out for 307 in their first innings, with the only major contributions coming from Devon Conway (88) and Daryl Mitchell (80).

“We could have batted a bit better,” said Santner. “We had good intent. We talked about getting partnerships together but didn’t have many significant ones.”

Santner said there was concern about the condition of seamer Nathan Smith, who took three for 20 in the first innings of just his third Test but could not take the field in the second innings because of an abdominal injury.

“I feel for him. He bowled so well in the first innings but it doesn’t look good for him,” said Santner.

Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine said his batsmen had shown more application than they did in two recent Tests against South Africa in Bulawayo.

“There was a fair bit in the wicket but the guys tried to grind it out,” he said.

Ervine said a key passage of play was on the first evening when Conway and Will Young put on 92 without loss for the first wicket despite Zimbabwe bowling well.

“I haven’t seen as much lateral movement as there was here for a while. We could have easily picked up two or three (wickets).”

KARACHI:

The proposal to boycott the Legends League final has been rejected. During the PCB Governing Board meeting, it was decided to uphold the policy of keeping politics out of sports.

According to details, an emergency virtual meeting of the PCB Governing Board was held yesterday, attended by all members. The only agenda item was the World Championship of Legends. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi presided over the meeting via video call from the USA.

Sources say that the participants unanimously decided that no one would be allowed to use the name “Pakistan” in future editions of the Legends League unless permitted by the board.

Some members suggested boycotting the final match of the event, pointing out that both owners and sponsors are Indian, and in response to facing setbacks on the battlefield and within the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), India has tried to politicise sports.

The team refused to play both matches against “Pakistan Champions.” After forfeiting the first match, they should not have been awarded any points, but the organisers gave them one point to help them reach the semi-finals. Since the name “Pakistan Champions” includes the country’s name, members argued that Pakistan should have the final say in such matters.

However, Zaheer Abbas and several other members advised against boycotting the final, saying that Pakistan has never politicised sports and should maintain that stance. All members gave Mohsin Naqvi the authority to make the final decision, expressing confidence in his leadership following the successful handling of the recent ACC meeting. Most members agreed that the team should play the final, but future decisions about this event will be made solely by the PCB Governing Board.

The board members also congratulated Naqvi on the successful hosting of the ACC meeting, to which he responded by crediting teamwork for the achievement.

Ahead of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season teams have been busy securing their squads. Here is a summary of the latest player signatures.

NSW Waratahs – INS/Resigned

NSW Waratahs have signed talented lock Angus Blyth from the Queensland Reds to add strength and depth to the second-row department. Blyth, who also has four Wallabies caps to his name, played fourteen times for the Queensland Reds in 2025 for seventy-five Queensland games in total. Angus Blyth said: “For me, this is a new chapter to look forward to in my rugby career. Going to the NSW Waratahs is a major change of scenery with new coaches and new players and it will definitely push me out of my comfort zone. I have been at the Reds for the past eight seasons; so, getting into something different in Sydney is exciting.”

The NSW Waratahs are thrilled to announce the signing of exciting New Zealand hooker Ioane Moananu from the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific championship winning Crusaders. Moananu, 24, will provide valuable strength to a key area in the NSW Waratahs line-up. Moananu, who has earned eighteen Super Rugby caps, played in twelve Super Rugby Pacific games for the Crusaders in 2025, scoring five tries.

Wallabies outside back Harry Potter has joined the NSW Waratahs from the Western Force for the next two years after re-committing with Rugby Australia until the end of 2027. In 2021, the versatile back, moved to his birth country, linking up with Leicester Tigers where he went on to become a key member of the 2022 Premiership winning side and finished with 67 appearances and 20 tries for the club over three seasons. He returned to Australia and made his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Force in 2024 and went on to make his international debut, scoring against Scotland in Edinburgh. The 27-year-old had another standout year for his club in 2025 and started for the Wallabies on the wing in Sunday’s victory over Fiji.

The NSW Waratahs have bolstered their front row stocks as part of their rebuild by re-signing tighthead prop Siosifa Amone and hooker Ethan Dobbins. Amone played five games for 140 minutes in 2025; all as a replacement, including Round 1 against the Highlanders when he scored two tries. He joined from the Western Force where he earned thirteen Super Rugby caps. Dobbins returned to NSW from the Rebels with five Super Rugby caps. In his first season with the NSW Waratahs this year, he played five Super Rugby Pacific games, four in the first XV and one as a reserve for 233 minutes.

Former Wallaby and Brumby lock Matt Philip has signed for the NSW Waratahs. The experienced lock returns to Australian rugby after playing in Japan, armed with a two-year deal at the NSW Waratahs and a deep sense of gratitude. Philip last played for the Wallabies at the 2023 Rugby World Cup and is eager to earn his way back into the green and gold.

The NSW Waratahs have re-signed rising star Teddy Wilson for 2026. Wilson debuted for the NSW Waratahs against the Queensland Reds in 2022, has earned 23 Super Rugby caps with 20 points from four tries. In 2025, the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club scrumhalf played twelve Super Rugby Pacific matches. Seven of those games were in the run-on side and five were off the bench for fifteen points from three tries in a total of 538 minutes.

The NSW Waratahs have re-signed centre Joey Walton for 2026. Walton has been one of the most consistent players for the NSW Waratahs, playing in thirteen of their fourteen 2025 Super Rugby Pacific games. Walton, whose NSW Waratahs debut was against the Queensland Reds in 2020 has forty-five caps, and played the full game in every one bar two in 2025.

Rugby Australia and the NSW Waratahs are happy to confirm Pete Samu will return home to Australian Rugby later this year. Currently contracted to Bordeaux in the French Top 14, the athletic back rower will link up with the NSW Waratahs at the conclusion of his commitments in France. Born in Melbourne, Samu was part of the ACT Brumbies Super Rugby AU title winning side in 2020 under current NSW coach Dan McKellar, and went on to become a regular Wallaby under Dave Rennie, having a particularly memorable 2022 Test season.

The NSW Waratahs and Rugby Australia are pleased to confirm Jake Gordon has re-signed for a further two years, making him the latest Wallaby to re-commit until at least the home Rugby World Cup in 2027. He made his Super Rugby debut in 2017 against the Lions in Johannesburg and was called into his first Wallabies squad a year later, making his debut in the starting nine jersey against Italy in Padova on the Spring Tour. The 31-year-old was named captain of his state in 2021 and has gone on to represent the NSW Waratahs on 106 occasions. At Wallabies level, he has pulled on the gold jersey 31 times with 2024 his most consistent season where he started in all nine Tests he was selected for. 

The NSW Waratahs are firmly focused on the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season and with an eye on the future, they have announced the re-signing of three players. The NSW Waratahs squad has been buoyed by news of prop Daniel Botha, lock Ben Grant and centre Henry O’Donnell extending their contracts for another two years.

NSW Waratahs – OUT

One-test Wallabies flyhalf Tane Edmed has signed a two-year deal for the ACT Brumbies in a bid to revive his test career after five seasons with the New South Wales Waratahs. The 24-year-old made his test debut against Ireland last November but was overlooked for Joe Schmidt’s Australia squad for the British & Irish Lions series.

 

Queensland Reds – INS/Resigned

The Queensland Rugby Union is delighted to announce the re-signing of fullback Jock Campbell on the eve of a landmark honour for the Queensland Reds. Campbell, 30, captained the Reds against the British and Irish Lions at a packed Suncorp Stadium. It is the venue that the elusive fullback has called home for a fine 93-game career for the Reds that will now extend across 2026 with a new one-year contract.

Queensland Reds captain Tate McDermott has confirmed he will stay at Ballymore until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, turning down any short-term offers from overseas. Wallaby scrum-half McDermott re-signed for four years at the start of 2023, although he had an option to head overseas as part of a sabbatical.

Dynamic Wallabies backrower Seru Uru has been re-signed by the Queensland Reds for 2026 in an upbeat move, the Queensland Rugby Union announced today. Uru’s direct, physical play, coupled with his versatile skills, have been a significant factor in the backrow or at lock in the Reds’ game style over the past two seasons. He is one of the top offloading forwards in Super Rugby Pacific which complements attributes as a ball-carrier, ever-present support player, lineout winner and other skills he has sharpened.

The Queensland Rugby Union is delighted to announce that halfback Kalani Thomas has re-signed with the Queensland Reds through 2027. The new two-year deal locks in one of Super Rugby’s game-changing halfbacks to continue his development at Ballymore. Thomas, 23, had offers overseas to consider but was ultimately swayed by his desire to remain a Red in his home city and challenge himself to go as far as possible in Australian rugby.

Super Rugby stalwart Aidan Ross is to link with the Queensland Reds on a multi-year deal from mid-2025 to the end of 2027. Ross, 29, has been a powerful fixture in the front-row at the Chiefs since 2017. The 118kg former All Black has been a regular in the best Chiefs teams of recent seasons having played in the final of Super Rugby Pacific in 2023 and 2024 plus the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa decider.

Hooker Richie Asiata’s strong season for the Queensland Reds has been rewarded with a new contract for 2026. Asiata, 29, enjoyed his most consistent and productive season in Super Rugby in 2025. He has was selected for his 13th game of the campaign in the Reds’  Qualifying Final against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The Queensland Rugby Union is delighted to announce that Wallabies centre Josh Flook has agreed to extend his deal at the Queensland Reds to the end of 2026. The one-year extension locks in an essential backline figure who has been an impressive member of the Reds for 55 games since his debut at 18 in 2020. Flook’s strong performances in the maroon jersey in 2024 catapulted him to the next level with a Test debut for the Wallabies against Wales and four caps in all.

Classy teenage backs Taione Taka and Treyvon Pritchard have been signed to advance their development with the Queensland Reds. The pair have committed to two-year elite development squad deals after being identified and developed as part of Queensland’s exciting crop of pathway talent. Today’s announcement also emphasises the Queensland Rugby Union’s commitment to developing local players to nourish the Reds into the future. The Taka and Pritchard signings follow the upbeat multi-year deals for promising young forwards Kingsley Uys, Will Ross, Bennett Armistead and Levi Slater. 

 

Queensland Reds – OUT

The Queensland Reds wish to farewell and thank locks Ryan Smith and Angus Blyth for their stalwart service, with the duo departing Ballymore following the conclusion of their contracts. The towering duo poured a combined 13 seasons of effort into the Reds jersey they wore proudly. Smith has signed for Welsh club, Ospreys, having played 76 games at the Reds. Blyth, 27, played 14 times for the Reds in 2025 to build his strong career to 75 games for Queensland.

Queensland Reds prop and Wallaby Matt Gibbon has announced his retirement from professional rugby following a serious knee injury sustained during pre-season that has ruled out any chance of a return to the field in 2025.

 

ACT Brumbies – INS/Resigned

Promising prop Tevita Alatini has signed a two-year contract extension with the Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies until the end of 2028. Alatini, 21, was unfortunately ruled out for last season with a knee injury, suffered in Australia U20s 35-11 win over Georgia in last year’s World Rugby U20s Championship in South Africa. He recently returned to action for his club side Gungahlin Eagles.

Exciting youngster Jarrah McLeod has signed a two-year deal with the ACT Brumbies. McLeod, 21, started at the Brumbies as part of the Indigenous Pathways Program (IPP) that provides opportunities for young Indigenous players from across Australia to pursue rugby careers. The proud Yuin man made a huge impact off the bench, at inside centre, for the inaugural First Nations & Pasifika XV in their 24-19 loss against the British & Irish Lions in July.

The ACT Brumbies have bolstered their ranks at fly half with the signing of Tane Edmed from NSW Waratahs. Edmed, 24, moves to Canberra on a two-year deal, having appeared 52 times for the Waratahs in Super Rugby Pacific, scoring 254 points. He had made his Waratahs debut in Super Rugby AU in 2020 and went on to have a breakout year at the club in 2022, guiding his team to a famous 24-21 victory over the Crusaders at Leichhardt Oval in April that year. The Sydney-born stand-off also made an enormous impression for North Harbour in New Zealand’s National Provincial Championship in 2024, scoring 137 points in 10 games, including four tries.

The ACT Brumbies second row Cadeyrn Neville has extended his contract with the club until the end of 2026. Veteran lock Neville, 36, moved to the nation’s capital in 2020 after three seasons in Japan with Toyota Industries Shuttles alongside club legend Christian Lealifano. He has gone on to play 62 times for the Brumbies, with nine of those caps coming last season.

ACT Brumbies and Wallabies fullback Tom Wright has re-signed with Australian Rugby. In a big boost, Wright has turned down offers from overseas to stay in Australia beyond the home Rugby World Cup and until the end of the 2028 season. The 27-year-old has become one of the staples of the Wallabies under Joe Schmidt. Wright played in 12 Tests in 2024, cementing himself as the first choice fullback for Australia in the British & Irish Lions series tis year.

ACT Brumbies and Wallabies hooker Billy Pollard has re-signed with Australian Rugby until the end of 2027. The hooker has started 11 games for the ACT-based club in 2025, helping them to a home qualifying final this weekend against the Hurricanes. Pollard debuted for the Wallabies in 2022 after a late call-up to face Argentina but 2024 was his breakthrough season in the gold jersey. The hooker played five Tests in 2024 and gained several more against the British & Irish Lions in July.

ACT Brumbies prop James Slipper has re-signed with the club on a one-year deal, putting him on track to become the most-capped Super Rugby player in the competition’s history in 2026. The 35-year-old currently has 195 Super Rugby caps to his name, leaving him seven appearances shy of fellow prop Wyatt Crockett, who played for the Crusaders from 2006-2018.

Lightning quick wing Corey Toole has signed a one-year contract extension with the ACT Brumbies until the end of 2026. Toole, 25, is the joint second-highest try scorer in this season’s Super Rugby Pacific, crossing the line nine times, including seven in his last seven appearances. While he has also registered the most line breaks in the competition with 21.

 

ACT Brumbies – OUT

Versatile forward Tom Hooper is set to leave the ACT Brumbies at the end of this season. A product of the Brumbies Pathway program, Hooper, 23, will sign for the 2019/20 English Premiership and European Champions Exeter Chiefs. The 23-year-old joined the Brumbies in 2021 and made his debut against the Crusaders later that year. He has gone on to make 38 appearances thus far for the Brumbies, including 14 last term. Hooper, who can play at lock or any position across the backrow, has 12 Wallabies caps to his name, including starting all four of their matches at the 2023 World Cup in France.

ACT Brumbies fly half Jack Debreczeni and wing Ben O’Donnell depart ed the club after the game against the British & Irish Lions. Head coach Stephen Larkham thanked the players for their efforts at the club during their stint in the nation’s capital.

 

Western Force – INS/Resigned

The Western Force are thrilled to confirm the addition of Argentina international lock Franco Molina on a two-year contract to bolster the side’s tight-five stocks. The 27-year-old will join the Force after spending the 2024-25 season with English Premiership Rugby outfit Exeter Chiefs. Molina has 12 Argentina caps to his name – after debuting for his country in July last year against France – including facing the Wallabies twice in last year’s Rugby Championship. He was also in the starting Pumas line-up for last month’s 28-24 win over the British and Irish Lions in the 1888 Cup in Dublin.

The Western Force have announced the contract extension of homegrown front-rower Marley Pearce for a further three years. The 21-year-old Perth-born loosehead prop has been a revelation since breaking into the Force’s Super Rugby side in the 2023 season, where he won the Club’s Rising Star award. The former Australia U20s international has clocked up 27 Super Rugby appearances for the Force since his 2023 debut.

The Western Force are delighted to announce the acquisition of Perth-born-and-raised scrum-half Nathan Hastie on a two-year deal, keeping him in WA until 2027. The 24-year-old half-back joins the Club after three years with the Highlanders, where he made his Super Rugby Pacific debut in 2023 in Round 9 against the Force in Perth.

The Western Force have confirmed Australian qualified fly-half Alex Harford has committed to the Club on a two-year contract. Harford, 26, joined the Force on an injury cover contract midway through the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, debuting in Round 14 away to the Fijian Drua and started at fly-half in the game against the British and Irish Lions. The New Zealand-born playmaker is Australian qualified through his grandparents and has family in Perth.

The Western Force have announced the re-signing of 2024 Nathan Sharpe medal runner-up Bayley Kuenzle for the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season. The 26-year-old utility back has re-committed to the Force after returning from a long-term LCL and MCL injuries in 2025 to start the final six games of the Super Rugby season, scoring two tries.

The Western Force have confirmed the re-signing of Tom Robertson for a further two seasons taking him through until 2027. The 30-year-old prop had an outstanding 2025 Super Rugby Pacific campaign capped by winning the Club’s top individual award, the Nathan Sharpe medal. The front-rower didn’t miss a game this campaign bringing up 100 Super Rugby caps in Round 5 against the Crusaders. He was recalled to the Wallabies squad for the British & Irish Lions series.

 

Western Force – OUT

Western Force and Wallabies scrum-half Nic White has announced he’ll retire from international rugby after the Third Test of the  British & Irish Lions Series and finish up at the Force later this year. White, 35, will hang up the boots at the Force following the Super Rugby AUS competition which kicks off in September, bringing to a close a remarkable rugby career.

The Western Force has announced that Wallaby wing Harry Potter will leave the Club after two seasons in the west to join the NSW Waratahs.

The Western Force advises fan favourite and Club 50-gamer Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will depart the Club following Super Rugby AUS later this year. The popular scrum-half will leave having joined an exclusive club earlier this year, when he reached 50 Force caps in Round 5 away to the Crusaders. He was the 24th player to achieve the feat.

 

 

 

YAOUNDE (Cameroon) – From quality players to a sound coaching crew, everything points in favor of Cameroon as they head to Angola for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.

Angola remains Cameroon’s best hunting ground. After all, it was on Angolan soil that the country won its only medal — a silver — after losing to the host team 86–72.

This time, Cameroon aims to prove itself as one of the best in Africa, with many talented players competing in the USA.

With a new generation of players, they have a good chance of reaching the top in Angola in just a few weeks, given their consecutive appearances in Angola since 2007.

FIBA World Ranking Presented by Nike

9^th (Africa) 64^th (World)

Cameroon has undoubtedly made a name for itself in the world of basketball.

They stunned Senegal in the 2023 FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament final in Nigeria, finished second in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia after beating Brazil, and concluded the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers with a 4–2 record.

Although Cameroon finished 16th at the last AfroBasket in Rwanda, they are poised to improve upon that performance.

Road to Angola 2025

Two slim losses to Senegal in Group C saw Cameroon closed their qualifying campaign with a 4-2 mark.

They secured their spot in the 2025 AfroBasket Championship by defeating Gabon 82-67 and Rwanda 86-83 in the second of the qualifiers in Rabat.

AfroBasket History

Once regarded as only an average team, Cameroon has turned into a major force and contender for the African Basketball Championship title.

This will be their eighth consecutive and 11th total appearance in the AfroBasket’s history.

Their last appearance in Rwanda in 2021, where they finished 16th, was their worst performance to date.

However, given their performance at the AfroBasket qualifiers, they are not a team to be taken for granted.

Coaching Staff

The Cameroon technical crew is led by Head Coach Alfred Aboya, a former Cameroonian national team player.

Since taking charge of the team, Aboya has made significant changes and turned its fortunes around.

During his time at UCLA in the early 2000s, Aboya and his fellow Cameroonian, Luc Mbah a Moute, were known as the “Cameroon Crazies.”

Aboya will be assisted by Mikel Ereno Martin, with whom he has worked since the pre-Olympic qualifiers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Although the team has a positive 4–2 AfroBasket qualifier record, Aboya believes there is still much to do to prepare for the tournament, which will be held in Luanda and Namibe, Angola, from August 12 to 24.

Key Players

Despite Cameroon’s head coach Alfred Aboya naming NBA trio Yves Missi, Christian Koloko and Ulrich Chomche in his preliminary squad, there others to look out for.

Jeremiah Hill (12 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists per game)

Jeremiah Hill led the balanced offensive attack, with five Cameroonian players reaching double-digit points. Ateba’s sharp shooting, including a stellar 5-for-7 from beyond the arc, contributed 16 points to the team’s cause.

Williams Narace (14 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game)

Williams Narace was born on March 17, 1997, in Naikinimeki, Cameroon. He is a 6’7″ (200cm) small forward who most recently played for JDA Dijon Bourgogne in France. Narace has been influential for the Cameroonian national team.

Outlook

A revitalized Cameroon team will be looking to make its mark in the tournament and challenge for a place in the later stages.

FIBA

“Super aware (of FedExCup position),” he continued. “Like I said, it’s never a position I thought I was going to be in starting the summer, but at the end of the day it’s part of being a professional athlete and a competitor. And it sucks to be on the bubble. I’d love to be comfortably in, but this is the rush of playing competitive sports. So it was looking me square in the eye there for a moment.”

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Ian Parkes – RacingNews365.com) Question initially to yourself, Andrea, and if Alan or Mario want to chip in as well, please feel free. We’ve seen the growth of F1 has been exponential since Liberty Media came on board and since Stefano, in particular, took charge four and a half years ago. It’s reinventing itself in different ways. It’s attracted a new audience, an increased demographic, etc. Most recently there’s been talk of increasing the number of Sprint races, making practice sessions more competitive and relevant. Does F1 need to keep reinventing itself in these ways to ensure it remains relevant and in the mainstream and to keep attracting those audiences?

AS: First of all, let me take the opportunity to praise the work done by Formula 1, by Stefano and the F1 management because they have certainly led the growth of the business, which we all benefit from. We all have a responsibility to sustain this journey that F1 as an overall business is going through. As part of this responsibility, we need to be open to reinventing ourselves if this is needed to sustain this growth. The success of the Formula 1 business at the moment should not be taken for granted. Not all sports are having this kind of success across the board. We understand also that the fandom has changed, and it could be that there’s a need to review the way we approach free practice, the way we approach the entire race weekend. I think we have to be open to that. Obviously, we will try to be reasonable, we will try and protect some elements of the DNA of Formula 1, but definitely, I think it’s part of our responsibility to contribute. This is something we discussed recently in the F1 Commission, and it’s always going to be at the top of the agenda.

AP: I think Andrea said it all. We need to give our customers what they want at the end of the day—the spectators, the people watching us. That’s where we go to first and, of course, we put our trust in Stefano and F1. They’re doing a tremendous job. With them and through the F1 Commission, we can shape the sport. I think Sprints are good fun. I’d be happy to do a few more, no problem.

MI: I fully agree with Andrea and Alan. Let me add that changing something when everything is going well is risky, and nobody wants to take any risk. But if we don’t want to be late, we need to anticipate what could be the success of the future Formula 1, that is not granted, as Andrea said. We arrived at this point because Stefano and his organisation decided to do something that was at the beginning quite strange, unusual, and it worked well. So now we are saying Formula 1 is a fantastic platform for all of us, but we need to continue with this bid to create something new.

Q: (Nigel Chiu – Sky Sports) Question for Andrea. Andrea, do you think in the final 10 races after this summer break, if the Drivers’ Championship remains close, are we naturally going to see more drama, more intense moments between Lando and Oscar if things go down to the final two or three races?

AS: I think there may be a natural increase of what could be a sense of pressure because the races reduce in number and every race will become, relatively, slightly more important. But from the point of view of the team principal and the team, our two drivers and the team have sustained this quest to the championships in a very solid way. Over time, reviewing this race by race, we have created a solid racing approach, an approach to which Lando and Oscar have definitely contributed. It’s not like the team created this racing approach and now Lando and Oscar follow it—we have put it together as a team including drivers. So, I think this is a very robust framework, and this will be more and more important as the marginal value of every race increases as we get closer to the end of the season.

Q: (Thomas Maher – PlanetF1.com) Primarily for Andrea, but if Alan or Mario have any opinions on the matter. Team transfers regulations for 2026, I understand they were discussed recently at the F1 Commission. Given the example of Laurent Mekies jumping from Racing Bulls to Red Bull without serving any mandatory gardening leave period. Would you be in favour of the introduction of such periods, or are you ambivalent on the topic?

AS: This is an interesting topic and quite complex. We have to be wary that we don’t approach it in too simplistic a way. Certainly, McLaren in the past have raised the question about team independence. It’s a question that should be discussed as part of putting the sport in a very solid, fair position so that any team that operates in a fully independent way is protected against the benefits that can be exploited in being dependent as teams from one another. At the moment, we at McLaren trust that the regulations in place and the way they are enforced are already a valid way of mitigating any potential risk associated with connections between teams, like changing from one team to the other from one day to the next. But definitely, we think this is a topic that can be part of constructive conversations in the future to see if there’s a way of approaching the matter of team independence in an evolved way compared to where we are at the moment.

AP: No, nothing to add.

MI: Nothing to add.

Q: (Carlo Platella – FormulaPassion.it) Andrea, you mentioned the development rate of the car, and in the last few years, at least from the outside, it seems you are the only team that whenever you brought something on the track there weren’t any side effects on drivability. How would you explain that?

AS: This trend that we have been able to establish, whereby developments—being them from a mechanical point of view, but above all aerodynamic—have been successful, is the result of many factors. There’s not much in Formula 1 fundamental for success that is a magic bullet. It’s really the result of working on the fundamentals. The fundamentals don’t only involve the capacity to generate ideas, to create the next geometry for a floor or a front wing, but they also involve understanding the methodologies you use for this development and understanding when these methodologies will be not only effective in being innovative but also in giving you the confidence that what you have achieved in development in the wind tunnel or CFD will actually transfer into something that works trackside. This is part of generating the knowhow as a team, which in itself is a very simple statement—“let’s generate the knowhow to have the best correlation”—but in reality, is possibly one of the most complicated battlegrounds for any Formula 1 team. We have invested a lot from this point of view. I have to praise the quality of the people because even if we talk methodologies, they are always led by people. I have been very lucky that I could lean on very competent leaders and a very talented team.

Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Andrea, to follow-up on Nigel’s question earlier about the relationship between the two drivers, when you look at events such as here last year and through this season so far, how much heart and confidence have you taken from the way that Lando and Oscar have kept this good relationship despite the intensity of the title fight and stress testing it before we get to an even higher pressure point if it goes to the end of the season?

AS: If anything, the relationship between Oscar and Lando keeps improving. This is not the effect of a random evolution. This is because we invest in relationships. When I refer to fundamentals of Formula One, relationships are probably slightly less tangible, but I think they are as fundamental as aerodynamics. This involves the relationship between drivers and the team and between the drivers themselves. If I take the race we had last year in Hungary, we spent quite a lot of time reviewing that individually with the drivers and together. We tried to learn from each other as much as possible. We reminded ourselves that Formula 1 is difficult, and we are always going to face some difficulties. This is an awareness we need to have. From there, what can we do to improve? What can we do as a team to make sure we have a framework that allows Lando and Oscar to pursue their aspirations, always protecting the interests of the team. Once again, I’m a lucky team principal because the two drivers are very reasonable, very fair, very correct, humble, and above all, they understand that we are here not only to pursue our interest in the present but also to protect the future of their own careers and of McLaren Racing.

Q: (Josh Suttill – The Race) Andrea, yesterday Max Verstappen said that the performance of your car in medium-speed corners was incredible. In your view, how much is that playing into McLaren’s advantage this season?

AS: That’s an easy answer because it can be answered just by looking at the GPS data. When you look at the speed comparison with some other teams, the data says that McLaren can generate the highest mid-corner speed in medium-speed corners. So, I think the assessment of Max is correct.
We still have our weak points. If you go on a very high-speed corner like Copse, for instance, or Pouhon, we are not the fastest car. Likewise, probably in very low speed, we are not the fastest car. But the majority of corners in a championship happen to be medium-speed corners, and certainly in that range, our car is, data in hand, the best.

Q: (Giuseppe Marino – MotoriOnline.it) Mario, ciao. How far along is the 2026 tyre test, and how difficult is testing these tyres with the newer cars?

MI: It’s difficult, but it’s similar to the situation we had years ago in 2021 and 2016 when there was a big change in the regulations. The test is going well. We are lucky that we can test with all the teams because they have different mule cars, so we can collect more information. We work a lot on the virtual model of the tire as well together with the teams. I’m confident that we will have a good product. Now the construction is almost finalised. We are working on the compounds. We have two days of testing after this race, and then we stop a little bit for the summer break.

Q: (Peter Farkas – Auto Moto) Gentlemen, you have all been coming to the Hungaroring for quite a few years now. This year, the track, the pit building and the grandstand have been reconstructed. How do you rate the reconstruction? It’s not yet completely ready. Does it make a difference from an operational point of view? You have bigger garages and things like that.

AP: It’s impressive. I came here first time in 1990, two iterations of paddock ago. It was a very, very different place and obviously a very different city as well. Now it’s state of the art. It’s super impressive. It allows us to just get on and do our job, do our racing and our preparation without any limitations that I can think of. It’s great.

AS: I was actually ready to say more than impressive because I think ‘impressive’ is not enough. It definitely makes the life of the teams easier. It’s much more welcoming. It must have been a big investment, and I want to take the opportunity to thank the organisers of the Grand Prix and the management of the Hungaroring infrastructure because this must have been a big effort, but definitely very well received. On behalf of all teams and stakeholders, we are very grateful these upgrades have happened.

MI: I’ll just echo what they said. It’s really important to have the right space to work. Sometimes with our fitting area, we don’t have enough space, and it makes everything more difficult with rims and tires moving around in a small space. The infrastructure is amazing. Everything is really well done.

Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Question for you, Andrea. Just going back to the drivers, obviously Lando started the season as the favourite. In terms of experience, he’s got more races under his belt than Oscar. Do you think he’s under more pressure to win the championship this year than Oscar is? And do you think perhaps he might be feeling that at all?

AS: As you say, Lando may have a bit more experience in terms of number of races. He started the season in Australia with a strong result, but ultimately, in Australia, Oscar was there with Lando. Oscar lost points in Australia just because we had the sudden rain in the final part of the circuit.

I think one of Oscar’s qualities is to learn very fast, very rapidly. He has demonstrated it in his career, winning pretty much first year in all the junior categories. He has demonstrated it at McLaren. Now we have Lando and Oscar driving and operating at very, very similar levels. This season, what we have to acknowledge as a team is that we have made some modifications to the launch version of the car that actually affected Lando’s driving style. We made some upgrades which mean that right now some of the settings used by Lando and Oscar are slightly different, but we are pleased that now both drivers can drive to a certain extent in a natural way. They can express their talent, and we see that they are very, very close. This makes it a great spectacle for Formula 1, this is what we wanted to achieve as a team, and I think it’s going to be very interesting until the end of the season. But like we said in some of the previous questions, I wouldn’t exclude Max, for instance, being in the game. So, we are very wary. We remain concentrated, but we want to put our drivers in a position to sustain their quest until the end of the season.