Author: quyen1

Jill Scott has been called out to a fight on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul.

Former England international Jill Scott has been called out to a fight on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s comeback against Jake Paul.

Tyson vs. Paul is set for July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which will be aired on Netflix.

The undercard is yet to be announced, but Scott has been challenged to a fight on the summer event.

Astrid Wett has taken to social media to issue a challenge to the former Manchester City midfielder.

Now, Wett is much smaller in height compared to Scott but has experience in boxing.

Wett, a big Chelsea fan, has been involved in several influencer bouts under KSI’s Misfits Boxing promotion.

She has three matches to her name, boasting wins over Keeley, AJ Bunker and Alexia Grace, which took place on the KSI vs. Tommy Fury bill.

If she has her way, then she’ll compete on the undercard of Tyson’s bout versus Paul.

In a video posted on social media, Wett says: “I think it’s about time I put my gloves back on and call out Jill Scott.

“Now I know she’s a little bit taller than me but I’m sure we can make it work and this would definitely sell out an arena, and a big payday for Jill, too.

“Jill Scott, you know what to do,” she added, before putting a clip of Tyson’s ‘sign the contract big boy’ that he delivered against Bob Sapp.

Scott has yet to respond to Wett’s call-out, but Ebanie Bridges wants a piece of the social media star.

The Australian, who lost the IBF female world bantamweight title in her last outing, has called out the 23-year-old to a fight on the undercard of Tyson vs. Paul.

On X, she wrote: “Can I beat up @AstridWett on the undercard of @jakepaul vs @MikeTyson?? I mean I’d enjoy it.”

In another post, Bridges wrote: “I’d do a Mike Tyson on her lol.”

A doctor has issued Mike Tyson with a health warning after the heavyweight agreed to fight Jake Paul.

Mike Tyson’s coach has played down health concerns surrounding the boxing legend ahead of his fight with Jake Paul.

Tyson, 57, will return to the ring to face Paul, 27, on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what will be the main event of a card that will air on Netflix.

It is yet to be confirmed if the fight will be fully professional, a non-judged fight with pro rules or an exhibition bout.

Tyson has not fought since drawing with Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match in 2020, while his last professional bout came back in 2005 against Kevin McBride, when he was stopped in six rounds before hanging up the gloves.

His decision to return to boxing has divided opinion, with some boxing fans concerned for the former heavyweight champion’s wellbeing.

Meanwhile, a senior lecturer in medicine at Anglia Ruskin University has warned that the fight could see Tyson suffer fatal injuries.

Dr Stephen Hughes claimed that as an older man and recovering alcoholic, ‘Iron Mike’ is at risk of suffering a subdural haematoma – a tearing of veins in the brain.

However, Tyson’s trainer Rafael Cordeiro has played down those concerns and insists his fighter will be in the best possible shape heading into the bout.

“I believe we don’t have to be concerned about it,” Rafael Cordeiro said on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

“We’re talking about a two-time world champion. The guy didn’t have 20 fights in two years, he knows how to fight. He’s fought against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring he knows what to do.”

Mike Tyson will fight Jake Paul in July (Image: Getty)

He added: “It’s not something new for Mike, and this fight is no different. He works hard every single day to go in there and try to knock Jake out from the beginning to the end.

“This is his style, nobody has teach Mike Tyson how to fight. He’s going to prove that in July. You can see fire in his eyes when he trains, and he will never give less than that.

“I truly believe it is going to be a great show. Mike is going to step into the ring as the old Mike Tyson, and he’s going to try and knock out Jake from the beginning to the end.”

Mike Tyson will fight Jake Paul in a boxing match in Arlington, Texas on July 20.

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are preparing to meet in the ring this summer and a clear favourite has already emerged with the bookies for the controversial boxing match.

Tyson, 57, will return to the ring to face Paul, 27, on July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in what will be the main event of a card that will air on Netflix.

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Tyson has not fought since drawing with Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match in 2020, while his last professional bout came back in 2005 against Kevin McBride.

His decision to return to the ring has caused major controversy, with numerous high-profile figures from the world of boxing questioning his decision to return while also criticising Paul for taking a fight against the much older man.

Undeterred, Tyson has posted several clips on social media of himself training for the fight, in which he looks in peak physical condition for a man of his age.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul is yet to publish footage of himself in preparation for the fight, having recently extended his professional record to 9-1 with a first-round victory over Ryan Bourland in Puerto Rico on March 2.

Despite that relative lack of training in recent weeks, the bookmakers have seemingly decided that Paul is likely to win the fight.

The ‘Problem Child’ is currently 5/6 favourite to win the fight, with Tyson the slight underdog at 6/4 according to odds provided by OddsChecker.

It is yet to be confirmed if the fight will be fully professional, a non-judged fight with pro rules or an exhibition bout.

It had been claimed that the two men could face each other with 18oz gloves and head-guards.

However, MMA journalist Ariel Helwani has since debunked that theory.

Speaking on a recent episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, he said: “Is it pro or is it exhibition? They want pro, but that’s up to the Texas commission, we’ll have to wait and see. Weight? I’m told heavyweight. Rounds? I’m working on that as well.

“I saw an interview with Derek Chisora where he said there would be headgear. I was told there’s absolutely no headgear involved.

“This is going to look like your typical boxing match. It’s just like, an exhibition like Mike’s last fight was against Roy Jones in November 2020? Or is it just going to be a normal, pro-heavyweight fight that has no strings attached in that regard?”

Canelo Alvarez aimed a ruthless dig at Mike Tyson.

Canelo Alvarez did not hold back when he was asked about Mike Tyson following his damning comments over a proposed fight against David Benavidez.

Canelo, who is undisputed champion at super-middleweight, was briefly linked with a fight against Benavidez before opting to face Jaime Munguia.

The boxing superstar came face-to-face with the unbeaten 27-year-old in last night’s kick-off press conference in Los Angeles, California.

After the presser, the 33-year-old spoke to reporters on the red carpet and was asked about Tyson’s claim.

Tyson, who is set to face Jake Paul on July 20, accused Canelo of disrespecting the legacy of Mexican boxing by not agreeing to fight Benavidez.

“I can’t believe what I just heard,” the 57-year-old said.

“What’s wrong with Canelo? Is he afraid of losing? Doesn’t he want to give the fans the fight they want to see? Don’t you want to give the fans the fight they want to see?

“Do you not respect the legacy of the great Mexican champions who faced the best regardless of the money?” He asked. “This is a shame for boxing and for Mexico. If I were him, I would accept the fight with Benavidez and show the world that he is the best.

“But it seems he doesn’t have the courage to do it; It is a shame because he has a lot of talent, but he lacks heart.”

Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia pose for for a photo during the launch press conference. Image: Getty

Well, Canelo has now responded, and he’s pulled no punches as he aimed a ruthless dig at the former world heavyweight champion.

Asked if he respects Tyson’s opinion after he called for him to fight Benavidez, the Mexican sensation ruthlessly replied: “I’d respect his opinion if he was sober.”

While Canelo holds the WBA (super), IBF, WBO, WBC and The Ring Magazine super-middleweight world titles, Benavidez is in possession of the interim WBC super-middleweight belt.

The American star boasts an undefeated professional record (28-0), having beaten the likes of David Lemieux, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade.

But he’ll have to wait before landing a showdown with Canelo, who will return to action on May 4 against Munguia.

Tyson Fury has his say on Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul.

Tyson Fury held nothing back as he gave a shock prediction for Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul.

Tyson is set to face Paul at AT&T Stadium on July 20 in a bout that will be aired on Netflix.

It will be the boxing legend’s first appearance since his exhibition against Roy Jones Jr back in November 2020.

As for Paul, he makes a swift return to the ring, having recorded a big win over Ryan Bourland earlier this month.

The match-up pitting Tyson against Paul has been widely condemned by fans and critics alike in the combat sports world.

UFC boss Dana White pulled no punches as he shared his honest thoughts on ‘Iron’ Mike coming back.

Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland destroyed Paul for facing Tyson in an astonishing rant.

Joe Rogan, however, has backed Tyson to beat Paul.

And Fury has echoed the same sentiment, giving a shock prediction.

The self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’ has supported Tyson returning to the sport and calls his against Paul an ‘even match’.

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, he said: “I think it’s fantastic for boxing.

“You’ve got a legend in Mike Tyson. You’ve got a YouTube boxer [Jake Paul]. He has come into the game and blew it up and he’s got millions of followers and millions of views and millions of eyes. Good, bad or indifferent. Some people love him, some people hate him.

“So, I think it’s a really good spectacle for boxing. Brings a lot of people to the game.”

Tyson Fury at Old Trafford for Manchester United vs. Liverpool. Image: Getty

Fury added: “Listen, who am I to say, ‘Oh, Mike Tyson shouldn’t be boxing or Jake Paul shouldn’t be boxing’, good luck to ’em. They’re both gonna make what I call a sh*t ton of money out of it. So, isn’t that what it’s about?

“[They’re fighting at] a great stadium,” Fury referenced AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

“It’d be fantastic for the guys both getting paid, both gonna put on a show. I just don’t know what’s not to like. Oh, okay, [Tyson’s] 57 years old, but he’s a former undisputed world heavyweight king, and [Paul] plays computers for a living and he’s come to boxing about a year ago. So, pretty even match.

“From being a kid on the Disney Channel to fighting Mike Tyson. Who wouldn’t want to do that?… People say, ‘Oh, it’s sh*t’, this, that and the other.

“But, I bet they still watch it. Who’s not intrigued?”

It’s fair to suggest that things are looking rather bleak when you are holding pre-race wagers with your team over how far you will finish behind your closest competitors.

O ye of little faith, Lando Norris!

The Brit had reason for his pessimism. The prospects of his McLaren had been all but written off around the slow, sweeping corners of the Shanghai International Circuit long before the Formula One circus rolled into town.

 

This place was supposed to be McLaren’s kryptonite. The weekend was all about damage limitation, we were warned.

Success looked like merely keeping in touch with the Ferraris. Daring to even think about entering the stratosphere of Red Bull? That wasn’t in the equation, not here.

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Max Verstappen took a dominant victory at the first Chinese Grand Prix in five years

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Lando Norris (right) performed admirably to finish second ahead of Sergio Perez

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It was the perfect weekend for Verstappen who also won the sprint race on Saturday

Perhaps it was that friendly bet within the confines of the garage over how close Norris could keep the nose of his car behind the bumpers of the Scuderia pair that spurred him on.

More likely, it was a case of the 24-year-old producing a quite brilliant drive, one that extracted every precious drop of performance out of his machine.

This was one bet Norris was delighted to end up on the losing side of given it came as a result of a shock second place at yesterday’s Chinese Grand Prix.

‘I thought 35 seconds (behind Ferrari) and I was very wrong by that,’ said Norris with a big grin. ‘So happy to be wrong with myself, and my own bets, but a good day for everyone.

‘I’m happy for the whole team, they deserved it. Good pit stops. Just today worked out.

‘I don’t know why, it was not the race I was expecting to have today, but just got comfortable and could manage the tyres a lot, which was an easier task than what I could have yesterday.

‘And I could just push, the car felt great and I felt comfortable. So a good day, good points and another podium. So very happy.’

Norris often finds himself beaten with the stick of always being the bridesmaid but never the bride. The fact that the Bristolian became the driver with the most podium finishes without a single race win in the sport’s history earlier this season did little to quieten those critics.

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Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth but bemoaned the pace of his Mercedes on Sunday

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Daniel Ricciardo was on for a points finish until he was hit from behind before a safety car restart by Lance Stroll

But this display should not be tarnished with that brush. Not in the slightest, given the circumstances.

It may not have been enough to overthrow Max Verstappen, who produced a clinical display to claim his fourth win from five races this season. Then again, good luck finding a driver who has been able to do that in recent times.

It was sufficient, however, to deny Red Bull a front row lock-out, with Norris edging out Sergio Perez, who completed the podium.

There was a brief moment where that order looked in some doubt after Norris made a rare miscalculation at turn 14, a hairpin bend with a wicked wind which caught drivers out all weekend.

That opened the door, ever so slightly, for Perez. But so strong was Norris’ race pace that soon he slammed it shut again in the Mexican’s face.

So, where did this result come from? There’s scant chance of us mere mortals working that out given the genius who pulled it off can’t even find the answer.

‘I don’t know what changed, we were just quicker than we thought,’ said Norris. ‘We didn’t struggle as much in these longer corners like turn one (which) have always been a big weakness for us.

‘We’re not making it up. We’re giving our honest opinion on where we want to be. I think if we were to go into a weekend and we knew we’re going to be strong, we’ve said it.

‘We’ve been behind Red Bull all year and we’ve been behind Ferrari so there’s no reason for us to suddenly think we should be ahead.

‘Nothing really pointed to us having an amazing race today.

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Zhou Guanyu missed out on a points finish in his first home race at the Chinese Grand Prix

The sight of the man stood next to Norris on the top step of the podium may be a tiresome one for some by now, but Verstappen is more than worthy of the adulation he is receiving.

It looks as though no one can stand in the way of him and a fourth successive world title after his clinical and calculated victory in China.

Remarkably, the flying Dutchman has now won exactly half of all the races held since the smell of burnt rubber and the sound of revving engines last filled the skies in this part of the world five years ago.

‘It felt amazing. The whole weekend we were incredibly quick. Just enjoyable to drive on every compound,’ said Verstappen.

‘We survived the restarts well and the car was basically on rails and I could do whatever I wanted with it.

‘Those kind of weekends are amazing to feel and to achieve what we did this weekend is fantastic.’

It has been 50 races since Lewis Hamilton was the one swigging champagne off the top step of the podium. It must feel like a lifetime ago given his arduous assignment these days.

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Fernando Alonso was up to second at the start but dropped down to seventh by the end

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Verstappen (left) has won 38 out of the last 49 races as he continues his domination

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Hamilton was able to salvage some positives and, crucially, points from the weekend after starting 18th on the grid.

It was a slow recovery through the field with Hamilton left complaining that ‘this car is so slow.’ So sluggish and difficult to handle, in fact, that Hamilton suggested it felt like ‘something is broken’.

His rescue mission culminated in a commendable ninth-place finish; not one that leaves a seven-time world champion jumping for joy but one that could have been so much worse given the mountain he gave himself to climb following his error in qualifying.

His fingers will remain firmly crossed until the next race in Miami on May 5, where he hopes upgrades to his car can leave him fighting for more than single points.

Recent history, though, suggests he shouldn’t be getting his hopes up.

‘I’m grateful to get into the points. I didn’t expect a lot more this weekend,’ said Hamilton. ‘Hopefully we have a step forward coming at the next race. Until then, we will be back at the factory next week and try and position the car better for Miami and have a better weekend.’

A heartbroken Daniel Ricciardo has claimed there is ‘no excuse’ for the accident that saw him retire from the Chinese Grand Prix.

The back of Ricciardo’s RB car was struck by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll during the first safety car stint, causing significant damage to the Australian’s rear wing.

Ricciardo, 34, was on track to compete for a points finish, but instead had to retire as a result of the collision.

 

Stroll blamed Ricciardo for ‘brake checking’ him in the immediate aftermath of the incident, but the Australian is adamant that he was not at fault for what occurred in Shanghai.

Speaking to reporters after the race, Ricciardo hit out at his Canadian rival.

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Daniel Ricciardo has hit out at Formula One rival Lance Stroll

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Ricciardo’s Chinese Grand Prix was ruined when Stroll went into the back of him

‘It’s a restart you know we don’t know what the leader is going to do, so you have to be as vigilant as ever and be prepared for any situation,’ he said.

‘I could see it was bunching up into the hairpin so obviously everyone is backing up, but then how hard he has hit me and basically put half his car under mine, it wasn’t small like a judgement error, he was miles off.

‘For that for me there’s obviously no excuse. I think for me what’s frustrating is I watched his onboard and he’s not even looking at me.

‘You can see his helmet and he’s looking at the apex of the corner so I don’t know why he’s not looking at the car in front … unless his eyes are doing something funny.

‘But it looked like he wasn’t looking at me and I think it shows with how hard he hit me that he was clearly focused on something else.’

After learning that Stroll had in fact blamed Ricciardo for the incident, the Australian vented his fury.

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The Australian said there was ‘no excuse’ for the collision in Shanghai

“I’d slowly started to calm down and then I was told what Lance thinks of the incident,” Ricciardo said.

“And apparently I’m an idiot. And it was my fault.

“So, that made my blood boil. Because it’s clear as day – and it’s also behind a safety car.

“The only thing you’ve got to do is watch the car in front, we can’t predict what the leader is going to do. We can’t assume that we’re going to go in Turn 14. The race doesn’t start until the control line.

“I’m doing my best not to say what I want to say. But f*** that guy – and I’m being nice still.

“But if that’s what he thinks, I’m like… yeah.”

Both Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff has said there was ‘something to come’ from Mercedes after another disappointing outing at the Chinese GP.

Hamilton started 18th on the grid after qualifying, and rose to finish ninth in the race, which was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

After the race, he said: ‘I’m grateful to get into the points. I didn’t expect a lot more this weekend.’

 

He felt that there was improvement to come in the team before the next race of the F1 calendar in a fortnight’s time in Miami, with his teammate George Russell finishing in sixth.

Hamilton added: ‘Hopefully we have a step forward coming at the next race. Until then, we will be back at the factory next week and try and position the car better for Miami, and hopefully have a better weekend.’

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Lewis Hamilton was pleased to finish in the points, but hinted there was more to come

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Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff revealed that an ‘upgrade’ was coming ahead of the next race

His thoughts were echoed by Mercedes CEO Wolff, who told Sky Sports: ‘I think considering where we put the cars altogether, our drivers, our team was not in a good position for today.

‘Not good enough overall. Lacking pace. We’ve got to dig deep.

‘We’ve got something coming for Miami that looks like a good step. Let’s see where that brings us out.’

When asked if the vehicle was adequate following the first five races of the campaign, Wolff said: ‘No, no, it’s not an okay car. I think we can see the mistakes that have been on the car.

‘I think we wanted to go a bit more aggressive to see, is it something that is so different we need to do on the car?

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Hamilton qualified in 18th place, and revealed he was ‘grateful’ to pick up any points at all

‘You can see Lewis today took it on him. That was maybe a step too far.’

When pressed, Wolff said that he was hopeful it would be ‘a bit’ of an upgrade when the new Mercedes hits the track in Miami ahead of the next race on May 5.

Toto Wolff reignited his war of words with Christian Horner as he hinted Max Verstappen could still join his Mercedes team next year, claiming ‘other factors’ would be at play than just race pace.

Verstappen claimed an emphatic victory at the Chinese Grand Prix to extend his lead in the championship to 25 points and remains under contract with Red Bull until 2028.

There was speculation, though, over his future after Horner was accused of sexual harassment and controlling behaviour by a female employee. The Red Bull team principal, who has always denied the allegations, was later cleared in an internal inquiry.

Wolff has publicly engaged with the idea of bringing Verstappen to Mercedes and previously called it something that ‘needs to happen at some stage’. And the Austrian stoked the fires again in Shanghai.

‘There are so many factors that play a role for a driver joining,’ said Wolff, who has also previously conceded that ‘Red Bull is the quickest car so that will always be the priority’.

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Max Verstappen’s future was again the subject of speculation after his victory in Shanghai

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Mercedes chief Toto Wolff (left) once again mentioned Verstappen’s Red Bull future, only to be given a stiff rejoinder by Christian Horner (right)

‘Clearly when you look at it from the most rational point of view, you can say, “Well that’s the quickest car in the hands of the quickest driver”.

‘But I don’t think that this is the only reason you stay where you are. For, let’s say, simple minds, that might be the only reason you stay in a car and that’s it.

‘But maybe there is some more depth to some people that consider other factors too and I think Max has that depth.’

Horner fired back when Wolff’s comments on his star driver were put to him. ‘It is about how he (Verstappen) feels in the team, the relationship he has in the team and the way he is performing,’ said Horner.

‘I don’t think Toto’s problems are his drivers. He has other elements he needs to focus on, rather than focusing on drivers that are unavailable.

‘I don’t know how many more times Max can say he is staying? He has said it numerous times. Sometimes it is just designed to create noise.

‘Why on earth would you want to leave this team? Mercedes are behind at the moment. His time would be better spent focusing on the team than the driver market. I can assure you that there is no ambiguity as to where Max Verstappen will be next year.’

Meanwhile, a furious Daniel Ricciardo said Lance Stroll was ‘making my blood boil’ after their race was ended by the Canadian crashing into the back of Ricciardo’s RB following a safety car restart.

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Wolff speaks with Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and director Helmut Marko in Shanghai

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Verstappen took another dominant victory at the first Chinese Grand Prix in five years

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Verstappen (left) has won 38 out of the last 49 races as he continues his domination

Stroll was handed a 10-second time penalty, though that did little to placate Ricciardo.

‘Maybe in an hour, when he sees it, he might take some accountability. But if he doesn’t, I can’t help him, nor can anyone here,’ said the Australian. ‘It’s so frustrating. Obviously, racing incidents happen, but behind a safety car, that should never happen.’

Stroll suggested the blame was on Ricciardo for the incident, something that only further incensed his rival, who is under pressure following his poor start to the 2024 season.

‘I’d slowly started to calm down and then I was told what Lance thinks of the incident,’ said Ricciardo. ‘Apparently, I’m an idiot and it was my fault. That made my blood boil.

‘I’m doing my best not to say what I want to say but f*** that guy. And I’m being nice, too!’

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strolled to a win in the Chinese Grand Prix.

The Dutchman took a comfortable victory despite a mid-race safety car, as Lando Norris beat the other Red Bull of Sergio Perez to take second.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc, in fourth, and Carlos Sainz rounded out the top five, holding off Mercedes driver George Russell and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in sixth and seventh, respectively.

 

Lewis Hamilton recovered from his poor qualifying to finish ninth but struggled for pace during the race.

Mail Sport’s Henry Clark assess some of the winners and losers from Shanghai.

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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen strolled to a comfortable win in the Chinese Grand Prix

Winners

Max Verstappen – 9

A near-perfect weekend for the Dutchman, who extended his advantage in the drivers standings with a convincing win at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Verstappen recovered from a difficult qualifying session to take victory in the sprint race and was then totally dominant for the rest of the weekend.

There may be those tiring of an increasingly predictable outcome to races but Verstappen’s relentlessness should not be scoffed at.

Even after only five races, you feel it is fair to say that it is going to take something extraordinary for this winning machine not to claim a fourth successive world title.

The only reason to score him a nine rather than a perfect ten is the fact he was unable to record the fastest lap of the Grand Prix.

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Verstappen recovered from a difficult qualifying session to take victory in the sprint race and was then totally dominant for the rest of the weekend.

Lando Norris – 8.5

A result that nobody saw coming, not least Norris himself.

Few expected his McLaren to be competitive given the challenges of this track but the Brit produced a phenomenal drive to secure second place ahead of Sergio Perez.

What made Norris’ performance even more impressive is the fact he had to recover from surrendering pole position and finishing sixth in the sprint race to lead the charge for the crown of best of the rest on Sunday.

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Few expected his McLaren to be competitive given the challenges of this track but Lando Norris produced a phenomenal drive

Lewis Hamilton – 6

A tumultuous weekend to say the least for the seven-time world champion.

It started with a reminder of why Hamilton is regarded as one of the sport’s best operators in the wet conditions as he claimed second in sprint race qualifying, a position he managed to hold onto in the main event.

But a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday saw Hamilton start this morning’s race 18th.

It took awhile for him to work his way through the field but a ninth-place finish was ultimately a good return for a race that was all about damage limitation.

That rescue effort just about moves him into the winners enclosure on this list.

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Lewis Hamilton secured ninth-place finish following a disastrous qualifying session

Losers

Aston Martin

Fernando Alonso – 5

Lance Stroll – 2

There were flashes of brilliance from Alonso in Shanghai but ultimately he will be left disappointed with a seventh-place finish having qualified third.

His result will be particularly bruising given George Russell and Mercedes were able to finish ahead of him.

Team-mate Stroll started the week by going fastest in first practice but that’s just about where the positives finished.

A dozy piece of driving saw him smack into the back of Daniel Ricciardo, an incident which brought a premature end to the Ricciardo’s race and saw Stroll limp home to 16th.

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There were flashes of brilliance from Alonso (left) in Shanghai but ultimately he will be left disappointed while team-mate Stroll finished 16th

Daniel Ricciardo – 4

Nothing he could do about the shunt from Stroll but this felt like a massive missed opportunity for the under pressure Australian, who looked on course for his first points finish of the season.

There were signs of progress in qualifying, where he out-performed his RB team-mate Yuki Tsunoda for the first time this season. Sadly, he was unable to make that advantage count due to factors outside of his control.

Carlos Sainz – 6

The Spaniard has rightly earned rave reviews for his performances this season but this weekend proved to be his worst showing of 2024.

Sainz left it late to sneak into Q3 after sending his car for a spin in qualifying and he was unable to find a way past his Ferrari team-mate, Charles Leclerc, in the race.

By no means a disastrous weekend but an underwhelming one by Sainz’s own high standards.

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This felt like a massive missed opportunity for the under pressure Daniel Ricciardo