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Formula 1: McLaren want ‘Norris-Piastri to race with freedom’ despite Canada GP collision

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) McLaren will continue to allow Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to race freely despite their late-race collision at the Canadian Grand Prix, with team principal Andrea Stella making it clear that the team’s core philosophy of driver independence remains intact.

The incident occurred as Norris clipped the back of Piastri’s car during a DRS-fuelled battle for fourth place, prompting concern over whether McLaren would tighten team orders. But the team has firmly backed its drivers to continue racing on merit, albeit with more caution.

“The being free to race and the being clear as to how we go racing is a value of racing,” Stella was quoted by Sky Sports as saying. “We want to try and exercise and respect that value as much as we can, rather than every time that we have proximity between the two cars, having control from the pit wall.”

Norris immediately accepted blame for the mishap and apologised both to Piastri and the team. The maturity of that response was appreciated internally and has helped ease tensions heading into the high-stakes Austrian-British double-header. Stella praised the culture within McLaren, crediting it for defusing what could have been a divisive moment.

“In every situation, in the heat of the moment it looks like the worst disaster ever, but in reality, the strength of being racers, the strength that comes from having a strong culture, is the fact that you will process the episodes, you will review, you will take all the positive learning and dismiss anything that doesn’t have to come with us into the future,” Stella said.

He was quick to affirm that the Canada clash was not going to trigger a shift in McLaren’s racing policies. “I don’t foresee that episode changing our approach. If anything, it will reinforce that the principles we have require more caution by our drivers.”

This was the first significant wheel-to-wheel contact between the two McLaren drivers in what has otherwise been a strong and closely matched season for both. Norris’ DNF in Montreal dropped him 22 points behind teammate Piastri in the Drivers’ Championship, but McLaren continues to dominate the Constructors’ table, sitting 175 points clear of Mercedes.

Stella insisted that avoiding future incidents isn’t about imposing strict rules but about improving judgment and respecting boundaries during high-stakes battles.

“If we say that there should be no contact between the two McLarens, we need to have the margins to make sure that we have no contact — even if, in a DRS situation, the car may get sucked onto the other and cause misjudgment.”

He believes the Canada incident, while unfortunate, will only strengthen the team dynamic. “Having experienced this kind of situation, I think it will make us more robust, as a team and in terms of each of our drivers. The two McLarens racing close to one another will happen again, but there will have to be better judgment in terms of the distance.”

–IANS

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T20 WC: Suryakumar Yadav lauds team’s all-round effort after 17-run win over NED

Ahmedabad, Feb 18 (IANS) Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav was pleased with the decision to bat first and lauded his team’s all-round effort after India defended 193/6 to register a hard-fought 17-run win over the Netherlands in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

“We wanted to bat first, and went on to score 190. There was a bit of dew, a little challenging for the bowlers, but all in all, very happy,” Suryakumar said after the match.

India’s innings had its share of early setbacks. Abhishek Sharma fell for his third consecutive duck of the tournament, while Aryan Dutt struck twice in the Power-play to remove both Abhishek and Ishan Kishan (18). Tilak Varma (31) steadied the innings before the middle order shifted gears dramatically.

Shivam Dube was the standout performer, smashing a breathtaking 66 off just 31 balls, bringing up a 25-ball half-century and taking the attack to both spin and pace. India plundered 15 runs in the 16th over and 20 in the next to surge past 150, before Rinku Singh added the finishing touches to push the total to 193/6. “When he (Dube) played at Vizag (against NZ), he had another knock. He wanted to get the POTM award that day too, but to get to 190 (tonight), it was amazing,” Suryakumar said in praise of the all-rounder.

Reflecting on the team’s overall performance, he added, “We might be in a similar situation (losing early wickets), but it is important for the batters to understand what the responsibility is. We have firepower (later). We have ticked a lot of boxes. Even when you win, you learn a lot of things, and we did today.”

Suryakumar also highlighted India’s bowling depth. “Sometimes it is a good headache to have. Have a lot of options. On a given day, whatever the wicket demands, they can chip in. Happy with the way things are moving. Contributions coming from every batter. One or two might have a beautiful day, but we need contributions from each and every one.”

The Netherlands began their chase confidently, adding 35 for the opening stand before India struck. Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede stitched together a brisk 43-run partnership to keep the contest alive, capitalising on a few missed chances.

Dutch captain Scott Edwards acknowledged his team’s strong phases but admitted key moments slipped away. “We started really well. A lot of credit to Aryan. He has been sensational for us for a few years. We felt right in the game (for a while). We know they have firepower all the way down. To keep them under control for 14-15 overs was sensational.”

However, he conceded that lapses proved costly. “A couple of missed chances, missed execution, and these guys will make you pay. They had wickets in hand and took down a few overs at the end.”

Looking at the bigger picture, Edwards reflected on the learning curve. “Any time you come here, you learn a lot. Grounds are smaller, pitches are flatter, crowds are bigger, and there is so much hype. As a group, we pride ourselves on playing well in the big moments. Played well, but in those moments, we have to make those moments count.”

–IANS

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India face Chinese Taipei in crucial Group D clash of AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers

Ahmedabad, Nov 25 (IANS) The India U17 men’s team will look to secure their first win of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers when they take on Chinese Taipei on Wednesday at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad.

The Blue Colts began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Palestine on Saturday, a match in which India showed control for long spells but were unable to convert their pressure into three points. Shubham Poonia’s first-half header put India ahead, but a late equaliser meant both teams shared the spoils on the opening day.

Looking ahead to the second fixture, head coach Bibiano Fernandes said the team has recovered well and is fully focused on the next challenge. “These players are still learning, and I always tell them to play not only with confidence, but also with responsibility. A draw doesn’t change our ambition. We want them to take the right risks, express themselves, and stay composed in difficult moments. The important thing is to grow from each match.”

India have had three days of rest for this game as they were the only team not to play in the second matchday on Monday, where Chinese Taipei lost 0-5 to IR Iran before Palestine and Lebanon played a 1-1 draw.

“Yes, having a longer gap definitely helps,” said Bibiano. “It gave us time to recover well, fix small details, and prepare with more clarity. The boys look fresh, and that allows us to demand a higher intensity. But selection will still depend on who fits the plan and who is performing well in training.”

Chinese Taipei arrive into this fixture after a heavy defeat to IR Iran on Monday, and would be looking ready to respond. Wang Po-min’s side had earlier earned a point in their opening 0-0 draw with Lebanon and have shown defensive discipline in phases of the tournament, as they did not concede a goal in their first 135 minutes of the Qualifiers.

Group D remains wide open after two matchdays, with table-toppers IR Iran the only side to have earned a win so far. Palestine and Lebanon follow with two points each, while India and Chinese Taipei have one point apiece. With only the group winners qualifying for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, Wednesday’s fixture carries significant weight for both teams.

“We’ve worked on small details in how we move the ball and position ourselves between the lines. Just enough to give the players clarity so they can find solutions on the pitch. The main idea remains the same: stay patient, stay sharp,” Fernandes concluded.

–IANS

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