MCLAREN STARS LANDO NORRIS, OSCAR PIASTRI PREPARE FOR FINAL PUSH TO PODIUMS
Lando Norris leads the F1 championship by 1 point over McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri. With 4 races left, Norris warns that "every little thing matters" in the intense title fight, while Piastri vows his recent struggles have been a learning experience.
McLaren duo Norris, Piastri ready to finish strong despite bumps - Image Credit: PA
As a thrilling championship fight continues to develop, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have shared their opinions on the next four races of the 2025 season.
"The most significant thing, in my opinion, is that I feel like I have learned a few new things that will ultimately help me in the future."
Piastri's slip-up has caused his teammate to overtake him at the top of the standings, and the 104-point gap he previously had over Max Verstappen is now only 35 points.
Following consecutive fifth-place results at the United States and Mexico City Grands Prix, the Australian has lost his hold on the championship and is still looking for his first victory since the Dutch Grand Prix.
In McLaren's X debrief, Piastri stated, "I believe for me the previous couple of weekends have clearly been some speed bumps in the way."
"However, I believe the most significant thing is that I feel like I have learned a few new skills that will ultimately benefit me not only this year but, hopefully, the remainder of my career.
There may be some setbacks along the way, but I believe there will be many adjustments, and once I know what I want and what I want to aim for, I should be able to get there fast. It only took a short while to arrive.
With four races left in the 2025 season, Norris now leads his colleague by one point following those two P5 results in as many races.
Norris is intent on the last four races.
For the first time since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Norris regained the top spot in the drivers' standings with his commanding victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Now that there are only four Grand Prix weekends left, including two sprint race weekends, the British driver is totally focused on making the most of every opportunity because he knows that any mistakes will be penalised in what is quickly becoming a thrilling title fight.
"One tenth can put us, theoretically, on pole or fifth, sixth, whatever it could be, for the remainder of the season," Norris clarified.
"You can be nearly out in Q1 or Q2 simply by being one or two hundredths off, because sometimes it is much closer in Q1 and Q2 than it is in Q3.
"So, even though you might not think that small things will have an impact at the moment, I believe that toward the end of the season, when you really go over all of these little things together, they can occasionally have a significant impact.
"That can get you a championship, a constructor's title, and two or three spots at the conclusion of the season. It serves as a simple reminder that every little thing matters, and I believe that we must continue to fight for those small things.
RAYMOND MURATALLA - ANDY CRUZ FIGHT OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FOR JANUARY 24 IN LAS VEGAS
Raymond Muratalla will defend his IBF lightweight title against unbeaten mandatory challenger Andy Cruz on January 24 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Matchroom Boxing won the promotional rights.
Fireworks ahead! Muratalla-Cruz showdown set for January 24 Vegas - Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
According to reports, Raymond Muratalla and Andy Cruz have a confirmed date and venue for their title fight.
The former two-time Olympic gold medallist Cruz will defend against IBF lightweight champion Muratalla on January 24 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.
The news was initially reported by BoxingScene.com.
Top Rank, Muratalla's handler, placed the sole other bid, but Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, Cruz's promoter, outbid them for the right to hold the fight. Top Rank bid $550,000, Matchroom bid $888,888.
Muratalla will get 65% of the winning price, or $577,777.20. Cruz is going to receive $311,110.80.
The 28-year-old Muratalla (23-0, 17 KOs) will be defending his 135-pound title for the first time. On May 10, he defeated Zaur Abdullaev to win the interim edition of that title. Since Vasiliy Lomachenko abruptly retired, he has been promoted to full champion.
Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) became the mandatory challenger for that title after thrashing Hironori Mishiro in Madison Square Garden in New York on June 14 and stopping him in the fifth round.
“I’M GOOD SOLO” KEVIN DURANT EXPLAINS WHY HE’LL NEVER MARRY
NBA star Kevin Durant admits he doesn't expect to ever get married, citing low odds and doubting he could be with one person forever. The Houston Rockets forward called off his own engagement back in 2014.
Durant’s plan, no wedding band—NBA star takes stand - Troy Taormina-Imagn Images/ File Photo
After questioning if he could spend the rest of his life with one spouse, NBA veteran Kevin Durant says he does not anticipate ever getting married.
When Durant, 37, proposed to his then-girlfriend in 2013, he called it quits a year later because he "did not know how to love her the right way." Durant was previously engaged to former WNBA player Monica Wright.
Despite being romantically involved with other high-profile women before his breakup with Wright, such as actress Apryl Jones and women's basketball player Liz Cambage, the Houston Rockets forward is still unmarried more than ten years later.
Additionally, Durant stated in an interview with influencer Bobbi Althoff that he "does not know" if he could stay married to just one person indefinitely.
"I believe divorce is more realistic because the divorce rate is greater," he remarked.
"That is not good odds to me," Durant said in response to Althoff's assertion that the likelihood of a divorce is always 50/50. But you are betting on that being 50/50, and that is betting on forever? I am not sure if I want to risk it.
After calling off an engagement, Kevin Durant acknowledges that he does not anticipate getting married in eleven years.
According to the NBA veteran, he does not believe he could spend the rest of his life with just one spouse.
He went on to say, "It is like the word marriage... like what the bond is." For example, do I want to hang out with the same person every day and be with this person every day?
"I had never actually imagined my wedding day." I think, "Oh, this is cool, oh, it is dope," whenever I attend a wedding. It is not as if I have to imagine it. Still, it is a cool occasion.
Durant emphasised that he is not currently looking for a committed relationship, even if he acknowledged that he once believed he was close to marriage.
That being said, he is not entirely ruling out future wedding bells.
According to the two-time NBA champion, "I am sure that it may happen." "All I am saying is that I am not anticipating it, but I am not closing the door on anything."
Durant responded, "Just somebody I can hang out with daily, somebody I can talk to that is cool, you know the basics, somebody I can genuinely be friends with," when asked what qualities he would look for in a partner. and not consider it to be a girlfriend-boyfriend situation.
Instead of us simply being friends by nature, there is a cloud associated with that label and expectation. I prefer to have no expectations because I might not always want to meet or speak with you.