Sports
From Dubai Autodrome to Verstappen’s teammate: The meteoric rise of Isack Hadjar
It has been a year of rookies in Formula 1, for not since 2010 have six young guns taken the wheel in the same season. While Jack Doohan’s stint with Alpine did not last long, being replaced by Franco Colapinto after just six races, the other five — Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Haas’ Ollie Bearman, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and the man of the moment, Racing Bull’s French-Algerian driver Isack Hadjar — have delivered with varying degrees of success.
For 21-year-old Hadjar, who, only four years ago, was honing his skills at the Dubai Autodrome and at the Yas Marina Circuit in the F3 Asian Championship with Evans GP team and in the Formula Regional Asian Championship with Hitech Grand Prix team, this season could not have ended any better after being chosen on Tuesday to partner his childhood hero Max Verstappen in Red Bull for the 2026 season. It is a truly meteoric rise for this young driver of Arab origin from the days of posing next to Verstappen in a viral fan moment six years ago.
The Racing Bulls driver has enjoyed an impressive first season with Red Bull’s junior team, scoring 10 top-10 finishes, including his first podium when he finished third in Zandvoort behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Verstappen, and all of that after crashing in the formation lap in his first race in Australia and being reduced to tears.
“After all the hard work I have put in since joining the junior team, it’s such a great reward,” a grateful Hadjar said in a Red Bull statement on Tuesday.
“I’ve had many ups and downs throughout my career and they kept believing and pushing me.
“It’s an awesome move, to work with the best and learn from Max is something I can’t wait for.”
And Red Bull will be hoping Hadjar can solve the perennial problem of Verstappen’s partner. After releasing Sergio Perez at the end of last season, Red Bull began 2025 with Lawson at the wheel but the New Zealander lasted only two races before being supplanted by Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
New challenges
Since then however, Tsunoda has scored just 33 points in the world championship compared with Verstappen’s 396. And with Japanese engine maker Honda ending ties with Red Bull from next season — the Milton Keynes-based team will build their own engines with technical help from Ford — it was widely expected that Tsunoda’s run in Formula 1 would be cut short sooner rather than later.
As for Hadjar, the promotion to race alongside the formidable four-time world champion will come with its challenges. The whispers in the world of Formula 1 are that Red Bull builds is car to specifications that suit Verstappen’s on-the-edge style of driving and is therefore more difficult to control compared to the Racing Bulls.
But if anyone has proven that theory wrong, it is Racing Bulls’ new recruit for the 2026 season, 18-year-old British driver Arvid Lindblad. He’s already had some F1 experience after driving for Red Bull in practice sessions this year in Britain and in Mexico, where, helming Verstappen’s car, he posted the sixth best time of the session.
And young Hadjar will take heart from that as he looks to break the curse of Red Bull’s second seat next season.
Story by Gulf News
Football
Turkish football club distributes Iftar meals in Gaza
Turkish football club MKE Ankaragücü organized iftar distributions in Gaza, delivering meals to 1,500 children as part of its Ramadan campaign to support those in need.
MKE Ankaragucu, a Turkish football club which is currently playing in the TFF 2. Lig, has organized iftar distributions in Gaza as part of its ongoing campaign to help people in need in the Palestinian enclave.
In an official statement on its social media channels, MKE Ankaragucu reiterated its commitment to reminding children facing hardship in Palestine and elsewhere that they are not forgotten during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, while calling for greater support and participation.
The announcement included video footage documenting the distribution of iftar packages to 1,500 children in Gaza.
Turkish football clubs have shown widespread tribune solidarity during matches, with fans displaying banners, Palestinian flags, and messages of support.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced that the Gaza ceasefire has more than doubled monthly food aid compared to before the truce, with coordinated efforts continuing under improved access as of late February 2026.
Amid harsh winter and displacement, one million people are receiving full assistance packages that include food parcels, hot Ramadan iftar meals, fresh bread, and cash transfers.
A News
Football
Will Cristiano Ronaldo reach 1,000 goals at 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Cristiano Ronaldo netted a brace as Al Nassr swept Al Hazem 4-0, a result that sent the Saudi club to the top of the Pro League table. The performance also pushed the 41-year-old’s personal tally to 964 career goals — just 36 away from the iconic 1,000-goal mark.
That night also brought another historic moment as Ronaldo became the first player in history to score 500 goals after the age of 30. To appreciate just how extraordinary that is, fewer than 30 players across the entire history of professional football have scored 500 goals in their careers.
Naturally, the question on everyone’s lips is when will the Portuguese superstar reach the four figures. And the most romantic possibility would be at this summer’s World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For Ronaldo, the tournament carries extra weight. By stepping onto the pitch, he will become the first player ever to appear in six World Cups, a milestone he’ll share with Argentine star Lionel Messi, though Ronaldo was already a centrepiece of Portugal’s 2006 campaign while Messi was still finding his feet at the senior level.
The prospect of goal No 1,000 arriving on the World Cup stage is the stuff of footballing fairy tales — and Ronaldo himself has acknowledged it during a recent interview. “You’ve been watching too many movies — that would be way too perfect,” he said, before adding: “Goals are always good to score. I want to play in this next World Cup; otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. But one step at a time. If those numbers did come true, I’d end my career on a high.”
From a practical standpoint, the math makes the World Cup milestone difficult. Between now and the tournament, Al Nassr are expected to play roughly 20 official matches, excluding friendlies and potential squad rotation. If Portugal make a deep run, Ronaldo could feature in up to seven or eight World Cup matches — giving him approximately 25 to 30 games before and during the tournament, assuming no injuries.
Impressive form
To reach 1,000 goals before or during the World Cup, Ronaldo would need to average at least one goal per game — possibly more. That requirement exceeds his current scoring rate of roughly 0.74 goals per match, according to ESPN stats.
His recent form is impressive but it also tempers expectations. Across his last 20 matches, he has scored 15 goals, but that doesn’t match the kind of explosive run required to close a 36-goal gap in such a short span.
Historically, Ronaldo has scored just eight goals across five World Cup tournaments, which further highlights the challenge. For the milestone to happen on football’s biggest stage, he would need an extraordinary run of form.
A more realistic projection lies in his typical yearly output. Ronaldo has averaged around 40 goals per calendar year throughout his career. Based on that trend, the most logical window for goal No. 1,000 appears to be late 2026 or early 2027 — rather than at the World Cup itself.
GN
Sports
Winter Olympics 2026: Unforgettable, Heartwarming Moments
The Winter Olympic Games are often described as Summer games’ weird, chaotic sibling. As the world’s greatest sporting showcase, they serve as a hub for stories as wonderful as they are bizarre. The Games always throw up the unexpected, and Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics has been no different. Take a glimpse to learn more:
Olympic Biathlon medal winner confesses cheating on girlfriend in candid statement
After winning bronze in the 20km individual biathlon, Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid confessed on TV to cheating on his girlfriend. Admitting to an affair, he called it his “my biggest mistake” and added it had been the worst week of his life since confessing to her. That same day, his ex-girlfriend wrote in Norwegian newspaper VG stating that she did not choose to be put in this public position.
Broken models
Broken models happened at Paris 24, and it happened again at Milan-Cortina 2026. Two of the USA’s gold medallists, Breezy Johnson and Alysa Liu, revealed the ribbon had come away from their medals soon after they received their prizes.
In this connection, Andea Francisci, Mila-Cortina 2026 chief Games operations officer said: “We are going to pay maximum attention to the medals. Obviously this is something we want to be perfect when the medal is handed over because this is one of the most important moments for the athletes.”
Controversy erupts after curlers accused of rule violations
The drama ignited when Canada’s Marc Kennedy became involved in a heated verbal exchange with Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson towards the end of his side’s 8-6 win. The Swedes contended that Kennedy was repeatedly double-touching some of his stones-an illegal move. That same day, Switzerland reported Kennedy for the same offense. World Curling then announced they would deploy extra officials for the remainder of the Games to monitor for such violations. Both incidents were deemed unintentional-the result of a veteran player accidentally making contact with the granite.
Is it a wolf or a dog?
During the Women’s cross-country team sprint qualifiers in Tesero, a large, silver-grey animal sprang onto the track. A Czechoslovakian Wolfdog had broken free of its owner and made its way onto the course, where it then chased a camera over the finish line.
In this regard: “ Konstantina Charalampiou said: “I became famous with a dog that came across the finish line and everyone wants to interview me now.”
The Minion in Milan
Spanish figure skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate skated to a dynamic combination of music from the Minions animated film series, clad in a yellow T-shirt and blue dungarees to match the characters. Following negotiations with representatives for Pharell Willians-whose song Happy appears in Despicable Me 2 and was one of Sabate’s musical selections-an agreement was reached and he was granted permission to use the track.
Unsung heroes step into spotlight as video goes viral
Mark Callan, a resident of Montreal has become an internet sensation with his effortless, high-speed moonwalking on ice. The 61-year-old is the guy with the backpack and house, shuffling backwards toward the house inside the near-empty Cortina curling stadium, spraying plumes of water to prep the ice.
He has been the centre of attention at the Winter Olympics in northern Italy- a long way from the Forest Hills rink in Aberfoyle where he first experienced curling. He has impressed audiences with his performance and vibrant personality, though some of his most vital moments consist mainly of him falling over.
These individuals took the spotlight by performing at the Games. There is a workforce of approximately 25,000 people at these Games,18,000 of whom are volunteers. Ultimately, this season’s games are all about providing enchanting stories for the audience.
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