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Deadspin | After rare misstep, Pirates’ bullpen seeks redemption vs. Cardinals Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) waits for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) to run the bases after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images Thirty-six innings. More than a year. That’s how long it had been since the Cardinals scored against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. St. Louis quickly made up for lost time. The Cardinals exploded for four runs with one out in the ninth inning against the usually reliable Dennis Santana as St. Louis posted a 4-2 win in the opener of a four-game series with the Pirates on Monday. The teams go right back at it Tuesday night. The Cardinals went scoreless in the last inning of a 2-1, 13-inning defeat at Pittsburgh on April 9, 2025, dropping the decisive contest of a three-game series. The Pirates then swept a three-game home series against St. Louis early last July, shutting out the Cards in all three games and outscoring the visitors 13-0. And then came the 2026 season-series opener on Monday. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly scheduled a bullpen game, and his relievers came into the contest in fine form, having combined for 24 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings extending back to a win at Texas on Wednesday. The Pirates kept St. Louis off the basepaths entirely for the first 6 1/3 innings. Mason Montgomery started for the second time this season, and Justin Lawrence followed, each tossing a scoreless inning. Wilber Dotel, making just his third major league appearance, threw four perfect innings and struck out three. “We had targeted four innings from him, and we thought that would be the absolute max,” Kelly said. “I thought (the pitchers) did a tremendous job. I mean, from Monty to Lawrence and then Dotel came in firing and (Evan) Sisk as well.” The Cardinals’ first hit didn’t blow the doors off. Alec Burleson beat out a ground ball to third against Sisk in the seventh, but Sisk, Isaac Mattson and Gregory Soto kept the Cardinals off the board until Santana entered in the ninth. Santana came into the contest with two saves and a 0.69 ERA in 13 appearances, but he gave up back-to-back home runs to backup catcher Pedro Pages and rookie JJ Wetherholt. “Everybody loves him,” Cardinals teammate and former West Virginia University teammate Victor Scott II said of Wetherholt. “It’s kind of hard not to love that guy. He’s a very infectious kid to be around. Just an awesome player.” Jose Fermin followed four batters later with a bases-loaded, two-run double for the win. The Pirates lost their second straight game, marking the first time this season they lost on consecutive days. Pittsburgh did not list a starting pitcher for Tuesday. Right-handed reliever Cam Sanders (0-0, 12.00 ERA) could be a possibility for his first major league start, but he got the last out on Monday after Santana’s meltdown. He has never faced the Cardinals. St. Louis, which won for the first time in five games, will give the ball to right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA), who has alternated losses and wins in his five starts. He allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Leahy will be starting against the Pirates for the first time. In seven career relief outings vs. Pittsburgh, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales went 3-for-4 on Monday, extending his season-best hitting streak to eight games. Gonzales is batting .484 (15-for-31) with three RBIs and five runs during the streak. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #rare #misstep #Pirates #bullpen #seeks #redemption #Cardinals

Deadspin | After rare misstep, Pirates’ bullpen seeks redemption vs. Cardinals
Deadspin | After rare misstep, Pirates’ bullpen seeks redemption vs. Cardinals Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) waits for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) to run the bases after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images Thirty-six innings. More than a year. That’s how long it had been since the Cardinals scored against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. St. Louis quickly made up for lost time. The Cardinals exploded for four runs with one out in the ninth inning against the usually reliable Dennis Santana as St. Louis posted a 4-2 win in the opener of a four-game series with the Pirates on Monday. The teams go right back at it Tuesday night. The Cardinals went scoreless in the last inning of a 2-1, 13-inning defeat at Pittsburgh on April 9, 2025, dropping the decisive contest of a three-game series. The Pirates then swept a three-game home series against St. Louis early last July, shutting out the Cards in all three games and outscoring the visitors 13-0. And then came the 2026 season-series opener on Monday. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly scheduled a bullpen game, and his relievers came into the contest in fine form, having combined for 24 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings extending back to a win at Texas on Wednesday. The Pirates kept St. Louis off the basepaths entirely for the first 6 1/3 innings. Mason Montgomery started for the second time this season, and Justin Lawrence followed, each tossing a scoreless inning. Wilber Dotel, making just his third major league appearance, threw four perfect innings and struck out three. “We had targeted four innings from him, and we thought that would be the absolute max,” Kelly said. “I thought (the pitchers) did a tremendous job. I mean, from Monty to Lawrence and then Dotel came in firing and (Evan) Sisk as well.” The Cardinals’ first hit didn’t blow the doors off. Alec Burleson beat out a ground ball to third against Sisk in the seventh, but Sisk, Isaac Mattson and Gregory Soto kept the Cardinals off the board until Santana entered in the ninth. Santana came into the contest with two saves and a 0.69 ERA in 13 appearances, but he gave up back-to-back home runs to backup catcher Pedro Pages and rookie JJ Wetherholt. “Everybody loves him,” Cardinals teammate and former West Virginia University teammate Victor Scott II said of Wetherholt. “It’s kind of hard not to love that guy. He’s a very infectious kid to be around. Just an awesome player.” Jose Fermin followed four batters later with a bases-loaded, two-run double for the win. The Pirates lost their second straight game, marking the first time this season they lost on consecutive days. Pittsburgh did not list a starting pitcher for Tuesday. Right-handed reliever Cam Sanders (0-0, 12.00 ERA) could be a possibility for his first major league start, but he got the last out on Monday after Santana’s meltdown. He has never faced the Cardinals. St. Louis, which won for the first time in five games, will give the ball to right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA), who has alternated losses and wins in his five starts. He allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Leahy will be starting against the Pirates for the first time. In seven career relief outings vs. Pittsburgh, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales went 3-for-4 on Monday, extending his season-best hitting streak to eight games. Gonzales is batting .484 (15-for-31) with three RBIs and five runs during the streak. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #rare #misstep #Pirates #bullpen #seeks #redemption #CardinalsApr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) waits for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) to run the bases after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images

Thirty-six innings. More than a year. That’s how long it had been since the Cardinals scored against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

St. Louis quickly made up for lost time.

The Cardinals exploded for four runs with one out in the ninth inning against the usually reliable Dennis Santana as St. Louis posted a 4-2 win in the opener of a four-game series with the Pirates on Monday.

The teams go right back at it Tuesday night.

The Cardinals went scoreless in the last inning of a 2-1, 13-inning defeat at Pittsburgh on April 9, 2025, dropping the decisive contest of a three-game series.

The Pirates then swept a three-game home series against St. Louis early last July, shutting out the Cards in all three games and outscoring the visitors 13-0.

And then came the 2026 season-series opener on Monday. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly scheduled a bullpen game, and his relievers came into the contest in fine form, having combined for 24 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings extending back to a win at Texas on Wednesday.

The Pirates kept St. Louis off the basepaths entirely for the first 6 1/3 innings. Mason Montgomery started for the second time this season, and Justin Lawrence followed, each tossing a scoreless inning.

Wilber Dotel, making just his third major league appearance, threw four perfect innings and struck out three.


“We had targeted four innings from him, and we thought that would be the absolute max,” Kelly said. “I thought (the pitchers) did a tremendous job. I mean, from Monty to Lawrence and then Dotel came in firing and (Evan) Sisk as well.”

The Cardinals’ first hit didn’t blow the doors off. Alec Burleson beat out a ground ball to third against Sisk in the seventh, but Sisk, Isaac Mattson and Gregory Soto kept the Cardinals off the board until Santana entered in the ninth.

Santana came into the contest with two saves and a 0.69 ERA in 13 appearances, but he gave up back-to-back home runs to backup catcher Pedro Pages and rookie JJ Wetherholt.

“Everybody loves him,” Cardinals teammate and former West Virginia University teammate Victor Scott II said of Wetherholt. “It’s kind of hard not to love that guy. He’s a very infectious kid to be around. Just an awesome player.”

Jose Fermin followed four batters later with a bases-loaded, two-run double for the win. The Pirates lost their second straight game, marking the first time this season they lost on consecutive days.

Pittsburgh did not list a starting pitcher for Tuesday. Right-handed reliever Cam Sanders (0-0, 12.00 ERA) could be a possibility for his first major league start, but he got the last out on Monday after Santana’s meltdown. He has never faced the Cardinals.

St. Louis, which won for the first time in five games, will give the ball to right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA), who has alternated losses and wins in his five starts. He allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.

Leahy will be starting against the Pirates for the first time. In seven career relief outings vs. Pittsburgh, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales went 3-for-4 on Monday, extending his season-best hitting streak to eight games. Gonzales is batting .484 (15-for-31) with three RBIs and five runs during the streak.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #rare #misstep #Pirates #bullpen #seeks #redemption #Cardinals

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Apr 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana (60) waits for St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) to run the bases after hitting a solo home run during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images

Thirty-six innings. More than a year. That’s how long it had been since the Cardinals scored against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

St. Louis quickly made up for lost time.

The Cardinals exploded for four runs with one out in the ninth inning against the usually reliable Dennis Santana as St. Louis posted a 4-2 win in the opener of a four-game series with the Pirates on Monday.

The teams go right back at it Tuesday night.

The Cardinals went scoreless in the last inning of a 2-1, 13-inning defeat at Pittsburgh on April 9, 2025, dropping the decisive contest of a three-game series.

The Pirates then swept a three-game home series against St. Louis early last July, shutting out the Cards in all three games and outscoring the visitors 13-0.

And then came the 2026 season-series opener on Monday. Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly scheduled a bullpen game, and his relievers came into the contest in fine form, having combined for 24 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings extending back to a win at Texas on Wednesday.

The Pirates kept St. Louis off the basepaths entirely for the first 6 1/3 innings. Mason Montgomery started for the second time this season, and Justin Lawrence followed, each tossing a scoreless inning.

Wilber Dotel, making just his third major league appearance, threw four perfect innings and struck out three.

“We had targeted four innings from him, and we thought that would be the absolute max,” Kelly said. “I thought (the pitchers) did a tremendous job. I mean, from Monty to Lawrence and then Dotel came in firing and (Evan) Sisk as well.”

The Cardinals’ first hit didn’t blow the doors off. Alec Burleson beat out a ground ball to third against Sisk in the seventh, but Sisk, Isaac Mattson and Gregory Soto kept the Cardinals off the board until Santana entered in the ninth.

Santana came into the contest with two saves and a 0.69 ERA in 13 appearances, but he gave up back-to-back home runs to backup catcher Pedro Pages and rookie JJ Wetherholt.

“Everybody loves him,” Cardinals teammate and former West Virginia University teammate Victor Scott II said of Wetherholt. “It’s kind of hard not to love that guy. He’s a very infectious kid to be around. Just an awesome player.”

Jose Fermin followed four batters later with a bases-loaded, two-run double for the win. The Pirates lost their second straight game, marking the first time this season they lost on consecutive days.

Pittsburgh did not list a starting pitcher for Tuesday. Right-handed reliever Cam Sanders (0-0, 12.00 ERA) could be a possibility for his first major league start, but he got the last out on Monday after Santana’s meltdown. He has never faced the Cardinals.

St. Louis, which won for the first time in five games, will give the ball to right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-3, 5.63 ERA), who has alternated losses and wins in his five starts. He allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings of an 8-4 loss to the Miami Marlins on Wednesday.

Leahy will be starting against the Pirates for the first time. In seven career relief outings vs. Pittsburgh, he is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.

Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales went 3-for-4 on Monday, extending his season-best hitting streak to eight games. Gonzales is batting .484 (15-for-31) with three RBIs and five runs during the streak.

–Field Level Media

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Cadillac’s ‘historic’ F1 launch hits a new milestone at Miami Grand Prix <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Formula 1 returns to action this week, with the Miami Grand Prix.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">And for one team in particular, the trip to South Beach will be an incredible moment.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The F1 grid grew by one team for 2026, with Cadillac joining the sport as the 11th team. Each step along the way has been a new milestone for F1’s newest team, from the first time they fired up their car, to the first race weekend, to the first time both their drivers were able to take the checkered flag, which came at the Chinese Grand Prix.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This week is another new milestone, their first race in front of their home fans.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, I sat down for an exclusive interview with Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon to talk about what it takes to get an F1 team off the ground, their driver lineup, and what it will be like racing in front of their home fans in Miami.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The start to Cadillac’s F1 journey</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Our conversation started with the big picture.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">How would Lowdon describe the start to Cadillac’s F1 journey?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The Cadillac boss needed just one word to answer that question.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Historic, I think, if I had to do it in one word,” responded Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">However, Lowdon then broadened his response.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“It’s really struck me that new teams in Formula One don’t happen very often, and new teams in Formula One with an enormous automotive manufacturer, with such a strong brand as Cadillac, is even more rare,” continued Lowdon. “And actually not just Cadillac, but TWG Motorsport and everything that they bring from their knowledge, in particular, of U.S. sports, with ownership positions in the [Los Angeles] Lakers and the [Los Angeles] Dodgers.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“What we’re experiencing is really unique, and I don’t think it puts too much weight on it to say it’s historic, and enormously proud for me to be able to wear the badge, and get a front row seat of seeing it all come to life.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I then wanted to know just how difficult it was to get an entire F1 team off the ground. This was a partnership that was first launched back in January of 2023, and here we are in April of 2026, talking about the team’s first few races on the grid ahead of their first home race in Miami.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Just how difficult has this process been?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">”Hugely tough,” said Lowdon with a laugh. “I have aged Mark beyond, almost beyond recognition. As the old adage goes, if I had a pet dog, it would have bitten us by now because it wouldn’t have recognized us.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“It’s a massive undertaking.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Lowdon then pulled back the curtain a bit, outlining how it was tough for the team to truly get up to speed until their entry was fully confirmed by F1. But the backing of the team’s ownership group helped Cadillac get up to speed, as it were.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Even if that too was a massive leap of faith.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I have to say that the ownership group from the very start, I’ve been involved in the project for a long, long time, way ahead of the entry being granted, but the ownership of TWG and GM went about it in absolutely the right way.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“They showed their confidence because we started building the team long before the entry was confirmed, and that takes a degree of risk calculation. You’re not a Formula One team until you’ve actually got an entry, and we didn’t get our entry until March 2025. So almost a year to the day to the first Grand Prix.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Lowdon then took me through the details of what that mean for the new operation.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">”There’s a whole pile of things that people don’t realize that you can’t have access to until you are actually a Formula One team. You don’t get access to all of the regulations, you can’t see things like the shared components that other teams have access to,“ continued Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“You don’t get the CFD [computational fluid dynamics] models, you don’t even get the wind tunnel tires, and also, when you’re trying to recruit talent, you can’t even tell anyone you’re a Formula One team, because until you get the entry, you’re not.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“So, we spent a long time recruiting, really top, top talent, but we were advertising as a top-tier motor sport team, and it was only from March ‘25 that we could actually say ‘here we are, it’s Cadillac Formula One team.’</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“And so for all we started early and we had the benefit of some stable regulations and some, you know, some incredible investors with that, you know, with that bold ambition and that foresight, it’s still difficult.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">However, the difficulties did not end there.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Because once you’re on the grid, you’re on the grid, going up against the best teams in the world in the “most difficult and competitive game in the world,” added Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“And then of course once you are established, you’re in the most difficult and competitive game in the world, in my view, up against incredibly experienced, and extremely good teams. These are the best teams in the world, and there’s nowhere to hide as well. I should add, you’re doing all this in front of a few 100 million people, carrying a very valuable brand,” said Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“As we would say on this side of the Atlantic, it was definitely a proper job and hopefully we’ve begun the journey in a good way.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">As if that was not enough, Cadillac’s arrival on the grid came at another historic moment in F1.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The biggest set of regulation changes in the sport’s history.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Not only did F1 make regulation changes on the chassis side, but also on the power unit side, the first time the sport incorporated changes to both elements in a single season. While those new regulations are still a heated point of discussion, I asked Lowdon if arriving during such a sea change made it easier, or harder, on F1’s newest team.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">”There are positives and negatives,” started Lowdon in rather diplomatic fashion.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“The advantage if the regulation set had been stable is we would be able to predict where we would hit the ground running very accurately, because the longer the regulation set is stable, the more the teams tend to coalesce around a single point. You could see that if you look at the qualifying spread, for example, or the race pace spread,” Lowdon described. “It was really tight, and people had worked all the different angles that you can work and exploit things, and everyone copies each other, in terms of concepts and the like, so we would have known exactly what we were aiming for.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“The flip side of that is, you’re kind of coming in when everyone else has perfected everything, and that’s not easy, and it’s really difficult to land where you wanna land, even though you know where that is.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“With the massive reg change, it’s much easier to land, but you don’t know where you’re gonna land, because you don’t know where everyone else is gonna be. And this regulation change was massive, as you rightly say, in particular on the power unit side.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Still, even with that added difficulty, Lowdon found some positives from the team’s first three races.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I think it’s really positive for us that we’ve only done three Grand Prix, but we’ve spent quite a bit of it actually racing, you know, at least one, if not two other teams, and so that’s got to be a positive thing for us.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Cadillac’s current driver lineup</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:1.500139" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDgwNzc="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="3591" data-pswp-width="5387" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 08: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Cadillac F1 Team and Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Cadillac F1 Team on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 08, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/gettyimages-2265346732.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div><p><figcaption class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup ls9zuh2 rzoxl5a">MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 08: Sergio Perez of Mexico and Cadillac F1 Team and Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Cadillac F1 Team on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on March 08, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)</figcaption> <cite class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup ls9zuh2 rzoxl55">Getty Images</cite></p></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The focus then turned to Cadillac’s driver lineup.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">As anyone who has spent time around F1 knows, driver market speculation is a huge deal in the sport. With just 20 seats available, competition for those spots is tight, and the news that a new team was joining the grid not only offered two more seats, but more room for speculation.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Ultimately, Cadillac went with two very experienced drivers, selecting Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez for those spots. Both came with race-winning experience, and championship experience, Bottas having helped Mercedes to several Constructors’ Championships while Pérez was part of a Red Bull team that won two titles as well. And both drivers were alongside teammates who won Drivers’ Championships, Bottas with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes while Pérez was alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Lowdon pointed to that experience when I asked about those two drivers, but also pointed to their experience having driven for multiple teams along their F1 journeys.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I think essentially, as you say, it was no surprise when the announcement came out that we’d gone for drivers that weren’t just experienced on the track, but were experienced in multiple teams,” began Lowdon. “I think it was seven or eight teams between the two of them, and championship-winning teams, as well. Red Bull. Mercedes. So what we’re getting with that driver lineup was not just two very fast drivers who know how to drive the car, and also they know how to give instant technical feedback, which is really important, we’re developing this product together, but they also knew how to gel the mechanics together. The engineers. And that comes from experience of not just one team, but multiple teams, and that’s really, really important, I think.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“And then also, it is important to surround yourself with the best people that you can possibly find, and then you encourage them to push and to challenge you and we look for that in a driver as well.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">From where Lowdon sits, both Pérez and Bottas still have the “fire in the belly” despite that experience.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“They’ve got fire still. There’s fire in the belly and they’re enthusiastic, which again, is very important. And they wanna push and they wanna develop, but they don’t wanna push too hard, because again, we’re a very young team and if we get that calculation out of sync, then it can cause more problems than you would want. So, with Valtteri and Checo, right from the first shakedown, I was just super happy with their feedback, how they’ve encouraged everyone in the team, how they’ve pushed for better performance, but pushed at the right level and I couldn’t talk more highly of them Mark,” added Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Those two are not the only experienced hands Cadillac added as drivers. The team selected Zhou Guanyu as its reserve driver, someone Lowdon knows well. The Cadillac boss formerly served as the driver’s agent, until Lowdon moved into this role.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The Cadillac team principal outlined how his experience was also “important” for the new team, but also declared he would not hesitate for a second before putting him in one of the cars.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Yeah, really important. He’s our reserve driver. I would have no qualms putting him in a race car because I’ve seen how fast he can be,” said Lowdon. “He was Valtteri’s teammate at Sauber, so we have direct comparison there. He’s a driver who should be on the grid, in any case, in my view. I think he brings a lot to Formula One, and he’s a very, very rapid, race car driver.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The one difference between the three drivers, was that Zhou did not have the experience of driving for multiple teams.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“For our selection, the one thing he didn’t have was that multiple team angle that I spoke of before. He’s very experienced in Formula One, especially as a reserve. There aren’t many reserve drivers who’ve done three years of racing at their absolute sharpest in Formula One,” added Lowdon. “But he hadn’t had that experience of working at lots and lots of different teams, which gives the other two that edge in terms of what we need in building the team and in building the team we’re making the car go faster and, and so on and so forth.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“He plays an active part in all the engineering meetings, and he has a contribution to say, and he has that very recent experience, as well, and also it’s a pleasure to have him in the team, as well, he’s a really nice guy.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“In fact, you can be nice and fast, and all three of our drivers, I think fit that bill.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">There is a fourth driver to consider, one that fans here in the United States know well.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Colton Herta, the team’s test and development driver.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Herta carved a name for himself in IndyCar, and has been linked with a move to F1 for years. The first time he came close to such a move was during 2021, when he was tapped for a move to F1 with Alfa Romeo. But those negotiations between Sauber and Andretti Autosport failed to reach a conclusion.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">McLaren then signed him as a reserve for 2022, until the Red Bull family came calling, with an interest in signing him to potentially drive for the junior team (then Alpha Tauri, now Visa Cash App Racing Bulls). But with Herta shy of the requisite points on his FIA Super License — and the FIA unwilling to grant an exemption — that bid also fell short.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But now his F1 journey has been given new life, as he has signed on with Cadillac as a test driver while also competing in F2 for Hitech, with Cadillac’s backing. Ahead of our discussion, the team confirmed that Herta would be participating in four different Free Practice 1 (FP1) sessions with Cadillac during the F1 season, and he could secure the points he needs for the FIA Super License this year through his finish in F2 alone, or combined with those four FP1 sessions. Drivers can secure a point for an FP1 session provided they complete at least 100 kilometers during the practice session.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I asked Lowdon what the team is hoping to see from Herta both in F2, and in those four practice sessions.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“He’ll do four FP1 sessions for the team, and it’s a great opportunity for him to get to grips with some Formula One machinery, get used to working with the engineers,” started Lowdon. “It is a huge step, Formula One, in terms of the engineering structure.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“You go from pretty much having one race engineer and performance engineer in F2 to literally F1 teams of over 1000 people. So you get that experience, so there we just want to see him gain that experience and develop and play his part as well. The FP1s are part of the competition of Formula One as well, so we will look for something back there as well.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Lowdon then turned to F2, and noted that what the young driver is attempting there is evidence that he truly is a “proper racing driver.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“In terms of Formula Two, I take my hat off to Colton,” Lowdon started.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I think he’s done something that some drivers shy away from, which is, he’s bet on himself, and I love that. That’s what a proper racing driver does. When it was first mentioned that he might be doing Formula Two, somebody said, ‘[w]ell, you know, I’m not sure if he wants to do that, for a reputation point of view,’ and I thought, ‘if that’s the case, he’s not a race driver.’</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“But he does want to do it, and I really love that kind of, ‘I wanna do this because I wanna learn the tracks, I wanna learn the tires, I wanna learn how the Grand Prix weekend works.’ Because he does want to be in Formula One, and that’s what a racer would do,” stated Lowdon. “And you could see from the reaction he got from other drivers on the grid, at the Grand Prix, drivers on the grid who’ve raced with him before in junior Formula and the like, they appreciated that as well, and that meant something to them.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h2 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The Miami Grand Prix and looking ahead</h2></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">As our time drew to a close, the conversation turned to this weekend.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">After a long layoff — due to F1 canceling both the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to the ongoing conflict in Iran — F1 returns this week with the Miami Grand Prix. While I will not be heading there for the first time in a few years, Cadillac will be heading to South Beach.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">For their first home race.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I asked Lowdon about that, and about the team bringing an upgrade package to the Miami Grand Prix.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">”We can’t wait, is the honest answer,” Lowdon said.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Miami, it’s such a cool place to go. The circuit is so innovative, running around the NFL stadium there, everything is just super cool, in Miami, so it’s great for us to be there. It’s great for it to be the first home race for the team. We know ourselves already that there’s a real growing fan base, and it’s fantastic for us to see that, it really is. We said from the start, we want to offer something a bit different,” continued Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The Cadillac boss then walked me through what they are trying to accomplish with a growing fan base here in the United States.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“This is a team that is headquartered in the U.S. We’re investing in these fantastic new facilities up in Indianapolis, which will be the team’s headquarters, and so this is an opportunity for us to really get to know the fans in the U.S. a lot more, as well. And even last year when I was traveling to races, it really took me by surprise how often I got stopped on the street because I was wearing a Cadillac shield on my shirt, and just so many fans were expressing, actually thanks, in some way that that people have put this team together, and in a lot of instances, new fans, new to the sport,” described Lowdon.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“And I just thought, you know, it’s exactly what we wanted to do. Throw our doors open to diehard race fans, new fans, come and follow this journey that Cadillac is on, because it ain’t gonna happen again, and you can be part of it as well. And so that’s kind of the approach that we’re trying to do. A lot of fan-friendly things in Miami, it’s a cool place to do that as well, we’ve got a lot of guests coming as well, and our ownership, so, yeah, everyone, everyone’s looking forward to it.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Lowdon then addressed the upgrades the team is bringing to Hard Rock Stadium.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“To answer the final bit of your question, yes, we’re bringing some upgrades. Because, in terms of targets for this year, it’s super difficult to put any kind of target on anything other than what we can target, which is constant improvement. And so this upgrade package is one of the first steps on that, and we want to show the fans that we’re closing in to the next team in front, and then keep going, and keep aiming for the next one in front, and just keep going. And the improvement is what I think we should be measured on.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Our conversation ended with one final question.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">What would make 2026 a success story for Cadillac? Would it be improvement? Points? Dare we say a podium result?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">”All of the above would be fantastic, but I think realistically, the most important thing, and it’s the one that’s within our control, is constant improvement.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Every single day we come in here and ask the question: What can we do today to make this team better?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“And everyone in our growing team is saying the same, and it’s not easy to communicate how difficult it is to do this, because the fans quite rightly see two cars on the grid, and kind of everything else looks easy, and it’s not, it’s so difficult, and just being there is not enough,” continued Lowdon. “We have to just constantly improve, and that’s really where we’re gonna grind and focus on what we can do, constantly improve, and then hopefully at some stage look up and, you know, and if we’re in the mix, then that means that we’re going forward, and as I said before, hopefully bring in a lot of fans along with us for the journey.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">That journey continues this week for Cadillac.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This time in front of their home fans in Miami.</p></div></div> #Cadillacs #historic #launch #hits #milestone #Miami #Grand #Prix

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Narendra Modi inaugurates six BCCI indoor academies across North-East India <div id="content-body-70916690" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated six indoor training academies across the North-East states, marking a significant development for cricketing infrastructure in the region.</p><p>Developed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the academies are located in Rangpo (Sikkim), Doimukh (Arunachal Pradesh), Imphal (Manipur), Madankurklang (Meghalaya), Aizawl (Mizoram), and Dimapur (Nagaland).</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Six academies. One vision. </p><p>Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> inaugurates BCCI Indoor Cricket Academies across the North-East, expanding access to high-quality training and opportunity.</p><p>The ceremony was attended by ICC Chairman and former BCCI Secretary Mr Jay Shah… <a href="https://t.co/EI6yxtRnz5">pic.twitter.com/EI6yxtRnz5</a></p>— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/2049079912695476652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p>“This is a major boost, and the cricketers from the region will benefit immensely as training will continue throughout the year, giving players the consistency they need to develop their game. I am confident that this will pave the way for more players from the North-East to progress to the highest levels of the game,” BCCI secretary Devjit Saikia said.</p><p>The inauguration ceremony was also attended by International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah.</p><p>The academies comprise high-performance centres, indoor practice pitches, high-tech gymnasiums, temperature-controlled swimming pools, and dedicated administrative and training blocks.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 28, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Narendra #Modi #inaugurates #BCCI #indoor #academies #NorthEast #India

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Deadspin | Alex Cora to Red Sox fans: ‘Boston, we will miss you’ Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday. “Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote. “Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out. “With respect and love, AC” Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17. While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner. After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title. However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season. Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021. After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees. Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10. Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #BostonFeb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday.

“Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote.

“Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out.

“With respect and love, AC”

Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17.

While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner.


After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title.

However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season.

Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021.

After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees.

Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10.

Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #Boston">Deadspin | Alex Cora to Red Sox fans: ‘Boston, we will miss you’ Feb 22, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) looks on during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Fired Red Sox manager Alex Cora sent a short farewell note to Boston via social media on Tuesday. “Boston, we will miss you,” he wrote. “Gracias for making us part of you. #RedSoxNation, you are the [heart emoji] of that team, keep believing, you really care and that’s what pushes everyone in the @RedSox to give it all day in and day out. “With respect and love, AC” Team officials dismissed Cora and five of coaches on Saturday after the Red Sox staggered out of the gate to start the season at 10-17. While Cora’s firing has been met with some support among fans, posts on social media show they largely place the blame for the team’s woes on management, especially owner John Henry and Craig Breslow, the chief baseball owner. After serving as bench coach for the 2017 world champion Houston Astros, Cora was hired as manager in Boston in 2018. He led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 victories and a World Series title. However, after the 2019 campaign, Cora was implicated in an MLB investigation involving sign-stealing by the Astros. MLB undertook an investigation into the Red Sox practices, but Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to separate before the 2020 season. Cora, 50, was suspended for the 2020 season for his role in Houston, but returned to Boston as manager in 2021. After missing the playoffs from 2022-24, the Red Sox returned last season, but lost a American League wild-card series to the New York Yankees. Cora posted an eight-year regular-season record of 619-541 and postseason mark of 18-10. Chad Tracy has been elevated from manager at Triple-A Worcester to serve as interim manager of the Red Sox. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Alex #Cora #Red #Sox #fans #Boston

There is still a ton of moving and shaking to take place over the weeks ahead, but for now, we have a decent idea of what the top rosters in college basketball are going to look like heading into the 2026-27 season.

Here are the 25 best … at the moment:

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Assuming Rueben Chinyelu opts to spurn the NBA and return to school for one more year, Florida will return the same frontcourt that won a national title two seasons ago and earned a No. 1 seed in 2025. Bringing back point guard Boogie Fland — whose emergence in the second half of the season took the Gators from disappointment to legitimate national title contender — and reserve guard Urban Klavzar is enormous as well. Extremely capable two guard Denzel Aberdeen is also back after a season at Kentucky, but he’ll need a waiver to play in 2026-27.

With or without Aberdeen, this is the best roster in college basketball at this point in the offseason, and that seems unlikely to change between now and early November.

2. Illinois Fighting Illini

2025-26 Finish: Final Four

Outside of star freshman guard Keaton Wagler, virtually every key contributor will be back from an Illinois team that took the program to its first Final Four since 2005. The addition of Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks should help alleviate the losses of Wagler and fellow guard Kylan Boswell. If Brad Underwood doesn’t bring in a transfer portal (or European) point guard, the big question for this team will be whether or not incoming freshman Quintin Coleman is good enough to replace Wagler and run the show.

2025-26 Finish: Elite Eight

The last two pursuits of national championships have ended just about as painfully as possible for the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer and company figure to be right back in the mix in 2027. Duke will return four of its top six scorers from last year’s No. 1 overall seed, while also adding top-rated Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski and five-star freshmen Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard.

2025-26 Finish: National Champions

The reigning national champs have a very real chance to go back-to-back thanks in large part to the returns of top five scorers Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. That core will join forces with an exciting transfer portal class headlined by J.P. Estrella (Tennssee), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and Jalen Reed (LSU). Dusty May is also bringing in a loaded freshman class highlighted by five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr.

2025-26 Finish: National Runners-Up

Losing Solo Ball for the year due to wrist surgery is an enormous blow, but it’s one at least partially tempered by the announced returns of Silas Demary, NCAA Tournament hero Braylon Mullins, and Jayden Ross. Transfer portal additions Nikolas Khamenia (Duke), Najai Hines (Seton Hall) and Oskar Giltay (Stanford) should help offset the losses of Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.

This ranking is assuming that both Billy Richmond and Meleek Thomas eventually choose to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Fayetteville. If that happens, John Calipari should have his most lethal Razorback team to date, even without departing stars Darius Acuff, Nick Pringle, Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox. Incoming freshman Jordan Smith should be up to the task of assuming the star freshman guard role left behind by Acuff, and he’ll get help from Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was one of the best pure scorers in the SEC last season.

2025-26 Finish: Final Four

The returns of Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov are big, but Tommy Lloyd’s vaunted frontcourt took a huge hit with the losses of Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka. Replacing star freshman Brayden Burries and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley are no small tasks either. Bringing in transfer portal guards Derek Dixon (North Carolina) and JJ Mandaquit (Washington), as well as top-five recruit Caleb Holt should shore up the perimeter, but the Wildcats could still use another capable body inside. At this point, the safe play is trusting Lloyd to make it work and have a squad that’s right back in the national title mix next winter.

2025-26 Finish: Elite Eight

Tennessee loses all five of its starters from a team that played in a third straight regional final, but Rick Barnes has gone out and landed transfer portal pieces that could give him his most offensively gifted squad in Knoxville to date. Tyler Lundblade (Belmont), Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) are all established bucket-getters. The big question here is whether or not Barnes can get the group to play the same level of defense that UT fans have grown accustomed to seeing.

9. Michigan State Spartans

Roster retention remains the name of the game for Tom Izzo in this brave, new college basketball world. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. figures to be a preseason All-American, and returning forward Coen Carr will continue to be the sport’s pre-eminent human highlight reel. Fellow returnees Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Cam Ward will all have to up their production for this team to be a legitimate national title contender. The addition of Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke and the return of senior forward Kaleb Glenn from injury should also provide a nice boost.

A lot of people are going to take a “believe it when I see it” approach to Texas receiving a preseason top 10 ranking, but on paper, Sean Miller has put together an absolute squad this spring. David Punch (TCU) and Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) were two of the best available players in the transfer portal, and pairing them with returning big man Matas Vokietaitis should form a lethal core. Mikey Lewis (Vanderbilt) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) were both underrated adds, and if incoming freshman Austin Goosby is as good as advertised, there’s no reason for this Texas team to finish outside the top three or four in the SEC.

Until Kelvin Sampson gives us a reason to doubt his ability to reload and continue to produce top 10 (or just outside the top 10) caliber teams, we should all probably just assume it’s going to continue to happen. Getting Joseph Tugler back was huge, and there are reasons. to believe that Sampson will be able to get more out of fellow returnees Mercy Miller and Chase McCarty next season. Incoming transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load in his first season as a Cougar.

Iowa State is another “trust the guy who has been getting it done for several years in a row” situation. T.J. Otzelberger loses stars Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, but does return his next three leading scorers in Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman. Otzelberger will have to find untapped potential from multiple members of his under-the-radar portal class of Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Tre Singleton (Northwestern) and Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) in order to compete with the best of the best in the Big 12.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Pat Kelsey has once again made a push for the title of “portal king” after landing a loaded class highlighted by Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Karter Knox (Arkansas), Alvoro Folgueiras (Iowa) and De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton). The return of guard Adrian Wooley, who came on late last season when star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. was sidelined with a back injury, hasn’t received as much national attention but could prove to be just as crucial when it comes to Louisville’s chances of making its first NCAA Tournament second weekend since 2015.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

The Cavaliers are the rarest of rarities these days: A program that nearly a month into the offseason has not lost a player to the transfer portal or added a player from it. That will likely change in the weeks ahead, as UVA has to find some bodies to replace the five players who graduated from last year’s team. Still, a returning core of First Team All-ACC performer Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, Johann Gunloh and Elijah Gertrude is enough to justify a top 15 ranking at this juncture.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Assuming Braden Huff gets back to full strength after recovering from the knee injury that cut his 2025-26 season short by three months, the Zags should be the team to beat in the first year of the new Pac-12. Mark Few has brought in a couple of nice transfer portal pieces, but could use a really big fish to solidify his squad’s status as a potential top-tier national title contender.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

In his first season as a head coach, Jai Lucas proved he has what it takes to be one of the next big coaching stars in this sport. After taking Miami from seven wins in 2024-25 to 26 wins and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26, Lucas now has the pieces needed to accomplish even more in year two. Shelton Henderson, Dante Allen and Marcus Allen are all back and will be bolstered by a very good portal class that features Villanova point guard transfer Acaden Lewis as well as DeSean Goode (Robert Morris) and Somto Cyril (Georgia).

17. St. John’s Red Storm

Rick Pitino made sure to immediately land the point guard he was missing last season when he signed Quinn Ellis, a British professional who has spent the last couple of years serving as a floor general in the EuroLeague. He also brings back Ian Jackson and brings in talented Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, who has the type of untapped potential that could thrive under the drive demanded by Pitino.

As long as Adel Holloway is permitted to return to the team once his legal troubles are cleared up, Nate Oats should once again have one of the better squads in the SEC. There are some very legitimate questions outside of Holloway’s future, but the pieces from the portal — headlined by Boise State defector Drew Fielder — are plentiful enough to trust Oats to make the most of what he has.

2025-26 Finish: First Round

This is shaping up to be a “prove-it” season for Dennis Gates. Thankfully, he has the pieces to do just that. Bryson Tiller (Kansas), Jamier Jones (Providence) and Jaylen Carey (Tennessee) are an extremely formidable transfer portal trio. They’ll team up with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, one headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant.

2025-26 Finish: First Round

What was widely referred to as “the most anticipated season in BYU basketball history” wound up being something of a disappointment, as A.J. Dybantsa (despite being as good as advertised) and company lost 12 times and failed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Young will try to accomplish more without the likely No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, and has the chance to it thanks to the return of point guard Rob Wright and the additions of a deep portal class as well as five-star freshman Bruce Branch III.

With the stigma of “only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game” now gone forever, Fred Hoiberg can now shift his focus to building a consistent contender in Lincoln. The return of All-Big Ten performer Pryce Sandfort and conference Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager as well as the addition of a solid portal class should give Hoiberg the opportunity to do just that in 2026-27.

22. Vanderbilt Commodores

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

The Commodores are here under the assumption that star guard Tyler Tanner will return to Nashville for the 2026-27 season. If Tanner keeps his name in the NBA Draft, you can go ahead and knock Mark Byington’s team out of these rankings. Even if that happens, expect Byington to prove once again that he’s one of the next big coaching stars in this sport by getting absolute most out of the roster he has.

2025-26 Finish: No Postseason

Darian DeVries didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his first year in Bloomington, but his offseason transfer portal haul has ignited some renewed faith that he could wind up being the long-awaited savior of Indiana basketball. Aiden Sherrell (Alabama), Samet Yigitoglu (SMU), Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke) and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech) give the Hoosiers one of the three or four best portal classes in the country.

2025-26 Finish: Second Round

Mick Cronin is once again all-in on the transfer portal and has brought in a solid group fronted by Sergej Macura (Mississippi State), Filip Jovic (Auburn), Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech) and Stink Robinson (Butler). If Cronin can reel in Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou, you can go ahead and bump the Bruins up a few sports on this list.

2025-26 Finish: No Postseason

Eric Musselman’s first two seasons in Los Angeles have been wildly disappointing, but there are reasons to believe year three will be better. Alijah Arenas is back, as are primary contributors Rodney Rice and Jacob Cofie. Portal additions KJ Lewis (Georgetown), Eric Reibe (UConn) and Jalen Cox (Colgate) are all talented, and don’t figure to bring any of the chemistry issues that Chad Baker-Mazara brought with him from Auburn last season. Toss in a trio of top 25 incoming freshmen, and there will be no excuse if Musselman once again fails to get USC into the field of 68.

26. Saint Louis Billikens
27. Purdue Boilermakers
28. Ohio State Buckeyes
29. Texas A&M Aggies
30. Kansas Jayhawks
31. North Carolina Tar Heels
32. Iowa Hawkeyes
33. Providence Friars
34. Xavier Musketeers
35. Arizona State Sun Devils

#Mens #college #basketball #top #rankings #transfer #portal #closed">Men’s college basketball top 25 rankings for 2026-27 with transfer portal closed There is still a ton of moving and shaking to take place over the weeks ahead, but for now, we have a decent idea of what the top rosters in college basketball are going to look like heading into the 2026-27 season.Here are the 25 best … at the moment:2025-26 Finish: Second RoundAssuming Rueben Chinyelu opts to spurn the NBA and return to school for one more year, Florida will return the same frontcourt that won a national title two seasons ago and earned a No. 1 seed in 2025. Bringing back point guard Boogie Fland — whose emergence in the second half of the season took the Gators from disappointment to legitimate national title contender — and reserve guard Urban Klavzar is enormous as well. Extremely capable two guard Denzel Aberdeen is also back after a season at Kentucky, but he’ll need a waiver to play in 2026-27.With or without Aberdeen, this is the best roster in college basketball at this point in the offseason, and that seems unlikely to change between now and early November.2. Illinois Fighting Illini 2025-26 Finish: Final FourOutside of star freshman guard Keaton Wagler, virtually every key contributor will be back from an Illinois team that took the program to its first Final Four since 2005. The addition of Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks should help alleviate the losses of Wagler and fellow guard Kylan Boswell. If Brad Underwood doesn’t bring in a transfer portal (or European) point guard, the big question for this team will be whether or not incoming freshman Quintin Coleman is good enough to replace Wagler and run the show.2025-26 Finish: Elite EightThe last two pursuits of national championships have ended just about as painfully as possible for the Blue Devils, but Jon Scheyer and company figure to be right back in the mix in 2027. Duke will return four of its top six scorers from last year’s No. 1 overall seed, while also adding top-rated Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell, Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski and five-star freshmen Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr. and Bryson Howard.2025-26 Finish: National ChampionsThe reigning national champs have a very real chance to go back-to-back thanks in large part to the returns of top five scorers Morez Johnson Jr., Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney. That core will join forces with an exciting transfer portal class headlined by J.P. Estrella (Tennssee), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and Jalen Reed (LSU). Dusty May is also bringing in a loaded freshman class highlighted by five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr.2025-26 Finish: National Runners-UpLosing Solo Ball for the year due to wrist surgery is an enormous blow, but it’s one at least partially tempered by the announced returns of Silas Demary, NCAA Tournament hero Braylon Mullins, and Jayden Ross. Transfer portal additions Nikolas Khamenia (Duke), Najai Hines (Seton Hall) and Oskar Giltay (Stanford) should help offset the losses of Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.This ranking is assuming that both Billy Richmond and Meleek Thomas eventually choose to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Fayetteville. If that happens, John Calipari should have his most lethal Razorback team to date, even without departing stars Darius Acuff, Nick Pringle, Trevon Brazile and Karter Knox. Incoming freshman Jordan Smith should be up to the task of assuming the star freshman guard role left behind by Acuff, and he’ll get help from Georgia transfer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who was one of the best pure scorers in the SEC last season.2025-26 Finish: Final FourThe returns of Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov are big, but Tommy Lloyd’s vaunted frontcourt took a huge hit with the losses of Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka. Replacing star freshman Brayden Burries and Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley are no small tasks either. Bringing in transfer portal guards Derek Dixon (North Carolina) and JJ Mandaquit (Washington), as well as top-five recruit Caleb Holt should shore up the perimeter, but the Wildcats could still use another capable body inside. At this point, the safe play is trusting Lloyd to make it work and have a squad that’s right back in the national title mix next winter.2025-26 Finish: Elite EightTennessee loses all five of its starters from a team that played in a third straight regional final, but Rick Barnes has gone out and landed transfer portal pieces that could give him his most offensively gifted squad in Knoxville to date. Tyler Lundblade (Belmont), Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame) and Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU) are all established bucket-getters. The big question here is whether or not Barnes can get the group to play the same level of defense that UT fans have grown accustomed to seeing.9. Michigan State Spartans Roster retention remains the name of the game for Tom Izzo in this brave, new college basketball world. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. figures to be a preseason All-American, and returning forward Coen Carr will continue to be the sport’s pre-eminent human highlight reel. Fellow returnees Kur Teng, Jordan Scott and Cam Ward will all have to up their production for this team to be a legitimate national title contender. The addition of Charlotte transfer Anton Bonke and the return of senior forward Kaleb Glenn from injury should also provide a nice boost.A lot of people are going to take a “believe it when I see it” approach to Texas receiving a preseason top 10 ranking, but on paper, Sean Miller has put together an absolute squad this spring. David Punch (TCU) and Isaiah Johnson (Colorado) were two of the best available players in the transfer portal, and pairing them with returning big man Matas Vokietaitis should form a lethal core. Mikey Lewis (Vanderbilt) and Elyjah Freeman (Auburn) were both underrated adds, and if incoming freshman Austin Goosby is as good as advertised, there’s no reason for this Texas team to finish outside the top three or four in the SEC.Until Kelvin Sampson gives us a reason to doubt his ability to reload and continue to produce top 10 (or just outside the top 10) caliber teams, we should all probably just assume it’s going to continue to happen. Getting Joseph Tugler back was huge, and there are reasons. to believe that Sampson will be able to get more out of fellow returnees Mercy Miller and Chase McCarty next season. Incoming transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. (LSU) will be asked to shoulder much of the scoring load in his first season as a Cougar.Iowa State is another “trust the guy who has been getting it done for several years in a row” situation. T.J. Otzelberger loses stars Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic, but does return his next three leading scorers in Killyan Toure, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman. Otzelberger will have to find untapped potential from multiple members of his under-the-radar portal class of Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Leon Bond III (Northern Iowa), Tre Singleton (Northwestern) and Ryan Prather Jr. (Robert Morris) in order to compete with the best of the best in the Big 12.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundPat Kelsey has once again made a push for the title of “portal king” after landing a loaded class highlighted by Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Karter Knox (Arkansas), Alvoro Folgueiras (Iowa) and De’Shayne Montgomery (Dayton). The return of guard Adrian Wooley, who came on late last season when star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. was sidelined with a back injury, hasn’t received as much national attention but could prove to be just as crucial when it comes to Louisville’s chances of making its first NCAA Tournament second weekend since 2015.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundThe Cavaliers are the rarest of rarities these days: A program that nearly a month into the offseason has not lost a player to the transfer portal or added a player from it. That will likely change in the weeks ahead, as UVA has to find some bodies to replace the five players who graduated from last year’s team. Still, a returning core of First Team All-ACC performer Thijs De Ridder, Sam Lewis, Chance Mallory, Johann Gunloh and Elijah Gertrude is enough to justify a top 15 ranking at this juncture.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundAssuming Braden Huff gets back to full strength after recovering from the knee injury that cut his 2025-26 season short by three months, the Zags should be the team to beat in the first year of the new Pac-12. Mark Few has brought in a couple of nice transfer portal pieces, but could use a really big fish to solidify his squad’s status as a potential top-tier national title contender.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundIn his first season as a head coach, Jai Lucas proved he has what it takes to be one of the next big coaching stars in this sport. After taking Miami from seven wins in 2024-25 to 26 wins and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26, Lucas now has the pieces needed to accomplish even more in year two. Shelton Henderson, Dante Allen and Marcus Allen are all back and will be bolstered by a very good portal class that features Villanova point guard transfer Acaden Lewis as well as DeSean Goode (Robert Morris) and Somto Cyril (Georgia).17. St. John’s Red StormRick Pitino made sure to immediately land the point guard he was missing last season when he signed Quinn Ellis, a British professional who has spent the last couple of years serving as a floor general in the EuroLeague. He also brings back Ian Jackson and brings in talented Syracuse transfer Donnie Freeman, who has the type of untapped potential that could thrive under the drive demanded by Pitino.As long as Adel Holloway is permitted to return to the team once his legal troubles are cleared up, Nate Oats should once again have one of the better squads in the SEC. There are some very legitimate questions outside of Holloway’s future, but the pieces from the portal — headlined by Boise State defector Drew Fielder — are plentiful enough to trust Oats to make the most of what he has.2025-26 Finish: First RoundThis is shaping up to be a “prove-it” season for Dennis Gates. Thankfully, he has the pieces to do just that. Bryson Tiller (Kansas), Jamier Jones (Providence) and Jaylen Carey (Tennessee) are an extremely formidable transfer portal trio. They’ll team up with one of the nation’s best recruiting classes, one headlined by McDonald’s All-Americans Jason Crowe Jr. and Toni Bryant.2025-26 Finish: First RoundWhat was widely referred to as “the most anticipated season in BYU basketball history” wound up being something of a disappointment, as A.J. Dybantsa (despite being as good as advertised) and company lost 12 times and failed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. Kevin Young will try to accomplish more without the likely No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, and has the chance to it thanks to the return of point guard Rob Wright and the additions of a deep portal class as well as five-star freshman Bruce Branch III.With the stigma of “only power conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game” now gone forever, Fred Hoiberg can now shift his focus to building a consistent contender in Lincoln. The return of All-Big Ten performer Pryce Sandfort and conference Sixth Man of the Year Braden Frager as well as the addition of a solid portal class should give Hoiberg the opportunity to do just that in 2026-27.22. Vanderbilt Commodores 2025-26 Finish: Second RoundThe Commodores are here under the assumption that star guard Tyler Tanner will return to Nashville for the 2026-27 season. If Tanner keeps his name in the NBA Draft, you can go ahead and knock Mark Byington’s team out of these rankings. Even if that happens, expect Byington to prove once again that he’s one of the next big coaching stars in this sport by getting absolute most out of the roster he has.2025-26 Finish: No PostseasonDarian DeVries didn’t exactly set the world on fire in his first year in Bloomington, but his offseason transfer portal haul has ignited some renewed faith that he could wind up being the long-awaited savior of Indiana basketball. Aiden Sherrell (Alabama), Samet Yigitoglu (SMU), Markus Burton (Notre Dame), Darren Harris (Duke) and Jaeden Mustaf (Georgia Tech) give the Hoosiers one of the three or four best portal classes in the country.2025-26 Finish: Second RoundMick Cronin is once again all-in on the transfer portal and has brought in a solid group fronted by Sergej Macura (Mississippi State), Filip Jovic (Auburn), Jaylen Petty (Texas Tech) and Stink Robinson (Butler). If Cronin can reel in Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou, you can go ahead and bump the Bruins up a few sports on this list.2025-26 Finish: No PostseasonEric Musselman’s first two seasons in Los Angeles have been wildly disappointing, but there are reasons to believe year three will be better. Alijah Arenas is back, as are primary contributors Rodney Rice and Jacob Cofie. Portal additions KJ Lewis (Georgetown), Eric Reibe (UConn) and Jalen Cox (Colgate) are all talented, and don’t figure to bring any of the chemistry issues that Chad Baker-Mazara brought with him from Auburn last season. Toss in a trio of top 25 incoming freshmen, and there will be no excuse if Musselman once again fails to get USC into the field of 68.26. Saint Louis Billikens27. Purdue Boilermakers28. Ohio State Buckeyes29. Texas A&M Aggies30. Kansas Jayhawks31. North Carolina Tar Heels32. Iowa Hawkeyes33. Providence Friars34. Xavier Musketeers35. Arizona State Sun Devils #Mens #college #basketball #top #rankings #transfer #portal #closed

Asian Games 4x400m relay gold-winning quarter-miler V.K. Vismaya has been handed two-year suspension by the NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, nearly two years after she tested positive for a banned substance.

Vismaya, who was a part of the Indian women’s quartet that won gold in 4x400m relay in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, was provisionally suspended by the NADA in 2024 after her urine sample was found to contain Clomiphene, which comes under the hormone and metabolic modulators category, and is prohibited at all times.

Her sample was collected at her home at Perumbavur, near Kochi, in an out-of-competition test on August 15, 2024 and the NADA had informed the athlete about her dope flunk the following month.

She had later claimed that she had submitted Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) during dope sample collection.

Clomiphene is a non-steroidal medication used clinically to induce ovulation in women, and the 29-year-old Vismaya said she had taken it as a fertility drug. She had said she was prescribed the medication by her doctor for a “legitimate medical purpose — pregnancy treatment” and it had nothing to do with her performance.

But the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) in an order passed last month handed her two-year ban effective from October 29, 2024, meaning she will complete her ban period in six months. The ADDP decision was published by the NADA only recently.

Meanwhile, sprinter N. Shanmuga Srinivas has been handed four-year ban by the ADDP from February 6, 2025 for “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection”.

Srinivas is reportedly one of the two athletes who were helped by the former junior national athletics coach N. Ramesh to evade dope tests at the SAI Hyderabad Centre.

Ramesh was initially handed provisional suspension. But, the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the NADA lifted the suspension on him last month.

Published on Apr 28, 2026

#Quartermiler #Vismaya #receives #year #suspension #NADA #panel">Quarter-miler Vismaya receives two year suspension from NADA panel Asian Games 4x400m relay gold-winning quarter-miler V.K. Vismaya has been handed two-year suspension by the NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, nearly two years after she tested positive for a banned substance.Vismaya, who was a part of the Indian women’s quartet that won gold in 4x400m relay in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, was provisionally suspended by the NADA in 2024 after her urine sample was found to contain Clomiphene, which comes under the hormone and metabolic modulators category, and is prohibited at all times.Her sample was collected at her home at Perumbavur, near Kochi, in an out-of-competition test on August 15, 2024 and the NADA had informed the athlete about her dope flunk the following month.She had later claimed that she had submitted Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) during dope sample collection.Clomiphene is a non-steroidal medication used clinically to induce ovulation in women, and the 29-year-old Vismaya said she had taken it as a fertility drug. She had said she was prescribed the medication by her doctor for a “legitimate medical purpose — pregnancy treatment” and it had nothing to do with her performance.But the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) in an order passed last month handed her two-year ban effective from October 29, 2024, meaning she will complete her ban period in six months. The ADDP decision was published by the NADA only recently.Meanwhile, sprinter N. Shanmuga Srinivas has been handed four-year ban by the ADDP from February 6, 2025 for “Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to Sample Collection”.Srinivas is reportedly one of the two athletes who were helped by the former junior national athletics coach N. Ramesh to evade dope tests at the SAI Hyderabad Centre.Ramesh was initially handed provisional suspension. But, the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel of the NADA lifted the suspension on him last month.Published on Apr 28, 2026 #Quartermiler #Vismaya #receives #year #suspension #NADA #panel

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