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Sony acquires broadcasting rights for Asian Games 2026 in India  Sony Pictures Networks India has secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19-October 4.As per the deal, the continental showpiece will be telecast on Sony Sports Network channels and streamed on Sony LIV across India and the subcontinent. This will be the third consecutive time that the broadcasting giant will show the Asian Games in India.“India’s historic performance at the last edition, where the nation crossed the 100-medal milestone  (India won 107 medals) for the first time, has ignited unprecedented interest in multi-sport events,” Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head – Sports and International, SPNI said in a release.The Asian Games, one of the biggest multi-sport events globally, will feature 41 disciplines, including 32 Olympic sports, with new additions such as mixed martial arts and surfing.It is scheduled to take place at the Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya in Japan between September 19 to October 4.Published on Apr 21, 2026  #Sony #acquires #broadcasting #rights #Asian #Games #India

Sony acquires broadcasting rights for Asian Games 2026 in India

Sony Pictures Networks India has secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19-October 4.

As per the deal, the continental showpiece will be telecast on Sony Sports Network channels and streamed on Sony LIV across India and the subcontinent. This will be the third consecutive time that the broadcasting giant will show the Asian Games in India.

“India’s historic performance at the last edition, where the nation crossed the 100-medal milestone (India won 107 medals) for the first time, has ignited unprecedented interest in multi-sport events,” Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head – Sports and International, SPNI said in a release.

The Asian Games, one of the biggest multi-sport events globally, will feature 41 disciplines, including 32 Olympic sports, with new additions such as mixed martial arts and surfing.

It is scheduled to take place at the Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya in Japan between September 19 to October 4.

Published on Apr 21, 2026

#Sony #acquires #broadcasting #rights #Asian #Games #India

Sony Pictures Networks India has secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19-October 4.

As per the deal, the continental showpiece will be telecast on Sony Sports Network channels and streamed on Sony LIV across India and the subcontinent. This will be the third consecutive time that the broadcasting giant will show the Asian Games in India.

“India’s historic performance at the last edition, where the nation crossed the 100-medal milestone (India won 107 medals) for the first time, has ignited unprecedented interest in multi-sport events,” Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head – Sports and International, SPNI said in a release.

The Asian Games, one of the biggest multi-sport events globally, will feature 41 disciplines, including 32 Olympic sports, with new additions such as mixed martial arts and surfing.

It is scheduled to take place at the Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya in Japan between September 19 to October 4.

Published on Apr 21, 2026

Source link
#Sony #acquires #broadcasting #rights #Asian #Games #India

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Deadspin | Dodgers belt 5 homers, escape Colorado with split <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28774425.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28774425.jpg" alt="MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) rounds the bases on a solo home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Max Muncy homered twice and finished with four hits, Dalton Rushing also went deep twice, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 12-3 in Denver on Monday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Miguel Rojas homered and singled twice to reach 1,000 career hits, Santiago Espinal had two hits and Shohei Ohtani had a hit and two walks to extend his on-base streak to 52 games, one behind Shawn Green for second on the club’s all-time list since the move to Los Angeles.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski (3-0) allowed one run on eight hits in seven innings. He struck out three without walking a batter.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>TJ Rumfield homered, Jordan Beck had three hits and Willi Castro and Brett Sullivan each singled twice for Colorado.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Rumfield entered the game in the bottom of the first when Tyler Freeman left with an illness.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The teams split the four-game series as the Dodgers’ snapped their first two-game losing streak of the season.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>The Rockies took a 1-0 lead when Beck and Brenton Doyle opened the first with consecutive doubles, but Los Angeles jumped on top in the second when Muncy and Rojas hit back-to-back homers.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>The Dodgers padded the lead in the third. Ohtani and Alex Call hit singles, Ohtani scored on an error by third baseman Kyle Karros, and Call came home on a double play. Los Angeles made it 5-1 in the fourth when Colorado starter Jose Quintana balked with the bases loaded, bringing home Muncy.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Muncy and Rojas began the sixth with singles to chase Quintana, and Muncy eventually scored when Tanner Gordon walked Call with three aboard.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Quintana (0-2) allowed six runs — four earned — on eight hits in five-plus innings. He walked one and fanned one.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Los Angeles added a run in the seventh when Gordon misplayed Rojas’ sacrifice bunt for Colorado’s third error of the game. Two more scored in the eighth on Rushing’s home run and an RBI single by Teoscar Hernandez.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Rumfield homered in the eighth and Muncy led off the ninth with his second of the game and eighth of the season. Rushing hit a two-run homer later in the ninth, his seventh of the year.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Dodgers #belt #homers #escape #Colorado #split

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Deadspin | CJ McCollum, Hawks rally late, even series vs. Knicks <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28775044.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28775044.jpg" alt="NBA: Playoffs-Atlanta Hawks at New York Knicks" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) during the fourth quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>CJ McCollum scored six of his game-high 32 points in the final two-plus minutes Monday night for the visiting Atlanta Hawks, who stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the last five minutes to stun the New York Knicks 107-106 in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round series.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The Hawks ended on a 15-6 run to even the best-of-seven series at a game apiece. Game 3 of the best-of-seven set is scheduled for Thursday night in Atlanta.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The Hawks, whose only lead before their concluding surge was at 36-35, trailed by as many as 14 points in the third quarter. Atlanta fell behind 100-92 when Jalen Brunson hit a floater with 5:26 left.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The teams traded empty possessions before Atlanta scored on its next three possessions to pull within 100-99 on Jalen Johnson’s layup with 3:25 remaining. McCollum drove past Brunson for the go-ahead layup with 2:08 left.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>New York’s OG Anunoby missed two free throws and McCollum hit a short jumper, after which Brunson sank a 3-pointer to tie the score at 103-103. McCollum committed a turnover and Brunson missed a mid-range jumper before McCollum put the Hawks ahead for good with a fadeaway jumper from the left baseline with 33.5 seconds left.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>Nickeil Alexander-Walker blocked Brunson’s shot and fed Johnson for a dunk to put the Hawks up 107-103 with 10.2 seconds left. Following a timeout, Brunson hit a 3-pointer that circled around the rim and went in, after which McCollum was fouled by Hart but missed both free throws.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>The Knicks had a timeout left, but they pushed the ball up the court and Hart dished to Mikal Bridges, who missed a 12-foot attempt for the win from the left wing as time expired.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The Hawks shot 72.2% (13-for-18) in the fourth while the Knicks shot just 22.7% (5-for-22).</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Jonathan Kuminga had 19 points off the bench for the Hawks while Johnson (17 points) and Onyeka Okongwu (15 points) also got into double figures.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Brunson scored 29 points for the Knicks. Hart recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds while Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points. Anunoby finished with 14 points, and Mitchell Robinson scored 13 points off the bench. Bridges added 10 points.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #McCollum #Hawks #rally #late #series #Knicks

The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.

Before the sport goes on a mandated hiatus, in place to help the teams and drivers reset ahead of the final push to the end of the schedule — and the holiday season sprint to the next season — the grid heads to the Hungaroring for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.

Aston Martin’s upgrades

It has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.

The year began with questions over whether Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would even participate in the Australian Grand Prix, as power unit vibrations were too intense for the drivers to handle over a race distance. The team used that race as a glorified testing session, with Alonso completing just 21 laps and Stroll 43, after several pit stops.

But while other teams brought regular upgrades throughout the season to date, Aston Martin circled the Hungarian Grand Prix for a massive upgrade package, one they hope will pull the team up from the back of the grid.

Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.

”The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis,” said Newey to the official F1 channel.

“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”

As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?

They simply want to be able to race again.

“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.

“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”

Can George Russell bounce back?

This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.

When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.

While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.

Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.

Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:

Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.

“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.

The calm before the storm

The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.

But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.

As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.

One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.

Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.

As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.

We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines">Aston Martin’s upgrades lead F1 Hungarian Grand Prix storylines  The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.Before the sport goes on a mandated hiatus, in place to help the teams and drivers reset ahead of the final push to the end of the schedule — and the holiday season sprint to the next season — the grid heads to the Hungaroring for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.Aston Martin’s upgradesIt has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.The year began with questions over whether Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would even participate in the Australian Grand Prix, as power unit vibrations were too intense for the drivers to handle over a race distance. The team used that race as a glorified testing session, with Alonso completing just 21 laps and Stroll 43, after several pit stops.But while other teams brought regular upgrades throughout the season to date, Aston Martin circled the Hungarian Grand Prix for a massive upgrade package, one they hope will pull the team up from the back of the grid.Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.”The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis,” said Newey to the official F1 channel.“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?They simply want to be able to race again.“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”Can George Russell bounce back?This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.The calm before the stormThe August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!  #Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines

said Newey to the official F1 channel.

“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”

As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?

They simply want to be able to race again.

“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.

“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”

Can George Russell bounce back?

This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.

When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.

While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.

Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.

Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:

Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.

“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.

The calm before the storm

The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.

But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.

As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.

One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.

Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.

As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.

We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines">Aston Martin’s upgrades lead F1 Hungarian Grand Prix storylines

The Formula 1 grid will roar to life one final time this weekend, ahead of the annual August shutdown.

Before the sport goes on a mandated hiatus, in place to help the teams and drivers reset ahead of the final push to the end of the schedule — and the holiday season sprint to the next season — the grid heads to the Hungaroring for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

Here are the storylines we’re looking forward to this weekend.

Aston Martin’s upgrades

It has been, to put it bluntly, a dismal season for Aston Martin.

The year began with questions over whether Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso would even participate in the Australian Grand Prix, as power unit vibrations were too intense for the drivers to handle over a race distance. The team used that race as a glorified testing session, with Alonso completing just 21 laps and Stroll 43, after several pit stops.

But while other teams brought regular upgrades throughout the season to date, Aston Martin circled the Hungarian Grand Prix for a massive upgrade package, one they hope will pull the team up from the back of the grid.

Engineering wizard Adrian Newey outlined what the upgrade contains, including a focus on lowering the weight of the AMR26.

”The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis,” said Newey to the official F1 channel.

“The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We’ve developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it’s a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit.”

As far as the team’s expectations for the upgrade?

They simply want to be able to race again.

“For us, the most important is that we go back racing, because we have not over the last events – it was very difficult to keep up with the midfield,” said Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack. “Whatever it’s going to bring, I think going racing is most important for everyone.

“I think the period that we had with no upgrades for very long is now over, so it looks good for the future, and we are just all looking forward to Budapest and seeing what we have.”

Can George Russell bounce back?

This has absolutely, positively, not been the Summer of George.

When the 2026 F1 season began there were huge expectations at Mercedes, with good reason. The worst-kept secret in the paddock all last year was that the Silver Arrows would be on the front foot when the new regulations arrived, and with that belief came the idea that a Mercedes driver would be at the top of the standings when the dust settled.

While that has largely played out to form — Mercedes currently enjoys a 73-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship standings ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix — and it is a Mercedes driver atop the Drivers’ Standings, that is young Kimi Antonelli, and not the veteran George Russell despite those pre-season expectations.

Russell seemed to get back in the fight in recent weeks, thanks to a win at the Austrian Grand Prix and a P2 at the British Grand Prix, on a weekend where Antonelli finished outside of the points. But any momentum on Russell’s part was blunted under the harshest of conditions at the Belgian Grand Prix, when his race ended on the opening lap after contact with Lewis Hamilton at the Les Combes chicane.

Add in Antonelli’s win at Spa, and Russell now finds himself sitting third in the standings, 50 points behind Antonelli and five points behind former teammate Hamilton.

The Mercedes driver vowed to get back up following the Belgian Grand Prix:

Ferrari on the front foot in Hungary?

Lewis Hamilton’s win at the Spanish Grand Prix ignited thoughts of the seven-time champion making a charge of his own, and there is reason to believe that he and Ferrari could be on friendly footing at the Hungaroring.

Ferrari leadership believes that the SF26 is best suited to tracks like this weekend’s, where power and straight-line speed takes a backseat to the lower-speed corners like the grid will see at the Hungaroring. And McLaren boss Andrea Stella already tapped the Scuderia as the favorites ahead of the weekend.

“I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see the Ferrari being back to probably being the fastest car we see in the corners there. Extremely competitive,” Stella told Sky Sports F1.

Ferrari took a step forward at the Belgian Grand Prix as Charles Leclerc challenged Antonelli for the win before ultimately finishing second. That could bode well for the team at other tracks, but with the strength in the corners Ferrari has shown earlier this season, they might very well be the team to beat in Hungary.

The calm before the storm

The August shutdown gives the teams and drivers a chance to reset before the final push to the season-ending race at Yas Marina.

But it often marks the true kickoff to the driver transfer market.

As we discussed last week, rumors over Max Verstappen’s future at Red Bull remain the dominant talking point in the paddock, but there are several other teams and drivers wondering how the pieces will fit together for the 2027 F1 season.

One driver to watch is Esteban Ocon at Haas. He returns to Hungary, the site of his one Grand Prix victory in the sport, facing an uncertain future at Haas. While no decision has been made about his future with the team, Ocon has been outscored 18-3 by teammate Oliver Bearman this season.

Bearman’s position at Haas remains secure, given that any notion of a move to Ferrari is blocked for the moment by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. (Haas and Ferrari are technical partners, Bearman came through the Ferrari Driver Academy, and has long been pegged for a move to Ferrari in the future). But with Ocon lagging behind — and Bearman now more experienced — the team could look to a younger driver as a 2027 replacement. McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli has emerged as an option, having won the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 title a year ago, but with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri blocking his path in Papaya, a move could be possible.

As we highlighted last week, SB Nation has unveiled a brand-new F1 Feed, a place for race fans to talk about the sport all year long.

We’ll be putting more of an emphasis on the F1 Feed starting this week, with some big stuff planned for after the August shutdown. So get signed up and join in the fun!

#Aston #Martins #upgrades #lead #Hungarian #Grand #Prix #storylines

Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.

But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.

And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.

“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.

“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”

Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.

“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.

“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”

Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.

He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.

“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.

“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners.

Manpreet Singh chasing World Cup medal and LA Olympics podium finish before drawing curtains  Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners. Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Getty Images
                            

                            Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Getty Images
                                                    “But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.Published on Jul 24, 2026  #Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

“But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.

“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”

India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.

“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”

Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.

“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.

Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.

“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.

Published on Jul 24, 2026

#Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains">Manpreet Singh chasing World Cup medal and LA Olympics podium finish before drawing curtains  Talismanic Manpreet Singh has achieved plenty in his hockey journey, but the veteran midfielder still rues one missing trophy from his cabinet — a medal in the World Cup — a feat he wants to attain in the upcoming mega-event before drawing curtains to his illustrious career after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.To his credit, former captain Manpreet has two Olympic medals — back-to-back bronze in Tokyo and Paris — two Asian Games gold (2014 Incheon and 2022 Hangzhou) and a bronze (2018 Jakarta), besides multiple other titles.But one goal the 34-year-old star midfielder is still chasing is an Indian podium finish at the World Cup after 51 long years. India’s last medal at the World Cup was a gold at the 1975 edition.And Manpreet is confident of breaking that jinx in the upcoming edition to be jointly hosted by The Netherlands and Belgium from August 15 to 30. “An athlete never stops, personally I want to represent my country for the longest time and win as many medals as possible,” Manpreet told PTI.“We won back-to-back medals in Olympics, but a World Cup medal is still missing and I want to achieve that and fill that gap because the only World Cup medal we won was back in 1975.“I am pretty confident this time and I have belief in the team. The mindset we showed during last two Olympics to win medals, we have to approach the same way and we will go with the same mindset to win medal.”Manpreet very well knows he is standing at the fag end of his career, but he is backing his fitness to continue till the Los Angeles Olympics. “I have high expectations because an athlete’s lifespan is pretty short, you never know what your future will be, be it your 24 or 35, you never know when some injury happens, so you have to consider every tournament as your last tournament.“I don’t know what will happen after the World Cup but I will try to give my 100 per cent,” said Manpreet, who recently became the most-capped Indian hockey player surpassing the legendary Dilip Tirkey.“As an athlete my personal goal is to play till LA 2028, maintain my fitness and give my 100 per cent, never to give up.”Talking about India’s preparation for the World Cup, Manpreet said the Harmanpreet Singh-led side’s main focus would be on its defensive structure.He highlighted the strong and weak points of the Indian team.“We worked on our penalty corner conversions. Defence also improved, the easy goals we conceded in Rourkela was not there.“If you look at our strongest points, there are plenty of things. Penalty corner is one area, we have Harman, Sanjay and Amit Rohidas. Our attacking and PC defence is also good. We conceded very less goals from penalty corners. Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Getty Images
                            

                            Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet Singh wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.
                                                            | Photo Credit: 
                                Getty Images
                                                    “But the important thing is we have to keep our defence strong because if you miss while attacking, you need to fall back and defend and get opportunities again to score and I am confident whenever we get chances we can score goals.“There won’t be an easy matches. We need to keep our defence strong and not allow any easy goals. We will always have to be proactive in defence and need to maintain the tempo from start to finish.”India is placed in Pool D alongside England and Wales and a mouth-watering match against arch-rival Pakistan on August 19 awaits, but Manpreet is unfazed by the hype around the blockbuster clash.“We are approaching match by match. We are not thinking too much about Pakistan match, we are just focussed on doing our basics right.”Post LA 2028 Olympics, Manpreet wants to spent time with his family before foraying into coaching career.“Definitely, the time I have spent and experienced I have gathered in hockey, I would like to share with the next generation. This is in my mind but for that also I have to work and study hard. As a coach you need to be very patient but all these will come after LA,” he said.Manpreet is a big fan of football legends David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, a reason he opted for No.7 jersey while representing India.“When I was a kid I used to watch matches of Beckham and Ronaldo a lot, when Cristiano was in Manchester and David Beckham was there before him. I used to like their hairstyle, tattoos, their work ethic, fitness, especially Ronaldo’s never give-up attitude at the age of 41 which was visible in the recent World Cup,” he concluded.Published on Jul 24, 2026  #Manpreet #Singh #chasing #World #Cup #medal #Olympics #podium #finish #drawing #curtains

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