To say West Indies were put to the sword might sound cliche, but that is exactly what transpired on day one of their second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Much like West Indies batsmen had no response to Gus Atkinson's precision in the first Test at Lord's, the Caribbean side's bowlers did little to slow England's batting onslaught on this occasion, though it was not for a lack of trying. This, as several chances were squandered in the field, and England rode their wave of fortune to post a daunting 416 all out.
Ollie Pope, who was dropped twice on 46 and 54 by Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze, plundered 121 from 165 deliveries. His knock, which had 15 boundaries and a solitary six, was backed by Ben Duckett's 59-ball 71 and captain Ben Stokes, who made 69.
Alzarri Joseph got three for 98, as Kavem Hodge (2-44), Jayden Seales (2-90), and Kevin Sinclair (2-73), a late addition for Gudakesh Motie, who woke up feeling ill, picked up the other wickets.
With the batsmen having done their part, the England bowlers will be basking in the prospects of possibly ending this contest within three days and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Scores: England 416 all out (88.3 overs)
After winning the toss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was optimistic of an improved bowling performance, and he would have relished his decision when Alzarri Joseph removed Zak Crawley with the third ball of the innings. However, Pope and Duckett pelted the boundary in a 105-run second wicket stand, but that was eventually broken when Shamar Joseph had the latter caught by Holder, who took four catches in total.
Joe Root (14) and Harry Brook (36) had brief stays in the middle, but Stokes and Pope added a further 80 runs for the fifth wicket to keep West Indies pinned against the proverbial ropes.
Pope was inevitably removed by Alzarri Joseph with England at 281-5, while Stokes' entertaining knock was ended by Kavem Hodge.
Jamie Smith (36) and Chris Woakes (37) chipped in with quickfire scores too, with Shoaib Bashir's dismissal in the final over of play bookending a fantastic first day for England.
Data Debrief: Speedy Duckett into the history books
Duckett needed just 32 deliveries to reach a half-century, as he kept up a pace mostly seen in T20Is.
It is the third-quickest 50 for England in their Test history, with Duckett drawing level with Ian Botham's effort against New Zealand in 1986.
Jonny Bairstow is second on that list (30 v New Zealand in 2022), with the legendary Botham leading the way (28 v India in 1981).
President of the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations, Drumeco Archer, has hit out at the Bahamas Olympic Committee’s decision to deny Lacarthea Cooper a chance to compete at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
Cooper, a student at New Mexico Junior College, was originally a part of the BAAA’s recommended list of athletes to go to Paris, according to Archer, but was removed by the BOC in favor of Shania Adderley.
The 20-year-old Cooper placed third in the 400m final at the Bahamian National Championships in Nassau on June 28 while Adderley, 16, finished fifth.
The rationale given by BOC President, Romell Knowles, at the team’s naming ceremony on Wednesday was that Adderley was a member of the country’s Mixed 4x400m relay team that qualified for the Olympics through the IAAF World Relays in May.
For Cooper, this is her second time being denied an opportunity to compete on the sport’s highest stage.
She finished third in the 200m at the Bahamian Championships back in 2021 but missed out on an Olympic berth due to COVID-19.
“Lacarthea, who is no stranger to our sport and who placed third at in the nationals, has demonstrated consistent excellence and was previously denied the opportunity to compete in the 2021 Olympics due to Covid-19,” Archer said in a statement on Thursday.
“Denying her a second opportunity, undeservedly, would be unfair and contrary to our selection principles. Despite our efforts to engage in discussions with the BOC and to seek common ground, decisions were made without our full agreement,” he added.
Cooper has since been invited to travel with the team but will not compete.
Cameron Norrie could not stand in Rafael Nadal's way as the former world number one stormed into the Bastad Open quarter-finals.
Nadal made light work of the Briton on Thursday, cruising to a 6-4 6-4 victory.
The 38-year-old, who skipped Wimbledon to prepare for the Olympics, will face fourth seed Mariano Navone in the last eight.
Speaking after his victory, Nadal said: "Great feelings. I've been a while without playing on the Tour, since Roland-Garros.
"To have the chance to compete well against a great player like Cameron is a great feeling. I think I played good tennis, in some moments I need to play a little bit more aggressive, but that is part of the journey today.
"I haven't been competing very often, so matches and victories like today help. To be in rhythm the whole match and hold the pressure on the opponent the whole match, that's something that I need to improve, because I didn't play enough."
Data Debrief: Nadal's Norrie dominance
That is now five victories for Nadal against Norrie in six career meetings. The Spaniard's only defeat to Norrie came at the United Cup in 2023.
Nadal has won those five matches without dropping a set in any of them.
Jamaican Fraser McConnell and driving partner Laia Sainz delivered a spectacular performance at the Hydro X Prix, securing a hotly contested second-place finish in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, during Round 4 of Extreme E on July 14th. This achievement followed their impressive second-place finish during the qualifying round on Saturday.
Opening the Round 4 Grand Final, E.ON Next Veloce’s Kevin Hansen stormed into an early lead ahead of ASXE’s Laia Sanz. Hansen built a lead of 10 seconds by the time the teams approached the Switch Zone. After the driver change, E.ON Next Veloce’s Molly Taylor set off with an advantage of 8.8 seconds as ASXE’s Fraser McConnell looked to close the gap heading into lap three.
Racing until the finish line, ASXE’s McConnell was all over the rear bumper of Taylor’s E.ON Next Veloce car in the closing moments but was unable to make the crucial move for the win, finishing just 0.65 seconds behind. The podium finish places McConnell and Sanz second in the championship table.
Opening the Grand Final, E.ON Next Veloce’s Kevin Hansen took an early lead, closely followed by ASXE’s Laia Sanz. RXR and Andretti Altawkilat were in pursuit, with Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Catie Munnings closely contesting the third spot.
Hansen built a commanding 10-second lead by the time the teams approached the Switch Zone. RXR suffered a puncture, allowing Catie Munnings in the Andretti Altawkilat ODYSSEY 21 to pass during the second lap, although Munnings picked up a time penalty for dropped flags.
After the driver change, E.ON Next Veloce’s Molly Taylor set off with an 8.8-second advantage as ASXE’s Fraser McConnell aimed to close the gap. Despite a valiant effort, McConnell was unable to overtake Taylor, who held on to secure a clean sweep for E.ON Next Veloce at the Hydro X Prix. Andretti Altawkilat claimed the final podium spot.
McConnell and Sanz’s consistent performance throughout the weekend has solidified their position as strong contenders in the championship, currently holding second place in the overall standings. This achievement highlights their skill and determination as they continue to compete at the highest level in Extreme E.
Charles Leclerc has said he is looking forward to working with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, something he described as an "incredible opportunity".
Hamilton will join the Italian team at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season, ending an 11-year stay with Mercedes where he has won six of his seven world titles.
The Brit's arrival at Ferrari will be Leclerc's third team-mate in what will be his seventh year with the team, following Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.
Leclerc is excited about the opportunity to work with the seven-time world champion, and insisted that Ferrari's move to sign Hamilton was not an indication that the Italian team are losing confidence in the 26-year-old.
"For me, it's an incredible opportunity," Leclerc told BBC Sport. "First, to learn from the most successful driver ever. And to prove myself as well against Lewis, who is a benchmark for everybody."
"Not at all, because Ferrari is Ferrari. And they need the best drivers in their cars. So, for the benefit of Ferrari, it is completely understandable.
"For me, I don't see any negative in that, because it's Lewis Hamilton."
Hamilton has history in his sights following his record-extending ninth win at Silverstone ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.
The 39-year-old is one podium away from becoming the first driver to reach 200 top-three finishes in the competition's history.
Leclerc said he still needs convincing that he is the faster driver compared to his incoming team-mate, saying he sees no weaknesses in Hamilton's driving despite the veteran campaigner having gone two full seasons without a win before his victory at the British Grand Prix.
"Well, I need to be convinced that I am the fastest driver when I put the helmet on, but I am really looking forward to it, and it will be super interesting for me," said Leclerc.
"I have always said you learn from every single team-mate you have over your career. When I look at the way he drives - because we always look at each other and data - you don't really see any weaknesses. And that's where Lewis is incredible. He's only got strengths.
"So I'm really looking forward to seeing how he works with his engineers, the feedback, and all of these kinds of things, to learn and become better."
Leclerc has endured a difficult time in recent races, failing to score points at Silverstone and the Austrian Grand Prix, as many times in his previous 59 finished races, which has seen him slip to third in the Drivers' Championship.
Should Ferrari score 26 points at this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, they will become the first team in history to reach the 10,000-point barrier in F1.
And despite Leclerc believes a return to the points is forthcoming under the guidance of team principal, Fred Vasseur.
"Fred has two very big strengths which are very important in F1 and especially in a team like Ferrari, where the passion is so high that in very good moments there are lots of emotions but there are also very big emotions whenever we are going through a tough time," said Leclerc.
"In F1, you need to be as flat emotionally as possible and Fred is always a little bit the balance.
"Whenever we have very difficult moments, he helps the team to be back at a reasonable level and not be too disappointed.
"And exactly the same when we win, to not be too high and bring us back down and tell everybody we've got to work because this is only one race."
Kevin Magnussen will leave Haas at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season, a statement confirmed on Thursday.
Magnussen's seven-year association with the team will come to its conclusion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December having enjoyed two spells with the US-based team.
The team's announcement does not confirm who will join Oliver Bearman on the grid next season, with departing Alpine driver Esteban Ocon the emerging frontrunner.
Magnussen has also held seats at McLaren and Renault, but for the bulk of his 175-race career, 135 of those have been with Haas.
The decision means Haas will have an all-new F1 line-up next year, with Magnussen's current team-mate Nico Hulkenberg moving to the Sauber team as it morphs into Audi in time for the German company's official F1 entry in 2026.
Magnussen raced for Haas from 2017 until 2020, and was re-signed before the 2022 season to replace Nikita Mazepin.
His best result for the team is fifth, which he has achieved on three occasions.
Magnussen's highest championship finish for them was in 2018, coming ninth and helping Haas to a best finish of fifth in the Constructors' Championship that year.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said: "Kevin has truly been a bedrock of our driver line-up over the years.
"Nobody's driven more races for us and we’ve had some memorable highlights together – not least a fifth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2022 when Kevin returned to start his second spell with the team.
"He wasn't expecting to be driving a Formula 1 car that weekend, but he put in a remarkable performance that was a tremendous boost to the entire organisation and once again showcased his own talents behind the wheel."
Magnussen currently sits in 16th place in the Drivers' Championship, with five points. His best result came in Austria, finishing in eighth place.
“I’m proud to have raced for such a great team of people these last few years," Magnussen said.
"In particular I'd like to thank [owner] Gene Haas for his commitment to me, notably in bringing me back once again in 2022 when I thought, at that time at least, my time in F1 had ended. I've enjoyed some great moments with this team – memories I'll never forget."
Robert MacIntyre is Scotland's big hope ahead of The Open, though his preparations were delayed somewhat.
That is after he went "absolutely wild" in the wake of his victory at the Scottish Open last weekend.
MacIntyre became the first Scot to win the Scottish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999.
It is also 25 years since a Scot last won The Open, with Paul Lawrie triumphing at Carnoustie on that occasion.
MacIntyre is being tipped as an outside bet to lift the Claret Jug, though the 27-year-old said it was nevertheless vital he and his team were able to celebrate his Scottish Open victory in style.
"I'm not a big drinker, but when you get moments like that, and you've got family and friends there that have backed you since you were a young kid, it was quite right to go absolutely wild," he said.
"We did a good job of that. After this week's over, I'll sit down with my team and we'll reflect on it and probably celebrate again because it was a lifetime goal."
Speaking of his approach to The Open, MacIntyre kept it typically low-key.
"I'm not going out there trying to win a golf tournament," he said.
"If you bogey the first, you're thinking the golf tournament is getting further away from you.
"The minute you think that, your emotions are all over the place. You lose all control of yourself. You lose thought process, touch, everything.
"We all start off from level par and I've got as much chance as everyone else in the field.
"It's just about getting in that position on Sunday and seeing where the cards fall. Hopefully I'll have a chance. That's all I want."
“The guys are ready to go.”
That is the declaration from West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, as his team targets a significantly improved batting performance in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
After being hammered by an innings and 114 runs in the opening contest at Lord’s last week, West Indies require a win to not only level the three-match series but, more importantly, to lift their spirits and hopes of pulling off a series win in England for the first time since 1988. Whether they will produce an efficient enough performance to achieve the feat is left to be seen.
The Caribbean side only managed scores of 121 and 136 across both innings, while England only required one innings for their match-winning 371.
Despite that, Brathwaite backed his inexperienced batting line-up to bounce back, as the past few days have harboured much talk about their famous comeback against Australia in Gabba earlier this year.
"Obviously, it is a young team, and playing any Test match would always be a challenge for anyone that’s young. We’ve been here for a number of weeks now, and what is gone is gone. The first defeat is gone, the preparation period is gone, and I think the guys are in very good spirits, and mentally, it’s very important to believe in yourself,” Brathwaite said during a pre-game conference.
“The guys are ready to go. It’s pretty simple what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to bat a lot better. Obviously, we’ve got to find a way, which we’ve had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team. We’ve just got to put runs on the board. It’s simple,” he added.
Brathwaite takes a break after a training session. (Getty Images)
With only debutant Mikyle Louis (27), Kavem Hodge (24) and Alick Athanaze (23), Jason Holder, and Gudakesh Motie (31) offering very little resistance in the first Test, Brathwaite believes the disappointment should serve as motivation for his team heading into the second encounter.
“We have a motivation – we’ve got to be better than the first Test. The batsmen have to obviously put runs on the board and that’s our focus. I think once we remain disciplined, session by session, build partnerships that will put us in a good position in the overall result of the game. A few guys did get in but didn’t go on,” Brathwaite reasoned.
He continued: “It’s just important that you go on for longer because the longer you bat, the easier it becomes, and it’s important to stay in that plan for as long as possible. Obviously, you want to put away bad balls – that’s what every batsman wants to do – but it’s that hard work you do for 40 minutes, being able to take that to an hour and two hours.
“It’s a mixture of putting away the bad balls because when you put away the bad balls, it gives you confidence, so we just have to keep learning. I think a lot of learning would’ve taken place in the first Test, and we just have to believe in our ability and do it for longer periods.”
While he has been scrutinised for failing to lead from the front at the top of the order, Brathwaite argued that his lean spell has little to do with his captaincy.
The Barbadian, who is the most experienced player in the team with 90 Tests under his belt, has only tallied a paltry 44 runs in his last six innings.
“I enjoy captaining, I enjoy leading. I’ve been opening my whole life, so when I go out there to bat, it’s always to see off that new ball and be there as long as I can—that’s always my focus. I don’t see it as any added pressure. Yes, at times you don’t get runs, and it can be a little bit tough, but it is important to stay mentally tough and keep believing,” Brathwaite ended.
Tommy Fleetwood tries not to think about his near misses at the majors, as he bids to put that frustration behind him by winning The Open.
Fleetwood has never won a major, but has finished in the top five in each of the four events.
Indeed, he was second at The Open in 2019, a year after he finished second at the U.S. Open.
Earlier this year, the 33-year-old placed T3 at The Masters, and ahead of taking to the course at Royal Troon on Thursday, Fleetwood said he attempts to ensure the past does not play on his mind.
"I try not to dwell on it too much," he said.
"I get frustrated like anybody else. I get down on myself like anybody else.
"I don't win anywhere near as much as I would like, and I'm probably not in a position in the game where I want to be, even though I'm doing perfectly well.
"It's not where I believe I can be, and the results don't always show that."
Fleetwood is one of four golfers to have finished inside the top 10 at each of the last two editions of The Open, along with Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young and last year's champion Brian Harman.
However, he is yet to win on the PGA Tour, though he does have seven European Tour titles to his name.
He added; "I try to focus on the positives and what I need to do to actually get to where I want to be or contend in tournaments and win tournaments.
"I try to focus on that every day, but yeah, to be sure, the game's annoying.
"Even when you play well, you come off frustrated because you might have missed a putt or you might have finished a shot or two behind where you thought you could."
Jamaica’s Ice Hockey team emerged victorious in the final match of the Challenger Series after beating a very strong Lebanon team 12-8 at the College Ice Arena in Toronto on Saturday evening.
In a pulsating match played before hundreds of cheering supporters, Jamaica took the early lead in the first period but fell behind after Lebanon scored three unanswered goals over the next 15 minutes of the first period. During the second of three 20-minute periods, Jamaica regrouped and fought back to take a 6-4 lead, before Lebanon pulled level at 6-6.
Buoyed by the enthusiastic support from the massive crowd, Jamaica asserted their authority on the contest to end the period at 9–6. With victory in sight at the start of the third and final period, the Jamaicans applied pressure on their Lebanese counterparts and extended their lead to 11-7 with four minutes left in the game.
Tight defensive work then ensured Jamaica added to their tally, though they also conceded another goal in the latter stages of the encounter. Reggie Millette and Givani Smith both scored a brace, while Maleek McGowan, Captain Taos Jordan, Amari Sellers, Tyler Drummond, Dante Sheriff, Avery Grant, Josh Mitton, and Marquis Grant-Mentis got the others.
The Challenger Series is a new tournament involving Puerto Rico, Lebanon, and Jamaica, who are all associate members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
The Challenger Series began in Chicago in April, continued in New York in June, and culminated in Toronto on Saturday. At the end of the second leg in New York, Jamaica was in pole position and, as such, earned the automatic right to the final by virtue of the accumulation of points over the first two legs.
Lebanon defeated Puerto Rico 9-3 in the playoff for a spot in the final.
Across the three legs, Jamaica won six of their nine matches and now has an overall tally of 22 matches since it started to play competitively in 2019. Their record currently stands at 16 wins and six losses, with over 100 goals to their tally.
Don Anderson, president of the Jamaica Olympic Ice Hockey Federation (JOIHF), said the Federation is now setting its sights on establishing an ice rink in Jamaica as well as building a strong local program that will facilitate the team playing in qualifying tournaments for the Olympics. He added that expert opinion is that this team could be highly ranked globally if it had the opportunity to play at the next level amongst countries with Ice Rinks.
Archie Gray is willing to play wherever Ange Postecoglou wants him to, after he featured at centre-back on his Tottenham debut.
Gray signed for Spurs at the start of July in a deal reportedly worth up to £40million.
The 18-year-old impressed in Leeds United's Championship campaign last season.
However, he had to settle for an unfamiliar role in defence, alongside another midfielder - Oliver Skipp - when Spurs played Hearts in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
Not that it negatively impacted the result, with Spurs cruising to a 5-1 victory; goals from Brennan Johnson, Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore and Djed Spence were added to by Lewis Neilson's own goal.
"Definitely [a good start], it was great to get a good feel of playing the ball and getting minutes in the legs," Gray said in a post-match interview with Spurs' social media channels.
"I wasn't expecting to play centre-back but I'm just grateful to come in and get the opportunity to play.
"I don't really care where I play, I'm 18 and need to learn the game. Anywhere he puts me, I'm happy to learn and have great team-mates around me to teach me."
"Just getting used to the simple things that my team-mates like on and off the pitch, trying to get to know them – today really helped," Gray continued.
"They're all brilliant, they've all helped me so much, especially Pedro today, he was really helpful. Everyone in training, too. Every single day, everyone's trying to help.
"I feel lucky to be watching the front players we've got – so many good players. I wouldn't say I'm lucky to play in this team, I've worked hard, but I'm excited for the next few games."
Gray's performance earned plaudits from his new manager.
Postecoglou said: "Archie did well. He and Skippy weren't expecting to be starting in the back four.
"It's about guys like Archie getting accustomed to how we play, how we train – he's an intelligent kid. I knew he'd cope okay.
"I thought he was really good, he did the things we know he can do well. He's adapting to the intensity and tempo."
Joshua Zirkzee feels privileged to have Dutch coaches during his first season at Manchester United, as he explained it is "special" to have Ruud van Nistelrooy offering a guiding hand.
Zirkzee joined Manchester United last week, signing for £35million (€42.5m) from Serie A club Bologna.
The 23-year-old Dutch international scored 11 league goals last season to propel Bologna into the Champions League.
And Zirkzee feels having compatriots like Erik ten Hag and, in particular, former United forward Van Nistelrooy in the coaching staff, can only be a benefit as he aims to adjust to life in the Premier League.
"Manchester United is a great, huge club so it's just an extra privilege and benefit for me," he said in an interview with the club's media channels.
"Having some Dutch people around obviously makes it a bit easier, [but] to be fair I'm an easygoing person, I'm not too difficult adapting.
"Obviously when I was younger, watching the Dutch national team, Manchester United, watching [Van Nistelrooy] play, he was one of the guys who you were pretending to be when you were out playing with friends.
"So having him out here is obviously a bit special, it's great."
Zirkzee is hoping to hit the ground running after impressing in Italy.
"Yeah, it's been a roller-coaster the past few weeks, but some very good experiences. I'm very happy to be here," Zirkzee said.
"Making a transfer to Manchester United is obviously something very positive, so yeah, I just can't wait to get started and continue what I basically did last season."
Zirkzee also offered a hint at what fans can expect to see from him.
He added: "As a young boy growing up, playing mostly with tougher, bigger guys who are older than you make you adapt, so I think that's something that you learn at a young age in Holland, especially where I grew up.
"[I'm a] creative player, good with the ball, I'm just a bit unpredictable at times."
Red Bull's internal issues may hit their Formula One team down the line, so says McLaren chief Zak Brown.
While Max Verstappen remains in control of the drivers' championship, and Red Bull lead the constructors' standings, their 2024 season has been far from ideal to date.
Red Bull remain in pole on the track, but there have been issues off it as team boss Christian Horner's future appears uncertain, while lead designer Adrian Newey is leaving.
Even if they are not caught this season, McLaren chief executive Brown feels the issues will eventually catch up with Red Bull if they do not find a resolution.
And while Red Bull have scored points in each of the last 55 races, with Verstappen having seven wins this season, it was Mercedes who triumphed at the Austrian Grand Prix and Silverstone in the past two races, leaving Horner's outfit short of momentum.
Ahead of this week's Hungarian Grand Prix, Brown said: "I think the turmoil will have more of a mid to longer-term impact.
"Adrian Newey... this car was done last year, what they are racing now was done when everything was fine.
"It's more 2026 when you've got a new engine coming, what's going on with the driver front? That's where you potentially are going to see the lack of stability that appears to be there maybe come through a little bit.
"Winning holds things together and as that becomes more of a challenge for them, that's where you might see some more fractures in various relationships inside that camp."
Brown's McLaren are enjoying a fine campaign. Lando Norris, with one race win under his belt and many other near misses, sits second to Verstappen in the standings, while the team are third in the constructors' championship, just seven points behind Ferrari.
Indeed, six drivers have already tasted victory in 2024, which is the most in a single F1 season since 2012 (eight).
And Brown feels next season will be an even more intriguing battle.
"I think next year could be an epic season, right? You could have four teams fighting for the championship," he said.
"It would be naive to rule out someone who's not in the top four right now, because we do see how quickly things can change.
"Everyone has very similar technology, so there's no reason why others can't do what we've done the last year."
This weekend's race will be the 39th edition of the Hungarian Grand Prix in F1. Since its appearance on the calendar in 1986, it is one of only four races that have been held each year without interruption, along with the British Grand Prix, Italian Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix.
DRIVERS TO WATCH
Max Verstappen - Red Bull
Verstappen has won the last two editions of this race, and the Dutchman is aiming to become only the second driver in F1 history to win three in a row at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after Lewis Hamilton between 2018 and 2020.
But the three-time reigning champion comes into the event after finishing fifth and second in his last two outings. He has not gone three successive races without a win since 2021 and on that occasion all three victories went to Mercedes, who have won the last two races.
Is that a bad omen for Red Bull?
Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
Hamilton celebrated his first victory since 2021 as he triumphed for Mercedes at Silverstone last time out.
The Hungarian Grand Prix has always been one of his favourite races and no driver has won it more times (eight), had more pole positions (nine), reached more podiums (11) and scored more points (271) than Hamilton at the circuit.
There is also a landmark in the offing.
Hamilton has been on the podium 199 times in his F1 career (49 with McLaren and 150 with Mercedes). His next top-three finish will see him become the first driver to finish on the podium 200 times.
And even if Hamilton does not get a front-row placing in qualifying, do not rule him out. The last three Hungarian Grand Prix winners have not started from pole position. If this trend is repeated in 2024, it will be the second time that the winner has not started from pole position in four consecutive editions at the Hungaroring (four between 2008 and 2011).
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 255
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 171
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 150
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) - 146
5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 124
Constructors
1. Red Bull - 373
2. Ferrari - 302
3. McLaren - 295
4. Mercedes - 221
5. Aston Martin - 68
Former England winger Darren Anderton believes the Three Lions would have won the Euros if Pep Guardiola had been in charge.
Following England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, the Football Association (FA) announced on Tuesday that Gareth Southgate had stepped down as manager.
Since then, a host of names have been linked with the vacant job, with Eddie Howe and Graham Potter among the reported frontrunners.
One of the others being linked with the position is Guardiola, who is going into the final year of his contract at Manchester City.
The Spaniard won an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title with the Citizens last season, though conceded at the end of the campaign he was "closer to leaving than staying".
Guardiola expressed an interest in managing a national team in the past, and Anderton, who represented the Three Lions at Euro 1996, is confident he would bring England success.
"I think the best way to address it is that if Pep managed this squad for this tournament, I think we would have won it, and we would have probably won it pretty comfortably," Anderton told Stats Perform.
Guardiola's long-time rival Jurgen Klopp has also been mooted as an option following his departure from Liverpool after nearly nine years at the club.
Klopp was approached by the United States after they sacked head coach Gregg Berhalter in the wake of a disappointing Copa America campaign, but the German rebuffed that offer as he continues his sabbatical.
However, Anderton thinks Klopp would be a great fit for England.
"We know what he's all about, he knows what English football's all about," Anderton said. "Successful, plays an exciting brand of football.
"I think he gets the best out of players. Players seem to love him, want to play for him. I think he would play a brand of football that we'd be excited by.
"He's another one that I could totally understand if he were to be offered it. I don't think you can go wrong at all, apart from just the non-English aspect."
Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman is another name in the mix, though she has already labelled the links as "inappropriate".
Wiegman led England's women to Euros glory in 2022, while also guiding them to their first-ever World Cup final, which they lost to Spain.
Despite the 54-year-old's success, Anderton admits he would be shocked if the FA chose to appoint her.
"I understand a name being thrown in. I just feel that that wouldn't work," Anderton added.
"Obviously, the two games are totally different. She has been incredibly successful, but I just can't see that happening.
"For me, that would obviously be a huge, huge shock, but she's obviously done an incredible job and has been a winner. But I feel for me that's something that I'd be really, really shocked by if it happened."
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