- UN peacekeepers accuses Israel of firing on Lebanon HQ
- London's Frieze art fair goes potty for ceramics
- Southgate taking year out from coaching
- US, Europe stocks fall on US inflation data
- Zelensky meets Macron in Paris as part of European tour
- Hurricane Milton shreds Florida stadium roof
- UN probe accuses Israel of seeking to 'destroy' Gaza healthcare
- US consumer inflation eases to 2.4% in September
- England in sight of victory after Brook's triple hundred
- Juventus readmitted to ECA after failed Super League revolt
- World number 2 Alcaraz knocked out of Shanghai Masters by Machac
- Leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia meet amid regional tensions
- Klopp's Red Bull decision 'ruined life's work' say Dortmund fans
- Han Kang wins South Korea's first literature Nobel
- S. Korea's Nobel winner Han Kang a modest, thought-provoking writer
- Hurricane Milton tornadoes kill four in Florida amid rescue efforts
- The almost impossible job: Beating Rafael Nadal at the French Open
- New French government faces key test with budget plan
- Rescuers say Israeli strike on Gaza school kills 28
- Italy's ex-world champion gymnast Ferrari announces retirement
- Zelensky talks 'victory plan' in meeting with Starmer, Rutte
- South Korea's Han Kang wins literature Nobel
- Federer lauds retiring Nadal's 'incredible achievements'
- Ikea posts fall in annual sales after lowering prices
- Australia beat China 3-1 to resurrect World Cup campaign
- Stock markets diverge, oil gains after China rebounds
- Nadal defied injury woes in record-breaking career
- Nadal v Djokovic, French Open, 2006: Chapter One in epic rivalry
- World can't 'waste time' trading climate change blame: COP29 hosts
- Pakistan at 23-1 after Brook triple hundred takes England to 823-7
- Zelensky meets Starmer, Rutte on whirlwind tour of Europe
- South Korean same-sex couples make push for marriage equality
- Rafael Nadal calls time on epic tennis career
- Mumbai declares day of mourning for Indian industrialist Ratan Tata
- Philippines confronts China over South China Sea at ASEAN meet
- Kim Sei-young shoots 62 to take two-stroke lead at LPGA Shanghai
- The haircuts that help traumatised Ukrainian soldiers heal
- Sinner crushes Medvedev to set up potential Alcaraz Shanghai semi
- 7-Eleven owner restructures to fight takeover
- England's Harry Brook blasts triple century against Pakistan
- Chinese electric car companies cope with European tariffs
- Zelensky in London for whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US vote
- Sri Lanka recovering faster than expected: World Bank
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally as most markets track Wall St record
- Record-breaking Root, Brook both pass 200 as England pile up 658-3
- Football mourns Greek defender George Baldock's shock death at 31
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- Indonesia biomass drive threatens key forests: report
- Home is far away for Madagascar in AFCON qualifying
Imperious Verstappen impressed by Ferrari
Max Verstappen enjoyed an imperious opening day's practice for the season opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday, but admitted he was checking his mirrors for the much-improved Ferraris.
The world champion topped the times in the second floodlit session, but was only 0.087 seconds clear of second-placed rival Charles Leclerc in the leading Ferrari with team-mate Carlos Sainz third just behind him.
"It was very good and the car felt good," said the Dutchman.
"But you can see that Ferrari are pushing hard and they are very close so that's exciting as well.
"We will have to wait and see a little bit to know really, but tomorrow we will really see where we are. For me, it felt alright. We tried a few things on the car -- and everything seemed to work well -- so it was actually a straightforward and smooth day."
Verstappen wound up 1.2 seconds clear of former champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes who finished ninth after a day of battling against the 'porpoising' movements of his car.
He added that he was pleased to see Ferrari closer to the fight at the front.
"It’s good. I think that’s in general what everyone wants, right? The teams a bit closer together and I think over time they will only get closer, so that's good.
"But again, we have to wait and see tomorrow when everyone is turning their engines up fully to see how much is really in it.”
Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez was 10th and stressed that there was still work to do for the team in developing the potential of their new car, built for the return of 'ground effect' aerodynamics for the first time in 40 years.
"We’ve got some work to do overnight to find a better compromise with the set-up," he said.
"We tried some different settings across the cars, so I think we got good data to look at and hopefully pick up the best bits.
"It’s really close. So, I think even the race will be a lot closer, so it will be good racing all around. I think tomorrow we will have a good picture come Q3 – we will see where everyone is then.”
T.Ward--AMWN