Max Verstappen Photo: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD
Latest - Verstappen back on pole for home Dutch Grand Prix
Red Bull's Max Verstappen fired up his fans by seizing pole position at his home Dutch Formula One Grand Prix for the second year in a row with a storming final effort.
The runaway championship leader was joined on the front row by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, after qualifying at Zandvoort ended with Verstappen's Mexican team mate Sergio Perez crashing at the final corner.
The yellow warning flags prevented seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton making a last-gasp bid for pole in his Mercedes, and the Briton ended up in fourth place with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz in third.
The pole was Verstappen's fourth of the season and first since Austria in July, while the margin of 0.021 between the top two drivers made it the tightest qualifying battle of the season so far.
Verstappen will be chasing his 10th win of the season and fourth in a row on Sunday at a track where overtaking is not easy.
Leclerc, a massive 98 points behind Verstappen after 14 of 22 races, was fastest after the first flying laps of the third session, with Verstappen 0.059 slower and Hamilton third quickest.
The Ferrari driver went faster again with his second effort, a one minute 10.363, but Verstappen then put in a clinching 1:10.342 before Perez ended the session.
Leclerc said he made a mistake at turn 10 on his second lap and went very wide, losing more than a 10th compared to his previous effort.
- Reuters
Rennie continues to be frustrated by Australia's inconsistency
Australia coach Dave Rennie bemoaned the inconsistency of his side after they were well beaten 24-8 by South Africa in the Rugby Championship a week after putting the world champions to the sword.
Dave Rennie Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Wallabies have won tests this year against England, Argentina and South Africa but lost to the same team the following week every time, leaving them with a 3-4 record in seven tests on the season.
Their decent start to last week's game against the Springboks was a distant memory at the Sydney Football Stadium as the visitors bullied the Wallabies at the breakdown and shut down almost every attack.
"It was frustrating, we just couldn't get into the game. They certainly defended well, we just struggled to get any continuity, they strangled us pretty well," Rennie told reporters.
"We lost collisions early, which gave them momentum. We weren't good enough to turn any pressure into points. It felt like we didn't fire a shot."
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi thanked his team's supporters they recorded their first win down under since 2013, and their first victory in Sydney since 1993.
The All Blacks lead the Rugby Championship standings ahead of Australia in second, with the Springboks in third.
In a turbulent season for all teams contesting the four-nation championship - each side has won two and lost two games.
- Reuters
Norrie reaches fourth round for the first time
Auckland raised World No. 9 tennis star Cam Norrie defeated Danish youngster Holger Rune to reach the fourth round of the US Open for the first time.
Cam Norrie Photo: JULIAN FINNEY
New Zealand's Michael Venus and his German partner Tim Putz won their second round doubles match.
U.S. former President Barack Obama and tennis great Billie Jean King led the tributes to Serena Williams after her U.S. Open third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic on Friday, likely the final match of her sparkling career.
The 23-times singles Grand Slam champion's 7-5 6-7(4) 6-1 defeat sparked a flood of messages on social media, as current and former athletes across sport as well as the world at large celebrated her achievements of the last 25 years.
"Congratulations, Serena, for your heart, skill, intelligence, dedication, and grace," Obama wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "Few athletes have inspired more people both in and beyond their sport!"
Former first lady Michelle Obama, who had appeared with Williams at events for her "Let's Move!" campaign to promote physical activity for children while at the White House, offered her "congrats on an amazing career."
"How lucky were we to be able to watch a young girl from Compton grow up to become one of the greatest athletes of all time," she wrote on Twitter.
"I'm proud of you, my friend - and I can't wait to see the lives you continue to transform with your talents."
Former world number one King, who watched on from the stands on Friday, later tweeted that Williams would remain in the spotlight.
"Her incredible career made its mark on tennis history. And yet her greatest contributions may be yet to come. Thank you, @serenawilliams. Your journey continues," King said.
- Reuters
Ko in the running for a winning finish
New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko remains in contention after her stellar third round performance at the latest LPGA event in Ohio.
In a tightly packed leaderboard, Ko sits in in a seven-way tie for fourth, three shots behind leader 19-year-old American Lucy Li at the Dana Open.
Ko carded a seven-under-par in a round which included an outstanding seven birdies.
- RNZ
