The weekend highlights: 14-15 May

Formula One: Mad Max: Verstappen enters the history books

There can’t be many 18 year olds who are enjoying life as much as Max Verstappen right now. Days after joining Red Bull from sister-team Toro Rosso, the Dutchman held off the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel to take the chequered flag at the Spanish Grand Prix. Verstappen’s victory broke multiple records, including becoming the youngest driver to win a Grand Prix – a feat which is unlikely to be beaten – and the first Dutch driver to stand on top of the podium. Earlier in the weekend Lewis Hamilton questioned Red Bull’s decision to promote Verstappen – question well and truly answered.

Yet without Hamilton’s first-lap ‘coming together’ with team-mate Nico Rosberg (when have we heard that before?), which forced both drivers to retire, it is unlikely Verstappen would have finished higher than third. Moreover, fellow Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo was left aggrieved after his chances were jeopardised by the team’s decision to put him on a slower three-stop strategy – another intriguing sub-plot in an entertaining race. But we shouldn’t let this cloud an incredible achievement. To compete in a Formula One race at 18 is unbelievable, let alone winning the thing. Max, we salute you.

Rugby Union: Saracens soar to top of European tree

If Sunday belonged to Verstappen, then Saturday belonged to Saracens. The Aviva Premiership club won their first European Champions Cup as they overcame French side Racing 92 to win 21-9. Sarries’ victory was extra-special as it saw them become the first team in the tournament’s history to win all nine games – evidence of the competitiveness of European club rugby.

This was a familiar sight on Saturday Image: Wikipedia/Clément Bucco-Lechat

In a match played in difficult conditions and dominated by penalties, England fly-half Owen Farrell needed to be on his game. As he has done countless times for his country, Farrell delivered, sending seven kicks between the posts. Yet it was a game of contrasting fortunes for the two number 10’s on the pitch. All Black legend Dan Carter lined-up opposite Farrell, but was unable to take-on the kicking duties due to a knee injury and was substituted shortly after half time. Saracens won’t care one bit and can now look forward to next weekend’s Premiership semi final against Leicester, where they continue their quest for a league and cup double.

Football: Old Trafford on red alert

Half an hour before Manchester United’s final home match of the season against Bournemouth, everything was normal; as the clock ticked over to 3pm, half of the stadium had been evacuated. The cause was a ‘suspect package’ found in one of the toilets, with bomb disposal squads called in to carry out a controlled explosion of the object. Although the package was eventually found to be a fake device left by a recent security drill, it was reassuring for everyone to see the stadium cleared so efficiently and, importantly, with minimal panic.

Gallows humour is a speciality of football fans and there was plenty flying around in the aftermath. A popular quip was that the incident was the most exciting thing to happen at Old Trafford all season, thanks to the consistently uninspiring performances of Louis Van Gaal’s side. The match has been rescheduled for Tuesday night, which is neither ideal for a United side preparing for an FA Cup final on Saturday, nor the Bournemouth fans who have to make the considerable trip north twice in three days. Considering the potential outcome if the package had been real, these are very small indeed.

Murray serves slice of birthday revenge

Will Andy get his hands on another one of these in Paris? Image: Wikipedia/Christopher Johnson

It was a very happy 29th birthday for Andy Murray, as the world number two celebrated the way he knows best – by winning a tennis match. Murray’s 6-3 6-3 win over Novak Djokovic was extra-special for a number of reasons: not only was it his first Italian Open title and just the second time he had beaten Djokovic in 14 attempts, but it occurred only a week after he lost to the same man in the Madrid Open final.

The eyes of the tennis world now turn to another European country, with the French Open beginning this weekend. As ever, Murray and Djokovic will be among the favourites, but the former has even more reasons to be optimistic than usual. Sunday was the first time he had beaten Djokovic on clay – a surface that Murray has become more and more comfortable on over the last year. It remains to be seen whether the Brit can do the almost-impossible and beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam – if he can, then he will be in pole position to take the title.