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• Shifting gears: Jamaican sensation Alex Powell gains traction in transition from karting to Formula 4
  Jamaica’s rising motorsport star, Alex Powell, continued his thrilling ascent through the racing ranks, as he recently captured his first victory in Formula 4 at the European 4 Championships in Monza, Italy.

   

  For the American-born driver, who has repeatedly demonstrated his immense potential on the karting circuits, the transition to Formula 4 has been both a learning curve and a major step up, but it’s one he’s fully embracing.

   

  Powell, 17, has been in the spotlight for some time, with his karting career marked by consistent performances that hinted at future greatness. Now, with his first Formula 4 win under his belt, Powell is starting to make waves in the highly competitive single-seater category, where precision, skill, and perseverance are critical. 

   

  Reflecting on this new chapter in his career, which started just over six weekends ago, Powell was candid about the challenges and triumphs of competing at a higher level.

   

  "Obviously, life in F4 is a lot different from life in karting. Karting was a very familiar atmosphere and a very familiar culture for so many years of my life. So, you know, after a while, it became more of a routine as opposed to learning something new. Although it was always moving into new categories, into higher categories; it was pretty much the same principle as opposed to now in F4 and generally single seaters, it's a very different approach, not only to the race weekend but also to everyday life," Powell told SportsMax.TV in a recent interview from his base in Italy.

   

  "Because you really have to take the initiative to know that you're now becoming a professional athlete. So essentially, you need to do things that a professional athlete would do, and it's a big switch, or it was, at least for me, to adapt from the karting sort of mentality to the new car mentality. That everyday life sort of difference took a while to get used to, but now it's obviously more natural to me...it's coming more naturally, and it's all positive now," the Mercedes AMG Petronas prodigy added.

   

  The jump from karting to Formula 4 is one that requires more than just talent. Powell has had to invest significant time in learning the technical intricacies of his car and how to communicate effectively with his engineers. The shift also demands a new level of fitness and mental focus. 

   

  "It's been a successful season at times, but also a very tough one at other times. I guess it just shows that at the end of the day, it's still motorsports, and it still gives you the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. So, yeah, adapting to the new car and to the new feel took a lot of hard work as well. Of course, knowing that you're going from one discipline of racing pretty much to a completely different one, it really was a lot of hard work to really understand it's still coming to me. I still have a few things to learn , especially during the race as well. So it's still all part of the learning process that I'm going through at the moment," Powell shared.

   

  The recent win for Powell was a breakthrough accomplishment that has only heightened his hunger for more.

   

   

  "Winning my first race was an amazing feeling because we finished on the podium multiple times, finishing second and third. So, it's something you work so hard for, and when it finally comes together, it’s almost unreal. But at the same time, it's a huge motivation going forward," Powell, whose father John Powell is a former rally driver, declared.

   

  "It shows that I can compete with the best, but there’s always more work to be done. Every race is a learning experience, and I want to keep building on this success, as it gives you that extra push to keep improving,” he noted.

   

  Behind Powell’s success is a relentless drive and dedication that have been his trademarks since his karting days. His routine, as it was then, includes long hours spent working closely with his team on data analysis, and staying disciplined with his physical training.

   

  “To be competitive in Formula 4, you need more than just raw talent. It’s about how much effort you’re willing to put in. There are no shortcuts. So I’m always trying to find that extra bit of performance, whether it’s improving my lap times or understanding the car better. It’s a continuous process of growth,” he stated.

   

  Despite the pressures of competing at such a high level, Powell remains grounded, thanks in part to the support of his family and fans. In fact, he has given very little thought about his future prospects, opting instead to focus on immediate challenges.

   

  "I'm not looking very far in the future solely because I find that it's common for the concentration to drift off a little bit if you find yourself thinking too much into the future. For me, at this current point in time, it's just focusing on what's coming up next as well as to put in the work, both mentally and physically," he affirmed. 

   

  "I think if I'm able to do that and apply the things that I want to apply and prepare well for every weekend, then the results will follow. But for me, what's most important is just to make sure that I'm really present, not results driven, more performance, and really looking on how I can improve myself in every area," Powell, a cousin to 100m sub-10 king Asafa Powell, ended.

   

   

   

   
• 'Cristiano is perfect' - Martinez plays down early Ronaldo substitution

  Roberto Martinez took Cristiano Ronaldo off just after the hour mark against Poland but assured he was only managing the 39-year-old's minutes.

  Ronaldo was on target for Portugal in their 3-1 win over Poland, doubling their tally after Bernardo Silva's opener.

  Piotr Zielinski provided the Selecao with a late scare, but Jan Bednarek's own goal ensured Portugal kept their 100% record, and they are the only team to win all three games so far in League A.

  The Portugal captain was replaced by Diogo Jota, who had a hand in their third goal, in the 63rd minute, having had three shots and accumulating 1.43 expected goals (xG).

  And Martinez insisted Ronaldo would have a part to play against Scotland as he praised the team's resilience to get the win over the line.

  "It's part of managing players when you have two games in 72 hours. Diogo Jota came on very well. Cristiano is perfect," Martinez said.

  "The first half was very good. We controlled the game, created opportunities, had very good synchronisation as a team, defended Poland's strengths very well and scored great goals.

  "I'm happy with the new players who came in, it seems they have several international caps.

  "Conceding a goal was a difficult moment, and it was great to see the reaction and score another goal. Overall, a very good performance.

  "The challenge is two away games. 72 hours, recovering well. The players showed all their commitment during training and work at the Football City."

  Martinez was also impressed by debutant Renato Veiga, who started alongside Ruben Dias at centre-back.

  The Chelsea defender made seven clearances, the most of any player on the team, and helped limit Robert Lewandowski to just two shots, neither of which were on target.

  "He has a very special profile. In his first training session, he showed that he gained maturity during the September training camp," Martinez added.

  "He is an aggressive player, with great communication skills, who can defend large spaces, play in the air, against a Poland side that is very strong in set pieces.

  "It was a fantastic debut. With a striker like Lewandowski, I think it is a debut that shows Renato's potential and how he is working at the moment."

• Carsley did not apply for full-time England job, wants 'no regrets'

  Lee Carsley revealed he did not formally apply to become the next England manager and wants "no regrets" over his time as interim boss.

  Gareth Southgate left his position as England manager following their Euro 2024 final defeat in July, with the Football Association (FA) turning to Carsley for the Nations League fixtures.

  He has won two of his three games so far, following up back-to-back wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland with a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley on Thursday.

  With the return trip against Finland in Helsinki next up for the Three Lions, Carsley admitted prior to the game that he did not apply for the job during the application process earlier this year.

  "No, I didn't apply for it," he told talkSPORT. "Because hopefully… I have been doing the U21s, and I am really happy with my job.

  "I am an employee of the FA, and I was asked to take the senior team, which is a privilege. It was the proudest moment of my career.

  "I am in a really fortunate position in that I am on the inside and I can see how much potential this team's got. It is one of the best jobs in world football.

  "There aren’t many jobs where you’ve got a chance of winning. I believe the coach that comes in has got a really good chance of winning, and we deserve the best one that's out there."

  Carsley was aiming to become the first England manager to win his first three competitive matches in charge since Fabio Capello in 2008, before Greece claimed their first-ever win over the Three Lions.

  The 50-year-old selected an experimental line-up against Greece, fielding five attacking players, but no recognised striker, leaving the side unbalanced,

  Harry Kane missed that game with a knock but is expected to return for the trip to Helsinki, having scored twice when they met them in September.

  There was widespread criticism of the team after the full-time whistle, but Carsley says he did not want to play it safe during his time as interim boss.

  "I think the reaction [to the loss against Greece] is fair enough. You have to respect people's opinions. We didn't perform as well as we can on the night, and I would expect a reaction [against Finland]," Carsley said in his press conference.

  "I think it's something that I'll look back on in maybe two or three months and, you know, be better for it.

  "I wanted to give this job my best shot for the three camps that we spoke about. I didn't want to have any regrets.

  "It's important we do try something different at times. I think I'll be a better coach for that."