Tabla de contenidos para Autumn 2025 en Pitch

Three dream dinner party guests, dead or alive? Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and Dolly Parton. What's your earliest sporting memory? My sister playing in the school football team with all the boys because she was better than them. Doesn't feel like a big deal now but was back in the ‘90s. Did you show any promise behind the wheel? I think I'm the fastest female ‘star’ around the Top Gear track. I was ninth just behind Tom Cruise. What is your favourite sporting moment? Scotland's opening match against Brazil in France ‘98, John Collins equalising from the penalty spot. Have you ever cried at sport? So many times. I'm so emotional – I remember crying when Chris Hoy won his sixth gold medal and just feeling so happy for him.…

A specialist craft mastered over 60 feet and six inches, Pitch takes a look at what matters most when stood on the mound, and it ain't all fireballs and gas. Here's our pick of baseball's most influential pitchers, for better or worse. MARK FIDRYCH 1976-1980 All flailing limbs and mop-top charm. ‘The Bird’ lit up his 1976 rookie season with a 2.34 earned run average (ERA) and 24 complete games. The idiosyncratic Major Leaguer's cult following at Tiger Stadium the highlight of a short career. SHOHEI OHTANI 2018-PRESENT Recording 219 strikeouts over 166 innings in 2022, with a 2.33 ERA – throwing his splitter 18 per cent of the time – ‘Shotime’ has a strikeout rate of 57.4 per cent making him the sport's only true all-rounder. CY YOUNG 1890-1911…

$100,000 The Grand Chess Tour visited Zagreb in 2025 with India's Gukesh Dommaraju outmanoeuvring Magnus Carlson to take home the tournament purse. Chessboards at Zagreb's Grandmaster Club are custom-made from local Marija Bistrica olive wood, reducing glare under tournament lighting. 5 The number of times RK Zagreb has reached the Champions Hockey League final, winning it twice in 1992 and 1993. 1874 saw Croatia's first athletics meet held in Zagreb – now the country's oldest organised sporting event the annual meeting honours Boris Hanžeković, a champion hurdler killed in WWII. 2023 WRC saw two spectators fighting on the track, and nearly cleared out by Elfyn Evans’ fast-approaching Toyota. Rally A regular World Rally Championship stage, Zagreb's historic country roads were first used for the sport in 1974. Luka Modrić joined…

Sport and jazz: two worlds, one improvisational heart. Be it on the court, pitch, field or the bandstand, it's often a willingness to improvise that is the difference between succeeding or not. Jazz is “the sound of surprise” – according to columnist Whitney Balliett, writing in The New Yorker – the genre finds its ability to change direction and cope with unlikely changes in its understanding that there is an expectation to do so. This, when allied to players’ ability to cope both creatively and musically, arguably affords it a freer form than any other musical discipline. The predictability of its unpredictability fuels its ability to sound free and fresh. This aligns particularly well with those individual sports stars that ‘transcend’ their sports. Often, team versions. Think Lionel Messi, think…

“I know the pressure that comes with wearing red. It's a huge responsibility, but it's also what makes Ferrari unique. You're not just racing for yourself, but for everyone who believes in the legend.” This from Lewis Hamilton. A seven-times world champion. A serial winner, no less. Implicit in it is that pressure is not occasional at Ferrari, it's constant. And that this pressure is binary and explicit. And because of it, some will rise, and some will fall quickly by the wayside. For not going quickly enough. In that, there is no other team in motorsport that bears such scrutiny, powered by near-unattainable expectation. And sustained by near limitless emotion. And that hasn't changed since 1947. It is said that founding father Enzo Ferrari's presence remains in every corner…

Regulation changes saw things shifted in 2014, this time focusing on the engines and the introduction of hybrid power units. Ferrari, as one of three engine makers, had the chance to return to F1's summit but instead they slipped further down the food chain. Mercedes emerged as the runaway champions as the Italians fell to fourth, suffering their first winless season since the pre-Schumacher years in 1993. The axe was swung. Domenicali was replaced and even Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo did not survive the embarrassment, handing in his resignation shortly before the team's home race at Monza. There was change in the driver department too. Räikkönen, having returned in 2014, was retained but Alonso left for McLaren. In his place, Ferrari yet again turned to a German, hoping…

Lewis Hamilton's fashion journey began unnoticed during his 2007 Formula 1 debut; him all team polos and sponsor caps. But by the 2010s this had shifted to a desire for personal self-expression, which saw Hamilton shed conformity, contractual or otherwise. His emerging signature look marrying luxurious tailoring with oversized streetwear, bold colours, and striking accessories. Think Valentino pinks, Tommy Hilfiger double-denim, and satin Louis Vuitton bombers. Now, his +44 label champions sustainability and inclusivity, collaborating with artists like Takashi Murakami and Hajime Sorayama. Whilst his partnership with Tommy Hilfiger went as far as reshaping F1 style in its blend of American prep and motorsport swagger. Where legends like James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, and Stirling Moss set early style benchmarks, Hamilton has since turned the raceway into a runway, of sorts.…

The nature-fuelled race series aiming to rival that of Formula 1. Pitch sent Kieran Longworth to the South Coast to see how this salt-sprayed spectacle stacks up. Many of the world's major coastal cities bid to host a leg of the Sail Grand Prix. On that list in 2025, Los Angeles, New York, and Sydney sit proudly alongside Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and… Portsmouth. Pompey might seem a little out of place in such company – far removed from the austere world of edible gold-leaf desserts – but competes toe to toe with the very best when it comes to entertainment. And this is showbiz after all. For further context, that statement is written within earshot of Tom Grennan, the Bedford-born singer is, as I write this, belting out “A Little…

ANDY AFFORD Writes about Ferrari, the brand, and their legacy at Le Mans. On page 30 and 68 respectively. ROSIE DEAN The petrol-head's true-to-life illustrations are magnificent. Reel them in from page 38. MILES MYERSCOUGH-HARRIS The photographer of the moment travels back to the future with his sporting frames. SAM BOWLES Our Creative Director, and the vision behind the cover. He thought, red. VAS KUCHUMOVA Illustrates Red Bull's newest sporting foray, from a disused train station in Manchester. PAUL SIMPSON Pens a definitive history of the Italian Grand Prix and an ode to sport in Cult Heroes. Pages 46 and 100. SAM COOPER Diagnoses La Scuderia's recent lean patch on track in Surviving the Storm, page 58. KATE KUSZTAL Pulls our picture-based back section together, and eyes up Lewis Hamilton's…

AFTERLIFE by Benee – Ariana Marrin-Cleal BURNING BLUE by Mariah the Scientist – Kate Kusztal SAILING by Rod Stewart – Kieran Longworth 9 by Drake – Dan Wilkinson LIFESTYLE by LISA – Vicky Silk WHERE THE WILD ROSES GROW by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds ft. Kylie Minogue – Sam Bowles BRAG by The Home Team “Brill vocals with the perfect backing track for good design.” – ROSIE DEAN F1® THE MOVIE Dir. Joseph Kosinski “A perfect intro into F1 for people who have zero idea of what's going on.” – VAS KUCHUMOVA…

One You've pulled off the mid-air move. Or something that felt like it. Now comes the important bit: getting off and sticking the landing. Safely. Two Knowing that dismounts are scored on degrees of difficulty (D-score) and levels of execution (E-score), with your score being the sum of these two. Scoring zero in either means you're done. Three Start with a basic two-footed hop and hold. Until it doesn't look like you've stepped on an upturned plug. Four Absolutely sticking the landing means absorbing impact through the knees. Wobbles and stumbles cost points. Five Find things to jump off. A park bench, goal posts, or maybe the wardrobe top… Six Avoiding injury comes with being stronger. Mentally and physically. Go to a gymnastics club for technique and every level of…

Not Just a Pretty Face Author: Luke Chadwick Cover price: £25 Review: Signed for Man United as a youngster, it felt as if Luke Chadwick's dream was only just beginning, but being thrust into the limelight of Premier League football came with a level of personal criticism that turned his life into a nightmare. Why you should read it: This frank read offers a sad indictment of a culture in which a lad who just wanted to play football for the right reasons could be so cruelly treated. You'll like this if you liked: Match Fit – Johnnie Lowery Star rating: 100 Runs of a Lifetime Author: Bart Yasso over price: £35 Review: The ‘Unofficial Mayor of Running’, Bart Yasso – the chief running officer for Runner's World for over 30…

Senna (2010) While primarily about Ayrton Senna, the documentary covers his battles with Ferrari drivers and the team's place in the F1 landscape during his era. Rush (2013) Focused on the 1976 F1 season and the rivalry between Niki Lauda (driving for Ferrari) and James Hunt, the film focuses significant attention on Ferrari's team dynamics. Ferrari: Race to Immortality (2017) A documentary chronicling the golden era of the 1950s, focusing on Enzo Ferrari and the drivers who built the team's legend. Ford v Ferrari (2019) While the film's perspective is from the Ford camp, Ferrari is a central character – depicting the legendary rivalry and the battle for supremacy at Le Mans in the 1960s. Motorsport Heroes (2019) A documentary featuring several F1 legends, including Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa,…

An inquiry was held at Maranello in 2019 marking a year of change not just at Ferrari but across the grid. On the eve of a new Netflix series by the name of “Drive to Survive”, Alex Albon, Lando Norris and George Russell all made their F1 debuts. Daniel Ricciardo completed a shock move from Red Bull to Renault while Carlos Sainz moved to McLaren. For Ferrari though, it was time for a young prodigy to be given a chance. If you could build a Formula 1 driver, the end product would not look too different to Charles Leclerc. Monaco-born with handsome looks that do not look out of place even after he has stepped out of the sweatbox of a Formula 1 cockpit. Like the rest of his colleagues,…

Pedal to Paris Saddle up for a 245km ride to the capital, ending beneath the Arc de Triomphe. It'll take around 11 hours and 45 minutes leaving enough time for a long lunch. The Sarthe's 420km of marked cycling routes offer further reason to pack some Lycra. Plantagenet City The old town is a beautifully preserved medieval quarter wrapped in a Roman wall. Lined with half-timbered houses, it's cobbled streets feature boutiques, wine bars and restaurants aplenty. Hop on a Tram For as little as €1.50, Le Mans’ public transport network can reach the rolling Pays de la Loire countryside in minutes. Visit the Abbaye Royale de l'Épau Burned down by locals during the 15th century (to stop English looters using it as a military base), the abbey is the…

Sibling rivalry may be overstated in many households, but for twins Max and George Poulter, their career trajectories have exposed them to one of motorsport's most intense rivalries, from the inside and out. As engineers at Red Bull and Mercedes respectively, they occupy different sides of a battlefield long defined by contrasting technical philosophies, shifting regulations, and personal rivalries. Where the opposite may have been the more entertaining story, there's none of the typical animosity you might expect, speaking to Max and George, you find diplomatically sensible minds – keen engineers, primarily, who were all too happy to oblige within their respective roles at the top of Formula 1. For some context, George is a Mechanical Design Engineer working in Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team's controls sub-group, “In essence, we're…

In January 1995, hauled up before an FA panel that could have banned him for life after he had been red carded and kung fu kicked a fan, Eric Cantona decided the best way to make amends by apologising to the governing body, Manchester United and the “prostitute who shared my bed last night”. Luckily, most of the panel didn't hear that last bit and an astounded David Davies, the FA's head of media, soon realised he was joking. Loved and loathed in unequal measures, by turns inspirational and incomprehensible, Cantona is the very definition of a cult hero. He could, as his most patient manager Sir Alex Ferguson said, “see spaces on the pitch that I couldn't see from the bench”, but was also, as Jonathan Pearce remarked, after…

1 Masterminded by legendary Italian sailor Giovanni Soldini, the vessel is currently being built at an undisclosed location in Italy; probably near Ferrari's Maranello HQ. To launch in 2026. 2 Designed by French naval architect Guillaume Verdier, flight is stabilised by three points of contact. The Frenchman's most notable innovation being the use of a canting keel as the support for one of the foils. The other two contact points are a foil on the rudder and, alternately, the two lateral foils. 3 Twenty people work full-time on the 100-foot-long yacht, much of the team having worked on Ferrari's marquee F80 supercar, with a good amount of tech carried over. 4 Team Principal, Giovanni Soldini set the Tea Route record in 2018, sailing 15,000 miles from Hong Kong to London…

Annie Blanche Marie Soisbault spent her teenage years as tennis’ next best thing. Paris-born on 8 June 1934, she claimed seven nationals before reaching the Wimbledon Junior semis at 18. But the racket sport was too genteel, then an amateur pastime she longed something faster. To put it simply. It meant a pivot to the cockpit, debuting in the snow-swept 1956 Monte Carlo Rally in Simca's 45bhp Aronde. A first taste of liberté for the Parisian A little more tennis followed before she registered for the Mille Miglia's tragic final edition in 1957. A piston fault made her a non-starter – but ‘Anì’ was off. Self-funded, she won the Ladies’ Cup at the 1957 Tour de France Automobile. It was enough for Triumph to make her a works driver in…

1946 – 1980 Gordie Howe A true iron man whose elbows made space across five decades, blending toughness, skill, and warmth – he would make the sport a family affair, not just a male preserve. ‘Mr Hockey’ began his NHL career in 1946 and played into the 1980s, linking the ‘Original Six era’ with the modern game. 1966 – 1974 Bobby Orr The Canadian revolutionised playing in defence with end-to-end rushes and unmatched skating prowess. Playing in the late 1960s and 1970s, primarily for the Detroit Red Wings, Orr set new standards for play from behind the blue line. 1978 – 1999 Wayne Gretzky A visionary playmaker with peerless hockey IQ, it made him the sport's preeminent face and name. “The Great One” dominated the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a…

1 “THE BEST FERRARI EVER BUILT IS THE NEXT ONE” Understanding exactly what it means to drive in scarlet, by those that know best. 2 BREAKING THE MOULD Illustrating the Prancing Horse's most iconic single seaters through the years. 3 RED MIST: MONZA'S HAUNTED ASPHALT The near-lethal combination that makes the Italian Grand Prix so special. 4 SURVIVING THE STORM A diagnosis of Ferrari's systematic on-track troubles, and where next? 5 ROUND & ROUND & ROUND WE GO Ferrari's long-drawn-out journey to 12 Le Mans wins at the Circuit de la Sarthe. 6 MEN IN RED The most influential to get behind the wheel for Ferrari, past, present and future.…

Like many downfalls, the reasoning as to why is not one sole cause but a culmination of events setting one long inescapable course. A constant bearing of sorts. Modern Ferrari can be traced back to the start of the 21st century when Schumacher resurrected the ailing team. Before the German arrived, Ferrari had endured 20 seasons without winning the Drivers’ title, the longest drought in their history but it was not Schumacher alone that led the Scuderia to success. The then-27-year-old was part of a trio of talent capable of reviving the sleeping giant. Technical director Ross Brawn was the brilliant mind that designed the cars while team principal Jean Todt was the politician keeping it all together. By 2008, every member of that trio had departed. Schumacher retired after…

In recent years, disorganisation has become a Ferrari trademark. Terrible strategy calls mixed with clumsily slow pit stops not only opened the door for Red Bull but did so with a welcome mat laid out and brushed leather loafers in waiting (pairs available from the Ferrari store for $890). The drivers were not without fault either. Having led the 2022 French GP with ease, Leclerc inexplicably spun into the wall. The third time he retired from the lead in that season. Ferrari's fragility was further overwhelmed by Verstappen. Having had less than half the points of Leclerc at one stage, Mad Max won the title by 146 points. Ferrari and Leclerc had let a genuine title chance, their first since 2008, slip right through their fingers. Red Bull did not…

UNITED WEMBLEY, MAY 2024 “The double – maybe even triple – exposure was completely unintentional, but I think this might be my favourite photo I've ever taken. With a tear down his cheek, Marcus Rashford becomes the fans in that moment, and the fans become him. There's always debate over whether Rashford is a modern-day United legend. For me, as a lifelong Red Devil, he's right up there in the post-Fergie years. We missed him last season, in every sense.” THE RIPPLE EFFECT OLD TRAFFORD, MARCH 2024 “It's incredible how influential Amad Diallo's 121st-minute winner against Liverpool in the 2024 FA Cup quarter-final has been for both United and myself. This photo catalysed partnerships with more sports teams for me. And as for the club? Without that goal, there's no…

As a racer in karting, British Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Formula 3000, it would take retirement, ownership (of his own Arden race team) and ultimately premiership for Christian Horner to add ‘notorious’ to a host of other track-worn descriptors. Steering Red Bull Racing from its sporting infancy as an out-of-place energy drink to serial winners, Horner went from plucky cove – the paddock's freshest face at just 31 – to the pit lane's most graceless winner over the course of 20 near-peerless years. When Red Bull entered F1 in 2005, its new team principal was said to relish the treacherous politics of the ‘Piranha Club’. Revelling in pitting his wits against a host of other equally sharp-toothed operators. One to make the big calls. With that first big decision…