The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Vettel seeks to deny Alonso and seal treble
- Durant helps lift Thunder over Clippers in OT
- Australian chief quits after London debacle
| Vettel seeks to deny Alonso and seal treble Posted: 22 Nov 2012 12:17 AM PST SAO PAULO: After helping his Red Bull team claim a stunning third consecutive constructors' world championship in Texas last weekend, defending drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel will seek, once again, to become the youngest triple champion in Formula One history in this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. In his 101st race, the 25-year-old German has a clear goal - to finish in the top four and thereby make it impossible for his only rival Fernando Alonso of Ferrari to overhaul his 13 points deficit and take his own third title. On paper, for Vettel, it sounds simple enough after a sequence of results that recently saw him reel off four straight wins before finishing third in Abu Dhabi, after starting in the pit lane, and then second in Austin last Sunday. But he knows that Alonso, 31, and Ferrari will do all they possibly can, within the rules, to seize the Spaniard's first title triumph since he joined the team. He will be aware, too, of the threat from both McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button in the season finale. Hamilton, in particular, has made it clear he wants to mark the 20th and final race of the year and of his career with McLaren on a high note as he races in their colours for the 110th time before transferring to Mercedes next year. "Brazil has been the scene of some epic races for me during my time at McLaren and, for many reasons, this weekend will be a very big race for me," said Hamilton, 27. "As my final race behind the wheel of a McLaren, I vow to the whole team that I'll give it my all on every single lap." The Briton will know he has the team behind him again, for the last time, as they want to end the season on a high with both drivers on the podium if possible. That will make life difficult for Vettel and Red Bull whose frailties were exposed last Sunday when Mark Webber had to retire with alternator failure, the team's third in races. In response, the team are planning to run with updated parts and to attack throughout the weekend. Even if the weekend turns into a battle for survival in the rain, as forecast, Red Bull have declared they will not be taking a cautious approach. Team chief Christian Horner said they know no other approach than racing to win. "We just have to approach the next race as we have the previous 19," he said. "We have to go there, attack the weekend, and get the best out of ourselves; the car, the strategy, the drivers, and reliability. "Anything can happen, as we have seen this season, but it is good to be going there with a lead, and we go there determined to close the job off." Alonso and Ferrari, who demonstrated their pragmatism in Texas by deliberately sacrificing Brazilian Felipe Massa's grid position for the benefit of Alonso, by breaking the seal on his gearbox, are equally focussed on raising their performance for what promises to be an exciting end to a long season. Team chief Stefano Domenicali said: "Pragmatically speaking, we know that the result has to be better. We have to be in front of Sebastian and we need some drivers in the middle, without thinking of the worst-case scenario. "And this is the approach that we have to have. We know that it's not easy because he's driving very well and has a very quick car, but that doesn't change what we have to do. "We have seen that Mark (Webber) had a reliability issue and that can happen every time. But I want to stay concentrated on the job we have to do, and prepare the car in the best way we can." For Ferrari, it will be critical to improve their qualifying performance at a circuit that has fond memories for Alonso, who won the 2006 title for Renault at Interlagos after a tight duel with old rival Michael Schumacher, then in his last season with Ferrari. This time around, Schumacher will be retiring again, but now for good, after a lacklustre return in 2010. At 43, and after 306 race starts, he will making his final exit, to be replaced alongside Nico Rosberg by Hamilton. "My departure will probably be less emotional for me this time than in 2006, when we were still fighting for the championship and everything was much more intense," said Schumacher. "This time around, I will be able to pay more attention to my farewell and hopefully savour it too. "I have had fantastic years in Formula One and a lot of support from fans around the world and I wish to particularly thank them for that." - AFP |
| Durant helps lift Thunder over Clippers in OT Posted: 21 Nov 2012 08:32 PM PST OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma: Three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant sank 19 of 21 free throws and finished with 35 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 117-111 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday. Durant shot just seven of 19 from the floor and had six turnovers, but he performed well enough to help the defending Western Conference champion Oklahoma City win their third straight game. Durant also had a half dozen rebounds, grabbed five steals and dished out five assists for the Thunder, who have won eight of their last nine games and are 9-3 on the season. Russell Westbrook posted 23 points and nine assists, while Serge Ibaka added 15 points and 12 boards in the victory. Blake Griffin poured in 23 points, but Chris Paul recorded just nine points on two-of-14 shooting for the Clippers, who had their six-game winning streak halted. First place Oklahoma City will now head east for contests with Boston and Philadelphia. The Thunder, who lost to Miami in the NBA finals last year, had lost three of four meetings with the Clippers last season. Paul also had nine assists for the Clippers, who are off to an impressive start to the season and have scored 100-plus points in nine of their first 11 games. The Clippers won their sixth game in a row Monday with a 92-87 decision against the San Antonio Spurs in the opener of a four-game road trip. Los Angeles will visit Brooklyn and Atlanta next on their road trip.-AFP |
| Australian chief quits after London debacle Posted: 21 Nov 2012 08:30 PM PST SYDNEY: Swimming Australia chief executive Kevin Neil quit his post Thursday in the wake of the team's poor showing at the London Olympics, which was tarred by reports of pranks and ill-discipline. Australia's swimmers won just one gold, six silver and three bronze in London, their lowest tally in the pool since the 1992 Barcelona Games, and were without an individual gold medallist for the first time since Montreal in 1976. "I have witnessed great changes and seen how swimming continues to be Australia's premier Olympic and Commonwealth Games sport," Neil said in a statement. "Following the below-expected results at the London Olympics, swimming is now undertaking various reviews to set the new course for the future and it is therefore appropriate to step aside to allow the sport to progress to its next exciting phase." Earlier this month, Australian swimming officials announced an independent review of the sport's culture at elite level after rumours of initiation rituals involving prescription drugs in London. Swimming Australia, the sport's governing body in the country, said consultancy Bluestone Edge would lead a probe of top level "culture and leadership", in parallel with a broader post-Olympics review already under way. That review launched in August is examining why the once-dominant swimming team fell so short. In the lead-up to the Games, reports suggested some members of the much-vaunted but ultimately unsuccessful six-man freestyle relay team had an initiation ritual that involved taking the sedative Stilnox. Stilnox was banned by Australian Olympic officials ahead of the London Games. There were also claims of swimmers upsetting teammates and coaches by prank-calling and knocking on their doors late at night at their camp in Manchester, two days before the team went to London. Neil was appointed to Swimming Australia's board of directors in February 2008, taking over as chief from Glenn Tasker later the same year.-AFP |
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