SUNDAY-MAY 09, 2021 Sport 05 Valtteri Bottas' Mercedes future secure Super League trio face sanctions for F1 2021 as Toto Wolff rules out after nine clubs sign UEFA deal The three teams that remain together with the other clubs, will other commitment they have en- involved in the breakaway Super make a donation totalling an ag- tered into in the Club Commit- any mid-season driver switch League operation, Real Madrid, gregate of 15 million euros ment Declaration. Barcelona and Juventus, face ($18.23m), to be used for the ben- A breakaway Super League set Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has and time again over the years and really performance, I guess they Horner said: "There is an inevita- sanctions from UEFA, which has efit of children, youth and grass- up by the 12 was announced last ruled out any prospect of drop- we continue to. want to build up up the compa- bility... we're based in the UK, reached an agreement with the nine roots football in local communi- month but fell apart after just 48 ping Valtteri Bottas during the Meanwhile, a relaxed Wolff ny. But credit to the project, it's a we're only 30 miles off the road other clubs. ties across Europe, including the hours. course of the current 2021 For- suggested it was "pretty normal" Mount Everest to climb, and I'd from Brixworth where Mercedes European football’s governing UK,” said UEFA. The Super League argued it mula 1 season. that Red Bull's recruitment drive like to have a fight with Red Bull engines have chosen to build their body said on Friday the nine clubs The clubs also agreed to a five would increase revenue for the top In Thursday's drivers' press for their all-new engine division power units." engines in the UK. And they've who backed out of the plan had percent withholding of any reve- football clubs in Europe and al- conference ahead of the Spanish was leading them to hire Mercedes Put to him that Red Bull ad- done that for a reason, because the signed a “Club Commitment Dec- nues they would receive from low them to distribute more mon- GP, Bottas had already dismissed staff. visor Helmut Marko had been talent is within the UK. laration” including a series of “re- Champions League or Europa ey to the rest of the game. a newspaper report from earlier Red Bull are building the new quoted as claiming that Mercedes "And for us, I think bringing integration” steps. League involvement for one sea- However, UEFA, other teams this week which had suggested he facility on site at their Milton were offering to double the sala- the engines on-site within the cam- The six English Premier son. and fan organisations said the could lose his seat during the sea- Keynes base, which is 30 miles ries of those who were being ap- pus, fully integrating it with the League clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, The deal involved the clubs league would only boost the pow- son to George Russell. from Mercedes' long-established proached, Wolff said: "I think they chassis so engine and chassis en- Liverpool, Manchester City, accepting they would face a 100 er and wealth of elite clubs, and Asked by F1's and successful engine HQ in Brix- have approached 100 people or gineers working side by side with Manchester United and Totten- million euro ($121.5m) fine if they that the partially closed structure Jenson Button if he could cate- worth in Northampton, and have so and they got 15, maybe. Dou- each other is tremendously ap- ham Hotspur – along with Italy’s seek to play in an unauthorised went against European football’s gorically state that Bottas would already announced they have bling the salaries is one thing but pealing. AC Milan and Inter Milan, and competition or a 50 million euro long-standing model. be in the car for the whole 2021 signed six people from their cham- if you triple them, at a certain stage "We've been very flattered by Spain’s Atletico Madrid, all signed ($60.7m) fine if they breach any aljazeera season, Wolff replied: "Absolute- pionship rivals. you are not going to compete any- the amount of approaches we've the agreement, UEFA said in a ly. Unless he gets flu and can't "It's pretty obvious: if you more, even for loyal people. had. We're starting worth a clean statement. drive, he's going to be in that car. want to set up an engine factory "But it is what it is. I respect sheet of paper and it's important “These clubs recognised their "I see no reason to change. It's there is only one [already in the everybody that wants to defend to get the right people in the right mistakes quickly and have taken these guys over there [pointing UK] and that's us," said Wolff. their business, or build their busi- positions. Obviously we've had action to demonstrate their con- towards Red Bull's motorhome] "We have 900 or so employ- ness, and retaliation time has not quite a bit of success in attracting trition and future commitment to that like to play musical chairs, ees there and if you are fishing yet come." some fantastic talent, on top of European football,” said UEFA so no change expected." out 15 of these or so, that's pret- Speaking to Sky Sports F1 the talent we will inherit from president Aleksander Ceferin. Bottas had also referenced Red ty normal. They went mainly af- earlier on during Friday in Spain, Honda when they depart at the “The same cannot be said for Bull in his comments on the mat- ter manufacturing staff so it's not Red Bull team principal Christian end of the year." the clubs that remain involved in ter in the press conference. Mer- the so-called ‘Super League’ and cedes' rivals made mid-season UEFA will deal with those clubs driver switches in 2016 and 2019. subsequently,” he added. Bottas joined Mercedes four UEFA said it was now start- years ago when Nico Rosberg un- ing disciplinary proceedings expectedly retired from racing and against Juventus, Real and Barca. has helped the Brackley team “UEFA has reserved all rights maintain their unbroken run of to take whatever action it deems Constructors' Championships in appropriate against those clubs the turbo-hybrid era as part of a that have so far refused to re- harmonious partnership with nounce the so-called ‘Super Hamilton. League’. The matter will prompt- But he has yet to mount a sea- ly be referred to the competent son-long title challenge to his il- UEFA disciplinary bodies.” lustrious team-mate, with focus The nine clubs back in the on the 31-year-old's Mercedes UEFA fold have agreed to “take future beyond the end of his lat- all steps within their power” to est one-year contract ramping af- end their involvement in the Su- ter Russell starred alongside him per League company. in a one-off appearance filling in “As a gesture of goodwill, and for Hamilton at last December's Sakhir GP. Russell races for Williams but Bellator 258: is a Mercedes-backed driver and Foxes dealt Champions League blow as will inevitably be in strong con- Report, tention for a seat at the world champions in 2022. Neither Bot- highlights and tas nor Hamilton yet have a con- visitors take giant leap towards safety tract for next season, although the full replay latter strongly hinted last week Newcastle took a giant stride Leicester boss Brendan min being released, but he tele- defender rose to meet James Mad- pions League qualification from a that he wants to continue his towards survival Rodgers made two changes against graphed his shot to allow the Le- dison's free-kick but he powered similar position of authority dur- Sergio Pettis captured the record-breaking career into 2022. after securing a resounding 4-2 Newcastle as the Foxes looked to icester goalkeeper to stick out a his header straight at Martin Du- ing the run-in last term, doubts of Bellator bantamweight title in Watch free-to-view race high- win at Leicester, dealing a blow to close in on a Champions League left leg and prevent a certain goal. bravka. a repeat collapse were starting to Uncasville, Connecticut to fol- lights, driver interviews, and the the hosts' Champions League spot. Newcastle didn't have to wait Willock was bristling with creep in. low in brother Anthony's foot- best features and content from Sky hopes at the Ricardo Pereira replaced much longer to convert their dom- confidence, and with Soyuncu and Five years to the day since lift- steps by becoming an MMA Sports F1. on Friday Night Football. Luke Thomas while there was a inance into a slender lead, howev- his team-mates rattled, Newcas- ing the Premier League trophy world champion. In three races this season, Steve Bruce's side moved up last-minute change with Jonny er, as on 22 minutes Soyuncu was tle doubled their lead after 34 min- against Everton at the King Pow- Pettis, 27, outpointed de- Bottas has yet to finish a race ahead to 13th, 12 points clear of 18th- Evans ruled out after sustaining caught dallying in possession utes in routine fashion. Leicester er Stadium, the hosts needed to fending 135-pound champion of either Hamilton or Red Bull's placed Fulham, who still have four an injury during the warm-up so from Dummett's hopeful ball for- were losing their individual bat- find some of the spirit which saw Juan Archuleta in the main event Max Verstappen, although did games to play, as fears of another Marc Albrighton started in his ward, allowing Willock to pounce tles all over the pitch and Dum- them through that title-winning of Bellator 258 on Friday night, outpace both in qualifying in Por- end-of-season collapse for the place. and stroke home his fourth goal in mett rose with ease above Fofana season - but the response was far earning scores of 50-45, 49-46, tugal last week to claim pole po- Foxes in their bid to finish in the Newcastle continued their as many games. to meet Matt Ritchie's corner and from immediate. 49-46 to extend his unbeaten sition. top four showed signs of materi- encouraging start as Federico "They're looking sluggish the glance his header beyond the Maddison saw a header land run since joining Bellator. Using an analogy to underline alising. Fernandez glanced Jonjo players in blue," Sky Sports' co- stranded Schmeichel. It was the on the roof of the net before he It meant Pettis added anoth- his loyalty to the Finnish driver, While Newcastle are not yet Shelvey's free-kick wide of the commentator Alan Smith said. defender's first goal in over five sized up a presentable chance er world championship belt to Wolff said: "If you are not happy mathematically safe, Fulham and post. wasn't "It's all a bit messy from the home years. from a 25-yard free-kick, only to the family collection. with your wife and you start to West Brom will be relegated this tested, but he was forced spec- team at the moment. The New- "Newcastle have been fabu- see his effort deflect wide of Du- His Bellator title joins the already look for other ones, it's weekend if they lose to Burnley tacularly into action moments lat- castle players are all looking quick- lous and 2-0 doesn't flatter them," bravka's right-hand post. Rodgers WEC and UFC lightweight ti- not going to improve the relation- and Arsenal respectively. er. er." Graeme Souness told Sky Sports summoned Ayoze Perez off the tles previously won by his old- ship. I try to work on the rela- Newcastle: Dubravka (7), A lightning-quick break in- Leicester badly needed a re- at the interval. "It's worrying bench shortly after the hour-mark, er brother earlier in his career. tionship with my driver and Murphy (7), Krafth (7), Fernan- volving Jacob Murphy and Wil- sponse, and it was very nearly times for Leicester." Given how but Newcastle duly extended their After taking his Bellator achieve the best result for him dez (7), Dummett (7), Ritchie (7), son resulted in Allan Saint-Maxi- provided by Wesley Fofana as the Rodgers' side missed out on Cham- lead. record to 3-0, with an overall before I'm starting to flirt with Willock (7), Saint-Maximin (6), tally of 21-5, Pettis said he was someone else." Shelvey (7), Almiron (7), Wilson confident as he awaited the What did Bottas say on (8). scorecards following the five- Thursday? Newcastle's inconsistency round fight. "I know that I'm not going to this term is the reason they have "He hit me with some good be replaced in the middle of the been languishing towards the bot- shots, but I knew my shots were season," said Bottas when asked tom end of the Premier League. hitting a little cleaner, a little bit about the claim. "As a team, we Following their home defeat to harder. I was more calculated, don't do that. Arsenal, Bruce admitted his side calm," he said. "I have a contract for this year fell below the standard that had "He said there was a storm and I think there's only one team been set in the recent games against coming, and there's a heavy that does that kind of thing in F1, West Ham and Liverpool, but fac- water tide, but I was out here, I and we are not them. So no pres- ing an in-form Foxes in pursuit of was water tonight, man. I was sure from my side. I know how Champions League football ap- flowing, and it was my night." things are - there's always peared an onerous task. Pettis said he would be pre- bull**** around. That's part of The evening didn't start well pared to face team-mate the sport." for the hosts with Evans with- Raufeon Stots in a title defence Hamilton backed his long- drawing as a result of an injury if that is the fight Bellator man- time team-mate, saying that "peo- sustained in the warm-up, forcing date for him next. ple need to give him a break". Rodgers to select Albrighton at He also said he would love "And if I'm being honest, I wing-back and move Castagne in- to face Japanese star and former think we have the best line-up side as part of a back three. Bellator champion Kyoji currently in terms of deliverables They survived a penalty scare Horiguchi for his Rizin FF title and the general knowledge in inside nine minutes when Soyun- in a cross-promotional fight in terms of moving our car forwards. cu was caught square-on as he a bid to emulate his brother by "At some stage it's going to dangled out a foot and brought becoming a two-promotion shift, it's going to change. I'm not down Wilson on the edge of the world champion. going to be here forever, Valtteri box, with referee Darren England "I'd like to call out Horigu- won't be here forever - but right in the right place to spot the in- chi. I would love to represent now I think we've delivered time fringement just outside the area. Bellator against Rizin," he said.