20 Wednesday, November 22, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Wednesday, November 22, 2017 21 Alonso ranks his 2018 Hamilton gets title contenders London the year we come back to the ernando Alonso is “very top. ‘Guard of honour’ optimistic” that he’ll be “Then I will put Lewis as the Fin the championship fight World Champion now and I’ll next season taking on Lewis put Max, Daniel and then I’ll Hamilton and the Red Bull put second step all these three drivers for the World title. guys [Raikkonen, Bottas and The double World Vettel].” Champion was asked by Sky Asked to then rank Hamilton Sports to rank his rivals for next among Formula 1’s World fromLondon Mercedes like to say thank you very much to year’s Drivers’ Championship Champions, the Spaniard orld champion received a all of you.” and gave a surprising replied: “I think he is one of spectacular welcome when he came to celebrate Wolff’s fellow team boss Niki assessment. the greatest, obviously he has hisW and Mercedes’ 2017 success with his team in the UK Lauda echoed his colleague’s Although won four titles now. on Monday. Hamilton was first honoured at their power comments, saying: “For the was Hamilton’s toughest rival “It is true that the last three unit plant in Brixworth, before he headed to their Brackley fourth time in a row I’m in the this season and is on course titles, the Mercedes’ World base where he was greeted with a ‘guard of honour’ from fortunate position to say thank to finish runner-up in the Championships were in a staff. you to the entire team. 2017 championship, Alonso reckons dominant car so those are a “This a very emotional day,” said Hamilton. “I was not has been a challenging year his replacement will fall little bit easier. “But,” he expecting this, thanks everyone for the warm welcome. because of the rule change. by the wayside. added, “I consider him one of hen you have received more votes than “My mother Today is something that I will never forget, turning up A rule change always means Instead, he believes it will be the greatest because when he Wany other midfielder in a public poll always said that at the front gate of the factory and seeing everyone out uncertainty; no one McLaren and Red Bull taking was with McLaren in difficult organised by the Bundesliga, driven your going shopping on the street to welcome me - I’m blown away. This has knows what the on Hamilton for the 2018 title. times he was still performing team to a historic second place in the league with me was very been an incredible year, it’s been an incredible journey other guys are “We’ll put me here on the supreme and still winning and secured a record £48m African transfer expensive - many things together.” doing. top,” he told when races in cars that weren’t in a fee, you have got a few highlights of the year got broken,” he told the Hamilton has the chance to win his 10th Grand Prix asked to rank next year’s position to win races. to look back on. Bundesliga website. “Still, of the year at this weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi, (formula1) championship contenders. “He deserves the success But none of the above makes the list of RB I always looked forward to after which he and Mercedes will be officially crowned “We are very optimistic because he was always at the Leipzig’s Guinea star Naby Keita. those trips.” with their fourth world championships at next month’s that next year will be top of his level.” (planetf1) Instead, his best moment of 2017 came There was one break that FIA Prize Giving Gala. when realising a fantasy formed as he really counted, though - when his “Since I was fortunate enough to join this team in 2012, grew up in the Guinean capital Conakry: talents were spotted while playing I have seen it go from strength to strength,” added Toto playing in the Champions League. street football, a popular pastime Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “I still see Williams deny “It’s been a dream of mine since I throughout Guinea. many of the same faces who were here when I joined, but was a young boy,” the 22-year-old Whenever he is home, his friends also new faces as we have continued to build the strength Kubica deal is done tells BBC Sport. beseech Naby to play with them of this group. We are fortunate to have the right resources, “Even back then, I had decided on the street - where both cars and which isn’t always a given, but importantly we have the London that one day I would play in the opponents have to be negotiated - even if right people. illiams Champions League. Luckily we had Africa’s priciest player does not always now “We have not allowed ourselves to become complacent, are a wonderful season last season, we give his best. but remain motivated and energised. For me, I could not Wtalking to worked really well and the reward “I’ve loved playing street football since I imagine working with a better group of people. I would Robert was the match against Porto.” was very young,” explains the turbo-charged Kubica about Keita missed Leipzig’s inaugural midfielder. the Polish Champions League group game, a 1-1 draw “When I go home, my friends organise driver at home to Monaco in September, because small tournaments and people come to watch making a of injury. us play. I also enjoy that as I get to play with comeback He made his Champions League debut people, but it’s not as important to me as it with in a 2-0 defeat at Besiktas before Leipzig is to my friends. “It makes them very happy, them next finally won a group game, beating two-time even if I do just a couple of minutes, because season but Robert Kubica (file pic) European champions Porto 3-2 at home in the pitch is quite dangerous so I have to be a decision Sunday’s race at Yas Marina October. careful I don’t injure my feet or legs.” has yet is the last of the season, with Two very important spectators were inside That the silky Keita has graduated from to be Brazilian Massa saying farewell the Red Bull Arena that night. navigating the traffic in Conakry to that made on a to the sport he entered in 2002. “When I was young, I told my parents, found in a Bundesliga midfield owes plenty replacement for Canadian teenager Lance ‘I promise you I’m going to play in the to former Guinea star Dianbobo Balde and, , the Stroll is certain to stay with the Champions League and for my first match, prior to that, to his talents being spotted on team said former world champions but I’ll invite you to come and watch me play,’” the tarmac. yesterday. a handful of drivers are in the he says. “This nice gentleman saw me play street Responding to media frame to replace Massa. “Luckily, I was able to do that and I was football and thought that if I was supported, reports that a deal had been They include the 32-year- very happy. It was a moment of pride. It also I could became a great player,” recalls Keita. done, Williams said no old Kubica. The Pole partially greatly encourages me in everything I do.” “He then took me under his wings, and driver announcement was severed his right forearm in In some ways, it represented a small spoke to my parents. He worked to find imminent. an horrific 2011 crash during payback for his mother, who could have been sponsors and said it would be good if I went “Although a rally he entered for fun forgiven for having a few flashbacks during to Europe to see if I was really good. That’s conversations are before the start of that Formula the match. how I ended up in Istres.” ongoing with Kubica, it One season, and there are Such was her son’s obsession with football After trials at French sides Lorient and is still yet to be finally lingering doubts about his arm that whenever he was taken shopping, Le Mans failed in 2011, Keita rocked up at decided who will replace movement. Naby would endlessly look for things to a talent-spotting tournament organised by Massa,” they said in a However the Pole has twice kick, making life even tougher for his cash- Celtic legend Balde in Marseille two years statement. tested a 2014 Williams car, after strapped family. later. (BBC) “We will make an failing to secure a seat at , announcement when we and is being represented by have something to announce retired 2016 world champion Naby Keita (file pic) Lewis Hamilton but nothing is planned this and former Williams driver weekend in Abu Dhabi.” . (Reuters)