10 Friday, May 1, 2020 Sports Abdulla al Khelaifi among 25 drivers for TCR Europe SIM Racing

The Qatari will Entry list (TCR Europe SIM Racing) # Driver team Car face Spa test 7 Aurélien Comte (FRA) DG Sport Compétition Peugeot 308 TCR on May 2 8 Nicolas Baert (BEL) Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3 LMS 10 Viktor Davidovski (MKD) PSS Racing Team Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR Tribune News Network 14 Niels Langeveld (NED) Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3 LMS DOHA 16 Gilles Magnus (BEL) Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3 LMS 17 Martin Ryba (SVK) Brutal Fish Racing Team Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR Qatar’s star car racer Ab- 19 Andreas Bäckman (SWE) Target Competition Hyundai i30 N TCR dulla al Khelaifi is ready to 20 Teddy Clairet (FRA) Team Clairet Sport Peugeot 308 TCR give his best shot to the TCR 21 Jimmy Clairet (FRA) Team Clairet Sport Peugeot 308 TCR Europe SIM Racing Series’ 23 Tamás Tenke (HUN) Tenke Motorsport CUPRA TCR opening round at the digital 24 Julien Briché (FRA) JSB Compétition Peugeot 308 TCR track of the Spa-Francor- 26 Jessica Bäckman (SWE) Target Competition Hyundai i30 N TCR champs Circuit on May 2. 31 Tom Coronel (NED) Tom Coronel EatMyDust Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR With the actual champion- 33 José Manuel Sapag (ARG) Target Competition Hyundai i30 N TCR ship being reduced and post- 38 Lewis Kent (GBR) Essex & Kent Motorsport Hyundai i30 N TCR poned to September due to the 45 Gianni Morbidelli (ITA) WestCoast Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR ongoing coronavirus pandem- 55 Bence Boldizs (HUN) Zeng Motorsport CUPRA TCR ic, all the TCR Europe Series 62 Jack Young (GBR) Vukovi Motorsport Renault Mégane RS TCR regulars are competing in the 65 Kevin Ceccon (ITA) Romeo Ferraris Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce virtual championship with 25 70 Mat’o Homola (SVK) BRC Racing Team Hyundai i30 N TCR drivers, including guests from 77 Andrej Studeni (SVK) Brutal Fish Racing Team Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR other TCR series like 2018 Eu- Qatar’s champion car racer Abdulla al Khelaifi during the 2019 TCR Europe season. 81 Stéphane Ventaja (FRA) Team Clairet Sport Peugeot 308 TCR ropean champion Mikel Azco- 96 Abdulla Ali Al-Khelaifi (QAT) QMMF Racing CUPRA TCR na, Niels Langeveld and Kevin 99 Dániel Nagy (HUN) BRC Racing Team Hyundai i30 N TCR Ceccon, on the grid. against the same TCR driv- Khelaifi to drive Seat Leon 996 Mikel Azcona (ESP) PCR Sport CUPRA TCR Reigning QTCC M240 ers. So it is not new thing to Cupra in the opening round of Class champion Khelaifi, who me and I know my level.This the TCR Europe SIM Racing won the three QTCC crowns season I feel more confident. Series on May 3. involved,” Khelaifi added and auto online events are tak- Facebook page, TCR Europe in a row also, will drive Seat I hope to be more competi- Talking about the QORC, ing place right now. I just hope Facebook page, TCR Youtube Leon Cupra and the Qatari tive after getting a bit of ex- Khelaifi, who finished seventh that the QMMF continues the channel, and delayed on TCR champion driver is delighted pereince in the past season. Of with 83 points, said, “Yeah, i online racing in the future.” Twitch channel. to be part of the digital cham- course, the SIM racing is quite had a very good experience The format of the series The scoring system will pionship, realised by TCR different than the track rac- of the SIM racing organised will see competitors sitting in follow that of the real champi- Euro Series Ltd. in partner- ing. On track, there are many by the QMMF. Though it was the simulator for a 20-minute onship, awarding points to the ship with DrivingItalia.net. G-forces acting on you which hosted at a short notice, it was Qualifying session and two top ten in the Qualifying (from He said, “The QORC was you will never expereince in a good fun and experience. I back-to-back races of 8 laps 10 to 1) and the top 15 in each raced on a different platform the virtual racing. That is the will be better prepared in the each. The grid of the second race (from 40 to 1). so I can’t really compare it key point. next event. race will be based on the final After Spa, the series will with the TCR Europe. But the “Many drivers use the G- “The world is facing a results of Race 1 with the top race at Red Bull Ring (May concept is the same so I can forces and the sensation of tough time due to COVID-19. 12 in reversed order. 13), Hungaroring (May 27), say that the QORC provided speed to measure the break- tual racing is quite difficult. It will be quite interesting to Everybody is staying home All action will be streamed Le Castellet (June 10), Zolder me good preparations. ing points, their entry and But on the other hand, there see the performance and the so the QMMF intitiative was live on Saturday (May 2) from (June 24), Monza (July 8) and “Last season, I raced exit from corners. So the ac- is no risk in the SIM racing. competitiveness of the drivers a good initiative. Many moto 19:00 (CET) on TCR TV, TCR Barcelona (July 22).

Lausanne Diamond India football legend Chuni Goswami passes away League organisers AFP will be the poorer for their departure to the seek ‘other options’ New Delhi Heavens. RIP.” Goswami, who is survived by his wife AFP Indian football legend Subimal ‘Chuni’ and a son, represented India on the football Lausanne Goswami, who led the country to an Asian field in 50 international matches -- 36 of Games gold in 1962, died on Thursday aged them official -- between 1956 to 1964. The Lausanne Diamond 82, the All India Football Federation said. After retiring from football at the age League meeting will not take Goswami -- who also played first-class of 27, Goswami turned his focus to . place on August 20 because of cricket for Bengal -- died in his hometown He represented Bengal in 46 first-class restrictions linked to the coro- Kolkata, according to the federation. games between 1962 and 1973. The all- navirus pandemic but organis- “Another legendary Indian footballer rounder captained the Bengal state team ers said on Thursday they were and a fine first class cricketer has left us -to Chuni Goswami (right) welcoming Pele on the in the 1971-72 season, leading them to the looking at “other options”. day,” the governing body’s president Praful latter’s visit to Kolkata. Ranji Trophy final. The meeting director told Patel wrote on Twitter. He was also a key part of the combined AFP he instead hoped to hold “Rest in eternal peace Shri Chuni Gos- “Today is a truly depressing day. First Central and East Zone team that inflicted an a joint Swiss event with the wami. My heartfelt condolences to his be- (Bollywood star) Rishi (Kapoor) and now innings defeat on Gary Sobers’ West Indies Zurich Weltklasse, one of the reaved family.” great Chuni da have left us. Both champions and in 1966, taking eight in the game Diamond League’s traditional : Back to central contract. said his loss would be immense. legends in their craft,” he said. “The world with his medium-pace . highlights that is scheduled to take place on September 11. “With a heavy heart we have Marsh lands Australia had to take the decision to not go ahead with the Athletissima on August 20,” organisers said contract; Khawaja COVID-19 delays Hundred until 2021 in a statement. AFP closed doors, the England stressed that an event with no English cricket have been op- They said it was “impossi- and Wales Cricket Board has fans “directly contradicts the posed to the competition from ble to allow a large number of among six axed decided to hold the Hundred competition’s goal to attract a the outset, arguing there is no people to gather in a restricted English cricket’s controver- over until next year. broader audience.” space for a new format in an space before the end of August”. AFP when he was not offered a con- sial new Hundred competition “The situation we find our- Global travel restrictions already congested calendar. But they said they were tract last year but Hohns said has been delayed until 2021 selves in as a country means also mean it is not possible for They say many of the ECB’s looking at “which alternatives his form showed “he has a lot because of the coronavirus that of the Hundred star players from other coun- aims could be achieved with and which formats could still be All-rounder Mitchell of international cricket ahead pandemic, cricket chiefs an- will not be possible this sum- tries to take part. better support for the existing possible to give athletes the pos- Marsh returned to Cricket of him as a batting all-rounder”. nounced on Thursday. mer,” ECB chief executive Tom Blast. sibility of competition”. Australia’s list of 20 nationally Prolific middle-order bats- The new 100-balls-per- Harrison in a statement. New fans Even before the pandemic, The meeting director, Pierre contracted players on Thurs- man was, side format, to be played by “Whilst we are naturally The ECB have long insist- the ECB had itself forecast the Tenger, said while he hoped to day, but there was no room for as expected, among the new eight franchises rather than disappointed that we won’t ed the Hundred, which they Hundred would make a loss in hold a meeting in cooperation his brother Shaun or struggling faces, along with , the established 18 first-class get to realise our ambitions hoped to launch off the back its first five seasons. with the Zurich event, the for- batsman . , counties, had been due to start this year, the Hundred will go of England’s success in win- Costs in the first year, mat “had not yet been decided”. The older Marsh sibling and . in July. ahead in 2021 when we are ning last year’s World Cup on including the £1.3 million The Diamond League and Khawaja were among six “Marnus’s rise has been me- But with the English sea- safely able to deliver every- home soil, would attract a new ($1.6 million) paid to each season, which had been due players axed from a group that teoric and well documented,” son delayed until at least July thing we intended to help grow audience vital to safeguarding county, were estimated at to start in Doha on April 17, selectors loaded with limited- Hohns said. 1, with any matches after that the game.” cricket’s future. £58 million, against an in- has been heavily affected by overs talent to reflect Australia’s “Joe has been a good Test likely to be played behind The ECB’s statement But many voices within come of £51 million. the pandemic. upcoming schedule, particu- match player, Ashton Agar’s larly the Twenty20 World Cup form in T20 internationals has scheduled for October-Novem- been exceptional, while Kane ber. Richardson has been outstand- “With many of the squad ing in the T20 and one-day crossing into all three formats it games.” Retired Nowitzki still pursuing his goals gives us the benefit of being able Uncertainty hangs over the to add in specialists depending cricket calendar and the Twen- on the opposition and the con- ty20 World Cup because of the ditions,” chief selector Trevor coronavirus pandemic. DPA Nowitzki retired around a year ago but will Hohns said in a statement. Australia’s tour to England Berlin remain in the United States with wife Jessica “The depth of this squad for three one-dayers and three and their three children. “The Mavericks are and the success of the past 12 Twenty20 matches in July is in Former NBA star Dirk Nowitzki has not lost naturally an option,” he said. months gives us that solid base.” jeopardy after the England and all of his sporting ambition despite retiring and Former teammate Maxi Kleber has previous- Others dropped from the Wales Cricket Board delayed continues to see his future in the sport of basket- ly said Nowitzki would make “the perfect coach” list -- which forms the core of the start of their season until at ball - though not necessarily as a coach. from his point of view. Australia’s international squads least July 1. “There are many possibilities, I am looking “I haven’t settled it yet but in the past I -- were , Mar- forward to what’s ahead and I will definitely have always said that I don’t see my self on the cus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter- Australia contracted players: need a new challenge, the competitive hunger bench,” Nowitzki said. “Not much has really Nile and Marcus Harris. Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, Alex is simply too big,” the 41-year-old German told changed there. “As is always the case there Carey, , Aaron DPA in an interview. “The sport of basketball has made an awful are unlucky omissions but, Finch, , Travis Though settled in Dallas, where he played lot possible for me. however, because you are not Head, Marnus Labuschagne, his entire NBA career, Nowitzki also aims to I have seen the world and experienced things on the list does not mean you , Mitchell Marsh, help his native country. that I definitely wouldn’t have without the sport. cannot be selected to represent , , “I can imagine to work with players but “Of course I also want to give something Australia,” Hohns said. , Jhye Richard- I would also support things in Germany,” he said. back in the future.” son, Kane Richardson, Steven Strong form Smith, , Matthew 2018 Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas celebrates his victory. Mitchell Marsh endured his Wade, , Adam own period in the wilderness Zampa.