Injured, the Black Caps Called up Uncapped Absence of Boult and Southee
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FOOTBALL | Page 2 FFORMULAORMULA 1 | Page 4 Brazil almost Hamilton through, dominates Messi revives Melbourne Argentina practice Saturday, March 25, 2017 CRICKET Jumada II 26, 1438 AH India’s Kohli in GULF TIMES doubt for Australia showdown SPORT Page 7 MOTOGP SPOTLIGHT Lorenzo struggles KTM joins forces with as Vinales tops Red Bull the time sheets 2016 Qatar winner Lorenzo fails to earn a direct entry into QP2 Austria’s ambassador to Qatar Willy Kempel (C) with QMMF President Abdulrahman al-Mannai (L) and Vice President and GM of Losail Circuit Sports Club, Khalid al-Remaihi. By Sports Reporter important contribution to the sports Doha scene in Qatar. This includes various sport disciplines and thus contributes directly to the Qatar National Vision he newly-formed Red Bull 2030.” KTM Factory Racing Team Abdulrahman al-Mannai, QMMF will take part for the fi rst President, commented on the part- Ttime ever in the MotoGP nership with Red Bull saying: “We are championship this season with riders happy to have Red Bull as our strategic Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaró. partner across all our motorsports ini- A press conference to announce tiatives in Qatar. We have started ce- the launch of the team was held in the menting a strong foundation, exempli- presence of Abdulrahman al-Mannai, fi ed by various events, such as Red Bull President of Qatar Motor and Motor- Car Park Drift and the recent desert cycle Federation (QMMF), Willy Kem- buggy racing event: Red Bull Qaher El pel, Austrian ambassador to Qatar, and T3ous”. Khalid al-Remaihi, Vice President and For over a year, a fi ve-person fi lm GM of Losail Circuit Sports Club. crew have been following the steps of With more than 250 world titles the factory team on their journey to Maverick Vinales and Jorge earned by KTM in off -road racing, the join the elite motorcycling series with Lorenzo (bottom) in action at team are excited to hit the asphalt and cameras being closer to the action than Losail yesterday. PICTURES: take on a new challenge with the same ever before. What has emerged is a Noushad Thekkayil dedication and discipline that they are unique and in depth 45-minute docu- known for. mentary with detailed insights behind Commenting on Red Bull and KTM’s the scenes of the mighty RC16 – a contribution to the motorsports world, 270-horsepower beast on two wheels. By Joe Koraith Austrian ambassador Kempel stated: An exclusive movie premier of the Doha Marquez could only manage a sixth “I am proud to see two Austrian high documentary Ready to Race – KTM in FP3 but managed to fi nish third performing companies joining forces GOES MotoGP was held at Alfardan overall and will be pleased with that and contributing to the motorsports Motorcycle Showroom at The Pearl here are some partnerships eff ort. The Spaniard will be hoping to world on a global scale. I am also Doha yesterday. The fi lm also becomes that seem to be made for convert that into a good grid position pleased to see Red Bull as the leading available for the public to watch on de- each other and then there are during qualifying today. His team- energy drink brand and contributor to mand on Red Bull TV, after March 26. Tthose that require both par- mate Dani Pedrosa could only man- motorsports worldwide make a most ties to put in quite some eff ort. This is age to grab seventh position overall. one conclusion you could draw after MotoGP rookie Johann Zarco the completion of the practice sessions (Tech3 Yamaha) produced a great run for the opening round of the 2017 Mo- to fi nish third in FP3 which saw him Saeed al-Sulati wins Qatar toGP season. take the fourth spot overall. Zarco’s When Jorge Lorenzo ditched Yama- teammate and another class rookie Superstock600 Race 1 ha for Ducati — a notoriously diffi cult Jonas Folger also managed to put in a machine — it did cause some raised strong run to fi nish eighth overall. eyebrows in the paddock. And then Ducati rider Andrea Dovizioso, when Lorenzo had a tough time with who is one of the favourites for the the bike during testing, those expres- title here, fi nished fourth in the third sions turned into frowns. And yester- practice session and fi fth overall. day after the third free practice ses- Earlier in FP2, it was Pramac Duca- sion, it wasn’t only Lorenzo who was ti rider Scott Redding put on a great left shaking his head in disappoint- show to take top honours in that ses- ment. sion. In second place was Ducati fac- The winner of the 2016 Qatar Mo- tory team rider Andre Dovizioso. In toGP race, Lorenzo, failed to earn a Maverick Vinales from topping the few riders, including Lorenzo, who third place was Yamaha Tech3 rider direct entry into QP2. The Ducati rider time sheets once more. He further could have booted the Doctor out of Jonas Folger who has been putting in fi nished in 11th place overall. stamped his authority on the grid QP2. strong performances in the free prac- The best times from the three prac- with another good run. His teammate The surprise burst of speed came tice sessions so far. tice sessions are considered to pick out Valentino Rossi, another rider who from Suzuki rider Andrea Iannone In fourth place was MotoGP class the top 10 riders who gain direct qual- hasn’t adjusted to his machine well, who produced a great lap to fi nish rookie Johann Zarco. Yamaha rider ifi cation into QP2 – the second quali- endured another tough session and second in FP3 and also fi nish second Vinales, who had been scorching Qatari rider Saeed al-Sulaiti won the Moto2 to Supertock and it is a totally fying practice session. What that managed only a 13th place. But over- overall. The Italian who had been the timing charts, had a rare off ses- first race of the third round of Qatar diff erent position and style but I means is that the three-time MotoGP all he managed to get the last spot for struggling with the set-up will be sion and could only manage fi fth. His Superstock600 that took place at happy to adapt it in very short time,” champion will have to take part in QP2. But it did involve quite a few happy with this fi nal practice run. team-mate Rossi was in fi fth. Losail International Circuit during al-Sulaiti said. QP1, fi nish in the top 2 and then gain nervous minutes when there were a Defending world champion Marc The other usual suspects were fur- the Grand Prix of Qatar presented in Mashel al-Naimi finished in second entry into QP2. That shouldn’t be an ther lower down the order with Loren- association with the Qatar Tourism place and blamed bike problems. issue but this will still be a set back zo in eighth place and Marquez in Authority. Al-Sulaiti, who took the ‘My bike was very diff icult today. I for the highly competitive Spaniard. THE TOP 10 DIRECTLY INTO QP2 ninth. Suzuki’s Iannone wasn’t doing Superpole, didn’t have a good start tried to make my lap time but I was Heavy rains had lashed the Losail too great with a 15th place fi nish. And but he managed to lead the race very slow,” he said. International Circuit early morning 1. Maverick Vinales (ESP/Yamaha) 1:54.316, 6. Scott Redding (GBR/Ducati Pramac) a further four places down was Honda from the second lap The third place was taken by Nasser yesterday and though the track had 2. Andrea Iannone (ITA/Suzuki) at 0.532, 0.769, rider Pedrosa. “I am very happy about the race, al-Malki. Trophies were presented dried down, heavy winds and tiptoe- 3. Marc Marquez (ESP/Honda) 0.596, 7. Dani Pedrosa (ESP/Honda) 0.797, 8. With lots of rain having fallen in the actually really happy with the whole by QMMF President, Abdulrahman ing riders meant that FP3 didn’t see 4. Johann Zarco (FRA/Yamaha Tech3) Jonas Folger (GER/Yamaha Tech3) 0.892, morning, this session could be written weekend with Superstock and my al-Mannai and the LCSC General too many of the top riders improve 0.692, 9. Cal Crutchlow (GBR/Honda) 0.895, off by riders as they were trying to test rhythm was really good. I was a bit Manager and Vice-President Khalid their time as compared to FP1 & FP2. 5. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 0.726, 10. Valentino Rossi (ITA/Yamaha) 1.098, the limits of their bikes of the drying scared because I was jumping from al-Remaihi. This didn’t stop Yamaha rider track. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, March 25, 2017 FOOTBALL SOUTH AMERICAN SCENE SPOTLIGHT Date set for Messi appeal against tax Brazil on verge of fraud sentence Reuters Messi’s father Jorge was given Barcelona the same sentence and ordered to pay a fi ne of 1.5mn euros. Spanish law is such that any qualifying, Messi pain’s Supreme Court will sentence under two years for consider Barcelona talis- a non-violent crime rarely re- man Lionel Messi’s ap- quires a defendant without pre- peal against a 21-month vious convictions to serve jail Sprison sentence for tax fraud on time. April 20, a court spokesperson Messi, 29, and his father de- said yesterday. frauded the Spanish tax offi ce of That date is three days before almost 4.2mn euros from 2007- revives Argentina the “Clasico” between Barca 09 by using a web of shell com- and Real Madrid which could go panies to avoid taxes on income a long way to deciding this sea- from the player’s image rights.