WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2020 16

Premier League expected to keep three-subs rule: says CEO Officials, teams arrive for endurance spectacle Bahrain International Circuit to host 2020 FIA WEC 8 Hours of Bahrain from tomorrow in Sakhir

The race officials and teams• are completing their preparations at the BIC premises in Sakhir 5 of the WEC’s eight Sergio Aguero (R) is substituted by Pep Guardiola during a match (file photo) championship titles are TDT | Manama AFP | London set to be decided in the season-finale at BIC remier League chief exec- he Kingdom of Bahrain Putive Richard Masters said We have had two and Bahrain Interna- yesterday that the English top- votes on it at club Ttional Circuit (BIC) have flight was expected to stick to over the past few days been World Endurance Champion- its three-substitutes rule after level and both have welcoming the participants for ship, won by Aston Martin. pressure from Jurgen Klopp been relatively this weekend’s FIA WEC 8 Hours The 8 Hours of Bahrain will and Pep Guardiola to allow supportive of three of Bahrain, the final round of also mark the last official ap- five changes. subs. That has created the 2019/2020 FIA World En- pearance on track for the WEC’s Liverpool manager Klopp some frustration, durance Championship (WEC) top-tier Le Mans Prototype 1 and Manchester City boss alongside discussions season. (LMP1) category, which will Guardiola have been vocif- of fixture-scheduling, Officials from the Federation make way for the Le Mans Hy- erous in their calls for the which is related to the Internationale de l’Automobile percar class starting from 2021. Premier League to allow five (FIA) and the WEC, along with Aside from the WEC, there substitutions, with fears over pandemic WEC team management, staff will also be plenty of racing ex- rising player injuries during RICHARD MASTERS and a number of drivers, have citement in the homegrown BIC Action from last year’s WEC race weekend the hectic fixture schedule. reached the island ahead of the 2,000cc Challenge, the region’s At present only three chang- League’s so-called “big six” endurance racing spectacle, es, as well as at key locations pionship titles are set to be de- longest-running circuit racing es per match are permitted. clubs were in favour of increas- which gets underway tomorrow around the track. cided in the season-finale at BIC. championship. All the other major Euro - ing substitutions while others at “The Home of Motorsport in WEC action gets underway These include the FIA World The series is set to run two pean leagues and the Cham- preferred three as they felt the the Middle East”. with a 90-minute Free Practice Endurance LMP Drivers’ Cham- races, which will be mark the pions League have continued sides with larger squads would Upon touching down at Bah- tomorrow, to be followed on pionship, the FIA Endurance third of seven rounds in its with the five-sub rule that was have too much of an advantage. rain International Airport, they Friday, November 13, by a sec- Trophy for LMP2 Drivers, the GT 2020/2021 season. It will be the introduced when football re- “We have had two votes on were received by members of ond WEC Practice of the same FIA World Endurance Drivers’ chance for the Kingdom’s most turned after the coronavirus it at club level and both have BIC’s Meet and Greet Team, who duration, plus a third over 60 Championship, the FIA Endur- talented and passionate racers lockdown earlier this year. been relatively supportive of gave them a warm welcome and minutes. Qualifying will then ance Trophy for GTE Am Teams, to showcase their skills on an However, Masters, giving three subs,” Masters said. assisted them in their arrival be held that evening, setting the and the FIA Endurance Trophy international stage. evidence to British lawmak- “That has created some frus- formalities at a specially con- stage for the highly anticipated for GTE Am Drivers. The FIA WEC 8 Hours of Bah- ers on the House of Commons tration, alongside discussions structed BIC Reception Tent. eight-hour race on Saturday, The titles already clinched are rain will be taking place with Digital, Culture, Media and of fixture-scheduling, which is The race officials and teams November 14. The main event the FIA World Endurance LMP1 all precautionary guidelines in Sport Committee, said clubs related to the pandemic. are also completing their prepa- is scheduled for a 2pm start in Championship, won by Toyota place issued by the Ministry of had voted against it twice al- “There is a real issue and I rations at the BIC premises in the daytime and it will end at Gazoo Racing; the FIA Endur- Youth and Sports Affairs and the ready and there was little ap- don’t foresee it changing in the Sakhir, with set-up work in Race 10pm under the brilliance of ance Trophy for LMP2 Teams, Ministry of Health. petite for a change. foreseeable future. It has been Control Tower, the Paddock, BIC’s state-of-the art floodlights. claimed by United Autosports, For more information, visit It is believed the Premier voted on twice.” along the Pit Lane and garag- Five of the WEC’s eight cham- and the GT Manufacturers FIA bahraingp.com.

Formula One unveils biggest-ever 23-race calendar for 2021 Neymar, Mbappe PSG contract talks ‘have started’ - Leonardo Vietnam’s F1 debut in• doubt after scandal

AFP | London KNOW WHAT

ormula One unveiled a F23-race calendar for 2021 Vietnam was to hold yesterday, its biggest ever, but a street race on April the has been dropped. 25 but doubts about The season will start in Aus- the event arose after tralia on March 21 and will in- Nguyen Duc Chung, clude the first ever race in Saudi who was ’s mayor PSG’s Neymar and Kylian Mbappe speak during warm up prior to a match Arabia on November 28 before and a major supporter AFP | Paris He said his relationship the season ends a week later in of the event, was ar- with coach Thomas Tuchel Abu Dhabi. rested on corruption aris Saint-Germain sport- has improved since they Vietnam was to hold a street charges in August Ping director Leonardo said made their differing opinions race on April 25 but doubts A worker walks past a hoarding at the Vietnam Grand Prix race track site yesterday contract negotia- about the summer transfer about the event arose after tions with Neymar and Kylian market public during media Nguyen Duc Chung, who was from most races this year but Saudi Arabia said last week it reshape Hanoi’s staid image, Mbappe are underway. interviews. Hanoi’s mayor and a major sup- organisers said they expect fans was holding a race for the first much as it has done for Singa- The deals of the attacking The Champions League run- porter of the event, was arrested to return next year. time. pore which will again host a pair, who cost the French ners-up have lost two of their on corruption charges in Au- “The plans for 2021 have in- The Netherlands, home to the race next year. champions 402 million euros opening three group stage gust. In the calendar unveiled volved extensive dialogue with popular Red Bull driver Max The communist nation inked ($474 million) in two separate matches this term, but Leon- yesterday, the race slot was left all promoters and their local and Verstappen, gets a race a year a 10-year deal with Formula transfers, are up in 2022. ardo denied PSG had looked at vacant. national authorities at a time of earlier than originally planned One in 2018 with state media Leonardo alo said talks with replacing the German. F1’s 2020 season was heavily ongoing fluidity related to the with a September 5 slot in the saying hosting the race would Angel Di Maria and Juan Ber- “That sort of thing happens, disrupted by the Covid-19 pan- global pandemic,” F1 said in a coastal town of Zandvoort. It cost the country $60 million per nat are also ongoing. we spoke, the situation is now demic but is eventually being statement. will be the first Dutch grand year. “All the extensions we’re clear for everyone,” he said. run over 17 races, with reigning “As we have said before, we prix since 1985. The fee has been picked up in considering, we’ve started to “The truth and the facts champion Lewis Hamilton on expect fans to return for the Vietnam signed up for For- full by the country’s largest pri- talk about. I think they’ll es- are that internally we’ve nev- course to win the title for the 2021 season and for the calendar mula One hoping the glamour vate conglomerate, , calate over the coming weeks,” er thought about changing seventh time. to look similar to the originally of the sport could reflect the which had been hoping to daz- the former Brazil midfielder Tuchel. We’ve never called Spectators have been barred planned 2020 season.” country’s economic lift-off and zle with a night race. told the club’s video channel. anyone,” he added.

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