Sports Tuesday, April 2, 2019 17 Leclerc takes positives Al Watan, QBF sign agreement for FIBA 3x3 after F1 GP heartbreak

AFP Sakhir (Bahrain) Victorious Charles Leclerc focused Hamilton on the positives on Monday after his heartbreaking bid for a maiden F1 win was foiled by defends engine problems in Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Vettel The 21-year-old Mon- egasque, who emerged as Manama: A victorious Lewis the sport’s rising star as the Hamilton moved to defend his youngest pole-sitter in Ferra- rival Sebastian Vettel as the ri’s history, had victory in his four-time champion’s recent sights with 10 laps remaining form came under scrutiny fol- when he suffered a power loss lowing another costly spin in that saw him drop to third as Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix. Mercedes pair Lewis Ham- Hamilton, who was gifted ilton and Valtteri Bottas fin- the 74th win of his career Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) signed a partnership agreement with Dar Al Watan Publishing for the ished first and second. when Ferrari new boy Charles International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) 3x3 World Tour opener to be held in Doha from April 25-26 His misfortune was Leclerc’s engine lost power in at the Katara Cultural Village. The agreement was signed by QBF Secretary-General Ali al Malki and Qatar caused by a single cylinder the final 10 laps, said Vettel’s Information and Marketing (QIM) CEO Abdulrahman Majid al Qahtani. failure, Ferrari said, quashing achievements dwarfed his suggestions of a problem with disappointments. As Fer- the turbo-charger. rari packed up to travel home “To be honest, how I felt after a bitter-sweet weekend in the car, I thought that eve- in which they demonstrated Khulaifi wins a gold and bronze in Sarajevo rything would blow up a few dominant pace and the arrival laps later,” said Leclerc. “But, on the grand prix podium of that was not the case and we their new star Leclerc, Vettel still finished third. faced another Italian inquest “From the whole weekend, over his failings. there are a lot of positives to take. After Australia, we were quite far off. Now, I think we Monaco’s Formula One driver Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari have found some pace. reacts on the podium after the 2019 Bahrain Formula One GP at “We came here with a the Sakhir circuit near Manama, Bahrain, on Sunday. (EPA-EFE) good car, which was very pos- itive for the team and shows they have done an amazing job. To lose the lead this way is always a shame and a dis- appointment.” He said it was not the cruellest setback of his racing German F1 driver Sebastian Vet- career. “No, it was not that tel of Scuderia Ferrari in his car extreme,” he explained. “For- during the 2019 Grand Prix of mula Two, in Monaco, in 2017, Bahrain. (EPA-EFE) was probably the worst me Qatari swimmer Yaqoub Abdulaziz al Khulaifi won gold in the 100m butterfly event for boys under-18 at and the worst I’ve ever had.” Charles Leclerc of Scuderia Ferrari in action during the Bahrain GP His spin at the Bahrain Inter- the Sarajevo International Swimming Championships. Al Khulaifi also claimed the bronze in the men’s In that race, he dominat- at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday. (EPA-EFE) national Circuit, where Hamil- 100m butterfly event at the Bosnia and Herzegovina meet. ed the contest on home soil in ton led his team-mate Valtteri front of his family and friends assess its behaviour, func- a surprise than Bahrain. Bah- Bottas home for a second before safety car confusion tionality and performance.” rain was very strong - the straight season-opening Mer- and a suspension breakage He said it was a single straight-line performance cedes one-two, was his fourth conspired to wreck his hopes. component failure. unbelievable. in 10 races. “I looked at the Quick read “This is not so bad. It’s “We are disappointed, but “I think, on the straights, replay and we didn’t touch,” still a podium and it’s my we are positive,” he added. there was a five-tenths (ad- said five-times champion Ham- Sri Lanka captain apologises for ‘unbecoming’ behaviour first in F1 so I want to enjoy “We know it’s a long season vantage) in qualifying. That is ilton, reflecting on the incident it. It was not the weekend and though there are posi- difficult to compete against. in which Vettel spun while the Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Test driver was hospitalised for minor we wanted, but we should be tives from the weekend, we It’s sheer power. If they can pair battled for second place. captain Dimuth Karunaratne injuries after the pre-dawn crash happy with third despite the know that doesn’t mean it maintain it in Shanghai, they “It was really windy there...” apologised Monday for his on Sunday. “My actions were problems.” will be sufficient for the rest are the clear favourites.” Sunday’s incident reminded “unbecoming behaviour” after utterly unbecoming of a Sri Lan- Ferrari team chief Mat- of the season.” And, on Leclerc, the observers of a similar spin at being arrested for drink-driving in kan national cricketer and I do tia Binotto said: “The engine Ferrari’s power and pace Mercedes man was equally last year’s Italian Grand Prix an accident that left a taxi driver apologise to all of you for this will go back to Maranello for in a straight line lifted them impressed. “He’s got a beau- where Hamilton barged past injured. Karunaratne, 30, was incident,” Karunaratne said in a careful checks because when clear of their rivals. tiful, bright future ahead of Vettel on his way to a decisive taken before a magistrate who statement. The incident came something like this happens Mercedes team chief Toto him so this will only make victory that underpinned his suspended his driving licence as Sri Lanka decides who will be Dimuth Karunaratne (left) arrives you need to take your time. Wolff described it as “unbe- him stronger. He is very im- late-season title charge. and fixed a trial for May 2. The captain for the national team at at the court in Colombo with his “But the engine was run- lievable” and explained: “We pressive. Many other drivers “It happens to us all. Just be- cricket star was also asked the World Cup starting in Eng- lawyer on Monday. (AFP) ning at the end of the race so expected them to be strong in would have reacted in a more cause you are a multiple world to take a medical test. Police land on May 30. Karunaratne, it is still able to run. We will Melbourne, after what we’d controversial way, but he has champion doesn’t mean you’re told the court that while driving who led Sri Lanka to a stunning Sri Lanka’s cricket board said in use it certainly in China when seen in terms of pace in testing. a good character and he is not going to have ‘off’ week- under the influence of liquor, Test series victory against South a statement it would investigate we have an entire Friday to “So Melbourne was more humble. He is, also, very fast.” ends,” said Hamilton. (AFP) Karunaratne went through a Africa last month, had been one the incident “in order to take red light and hit a taxi whose of the favourites for the position. necessary action.” (AFP) Marquez cruises to 45th MotoGP win

made his push for victory four laps from the end at Termas de Rio Hondo to deny 21-year-old Gardner of Australia with Alex Marquez of Spain in third. It was a first world champi- onship podium for Gardner. The 22-year-old Baldassarri Sheer delight leads the world championship Kings XI Punjab’s bowler Sam Curran (left) celebrates with his team having also won the open- owner Preity Zinta and teammates after his hat-trick against Delhi “It’s been one of the most ing round in Qatar earlier this Capitals in an IPL match in Mohali on Tuesday. (AFP) solid weekends of my MotoGP month while Gardner is second, career. On the first laps, I 17 points behind the Italian. wanted to make the biggest “It was a good race and im- Curran does the star turn as difference possible, it was portant victory for the team,” strategy, I attacked. It’s a said Baldassarri. Punjab shock Delhi Capitals great day for the team. It’s “I knew that I couldn’t battle been a long time since I was at the start, I had to manage the IANS win (2/31) and Mohammed on the podium.” tyres so I concentrated on the Mohali Shami 2/27) also played crucial end of the race.” roles as Punjab scripted their Spain’s Jaume Masia, on a Sam Curran bowled a dream third win in four games to move “I waited and I got past him KTM, claimed a maiden Moto3 second spell to snare four second in the points table. on the last lap,” said Rossi, now victory, edging out South Af- wickets as Kings XI Punjab Chasing a modest 167 for Spain’s Marc Marquez crosses the finish line to win the MotoGP Argentina Grand Prix at the Termas de Rio in his 20th season in the elite rica’s Daryn Binder and Tony recorded a 14-run victory over victory, Delhi were in the hunt Hondo circuit in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, on Sunday. (AFP) MotoGP class and who made Arbolino of Italy on the line. Delhi Capitals in their Indian for most parts of the match. the podium for the first time Having started the race on Premier League (IPL) match With 20 runs needed off 15 AFP Qatar, was third on a Ducati. strategy, I attacked and I saw since Germany in July last year. pole, Masia regained the lead here on Monday. balls when Colin Ingram got Termas de Río Hondo (Argentina) Marquez, chasing a sixth the gap widen.” “It’s a great day for the team. on the last lap, erasing the mis- Curran (4/11 in 2.2 overs), out, Delhi succumbed to some MotoGP world title, now leads As Marquez was rarely It’s been a long time since I was ery of his first-lap fall in Qatar. who replaced injured Chris brilliant death bowling by World champion Marc Mar- the 2019 championship after threatened in Sunday’s race, the on the podium.” “It’s incredible. I have to thank Gayle, bowled the 18th over to Shami and Curran. In the end, quez stormed to a lights-to-flag two rounds of the 19-race series. wheel-to-wheel action was be- Australia’s Jack Miller my team and my fans,” said the take the wickets of Colin In- Delhi could manage 152. Argentina MotoGP triumph on “Today, it was a perfect day. ing ratcheted up behind him as on a Ducati-Pramac was 4th, Spaniard. gram (38; 29b; 4x4; 1x6) and Earlier, David Miller Sunday ahead of bitter rival Val- I pushed all the time and five Rossi and Dovizioso switched Alex Rins of Spain on a Suzuki Japan’s Kaito Toba keeps Harshal Patel (0), and then (43; 30b, 4x4; 6x2) missed a entino Rossi, describing his per- laps from the end I could ease places 12 times. was 5th ahead of Ducati’s Da- the overall world champion- came back in the last over to half-century as Punjab were formance as “the perfect day”. off to save the engine and the But 40-year-old Rossi had nilo Petrucci. ship lead after a 10th place fin- finish the game by removing restricted to 166/9. Honda rider Marquez tyres,” said Marquez. the last laugh, pouncing on a Earlier, Italy’s Lorenzo Bal- ish on Sunday to follow his vic- Kagiso Rabada and Sandeep scores claimed his 45th career vic- “It’s been one of the most Dovizioso error on the last lap to dassarri won the Moto2 race tory in Qatar. He has 31 points Lamichhane in successive de- Kings XI Punjab 166/9 in 20 overs (David tory in the elite class, finishing solid weekends of my Mo- take second place on the same with Remy Gardner, son of 1987 with Italy’s Lorenzo Dalla liveries to complete a hat-trick Miller 43, Sarfaraz Khan 39; Chris Morris 10 seconds ahead of Rossi on toGP career. On the first laps, circuit where 12 months ago he world 500cc champion Wayne Porta in second on 29. Masia as seven wickets fell for just 3/30) beat Delhi Capitals 152 all out a Yamaha. Andrea Dovizioso, I wanted to make the biggest had collided with Marquez and Gardner, taking second place. moves into third spot, a further eight runs in 17 balls. (Rishabh Pant 39; Sam Curran 4/11) who won the season-opener in difference possible, it was crashed out. Baldassarri, on a Kalex, two points back. Skipper Ravichandran Ash- by four runs.