Lekhwiya Aim for Clean Sheet Against Arabi
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 BASEBALL | Page 5 Mata sinks Cubs level City, West To Advertise here World Series Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Ham shock 1-1 against for Chelsea Indians Friday, October 28, 2016 GOLF Muharram 27, 1438 AH Eagle Eye Fowler on GULF TIMES target as Karlberg leads in Shanghai SPORT Page 6 FORMULA 1 Ecclestone keen to add to the risk factor Formula One supremo Bernie Eccle- stone, no stranger to controversial comments, has suggested building Rosberg blocks out walls on racetrack corners to add a greater sense of danger. The remarks are unlikely to sit well with, or be treated seriously by, drivers and the governing FIA, who have worked for decades to im- prove safety in a sport whose past is littered with fatalities. title talk in Mexico “In those (the old) days, and it can’t happen again, people would come German arrives in Mexico with a 26-point lead over Hamilton and three races remaining to a race and think somebody could get killed,” Ecclestone, who turns AFP 86 today, told British reporters in Mexico City Austin before Formula One headed to Mexico for this weekend’s round. “Today they know they come to a ico Rosberg plans to block race and nobody is going to get out all thoughts of a possible killed. Which is good.” maiden title triumph and fo- However, he suggested races were cus on sticking to his singular now in danger of appearing too Nand simple approach when he bids to safe, with drivers exceeding track claim his 10th win of the year in this limits without suff ering any conse- weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix. quences. The 31-year-old, who will become “I’ve been criticised probably by champion if he wins and Mercedes everybody because I wanted to teammate and title rival Lewis Hamil- build 40cm walls around the cor- ton fails to score a point, has said he is ners. They keep saying they mustn’t aware of all the equations and possible go off the road, I promise they outcomes. won’t,” added Ecclestone. But, he stressed, he will aim only to Ecclestone said Formula One’s keep things simple and concentrate on street races in Baku, Monaco and repeating his victory of last year when Singapore, with walls and metal Formula One returned to the noisy and fences, concentrated the minds and atmospheric Autodromo Hermanos the racing was still good. Rodriguez for the fi rst time since 1992. Formula One is still feeling the pain In front of a packed crowd that day, from the death of Frenchman Jules Rosberg eased some of the pain from Bianchi, who crashed into a recov- losing out to Hamilton in the title race ery tractor at a wet Japanese race in by securing a well-judged victory. 2014 and died in hospital of his head Something similar coupled with an- injuries last year. other Hamilton retirement would see Before him Ayrton Senna was him take the Englishman’s crown on the last fatality in 1994, an Imola Sunday night. weekend that also took the life of “Of course I’m aware of that,” he Austrian Roland Ratzenberger. said. “It’s an obvious calculation which This season Spaniard Fernando everybody is telling me and it’s great, Alonso walked away from a massive but the approach is keep it simple – just shunt in the opening Australian look for the race win.” Grand Prix after his McLaren flew Rosberg will arrive in Mexico with a into the fence. 26-point lead over Hamilton in the title And in Austin, race director Charlie race and three races remaining. Whiting reminded drivers that, That means that if he wins he will for safety reasons, they could not increase his tally to an unassailable ad- change direction suddenly in the vantage of 51 if the three-time defend- braking zone when defending ing champion is undone by another against a fully committed rival. engine failure, poor start or other me- “What Fernando had in Australia... chanical problem. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton raises his victory trophy as teammate Nico Rosberg (left) looks on on the podium for the United States Grand Prix on Sunday. (Reuters) you wouldn’t think he was going to For Hamilton, and his race team of walk away,” said Ecclestone, before Mercedes mechanics, the over-riding with Rosberg, in Spain. position last weekend in Texas was his vation intact despite his poor run and face a robust challenge from the Red Bull coming up with another provoca- pressure, as it was during his fl awless Rosberg has also suff ered misfor- fi rst in six races since July. was boosted by visiting the Mercedes team who are confi dent they have re- tive suggestion with no chance of drive to victory in the United States tunes, but not to the same extent and He said it has restored his confi dence factory in Britain before fl ying to the duced the champions’ advantage and can being implemented. Grand Prix in Texas, is to fi nish without many Hamilton supporters believe he and he will do all he can, reliability per- United States. mount a serious bid for victory. “What we ought to do immediately any setbacks. has lost a minimum of 40 points as a mitting, in the fi nal races. “I’ve tried to keep a positive mentali- However, given the Mexican circuit’s that happens is have big sheets all In the 18 events to date, he has been result. “You don’t often get 100 per cent re- ty,” he said. “There are still points avail- long straight, Mercedes are expected the way around, bring the ambu- aff ected by at least three poor starts, Some believe, also, that the law of liability for a whole season,” he said. able, anything is possible. The moment to enjoy superior power and take ad- lance in... and take him away. He’s fi ve engine or engine-related mechani- averages will deliver at least another “Will it be the case for Nico? Only you give up, that’s the moment you’re vantage, but it is uncertain if that will gone to the hospital and later on you cal problems, one race when he was pe- twist that may see Rosberg suff er a DNF time will tell, but I can’t get fi xated on doomed.I’ve never given up all my life, be enough to allow their drivers a clear announce that, thank God, he’s out. nalised for his engine failures that re- (Did Not Finish). that.” I don’t plan on doing so now.” scrap for victory – and possibly the A bit of showbiz. People like that.” quired new power units and one crash, Hamilton’s convincing win from pole Hamilton said he has kept his moti- Both Mercedes drivers know that they championship. QATAR STARS LEAGUE Lekhwiya aim for clean sheet against Arabi By Sports Reporter we had a clean sheet and we are work- each game has its own situation some Doha ing on that. We have an attacking style are tactical some are physical. Lekhwi- and sometimes that leaves the defence ya are a great team, they have many vulnerable and we need to work on the players in the national team and it will ekhwiya take on Al Arabi in right balance.” be a diffi cult game,” added the Uru- round fi ve of the QSL. The The Algerian added: “I’m working on guayan coach at the press conference match will take place at the Le- fi xing conceded goals. We are looking on Wednesday. khwiya stadium today evening. to fi nd the balance between defend- Speaking about tactical diffi culties, LLekhwiya have ten points from four ing and attacking. If you analyse goal Pelusso said, “We have some issues games and sit second in the table. The by goal, there are goals we can avoid in the team we have to fi x. Some play- Cops are one of the title favourites this and those we cannot. We conceded two ers have not played for a long time and year and they will be aiming for the goals to penalties which I don’t believe their performance refl ected that. So we three points against Al Arabi. were penalties.” need more work harder to achieve our Talking at a press conference ahead Al Arabi has six points from four goals.” of their match, Lekhwiya coach Djamel games and currently sit seventh in the Lekhwiya’s head-to-head record Belmadi said, “Al Arabi started this table. They will look to get some points against Al Arabi is much better with the season with great ambition and they off Lekhwiya as they bid to make it into Cops winning six of their 12 encoun- have great players. If you saw their the top four. ters and four matches ending in a draw. game against El Jaish and Al Ahli, you Gerardo Pelusso, head coach of Al Arabi has won twice. could say that they could have at least Arabi, said, “All matches are important Lekhwiya has scored 30 out of 46 two more points because they could and we admit we didn’t have a good goals scored in these 12 matches, with have drawn those games.” game against Al Ahli. We are prepared no match ending in a goalless draw, Speaking about last week’s game for a good performance against Le- while Arabi has scored the remaining against Al Wakrah, Belmadi said, “Last khwiya and to get the three points.” 16 goals.