SPORTS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2013

Former F1 test pilot De Villota found dead Driver’s body discovered in hotel in Seville MADRID: Former Spanish thing) because, out of the paddock and her positive outlook,” added Wolff from ROLE MODEL test driver Maria de Villota, one of the out of the bubble, she was the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. The crash occurred after she had few women to come close to the top of an incredible character, she was a fight- “After the accident she was so behind completed a test run and was returning the sport, has been found dead in a er,” Susie Wolff, a Williams development me and had such a lust for life, she was to the mechanics. The car suddenly hotel in the southern Spanish city of driver who had a test for Williams last so happy to be alive and that she’d sur- accelerated into the back of a team Seville, a police spokeswoman said yes- July and knew De Villota well, told vived it and she had so many great truck with her helmet taking much of terday. De Villota, who lost her right eye Reuters. plans for the future. “She was just an the impact. She was taken to and fractured her skull in a horrific acci- “She had such a spirit for life and incredible lady, no matter about what Cambridge’s Addenbrooke’s hospital dent at a test at Duxford airfield in what she came through was a testa- she did on the racetrack. She was just an and had an emergency operation that England in July last year, had likely died ment to her strength of character and incredible character.” began on a Tuesday afternoon and kept of “natural” causes, the spokeswoman her in theatre until the following morn- said, adding that an investigation was ing. Speaking in public for the first time ongoing. since the accident in October last year, Although the 33-year-old recovered an upbeat De Villota, who married her from the life-threatening injuries sus- personal trainer Rodrigo Garcia Millan in tained in the crash, she no longer com- July, said the best part of her life was still peted and had instead become an inspi- to come. Wearing a patch over her eye rational figure for aspiring female driv- socket and with her blonde hair ers. The news of her sudden passing cropped close to the skull, De Villota stunned Spain and the motor racing thanked all those who had helped and world. supported her and said she now “We are assuming it was a natural believed she had “a new opportunity to death, but we cannot confirm any- live at 100 percent”. thing,” the police spokeswoman said, She said she was determined to stay adding that forensic scientists and involved with Formula One in some police from the homicide unit would form and being a role model for aspir- examine the scene. ing young female drivers was extremely De Villota, the daughter of former F1 important to her, she added. “I have racer Emilio De Villota, was appointed motor sport in my DNA and there’s no test driver for Anglo-Russian Formula way I can stay away from that world,” One team Marussia a few months before she said. her crash. However she never took part “I want to keep fighting because I in a general test with other drivers. Only believe so strongly in women being part a handful of women have driven of motor racing. “The crucial thing was to Formula One cars in the last decade and MELBOURNE: A file picture shows former Spanish Formula One driver Maria get back some optimism about the none has come near to racing one in de Villota smiling and waving to photographers ahead of Formula One’s future, that’s what helped me to get my competition. Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. De Villota, 33, was found dead at a interior motor running again. I am sure “I feel I owe it to her (to say some- hotel in Sevilla yesterday. — AFP that the best is still to come.” — Reuters Mercedes look to Massa full of hope ‘annoy’ Red Bulls SUZUKA: Mercedes pair and for life after Ferrari showed glimpses of their car’s potential in yesterday’s free practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, raising hope they can make wait a little longer to celebrate a SUZUKA: was Formula One world champion for “Many things change for next year, everything starts from zero fourth successive Formula One world title. Hamilton, who 40 seconds in 2008, before Lewis Hamilton snatched the title so I know I can be very important for a team. A team that is able caused a storm by calling Vettel’s dominance of the sport away, but even as he prepares to say farewell to Ferrari the little to do something, to build a strong car. For sure, a team that is boring this week, topped the time sheets in the morning session at Suzuka with a lap of 1min 34.157secs, with Brazilian has not given up hope of a second chance. Looking not able to do that, I’m not interested in,” he added. Rosberg edging out Vettel’s for second. back over his eight seasons racing for the most successful and Vettel, who won the Japanese race for the third time glamorous team on the grid, and the highs and lows of being a SINGAPORE SCANDAL from pole last year, and has also won the last four grands team mate to three world champions, Massa says he harbours Massa won 11 races with Ferrari and missed out on the 2008 prix, typically struck back in the afternoon session to clock no regrets. Nor, with five races remaining and nothing fixed for championship to McLaren’s Hamilton by a single point after the the day’s fastest lap of 1:33.852.If he stretches his win his future, does the 32-year-old think his best days are necessar- Briton seized a crucial fifth place in the final race in Brazil at the streak to five on Sunday, and closest rival ily behind him. last corner of the last lap. The race winner from pole position, fails to drive his Ferrari into the top eight, the German will “I am a very happy man,” he told British reporters at the and with the home crowd rising to acclaim him, Massa had become only the third man to capture four Formula One Japanese Grand Prix, where last year he finished second to Red crossed the line 39.907 seconds earlier. titles in a row. But Rosberg promised Vettel would not get Bull’s Sebastian Vettel in his best result since that epic 2008 sea- “I would prefer to be world champion forever, not just for 40 an easy ride at the fast, figure-of-eight circuit. son. “I have zero frustration in my career. I had an incredible seconds. But it’s like that,” he smiled. “Maybe I had also the most “The track here at Suzuka is such great fun to drive and career that I never believed I was going to have. And I am look- incredible final race of the championship ever as well. I’m sure our car was feeling fantastic around it today,” said ing forward to getting even greater results and to fight still for people will remember me.” That race was a standout moment Rosberg, who showed good pace in the afternoon by lap- victories and for the championship. “I don’t believe it is the time of his career, one as defining as the race in Hungary the follow- ping third fastest as Hamilton slipped down to sixth. “We to stop yet. I believe in myself and I believe I can do a lot more ing year when he suffered a near fatal head injury after being were quite fast over one lap and on the long runs but the and fight a lot more.” struck on the helmet by a bouncing spring shed from compatri- important thing is how we manage the tyres as that will Massa is vying with Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg for the Lotus ot ’s Brawn. be the key to success,” added Rosberg, after a day when seat left vacant by Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion who is The Brazilian says he has no hard feelings, only a sense of degrading rubber again led to several spins. returning to Ferrari in place of the Brazilian. That team, which pride that he did everything possible on the day. It is the 2008 “There’s a lot of work ahead of us but I’m really looking won titles as Benetton and Renault, are currently fourth overall Singapore Grand Prix that leaves the bitter taste. He had forward to the rest of the weekend and I hope we can with Raikkonen winning the Australian season-opener. “I am secured pole by a hefty margin and was dominating the race annoy the Red Bulls a little bit.” Vettel and team-mate very optimistic that something will come. Very,” he said. “I think when compatriot crashed his Renault, bringing bared their teeth on a hot afternoon at we are going to find the direction. I don’t know where, but I am out the safety car. From the chaos, Piquet’s team mate Suzuka but Hamilton looked sharp in the first session and really confident that something will come and it can be good, Fernando Alonso emerged as the winner. appeared cautiously optimistic about his chances. “This interesting.”With big changes next season, and the introduction Only a year later did it emerge that Piquet had crashed delib- track is so beautiful to drive,” said the Briton, who won the of a new turbocharged V6 power unit, there could be a shake- erately on team orders, to help secure victory for Alonso, in one Japanese race in 2007 in his debut season in F1.”It’s fast up in the pecking order and Massa felt his experience could of the biggest scandals the sport has had to deal with. “What and flowing and our car really does feel good here. But it’s count. “I am sure I can give a lot to another team. I am happy to happened in Singapore is unacceptable,” said Massa. “It was a also a very unforgiving circuit. —AFP change, I am happy to start something from zero,” he said. situation that no driver likes to pass through. —Reuters