TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 SPORTS

Costa out of Chelsea’s Female ref to make Riner to continue Champions League squad German league debut until 2020 Olympics

LONDON: Exiled striker Diego Costa was not included in Chelsea’s 25-man BERLIN: Germany’s Bibiana Steinhaus is set to make Bundesliga PARIS: French judoka Teddy Riner said yesterday that he will go for a squad for the Champions League group phase yesterday. Costa, 28, has history on Sunday by becoming the first woman to referee in third straight heavyweight Olympic gold medal at Tokyo 2020, after been frozen out by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and spent the transfer one of Europe’s top leagues, according to reports. Top German winning his record ninth world title in Budapest last week. window angling for a return to former club Atletico Madrid that nev- daily newspapers Bild and Die Welt claim the 38-year-old The 28-year-old is unbeaten since September 2010 and er materialised. Atletico, who were drawn in Champions League Steinhaus will officiate when Hertha Berlin host Werder Bremen has won 134 successive fights, but was pushed to a Group C alongside Chelsea, are banned from signing new play- in Germany’s top flight in the capital on Sunday. The German golden point in both the semi-finals and the final in ers until January. By not including Costa in their squad, Chelsea Football Association (DFB) has refused to confirm the reports Hungary. “I know that the road to Tokyo 2020 will have ensured he will not become cup-tied, meaning he could and, as is customary, will only announce the referee appoint- be long, there’s a long way to go for that gold play in the competition for another team in the second part of ments for the following weekend in the Bundesliga on Thursday. medal,” Riner said. “It will be difficult but not impos- the season. Despite being named in Chelsea’s Premier League Steinhaus, who is on the official list of Bundesliga referees for sible. I want a challenge, challenges are what I con- squad, Costa has not played in any of their league games to the 2017/18 season, has sat out the first two rounds of matches tinue for.” The Guadeloupean now has eight individ- date, his place taken by £58 million ($75.1 million, 63.1 mil- this season. Her debut on Sunday at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium is ual world championship golds and one team victory lion euros) record signing Alvaro Morata. Chelsea will set to make Steinhaus the first female referee in the German, since 2007, while he was also part of the France out- also face Roma and Azerbaijani newcomers Qarabag English, Spanish, French or Italian leagues, having already been fit that took bronze in the mixed team event on in their group. — AFP an assistant referee in the Bundesliga. —AFP Sunday. —AFP Ricciardo gains reputation for his overtaking skills

MONZA: Daniel Ricciardo is starting to race, Ricciardo blasted past Raikkonen at make a habit of charging through the the end of the main straightaway when the field with dazzling overtak- Finn broke earlier entering the first chicane. ing. The Red Bull driver claimed his fifth “I’ll give him the credit and say he raced career win in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in clean and fair, but I would have done it on June after starting 10th and went all the anyone to be honest,” Ricciardo said. way from the back to fifth in the British “Especially when you are coming up GP in July. through the field and you have that The Australian did it again at Sunday’s momentum, it doesn’t matter who you Italian GP, slaloming through the field to come up against.” finish just off the podium in fourth after Sitting fourth, Ricciardo took aim at another grid penalty imposed a 16th-place Sebastian Vettel in the other Ferrari. start. “Two of my favorite races this year Ricciardo was gaining more than a second have been starting from the back - on Vettel each trip around the “Temple of Silverstone and this one,” Ricciardo said. “I Speed” - and set the race’s quickest lap in had some real pace in the end.” the process - but ultimately ran out of time. The moves in Monza added some much- “I could see Seb and the thought of a needed excitement to a race that Lewis podium was tempting me, so I was obvi- Hamilton dominated from start to finish. “I ously trying to catch him right up to the think he’s one of the best overtakers out end,” Ricciardo said. “But I think then he was there. His judgment of being able to brake able to turn it up a bit and I was using every late enough for the apex is quite phenome- part of my tires. nal,” said Red Bull team principal Christian Still, the result meant Ricciardo extend- Horner, adding that Ricciardo’s driving ed his lead over Raikkonen in their battle reminded him of 1992 Formula One cham- for fourth place in the drivers’ standings. pion Nigel Mansell. Ricciardo gained two more points than A bit too much wheel spin at the start Raikkonen and is now six points ahead with meant Ricciardo remained 16th but as soon seven races remaining. as he got a bit of open road to work with, “The boys did the quickest pit stop and I he started passing one car after another. also got the fastest lap so that’s very cool,” After an expert pass of Force India driver added Ricciardo, who is among the fan Sergio Perez at the second chicane put favorites in Monza because of his Italian Ricciardo firmly in the top 10, he became roots. “You can almost call it a perfect day. MONZA: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Monza racetrack, Italy, the last of the front-runners to visit the pits. We couldn’t have done much more from Sunday. —AP A perfectly executed stop prepared where we started. “Of course I wanted to be Ricciardo for an assault on Ferrari driver up there on the podium as it looked unreal, MOTOR RACING Kimi Raikkonen. On Lap 41 of the 53-lap but I believe it will come next year.” —AP Rossi wins IndyCar Hamilton says heart has race at Watkins Glen led his surge to top WATKINS GLEN: overcame a mate Simon Pagenaud was his third in four mechanical malfunction on pit road to notch races and seemed to stamp him as the man MONZA: Lewis Hamilton attributes his surge to expect a Ferrari fight-back in Singapore, the first comfortable,” added Hamilton, who is scheduled a big victory. IndyCar points leader Josef to beat. the top of the Formula One drivers world cham- of three upcoming races in Asia. “To be leading to take part in a tyres-testing day at Le Castellet Newgarden wasn’t so lucky. Rossi used a Then his lead in the standings vanished in pionship to an increased level of “heart and pas- the championship - whilst it is only a couple of in the south of France on Thursday. “But I want to stroke of good fortune to win the IndyCar a flash at Watkins Glen. After taking his only sion” since winning the British Grand Prix in July. points - I am grateful, but by no means do I feel stay here...” —AFP Grand Prix at The Glen on Sunday from the lead of the day, Newgarden pitted with 15 The 32-year-old Briton, whose victory in pole, leading just over half of the 60-lap race laps to go around the 11-turn, 3.37-mile natu- Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix lifted him three and easily holding off four-time series cham- ral terrain road course. But he slammed the points clear of Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, has pion over the closing laps at guard rail exiting the pits when his front tires won three of the last four races to become Hamlin sweeps Darlington, Watkins Glen International for his second locked up and he veered left into the blue leader for the first time this year. As Ferrari career victory. His first one came last year in steel barrier. He was hit from behind by retreated from their home race to lick their rallies to Southern 500 win the 100th running of the . Sebastien Bourdais, breaking part of the rear wounds after being outclassed by a Mercedes “Today I was finally able to prove what I’ve of the No. 2 Chevy. That brought out a cau- master-class that saw Valtteri Bottas finish sec- DARLINGTON: had strong moti- second time Hamlin has swept events at been talking about the past month, two tion and Newgarden had to pit again, his ond, Hamilton admitted he felt he now has the vation to chase down Martin Truex Jr. after badly Darlington, winning both the Xfinity and Cup months, in terms of the step forward Andretti crew frantically working on the car as he fell momentum. “To come through these last races- missing pit road at Darlington Raceway - embar- races together in 2010 and this year. Hamlin Autosports has taken,” said Rossi, who has five two laps down. “It was going to come down they’ve been real solid races-I think I’ve felt more rassment. Hamlin turned a strong lead into a 20- passed Joey Logano coming off the final turn to straight top-six finishes. “We have the pack- to Sonoma,” Newgarden said. “I made a mis- heart and passion within myself,” said Hamilton, second deficit when he missed the entrance - take Saturday’s race. age in the car and the people to be at the take. It looks like a pretty stupid error, but it’s who claimed a record-breaking 69th career pole “Kind of a rookie move,” he said - yet rallied over A poor weekend on the track got worse after front. Just had things go wrong and we easy to do. I just made a miscalculation .... on Saturday and then his 59th win on Sunday. the final 50 laps to pass Truex and win the the race when Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car was found weren’t able to execute fully.” came out of the pits too hot. “I’ve found more in the last three or four Southern 500. It was a dramatic turn of events to have two loose lugnuts in inspection. The win was the 57th Indy car triumph for “It was one small thing, but those small races. I think Silverstone was a real empowering that had Hamlin relieved he would not be and the team’s first win at things add up at the end of the day. It’s all on weekend and from then it’s sparked a forest fire remembered for blowing a certain win. EYE ON THE TRUCKS Watkins Glen. It was somewhat overshad- me,” he said. “It’s not good for the team, but within me-and that’s hopefully reflected in my “I was hoping it would (turn out this way),” he Brad Keselowski finished 15th, but was asked owed, though, by the sudden fall by they’re resilient. I’m sure they’ll give me what driving and the way I’m working with my guys. said, “or else I would’ve looked pretty silly trying about his truck series driver, Austin Cindric, who Newgarden after a costly error in the pits that I need at Sonoma.”Other things to know “To be leading, whilst it’s only a couple of to explain why we lost.” No explanations neces- won the NASCAR Camping World Truck race in relegated him to an 18th-place finish. about the IndyCar race at Watkins Glen points, I’m grateful for it. By no means do I feel sary, expect maybe, how the heck did Hamlin do Bowmanville, Ontario. Cindric’s win clinched a Dixon’s second-place finish for Chip International. comfortable and I will apply myself the same it? “I think it’s a great story,” car owner Joe Gibbs spot in that series’ playoffs. “It’s always good to Ganassi Racing erased most of Newgarden’s that I have these past three or four races. said. “You can tell when he goes to certain race- get a win in that series,” he said. “That’s a good 31-point lead and left the four-time champi- ROSSI’S SPECIAL WEEKEND “Earlier on in the year, it was obviously 20 tracks, too, that he’s got some favorites that he’s deal for the whole team.” on just three points behind heading to the Rossi also inked a contract extension with points gap, or whatever, between myself and awful good at and this is one of them.” Kyle Busch came to Darlington off a sweep of season finale at Sonoma next week, which is Andretti Autosport that was announced on him, so now I’m going to see if we can have that Hamlin won both Darlington races for the the truck, Xfinity and Monster Energy races at worth double points. Friday, and he won his first career pole feeling for a while.” He added that his success second time in his career, the other coming in Bristol two weeks ago. Busch wound up second “I’ve been in situations like that,” Dixon Saturday by zooming past Dixon on his final had come after a “real constant search and battle 2010. He has won seven times in the two series and led six laps on the way to his 10th top-five said. “I think you just got to treat next week as lap. That good fortune seemed to change on for perfection, which is what’s been needed to at Darlington. Hamlin sure didn’t think he’d cele- finish of the season. another race. I think you can’t overcomplicate lap 24 when he had to pit off sequence overhaul the Ferraris because they’ve been brate anything after his error with 54 laps left as Clint Bowyer had hoped the spirit of Mark it. Obviously, we want to win it. There’s a lot because of problems with his refueling exceptional all year long.” he fell behind Truex by some 20 seconds. But Martin - Bowyer’s car carried a paint scheme in on the line. But, you know, I think if you over- adapter. A 12-second stop left him back in He added that he had felt recharged and Hamlin slowly reeled in Truex and passed him tribute to Martin - but instead Bowyer was out of think things too much, then it ends up being 18th, but when the third caution flew one lap ready after the European summer break in with three laps left when his rival brushed the the race just 18 laps in with a broken valve. a very bad thing. “I’ve never raced Josef, really, later, Rossi regained the lead. August. “I timed it just perfectly where I came off wall and got a flat tire. Bowyer, who came in 17th, in points, is on the in a championship like this,” said Dixon, who “I thought we were pretty much done,” and made sure I recharged the batteries and Hamlin swept throwback weekend at outside looking in on NASCAR’s 16-team playoff stole the title from Juan Pablo Montoya two Rossi said. “We were fortunate ... to have that that’s what they are, they’re fully charged and Darlington after winning the Xfinity race picture and would need a last-ditch win at years ago by winning the finale to earn the yellow come out to where it negated those lit- ready to go! Saturday. Truex won the first two stages, clinch- Richmond next week to keep going. — AP double points. “You can have a pretty hefty tle things that had gone wrong.” Rossi led ing NASCAR’s regular-season championship and swing.” Newgarden, who has a series-high Dixon on the final restart and it became a two- ‘DRIVE WITH MY HEART’ gaining the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs four wins, took the championship lead for the car race over the final laps between a four-time “It’s like an ERS pack. Towards the end of the in two weeks. first time in his career after his win at Mid- winner at Watkins Glen and a driver racing at season, you’re running on the low end of the Kyle Busch was second, followed by brother Ohio in late July. His victory last week at the famed road course for only the second battery pack, whereas I’m operating at the top Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon and . Hamlin Gateway Motorsports Park over Penske team- time, but Dixon never threatened.—AP end now and it’s a good feeling. “Whilst I feel I led 124 laps and looked as if he was easily on the always drive with my heart, my heart is the way to a second Southern 500 after winning in engine and the power and the force behind 2010. Then inexplicably, Hamlin missed the what I do... My mind is really like the rudder and I entrance and seemingly threw the race to the feel like it’s really steering me in the right direc- ever-steady Truex. tion in terms of how I prepared.” “We can still do this,” crew chief Mike Wheeler As Hamilton celebrated his and Mercedes’ told Hamlin after the miscue. Hamlin got up to supremacy by skateboarding in Monte Carlo, Truex’s bumper with three laps to go before four-time champion Vettel attempted to put on moving low around lapped traffic to take the a brave face after a disappointing result in front lead and hold on for victory. of a record 93,000 impassioned tifosi. His boss, “This is a good day all in all. So proud to be Ferrari chief executive Sergio Marchionne, back in victory lane in the Southern 500,” he said. described the performance gap between Truex rubbed the wall , blew his right front tire Mercedes and his team as ‘embarrassing’, and stumbled home in eighth. “Sometimes it’s acknowledging the pain felt when Daniel just not your night,” Truex said. “Tonight wasn’t Ricciardo, who started 16th on the grid, over- our night.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 22nd - the took Kimi Raikkonen to take fourth place. same as how he started - in his final time racing “Emotions run high and when you have a bad at Darlington. On Friday, the track rechristened day you can’t hide it, so I can understand his one of its suite buildings in turn three as feelings,” said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. “Earnhardt Towers” in honor of Dale Jr. and his “For me it looks like Ferrari have taken a step late father Dale Earnhardt, who won nine times back this weekend. I think we were very solid, at Darlington. DARLINGTON: Denny Hamlin stands with his but they have not performed in the way every- was sixth, Ryan Newman sev- trophy in Victory Lane after winning the WATKINS GLEN: Winner Alexander Rossi, center, reacts after his wreath fell while body expected.” Mercedes know that their glori- enth, then Truex, pole-sitter Kevin Harvick and NASCAR Monster Cup auto race at Darlington posing with second-place finisher, Scott Dixon, left, and third-place finisher, Ryan ous end to the European season may not signal Jamie McMurray rounding out the top 10. It’s the Raceway, Sunday, in Darlington. — AP Hunter-Reay after the IndyCar Series auto race, Sunday, in Watkins Glen, NY. — AP they have truly regained the momentum and