Established 1961 21 Sports Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Alonso does six laps before a wheel comes off at F1 testing Ricciardo sets early pace for Red Bull BARCELONA: Fernando Alonso did six laps of the pits for repairs. The track action then re-started, with Barcelona circuit before crashing into the gravel after a Red Bull’s Australian Daniel Ricciardo top of the morn- wheel came off his McLaren at the start of Formula ing timesheets with 60 laps and a fastest of one minute One’s pre-season testing yesterday. The former world 20.179 seconds. champions, who are starting a new engine partnership Valtteri Bottas was second for champions Mercedes, with Renault after three troubled years with Honda, and completed 58 laps with a best time two tenths off played down the incident. Ricciardo’s, while Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg did the “We had a wheel-nut issue, we’re fine,” executive most distance with 73 laps. director Zak Brown told reporters at the Circuit de “There is no drama in the garage. Everyone is quite Catalunya, with Alonso going back out again before the relaxed, getting on with it and it is quite an easy fix,” lunch break for a further four laps. “All the teams will said Brown, who had said last week that he expected all have a variety of issues throughout testing, that’s eyes to be on McLaren this season. “This team is used exactly what it’s for,” added to public pressure and hav- the American. “We’re going ing eyes on us,” he added. to lose very little time, no big “We enjoy that and we deal at all.” like to step up to the plate The right rear wheel came and thrive on the opportuni- off Alonso’s car during the We had a ty so we are not feeling any first 40 minutes of a chilly added pressure that we don’t morning in Spain as teams wheel-nut issue, already put on ourselves.” took part in their first official Yesterday’s test comes a test since November. The we’re fine year after a nightmare start double world champion, who for McLaren, with Alonso gave the new papaya orange managing only one lap and blue car a trouble-free before lunch after multiple shakedown at the Navarra circuit in northern Spain on engine failures. That set the tone for a dismal season Friday, stepped out of the stranded car as marshals that ended with the sport’s second most successful MONTMELO: McLaren’s Spanish driver Fernando Alonso drives at the Circuit de Catalunya yes- waved red flags to halt the session. team languishing in ninth place overall. The season terday in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona during the first day of the first week of tests The Spaniard inspected the damage closely before starts in Australia on March 25, with McLaren seeking for the Formula One Grand Prix season. — AFP the car was loaded on to a truck and taken back to the their first win since 2012. — Reuters British boxer dies hours after Force India winning fight name change LONDON: The death of heavyweight Scott Westgarth was described as a disaster by British Boxing chief likely by Australia Robert Smith yesterday although he said it was impos- sible to make the sport 100 percent safe. Westgarth, 31, won his fight against Dec Spelman in BARCELONA: Force India unveiled their new Doncaster on Saturday but looked uncomfortable as he Formula One car yesterday but kept everyone was interviewed ringside after his points victory. He guessing about what name they will race was taken to Royal Hallamshire Hospital but his condi- under this season. The Silverstone-based tion deteriorated shortly before arrival and his death team, who have finished fourth overall for the was confirmed by his promoter Stefy Bull yesterday. last two years, have been considering drop- It was the first death in professional boxing since ping the India from their name for some time Canada’s Tim Hague died two days after a fight last to make themselves more attractive to poten- June. A year earlier Scotland’s Mike Towell died from a tial sponsors. brain injury following a bout. Otmar Szafnauer, the chief operating offi- Smith, a former boxer and now the British Boxing cer, told Reuters on the first day of testing Board of Control’s general secretary, reacted with with the VJM11 car at Barcelona’s Circuit de shock to the latest death in a sport often criticised for Catalunya that they had a new name in mind its brutal nature. “It’s terrible for the sport and terrible but gave no details. for the family and we send our condolences to Scott’s He said it was “more than likely” to be family,” Smith told Reuters. changed before the first race of the season in Smith said the sport had made huge advances in Scott Westgarth after winning the fight against Dec Spelman. Australia on March 25. The team had previously safety since the 1980s and that Britain had an enviable said such a change could happen before the record. “We are one of the most forward-thinking com- start of testing. missions in the world regarding medical aspects,” he safe,” he added. “But that doesn’t take away from the debate about the sport’s ethics. “We all do this for a rea- “We’re talking to some people that are said. “Some people don’t like us because they say we fact that this is a disaster, but more importantly it’s a son. But that doesn’t take away the feeling I have today thinking of perhaps sponsoring the team and are too strict. disaster for his family and that’s the most important of ‘why am I doing this?’,” Smith said. “We will continue. they are keen for a name change, but that’s not “This is a tough tough sport and we try to make it as thing.” Events such as Westgarth’s death inevitably lead If it’s not me it will be someone else. But it makes you for 2018, That’s for 2019,” Szafnauer added. “So safe as possible but you can’t make it 100 percent to soul-searching by those in the sport and fuel the question why you are bothering.” — Reuters it could very well be that it goes until ‘19 but, you know, why wait? That’s why I say it’s prob- ably more likely than not that it will happen.” no mistake on the second putt for the victory that will Any change of team name has to be Thomas wins move him into number three in the world rankings. approved by Formula One, with a majority of American List got into trouble off the tee as his drive the teams also voting in favour. Szafnauer said on 18 went right and landed in the middle of a small cluster Force India had yet to make the formal request. of trees. His next shot sailed way left over the gallery and Honda Classic Force India, who have Mexican driver Sergio into the grandstand fence. He two-putted for a par. Perez again partnering Frenchman Esteban in playoff ‘STING A LITTLE BIT’ Ocon this season, announced new sponsors in “It is going to sting a little bit,” said List. “In a playoff, Mexican oil company Pemex and lubricants MIAMI: American Justin Thomas rolled in a birdie on the you can’t give Justin a par because he is going to hit company Ravenol. first hole of a playoff to out-duel third round leader Luke birdies.” Thomas’ final round was not without controversy. The team are co-owned by tycoon Vijay List and win the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic on Sunday. The He tried to have a spectator removed on the 16th tee for Mallya and Sahara Group founder Subrata Roy, 24-year-old Thomas posted his eighth win on the USPGA heckling him and then had to apologize after the tourna- who have both had well-documented legal Tour and his seventh victory in his last 31 tournaments. ment for using a four-letter word on the green at 18 when problems. Mallya, who is also team principal, is “It was another level of difficulty, not only the amount he made the winning putt live on television. fighting a request to extradite him from Britain of people I was trying to beat, but this golf course,” said “I feel pretty terrible and uncomfortable. Everybody to face fraud charges in India related to the Thomas. “I am so proud of myself and how I played. When heard that,” Thomas said. Woods followed his 69 in the collapse of his Kingfisher Airlines. you get out of position you have to try to salvage par and third round with a 70 on Sunday to finish eight shots back Roy’s embattled Sahara conglomerate has that’s what I did. of the top spot on the difficult Florida golf course. been involved in its own long-running dispute “I just stayed patient. I know what to expect, how tough Saturday’s 69 was the first score in the 60s in nine rounds after being ordered to repay billions of dollars it can be, and it feels good to come out on top.” Thomas this year for the 14-time major winner, who returned to US to investors in bonds that were ruled to have closed with a two-under 68 to catch 54-hole leader List, PGA Tour competition late January at Torrey Pines after been mis-sold.