Friday 43 Friday, October 27, 2017 Sports Hamilton set to join Senna, Schumacher as F1 legend MEXICO CITY: Lewis Hamilton has no intention Cause for concerns of easing up this weekend as he seeks a mere top “There are still three races to go,” said the five finish in the Mexican Grand Prix to clinch his 32-year-old Briton. “And in my mind, I still have fourth drivers world title and a place among the three races to win. There are still a lot of points greatest drivers in Formula One history. The ar- available-until you actually win the champi- guments over his status have grown in volume as onship, you can’t get ahead of yourself.” His the months have passed this year, but they caution is understandable as he and Mercedes reached a new crescendo this week in the days know that despite the long straights and slow following his ninth win of the season at last corners, the thin air at an altitude of 2,250-me- weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Texas. tres will help deliver a contest that may play to His Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff declared the strengths of rivals Ferrari. him to be on course to become “the best driver Mercedes will run with a high down-force that has ever existed” while veteran Brazilian Fe- set-up, as might be used in Monaco or Bu- lipe Massa, who missed dapest, two circuits out on the 2008 title, where they struggled when Hamilton stole it this year, and this is the from with a passing move cause of their concerns. at the final corner of the Arguments over Vettel, despite trailing decisive Brazilian Grand his status have Hamilton by 66 points Prix, said that he already and needing a huge shift ranks him alongside grown in volume in form and fortunes, Michael Schumacher and will not abandon his AUSTIN: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, of Britain, celebrates after winning the Formula One US Grand Prix Ayrton Senna. hopes of stopping the auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Sunday, Oct 22, 2017. —AP Another title triumph Englishman’s immediate will lift him clear of Jackie Stewart, on three cham- triumph. But, as Massa put it, if anyone can win pionship wins, as the most successful British more or less anywhere in any conditions, it is tency and discipline to his unmatched talent for Hamilton has attributed his rise to “another driver of all time, drawing him level on four with Hamilton who has reeled off five wins in six raw speed and aggressive racing, was even level of driving” to two main factors. The first Alain Prost and his current rival Sebastian Vettel. races since the European summer. more fulsome. “Lewis is about to break all was the retirement of long-term team-mate and Ahead lie only seven-time champion Schumacher “He is definitely one of the best drivers in the records that have been set in Formula One and rival Nico Rosberg after he won the drivers’ and five-time title winner Juan Manuel Fangio. history of Formula One,” said the Brazilian. it is just a matter of time that people will say he title last year and the second his switch to a Hamilton, however, has been keen to avoid the “You cannot really take him away in a different is on track to being the best driver that has ever vegan diet. “In hindsight, all things happen for hype and says his mind is on winning this Sun- level compared to Michael Schumacher and existed,” he said. “This is the best Lewis-both a reason,” said Wolff, as his team celebrated day’s race in front of a passionate and raucous Ayrton Senna. He’s there.” Wolff, a demanding on and off the track-that I have worked with four consecutive constructors’ title triumphs crowd at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. team chief who has seen Hamilton add consis- since 2013.” last weekend. —AFP Long campaign One player desperate for red ball form will be Australia’s Victoria state’s Glenn Maxwell, who scored a fine Thai golfer century at number six against India in March but has hopefuls set to failed to surpass 50 in seven test innings since. With motivated by selectors keen to have a part-time bowler able to provide relief for the pacemen over the course of a pad up for long campaign, Maxwell’s ability to soak up some funeral for king overs with his off-spin would be valuable. The hard-hitting 29-year-old is under pressure Ashes auditions from Western Australia’s uncapped Marcus Stoinis, and starts strong a medium pace-bowling all-rounder who has aver- MELBOURNE: Australia’s domestic Sheffield Shield aged 86.25 in his eight ODIs and impressed during SHANGHAI: Kiradech Aphibarnrat dressed in black tends to open sleepily, with spring sunshine warming the recent tour of India. Another Western Australian and played with purpose yesterday in the HSBC the few diehard fans that turn up to regional venues in Hilton Cartwright is also a contender after his sur- Champions. Back home in Thailand, black-clad citi- but auditions for coveted Ashes places have given prise selection at number six for the second test zens solemnly ended a year of mourning for King the start of this year’s tournament additional spice. against Bangladesh in Chittagong last month. “In an Bhumibol Adulyadej with a series of traditional funeral Australia may be comfortable on their own pitches ideal world you’d want someone like a Ben Stokes ceremonies lasting five days. Kiradech wanted to do and confident of fending off an England side likely to who can give you the ideal balance, bat and bowl,” his part in a World Golf Championship in Shanghai. Kiradech Aphibarnrat be without all-rounder Ben Stokes, their most valu- selector Mark Waugh told Sky Sports Radio earlier He not only dressed the part, the burly Thai ran able player, for at least part of the five-test series. this month. “But I think your number six as it stands off 10 birdies to offset a sloppy start and wound up However, the question of who will bat at six in the is probably going to be a batsman and ideally he with a 7-under 65, leaving him one shot behind US Europe won the final edition by one point, order has become an increasing bugbear for a team bowls a bit.” The wicket-keeper position has trou- Open champion Brooks Koepka after the opening through Kiradech went 3-0 that week, beating Paul desperate for a quality all-rounder of their own while bled Australia since Brad Haddin’s retirement after round at Sheshan International. Kiradech choked Lawrie in the leadoff singles match. That was the also needing some starch in the middle after a wor- the last Ashes in 2015 and Wade’s reinstatement at back tears talking about his beloved late king. year Kiradech began to rise to prominence among rying string of batting collapses. Queries over the the expense of Peter Nevill in the last home summer “It’s not an easy situation, because it’s hard to ex- Asian golfers by cracking the top 100 in the world best man behind the stumps have also grown in vol- proved divisive. plain how deeply our king was loved and how sadly for the first time, along with winning the Malaysian ume since the incumbent Matt Wade was dropped Seemingly favored for his niggle over the more he is missed,” Kiradech said. “When he passed away Open and tying for third in the CIMB Classic on the for a single one-day international in India earlier this subdued Nevill, Wade has not justified his selection last year, it caused a lot of upset to all the Thai peo- PGA Tour. month and then reinstated in the next game. with the bat and compiled just 17 runs from his ple. He will always hold a special place in my heart. Winless in two years, Kiradech showed plenty of With less than a month before the first test kicks three innings during the two-test tour of But he loved sport, and he would have been the first determination in the final World Golf Championship off at the Gabba on Nov. 23, the opening matches of Bangladesh. Nevill, considered a technically supe- to say the show must go on.” Bhumibol loved sport of the year. After his second bogey in five holes the first-class Sheffield Shield will also be a battle- rior keeper to Wade, will captain New South Wales so much that he donated the trophy for an event dropped him back to even par, he ran off seven con- ground for the pacemen as they look to replace the in the absence of regular skipper Moises Henriques called the Royal Trophy, matches between golfers secutive birdies around the turn. “It’s good momen- injured James Pattinson as first understudy to as he looks for a weight of runs to dislodge the in- from Asia and Europe that took place from 2006 tum,” said Kiradech, who was runner-up at the Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. cumbent Tasmanian. —Reuters through 2013. Italian Open two weeks ago. —AP.