FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019 16 Hamilton and Bottas deliver perfect on-track Lauda tribute Lewis Hamilton fastest for Mercedes in both practices at Monaco GP AFP | Monaco Bull ahead of Alex Albon for Toro Rosso with Max Verstap- ewis Hamilton and Valt- pen pushed down to sixth in the teri Bottas delivered a second Red Bull ahead of Kevin perfect on-track tribute Magnussen in his Haas. L KNOW WHAT to Niki Lauda yesterday when Antonio Giovinazzi was eighth they topped the times for the ahead of his Alfa Romeo team- dominant Mercedes team in mate Kimi Raikkonen with Mon- second practice at the Monaco egasque Charles Leclerc 10th in Grand Prix. Niki Lauda was the second Ferrari in front of his The two Silver Arrows drivers instrumental in home crowd. were separated by only 0.081 Hamilton’s ca- Vettel produced the session’s seconds at the front of the pack reer-defining move most notable incident when he with nearest pursuant Sebas- from McLaren to locked up at Sainte Devote and tian Vettel, in the leading Fer- the Silver Arrows narrowly missed hitting the bar- rari, seven-tenths adrift in third team riers in the closing minutes. place. By then, it was clear Mercedes Barely 72 hours after the death were in total control as they of their team’s former non-exec- lost not only a great three-time worked towards extending their utive chairman, the defending champion and larger-than-life record run of five season-open- five-time champion and current personality, but something of its ing one-two finishes in Sunday’s series leader and his team-mate “heart and soul.” race to six. were in a class of their own on That loss was keenly felt, but That would rub salt into Fer- the unforgiving barrier-lined Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton drives during the first practice session at the Monaco street circuit had no effect on the teams and rari’s wounds as they struggle to Mediterranean street circuit. their speed as they raced as Lau- keep pace with their rivals. The Hamilton was fastest in one ity and side-stepping a routine Mercedes’ team, and others, It was, as Mercedes team boss da would have wanted, led by his Italian team, for whom Lauda minute and 11.118 seconds, pre-event news conference on wore black armbands or carried Toto Wolff had said of his fel- Mercedes men. won two of his three titles, have his most eloquent statement Wednesday afternoon. messages on their cars on a som- low-Austrian before the opening Behind them and Vettel, not managed five one-twos in since arriving in the principal- Many of the mourning bre day of hazy sunshine. session, as if the sport had just Pierre Gasly was fourth for Red the last decade. Benedetti wins Giro 12th stage, Polanc takes pink jersey Ronaldo included in Spaniard Mikel Landa went on Bahrain-Merida’s the attack, 37km from the finish, Portugal squad for • taking about 30 seconds on their Damiano Caruso direct rivals in the standings. comes second Polanc -- a 27-year-old Slo- Nations League finals venian who has won two Giro AFP | Oeiras, Portugal AFP | Pinerolo, Italy stages, each time in the moun- play-off and a final on June 9. tains -- pulled on the pink jersey aptain Cristiano Ronaldo He lifted the Serie A title for the first time. Cwas included in Portu- with his Italian club this sea- taly’s Cesare Benedetti won “It was a team tactic that I’d gal’s squad for next month’s son but failed to clinch a third Iyesterday’s 12th stage of the go in the breakaway so we could Nations League semi-final straight Champions League Giro d’Italia at Pinerolo in the have a better control over the against Switzerland, head after losing to Ajax in the quar- Italian Alps ahead of compatriot race,” said Polanc. coach Fernando Santos an- ter-finals. Damiano Caruso. Slovenian Jan “It was also a way to keep the nounced yesterday. Head coach Fernando San- Polanc took the overall lead. Maglia Rosa (pink jersey) in Ronaldo, 34, a five-time Bal- tos has chosen not to call up It was the first win for 31-year- Winner Team Bora rider Italy’s Cesare Benedetti (R) reacts as he crosses the the team. lon d’Or winner missed group veterans Adrien Silva, Nani old Bora rider Benedetti who finish line ahead of second-placed Team Bahrain rider Italy’s Damiano Caruso “We were lucky to be able to stages preferring to try and and Ricardo Quaresma and led a long break-away group in (L) and third-placed Team Ineos rider Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar (R) play these cards and I’m very adapt to life in Juventus since Sevilla forward Andre Silva the first mountain stage after “I’m not a talent, I’m not (usu- more than nine minutes ahead happy to have the jersey. moving from Real Madrid. misses out with a knee injury. the 158km run from Cuneo. ally) a winner, but the way I of Conti and more than seven “I was thinking about the The Euro 2016 champions Highly-tipped Benfica un- Polanc, also among the lead- finished it off is exactly what I minutes ahead of fellow Slovene stage win as well but being the welcome the Swiss capped youngster Joao Felix ing group, took the leader’s pink wanted to do.” Primoz Roglic, who climbed to virtual leader I had to pull a lot on June 5 in Por- is also included alongside jersey from UAE Emirates team- It was the third stage win for second more than others.” to and the Neth- three other club teammates mate Valerio Conti of Italy. Benedetti’s Bora team after Ger- Behind the breakaway, the Friday’s 13th high-mountain erlands play who won the Portugese league Benedetti crossed just ahead many’s Pascal Ackermann’s two opening skirmishes between the stage covers 196km and features England in Gui- champions this season. of Bahrain-Merida’s Caruso sprint wins. favourites occurred in the main three difficult summits -- Colle maraes a day lat- Portugal squad to face Swit- with Ireland’s Edward Dunbar The first 15 finishers had all climb of the day, Montoso, the del Lys, Pian del Lupo and the er before a zerland on June 5 in the Na- of Team INEOS third. been part of a large early break- first ranked in the top category final Colle del Nivolet climb, third tions League semi-finals: “I’ve worked a lot for the oth- away that built up a sizeable of this Giro. leading to Lago Serru, on a route place Goalkeepers: Beto (Goztepe/ ers in the past but today I got advantage. Polanc finished 25 Colombian Miguel Angel that includes gradients of up to TUR), Jose Sa (Olympiakos/ my opportunity,” said Benedetti. seconds behind Benedetti but Lopez, third in 2018 Giro, and 15 precent. GRE), Rui Patricio (Wolves/ ENG) Defenders: Joao Cancelo (Juventus/ITA), Jose Fonte (Lille/FRA), Pepe (Porto/POR), Reduced Brazil squad begins preparations for Copa America Mario Rui (Naples/ITA), Nel- son Semedo (Barcelona/ESP), AFP | Teresópolis, Brazil another 22-year-old striker. Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Fernandinho, Gabriel Jesus Dortmund/GER), Ruben Dias opa America hosts Brazil and Casemiro also arrived later (Benfica/POR) Cbegan preparations for on Wednesday, while Ederson Midfielders: Bruno Fer- the tournament at their train- and Filipe Luis were expected nandes (Sporting Lisbon/POR), ing centre in Teresopolis on on Thursday. Danilo Pereira (Porto/POR), Wednesday, despite missing Alisson and Roberto Firmino, Joao Moutinho (Wolves/ENG), most of their team. who will play the Champions Pizzi (Benfica/POR), Ruben Only seven players are ex- League final on June 1 with Liv- Neves (Wolves/ENG), William pected at the Granja Comary erpool, will be the last to arrive. Carvalho (Real Betis/ESP), football complex near Rio de Coach Tite made a brief ap- Joao Felix (Benfica/POR) Janeiro for the first week of pearance near the field where Forwards: Bernardo Silva training. workers were still painting the (Manchester City/ENG), Gon- Neymar, the world’s most ex- Brazil’s coach Tite (R) greeting his player Richarlison as he arrives for training lines. calo Guedes (Valencia/ESP), pensive player, is due to appear was the first to arrive Wednes- unique moment,” said Richarli- Eight-time winners Brazil Rafa Silva (Benfica/ POR), on May 28 along with PSG team- day. son in a statement issued by the face Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru Cristiano Dyego Sousa (Sporting Bra- mates Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva “I want to get on the field very Brazilian football federation. in the group stage, which start Ronaldo ga/POR), Diogo Jota (Wolves/ and Marquinhos. quickly to train, I’m very happy Richarlison was joined by on June 14, after two friendlies ENG), Cristiano Ronaldo (Ju- Everton winger Richarlison to be here with the squad, it’s a Ajax Amsterdam’s David Neres, against Qatar and Honduras. ventus/ITA).