Sports

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton will receive a ten-place grid penalty in the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday.   FIA's umbrella organisation announced that Mercedes had mounted a new combustion engine in Hamilton's car, his fourth of this season. The drivers are allowed to use three engines in a season, after which a grid penalty follows. However, because Mercedes has only replaced part of the entire power source for the time being, the penalty for Hamilton is limited to ten places back on the grid. Max Verstappen had to go all the way back on the grid two weeks ago in Russia because he got a completely new engine in his Red Bull. Hamilton is currently leading the battle for the world title, with a small lead over Verstappen. Saturday is the qualification for the race, which will be ...

Formula 1 wants to see young talented drivers more often in free practice sessions during race weekends.   In this way, the upcoming generation can also make kilometres and gain experience in a Formula 1 car, argued director Stefano Domenicali of the highest motorsport class in Monza, where the Grand Prix of Italy will be held this weekend. "We will definitely talk about that in the next meeting with the teams in October. Our commitment is to mandate the presence of a young driver in free practice," he told Autosport.com. New rules for free practice sessions are necessary, according to Domenicali, because, among other things, the number of test opportunities on the circuits has decreased drastically in recent years. For example, there were only three days of testing this spring in...

A Formula 1 race may be held in Qatar this year. Insiders report to trade magazines that the country will replace Australia, where the competition cannot take place due to the coronavirus.   In that case, the race is on the Losail International Circuit, just north of the city of Doha. The Formula 1 organization will probably come up with an adjusted calendar next weekend, necessary due to several cancellations due to the corona pandemic. The planned race will also not occur in Japan and Canada; among others, it is doubtful whether it can be driven in Brazil and Mexico.

Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the first free practice of the Hungarian Grand Prix in Formula 1. In his Red Bull, the leader in the battle for the world title in Budapest came to 1.17.555.   At the Hungaroring, Valtteri Bottas came second in his Mercedes, at 0.061 from Verstappen. World champion Lewis Hamilton, also in a Mercedes, followed at 0.167. In the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the previous Grand Prix, Verstappen, crashed heavily after Hamilton touched his car from behind. Although the Dutchman was unable to continue the race, the British world champion won. Verstappen's car was heavily damaged. The Hungarian Grand Prix is Sunday afternoon.

Max Verstappen also set the best time in the second free practice for the Styrian Grand Prix. The fastest lap of the Dutch driver over the Red Bull Ring in Austria went in 1.05,412. Verstappen was also the best in the first session (1.05,910).   Australian Daniel Ricciardo set the second-fastest time in the McLaren, 0.336 behind his former teammate. Frenchman Esteban Ocon (Alpine) finished third, and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. The British leader of Mercedes is Verstappen's main rival in the battle for the world title. The Dutchman has a 12-point lead after his victory in France last week. Valtteri Bottas provided the most striking moment of the training. The Finn spun when he drove away a little too enthusiastically after practising a pit stop. Bottas lost control of his Merc...

Max Verstappen has set the third-fastest time in the first free practice for the Grand Prix of France in Formula 1. The Dutch driver, the leader in the world title, had to tolerate the two Mercedes at Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France...   Valtteri Bottas set the best time with 1.33.448. The Finn damaged the front wing and floor of his Mercedes at the start of practice when he drove a little too much over the curbstones along the track. Verstappen also did that later in training. The Dutchman immediately went back to the pit lane to have the underside of his Red Bull car examined. Briton Lewis Hamilton conceded 0.335 seconds to his teammate Bottas. Verstappen was 0.432 seconds slower than the Finn. His Mexican teammate Sergio Pérez, winner of the Azerbaijan GP two weeks ago, f...

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal skips Wimbledon and will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics. The number 3 in the world announced this via Twitter.   "It's never an easy decision, but after listening to my body and talking to my staff, I understand it's the best decision," Nadal said. The 35-year-old Spaniard has won twenty Grand Slam titles in his career, as many as Roger Federer. They thus share the record. Novak Djokovic came to nineteen titles by winning Roland Garros last week. The Serbian number 1 in the world was too strong for Nadal in the semifinals, with thirteen titles the record champion in Paris. Wimbledon starts at the end of this month, on the 'sacred' grass in London. Nadal won Wimbledon twice, in 2008 and 2010. In the last two editions, in 2018 and 2019, the ...

The Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, an official domestic partner of the Tokyo Olympics, has called in an article on Wednesday to cancel the sporting event this summer.   According to the newspaper, the risks to public safety and the pressure that the Games are putting on health because of the corona pandemic are too significant. "We ask Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to calmly and objectively assess the situation and decide not to let the event go ahead this summer," the article headed "Decision to Cancel." Wednesday morning (local time), the article's headline had already been retweeted more than 21,000 times. There are more than 60 Japanese companies that have partnered with the event, including several newspapers. Initially, they all agreed to move the event from 2020 to 2021....