More stories

  • in

    Arsenal vs Tottenham: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Premier League showdown at the Emirates

    ARSENAL welcome North London rivals Tottenham to the Emirates for a crunch Premier League derby.
    The Gunners go into the game with just two wins from their last five top-flight matches, drawing with Burnley last time out.

    Arsenal picked up a big win in midweek as Elneny got on the scoresheetCredit: Reuters

    Spurs meanwhile have really hit their stride in recent weeks and are searching for a fourth-straight victory.
    When is Arsenal vs Tottenham?
    This Premier League clash is part of a bumper Super Sunday schedule on March 14.
    Kick-off at the Emirates will be at 4.30pm GMT.
    When Tottenham visited last in September 2019, the sides drew 2-2 after the hosts fought back from two goals down.

    Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
    You can catch all of the action live on Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra HD.
    Coverage will begin after the match between Leicester and Sheffield United.

    Sky customers can use the Sky Go app to stream on a number of devices.
    If you don’t have Sky, purchase a NOW TV pass from just £9.99 to stream on your mobile, tablet, PC or games console.

    What is the team news?
    Arsenal have an empty treatment room after Emile Smith Rowe made his return in midweek.
    Thomas Partey hasn’t suffered any setbacks in his return, while Nicolas Pepe will hope to return to the starting XI.

    Giovani Lo Celso remains out for the visitors, who welcomed back Serge Aurier against Zagreb.
    Gareth Bale was benched for that encounter and looks set to return.
    Match odds
    Arsenal to win – 13/8
    Draw – 23/10
    Tottenham victory – 7/4
    *All odds from Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

  • in

    Man Utd vs West Ham: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Premier League clash at Old Trafford

    MANCHESTER UNITED welcome West Ham for what could be a pivotal clash in the race for Champions League football next season.
    David Moyes returns to Old Trafford with his side in superb form and chasing a first top-four finish of the Premier League era.

    FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

    Moyes brings his side to Old Trafford with the Hammers targeting Champions League footballCredit: AFP
    United meanwhile have tasted defeat just twice in 2021 so far and are fresh from a brilliant derby day win over Man City last weekend.
    When is Man Utd vs West Ham?
    Rounding off a bumper Super Sunday, this match is all set for March 14.
    Kick-off is at 7.15pm GMT.
    When West Ham last visited this ground, they were beaten 1-0 in the FA Cup after an extra-time goal from Scott McTominay last month.

    Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
    You can catch this game live on Sky Sports here in the UK.

    Coverage will follow Arsenal vs Tottenham on Main Event, Premier League and Ultra HD.
    If you’re not a Sky customer, you can still watch all the day’s action by getting a NOW TV pass from £9.99.

    What is the team news?
    United’s treatment room is still packed with Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, David de Gea and Donny van de Beek all out.
    Anthony Martial suffered a hip injury in the midweek draw with AC Milan and will be a gametime decision.

    Amad Diallo scored his first goal for the Red Devils in that game and could be in line for a start.
    Angelo Ogbonna, Andriy Yarmolenko, Arthur Masuaku and Darren Randolph are all out for the Hammers as they look to end a 14-year winless run at this ground.
    On-loan Jesse Lingard is not eligible to face his parent club.

    Match odds
    Man Utd to win – 5/6
    Draw – 5/2
    West Ham victory – 10/3
    *All odds from Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

  • in

    Murray Walker tributes LIVE: Murray Walker mourned after death of F1 commentator as motorsport pays tribute – latest

    Motorsport is mourning the death off legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker, who has passed away at the age of 97.
    Tributes for the broadcasting icon have been pouring in as Silverstone managing director Stuart Pringle said: “He was to so many of us fans of F1 the voice that epitomised the sport we love.”

    Follow ALL of the latest updates below…

    ‘SO SAD’
    British superstar Lewis Hamilton has added his words to the growing list of tributes to Murray Walker.
    The world champ called him an icon and a great man.

    So sad to hear of Murray’s passing. I remember growing up hearing your voice over the races. You made the sport so much more exciting and captivating. The iconic voice of our sport and a great man, thank you for all you did, you will never be forgotten. Rest in peace🙏🏾
    — Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 13, 2021

    ‘JOYOUS MEMORIES’
    BBC presenter Gabby Logan had some very touching words about Walker saying no one on earth would have anything other than ‘joyous memories’ of meeting the famous commentator.

    There is not a human on this earth who met Murray Walker who would have anything other than joyous memories and smiles thinking of their time. That voice, that turn of phrase and that enthusiasm for his passions and his life, he was a very special man. #ripmurraywalker
    — Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) March 13, 2021

    ‘UNFORGETTABLE’
    Williams Racing team described Walker as ‘unforgettable’ and said his passion for F1 was ‘infectious’ as they added to the thousands of people offering tributes.

    We are truly saddened to hear of Murray Walker’s passing.Murray was the voice of @F1 for so many, and provided unforgettable commentary on many of this team’s most iconic moments. His passion for the sport was infectious, and never failed to make people smile. pic.twitter.com/YjN8nfSuia
    — Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) March 13, 2021

    ‘IT WAS AN HONOUR’
    Sky lead F1 commentator David Croft also described what it was like to work alongside Walker in his own emotional tribute online.
    Croft described him as a ‘gentleman’ and a ‘legend’.

    Rest in Peace Murray Walker, a gentleman and a legend in every sense of the word. It was an honour to know you, a delight to spend time in your company and inspiring to listen and learn from you. THE voice of Formula 1 and always will be. Thankyou xx
    — David Croft (@CroftyF1) March 13, 2021

    ‘PART OF OUR HISTORY’
    Formula One posted their own tribute in line with the thousands of others that have emerged this afternoon.
    And the organisation credited Walker for being ‘part of our history’.

    We are immensely sad to hear that Murray Walker has passed awayHis passion and love of the sport inspired millions of fans around the worldHe will forever be a part of our history, and will be dearly missed pic.twitter.com/cMwLjjqxAj
    — Formula 1 (@F1) March 13, 2021

    ‘LEGEND WILL NEVER DIE’
    British former world champion Damon Hill was the subject of Walker’s most famous commentary moment.
    And the driver turned pundit was one of the first to pay tribute after news of Walker’s death was announced.

    ‘AN ABSOLUTE GENTLEMAN’
    Walker previously worked for Channel 4 and they posted some touching words online describing him as a ‘complete professional’ and a ‘total pleasure to work with’.

    Terribly sad news that Murray Walker has passed away. An absolute gentleman, complete professional and a total pleasure to both work and spend time with. Rest in Peace, Murray. pic.twitter.com/3SZm2OR93J
    — Channel 4 F1® (@C4F1) March 13, 2021

    ‘HE’S MISSED IT! FANTASTIC!’
    As well as being the voice of F1, fans and colleagues alike have been quick to point to Walker’s infectious personality.
    And this clip from an interview with Jeremy Clarkson shows just how popular he was away from the track.

    Murray Walker could make ANYTHING exciting with his eccentric commentary style. This is one of my favourites – snooker! “He’s missed it, he’s missed it, FANTASTIC!!” pic.twitter.com/KQcg5iqN2A
    — Paul McGinnes 🏁 (@PaulMcG92) March 13, 2021

    ‘I’VE GOT A LUMP IN MY THROAT’
    Many F1 fans labelled Walker’s commentary of Damon Hill’s 1996 World Championship win ‘one of sport’s most iconic moments’.
    Walker famously had to stop talking as Hill crossed the line because he was so emotional seeing his fellow Brit claim glory.

    Rest in Peace Murray Walker. His commentary when Damon Hill won the World Championship in 1996 is still one of Sports most iconic moments for me. #F1 pic.twitter.com/v3kDrFrDUV
    — Curls (@Baramenyn_) March 13, 2021


    But Walker’s calling was beyond the boardroom and back at the race tracks when he still spent his time at the weekend.
    Working across many different series, he eventually got his shot in F1, when he gave his first commentary, fittingly it was the 1949 British GP at Silverstone.
    He eventually got the gig full time at the BBC in 1978 and was lead commentator until the broadcaster lost the rights to ITV in 1997.
    Walker also jumped ship and continued to commentate until the 2001 United States Grand Prix.
    Walker would still do regular TV work for F1. In 2015, he presented an F1 show with Suzi Perry while in 2016 he joined Channel 4’s coverage.

    WAR STORIES
    In an interview with the Guardian in 2007, Walker said: “I was in a tank regiment during the war.
    “When I came out I had delusions of grandeur that I would be able to show my father how a motorcycle should really be raced.
    “I was all right, but I wasn’t good enough to satisfy myself because I had started in business and I was doing fairly well.
    “I obviously wasn’t committed because the business won the day and the hobby didn’t because I think I knew in my heart of hearts that I wouldn’t be top man.”
    Instead, Walker carved out a career in advertising and headed up the team that came up with the ‘a Mars a day helps you work rest and play’ slogan.
    He also is credited with coining the ‘Opal Fruits: made to make your mouth water’ marketing tagline…

    MURRAY WALKER – DEAD AT 97
    By SunSport’s F1 correspondent Ben Hunt
    Murray Walker the legendary F1 commentator, has passed away at the age of 97.
    The Brit was THE voice of motorsport and headed up the UK’s F1 coverage from 1976 until 2001.
    Walker was known for his enthusiasm and was a true gent and will be fondly remembered for his humorous slip-ups, dubbed ‘Murrayisms’.
    A statement from F1 said: “We are immensely sad to hear that Murray Walker has passed away.
    “His passion and love of the sport inspired millions of fans around the world. He will forever be a part of our history, and will be dearly missed.”
    Born in 1923, Walker was surrounded by racing as his father, Graham, raced motorcycles for Rudge, Sunbeam and Norton. He spent most weekends growing up at race tracks watching his father compete before trying to race himself while juggling a career in advertising.

    Murray Walker has died aged 97Credit: Rex Features

    ‘PASSION AND POSITIVITY’
    Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team said Murray Walker’s attitude towards F1 was unmatched.

    He was the voice of @F1 to millions and his love, passion and positivity for our sport were unmatched.You will be truly missed, Murray Walker ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mXVDID6GdS
    — Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 13, 2021

    ‘THE VOICE OF FORMULA ONE’
    Gary Lineker described Walker as a broadcasting great in his own touching tribute to the ‘voice of F1’.

    Saddened to hear that Murray Walker has passed away. A true broadcasting great and very much the voice of Formula 1 on @BBCSport for decades. The chequered flag may have been waved for the final time but he’ll always be remembered. RIP Murray.
    — Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) March 13, 2021

    ‘NATION’S FAVOURITE’
    The British Racing Drivers’ Club announced the sad news slightly more than one hour ago and described him as a ‘motorsport legend’.

    It’s with great sadness we share the news of the passing of BRDC Associate Member Murray Walker OBE.A friend, a true motorsport legend, the nations favourite commentator and a contagious smile.We thank Murray for all he has done for our community.RIP our friend. pic.twitter.com/3Of3Ia3nMB
    — BRDC (@BRDCSilverstone) March 13, 2021

    ‘SPARKLE AND PRIDE’
    Former F1 presenter Jake Humphrey has added to the thousands of touching messages being posted online about iconic commentator Walker.
    The BT Sport frontman described Walker as ‘setting the standard’.

    Just weeks ago I spoke to Murray Walker on the phone. He was in a residential home, hating getting older. However, I could hear the sparkle and pride in his voice when we spoke about @LewisHamilton’s 7th title.Murray set the standard. I’m honoured to call him a friend. RIP ❤️ pic.twitter.com/d77kgLcW9Z
    — Jake Humphrey 💙 (@mrjakehumphrey) March 13, 2021

    ‘KNOWLEDGEABLE BEYOND WORDS’
    The home of British F1 Silverstone has also tweeted their own tribute to the legendary commentator.
    Silverstone’s managing director Stuart Pringle’s message was posted on their Twitter account.

    “It is with great sadness that I have to inform Silverstone’s fans that Murray Walker died earlier today. He was to so many of us fans of F1, the voice that epitomised the sport we love. pic.twitter.com/sllG6Hhzx1
    — Silverstone (@SilverstoneUK) March 13, 2021

    Much will be written about the impact that Murray had on the sport and we will make a more fulsome tribute in due course, but for the time being rest in peace Murray and thank you.” – Stuart Pringle, Managing Director
    — Silverstone (@SilverstoneUK) March 13, 2021

    RIP MURRAY
    Former driver and F1 commentator Martin Brundle was one of the first to pay tribute to Murray Walker who has died aged 97.
    The 61-year-old called Walker a ‘wonderful man’ and a ‘national treasure’.

    Rest in Peace Murray Walker. Wonderful man in every respect. National treasure, communication genius, Formula One legend.
    — Martin Brundle 💙 (@MBrundleF1) March 13, 2021

    DAY TWO IS DONE – MERCEDES ARE BACK IN BUSINESS
    Valtteri Bottas tops the timesheets on the softest tyre. It looks as though Mercedes’ problems are over.Excellent work from Pierre Gasly once again as we are now two thirds through testing.Aston Martin and McLaren will also be pleased with their second day performances.Lando Norris’s time was set on the medium tyres while Daniel Ricciardo looked strong in the morning.As for concerns, Ferrari don’t look particularly strong and Carlos Sainz is not yet up to speed.Fernando Alonso was down in 10th in his return for Alpine while Haas look like they could struggle with their battle with Williams.
    Bottas – 1:30.289Gasly +0.1Stroll +0.1Norris +0.2Giovinazzi +0.4Leclerc +0.5Latifi +1.3Perez +1.3Ricciardo +1.9Alonso +2.0Tsunoda +2.3Schumacher +2.5Sainz +2.7Mazepin +2.8Hamilton +3.1Vettel +8.5

    BOTTAS NOW GOES QUICKEST
    Mercedes are back on top. After a tricky two days, the Finn has now popped to the top of the timesheets.He’s completed 53 laps and is trying to make up for lost time.

    IT HAS TAKEN TWO DAYS BUT FINALLY MERCEDES SHOW THEIR PACE
    Valtteri Bottas goes into the top four and has now completed 39 laps.After a difficult start where the Finn has a gearbox issue, Mercedes now look like they are back on track.

    RED FLAG – SESSION STOPPED
    The engine cover from Sergio Perez’s Red Bull has come loose and broken on track.The session has been stopped while the marshals recover some of the debris.Red Bull will now need to find out what caused that failure while they fix the new cover in place.

    RELIABILITY IS LOOKING GOOD
    Aside from the gearbox failures on Bottas and Vettel’s cars, there has been a refreshing about of reliability.Yes, much of the aero parts are carried over, but the news power units all look rather strong this year.Remember, teams only allowed to use three engines this season without penalty.

    SOLID FROM ALPHATAURI AND ALFA ROMEO
    The Red Bull B team finished 2020 so strongly and this year they are boosted by a new Honda engine, which has been rushed through ahead of schedule.They are looking quick and reliable out on track and stepping out from Red Bull’s shadow.Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi is also enjoying himself. Currently fourth quickest on track and having done 93 laps.

    “PROMISING SIGNS” FOR FERRARI
    CHARLES LECLERC is confident Ferrari are showing “promising signs” as they look to bounce back from last season.The Italian team endured their worst finish in forty years as they were sixth in the constructors’ championship.But after a winter of tweaking their car design, Leclerc says they are making improvements.He said: “The impressions were good again. Yesterday we went through all the programme in the morning, but the conditions are very very tricky.”It’s very warm, and very windy, so it’s very difficult to make a comparison with last year for now.”And it’s all relative to the others: how much they improved compared to us.”But yeah, there are some promising signs, but we can’t know until the first qualifying.”The big issue Ferrari faced last year was their under-strength engine, which Leclerc was also an improvement this season.He added: “Everything feels quite good. But again, it’s very difficult to comment now, nobody’s pushing everything to its limit, especially in these conditions.”So for now it’s early days. But everything feels good and, as I said, stacks up with what we expected.”

    Load more entries… More

  • in

    F1 pre-season testing LIVE: Stream and TV channel as Lewis Hamilton SPINS OFF track and Mick Schumacher gets a run out

    AFTER a short refuelling break over winter the sight of tyres on tarmac is back – and Formula One racing proper is almost upon us.
    A gruelling 2021 season lies ahead – the longest ever in F1 history – with the cars and drivers in Bahrain this week for all-important pre-season testing.
    Testing is taking place over three days, from Friday, March 12 to Sunday, March 14
    Morning sessions run from 7am GMT until 11am, before afternoon runs between 12pm and 4pm
    You can catch every moment of the weekend’s action live on Sky Sports F1

    Follow ALL of the latest updates below…

    IT HAS TAKEN TWO DAYS BUT FINALLY MERCEDES SHOW THEIR PACE
    Valtteri Bottas goes into the top four and has now completed 39 laps.After a difficult start where the Finn has a gearbox issue, Mercedes now look like they are back on track.

    RED FLAG – SESSION STOPPED
    The engine cover from Sergio Perez’s Red Bull has come loose and broken on track.The session has been stopped while the marshals recover some of the debris.Red Bull will now need to find out what caused that failure while they fix the new cover in place.

    RELIABILITY IS LOOKING GOOD
    Aside from the gearbox failures on Bottas and Vettel’s cars, there has been a refreshing about of reliability.Yes, much of the aero parts are carried over, but the news power units all look rather strong this year.Remember, teams only allowed to use three engines this season without penalty.

    SOLID FROM ALPHATAURI AND ALFA ROMEO
    The Red Bull B team finished 2020 so strongly and this year they are boosted by a new Honda engine, which has been rushed through ahead of schedule.They are looking quick and reliable out on track and stepping out from Red Bull’s shadow.Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi is also enjoying himself. Currently fourth quickest on track and having done 93 laps.

    “PROMISING SIGNS” FOR FERRARI
    CHARLES LECLERC is confident Ferrari are showing “promising signs” as they look to bounce back from last season.The Italian team endured their worst finish in forty years as they were sixth in the constructors’ championship.But after a winter of tweaking their car design, Leclerc says they are making improvements.He said: “The impressions were good again. Yesterday we went through all the programme in the morning, but the conditions are very very tricky.”It’s very warm, and very windy, so it’s very difficult to make a comparison with last year for now.”And it’s all relative to the others: how much they improved compared to us.”But yeah, there are some promising signs, but we can’t know until the first qualifying.”The big issue Ferrari faced last year was their under-strength engine, which Leclerc was also an improvement this season.He added: “Everything feels quite good. But again, it’s very difficult to comment now, nobody’s pushing everything to its limit, especially in these conditions.”So for now it’s early days. But everything feels good and, as I said, stacks up with what we expected.”

    NAKITA MAZEPIN HAS A CLOSE SHAVE

    SERGIO PEREZ IS ON TRACK
    There is a big hype around the Mexican driver who has joined Red Bull.He obviously finished the season strongly at Racing Point and looking to get up to speed with his new team.I expect him to use as much time as he can in this session to get to grips with this car.His first practice race start was not good. But he is now away and ready to put in the laps.

    STILL STRUGGLING WITH THIS LIVERY

    FERRARI OUT ON TRACK
    And it is Charles Leclerc who is now out on track. He’s used to this car and will be eyeing up the long runs, as his teammate Carlos Sainz didn’t look comfortable.Sainz, who arrived at Ferrari from McLaren over the winter is slowly getting up to speed with their car.

    DAY TWO, PART TWO OF F1 TESTING
    The clock is ticking down as we pass the halfway stage of F1 testing. Only three days this year – usually it is eight, and more in the past.So not long to iron out any problems, as Mercedes and Aston Martin are finding.

    HALF WAY ON DAY TWO AND McLAREN AGAIN LOOK GOOD
    The Woking-based team top the timesheets thanks to Daniel Ricciardo’s excellent laps.It was very impressive from the team who have a new engine supplier in Mercedes.Speaking of Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton spun off and he is clearly struggling with set-up issues.And a big concern for Merc will also be the gearbox failure in Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin.Aston are a customer of Mercedes and the problem limited the German to just nine laps.It comes after Valtteri Bottas suffered a gearbox issue the previous day. So that’s to gearboxes in two days that need stripping apart and investigating.

    VETTEL NOW ON TRACK
    After a gearbox change, he is now back in the car and on track but like Bottas yesterday, he has lost a lot of time.

    MORE WOE FOR LEWIS HAMILTON
    LEWIS HAMILTON’s dreadful start to the season continued when he spun off in Bahrain and was left stuck in the gravel.The world champion cut a dejected figure after losing control of his Mercedes at low speed.Hamilton lost grip at Turn 13 and slid slowly backwards into the gravel at under 80mph.Hamilton tried to drive away but his car was beached on the stone and needed rescuing from a pick-up truck.Former F1 driver Martin Brundle said: “It’s so unusual to see Lewis looking at a stricken car these days.”But he’s not exactly the only driver to be flying off the road today.”Fellow ex-racer Karun Chandhok added: “It’s really rare to see a mistake from Lewis, especially at testing.”I’m trying to think of all the pre-season tests I’ve been to in the last five, six years and I can’t think of one time he has been in the gravel.”You see the odd thing where he goes off in the run-off area or something – but everyone does that. To see him cause a red flag, I can’t think of a moment like that.”In further embarrassment, his Mercedes was lifted high into the air, exposing the car’s floor, which the team had tried to protect from prying eyes.It follows on from Friday’s session where he finished 10th on the timesheets, while his teammate Valtteri Bottas suffered a gearbox problem.It resulted in the team completing fewer miles than any other team when usually they display bullet-proof reliability during testing.Bottas had questioned the team’s decision not to run a shakedown during an official filming day, something every other team took advantage of.And on Friday night Hamilton said: “It wasn’t the cleanest of days that we’ve had but these things are sent to try you.”Everyone has worked extremely hard to get us here. We had that mishap in the morning which was very unfortunate for Valtteri in terms of losing time on track and the team is working hard to try and understand what that was.”The second session wasn’t without its challenges, but we exist to find solutions to the problems we are faced with.”We have no choice but to take the positives. I remember in 2007 during testing I had 10 days in the car and now it’s getting less and less.”We only have a day and a half in the car before the first race, with different tyres and different aero modifications so it’s not easy but it’s the same for everyone.”I’d like to think my nine years’ experience with this team will help me get the best out of it.”  

    BIG DEVELOPMENT DOWN AT ASTON MARTIN
    Sebastian Vettel is out of his car, which is sitting in the team’s garage.There is a suspected gearbox failure. And that if that is true, it will be a big worry for Mercedes, who supply the gearbox.Valtteri Bottas lost a chunk of time on Friday due to a gearbox problem. Could this be a similar issue?

    HEAD DOWN, CAR IN THE GRAVEL

    YET MORE BAD NEWS FOR LEWIS HAMILTON
    The Mercedes man spun off track earlier on this morning and his car was stuck in the gravel.It is yet more concerns for both him and his Mercedes team after a difficult start to testing yesterday where they suffered a gearbox problem.Hamilton cut a dejected figure as his car was lifted up out of the stones, displaying the car’s floor they have tried to keep secret.

    VERSTAPPEN TOPS DAY ON OF TESTING
    The Red Bull man topped the timesheets as Verstappen gets the season off to an excellent start.Also a good day for McLaren and Alpine who both set quick times.However, misery for Mercedes, who lost a chunk of time due to a gearbox problem in the morning while Lewis Hamilton was off the pace in the afternoon session.

    IN TO THE FINAL 15 MINUTES OF DAY ONE
    Still no good news for Mercedes as Hamilton drops to P10 on the timesheets. It will be interesting to see how the drivers react to this first day of testing.

    INTO THE FINAL HOUR OF DAY ONE OF TESTING
    And Max Verstappen has just gone quickest of the day.

    TESTING CONDITIONS

    THE ‘LON ROAD BACK
    Fernando Alonso believes he is in the form of his life – despite not racing an F1 car in two years.
    The two-time world champion has returned to the sport with the rebranded Renault team, now known as Alpine.
    Alonso, who quit F1 in 2018, spent last year racing in the Dakar series and again missed out on winning the Indy 500.
    But the 39-year-old says he still has unfinished business in the sport and decided to come back to F1.
    He said: “The main thing of why I am here was because I felt that I was at my best in the last couple of years.
    “I felt like I was driving better than evert and I had to make a decision on what was the next challenge after LeMans.
    “And I thought that being at my best now, maybe Formula One was the place to be and I have time in the future to look at the challenges that were not completed.
    “So that was the main thing, I felt that I had something to do here again.”
    Alonso was quizzed if winning the title was within his grasp, as there is renewed hope at the French team.
    He added: “To win races and championships, you need a few more things than just your motivation or beliefs.
    “You need the package, the laps and the momentum and that is something we are looking to build with the new Alpine name.
    “So yeah, I cannot guarantee it, but we will fight for those wins and championships in the future if we do those things but we are not racing alone.”

    PEREZ AND SAINZ TAKE COVID-19 JABS
    SERGIO PEREZ and Carlos Sainz have taken up Bahrain’s offer of COVID-19 vaccinations.The Gulf Kingdom said they were happy to make the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available to all those coming for the F1 test.A second jab should be administered after the race on March 28th and while F1 said they did not want to be seen to jump the queue, some teams and drivers have taken up the offer.Perez, who was struck down with COVID-19 last summer, said: “We got offered, and I took the decision to take it.”For me, back in Mexico, I don’t know when I will be able to get it, so I think it was very nice from Bahrain to offer that to us. And, yeah, I took it myself.”Sainz, who has joined Ferrari from McLaren, added: “Yes, same as Checo, I did take it.”I think it was a great opportunity and obviously thankful for the Bahrain government for offering it to so many people that travel around the world and, yeah, happy with it.”So far, Perez, Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc have all tested positive for the virus.

    HULKENBERG TO RETURN TO F1?
    NICO HULKENBERG could be offered another F1 return as a stand-in for Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team.The German was called up as a late replacement for Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll last season when the two Racing Point drivers were struck down with COVID-19.Mercedes themselves were also forced to call in a reserve driver last season when Lewis Hamilton tested positive in Bahrain and George Russell had to fill in.And now Merc boss Toto Wolff says his team could swoop for Hulkenberg, should their reserves, Stoffel Vandoorne or Nyck de Vries, be engaged in their Formula E commitments.Wolf said: “There is a situation that our two reserve drivers, Stoffel and Nyck, are racing in Formula E and there are certain races where there is an overlap.”I think Nico knows the current generation of Formula One cars and the tyres, and it would be good to have him in the line-up as a solution, maybe to be shared with other teams.”He’s a known quantity and well respected, so it would be good, but it’s not yet… we didn’t put pen to paper.”

    CONDITIONS IMPROVING
    Verstappen still looking good in P1. Norris and Ricciardo in P2 and P3 in a good day so far for McLaren.
    That’s a good effort following their power unit change from Renault to Mercedes.
    In terms of concerns, Mercedes WILL be worried. It is a poor start from them after dominating for years.
    A gearbox issue and now, while is has been fixed, there is something not right for Hamilton, who is in 14th place.Bottas in P16, so that will be a concern.

    VERSTAPPEN GOES QUICKEST
    In windy and dusty conditions, the Red Bull man has bettered Daniel Ricciardo’s effort from this morning.It’s Verstappen, Ricciardo, Gasly, Giovinazzi, Sainz, Ocon, Norris, Leclerc, Raikkonen, Vettel as your top 10 so far on Day One of testing.

    Load more entries… More

  • in

    Leeds vs Chelsea FREE: Live stream, TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Premier League clash at Elland Road

    LEEDS welcome Chelsea to Elland Road looking to avoid three Premier League defeats on the spin.
    Marcelo Bielsa’s side have taken just three points from their last possible 15, going down 2-0 to West Ham last time out.

    FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

    Leeds are safely in mid-table despite four defeats in their last five gamesCredit: AP:Associated Press
    Chelsea meanwhile arrive in buoyant mood under Thomas Tuchel, with the Blues unbeaten in twelve games.
    When is Leeds vs Chelsea?
    This Premier League clash is set for Saturday, March 13.
    Kick-off at Elland Road will be at 12.30pm GMT.
    When the sides met earlier in the campaign, Chelsea fought back from behind to win 3-1.

    Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?
    You can catch this match live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate.

    Coverage begins at 11.30am.
    If you’re a BT Sport subscriber or have BT Broadband, you are eligible to download the official app and stream on a number of devices.
    Can I watch for free?
    EE customers can get BT Sport INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits – simply log in to EE and choose BT Sport app.
    And then get it on the big screen by texting SPORT to 150 to get a FREE three-month trial of large screen so you can cast all the action on your TV.
    At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £15 per month subscription unless cancelled.

    What is the team news?
    Leeds are sweating on the fitness of Rodrigo ahead of this game, while Pascal Struijk sat out the defeat to West Ham.

    Kalvin Phillips is back in the first-team fold after injury while Jamie Shackleton remains a doubt.
    Tammy Abraham is a doubt for the Blues wih an ankle injury and Olivier Giroud could get the nod in his absence.
    Christian Pulisic’s future at the club is unknown as he pushes for more game-time in West London.
    Match odds
    Leeds to win – 7/2
    Draw – 14/5
    Chelsea victory – 8/11
    *All odds from Paddy Power and correct at time of publication. More

  • in

    F1 pre-season testing: UK start time, TV channel, live stream info from Bahrain ahead of F1 opening race

    AFTER a short refuelling break over winter, Formula One is back.
    A gruelling 2021 season lies ahead – the longest ever in F1 history – with the cars and drivers in Bahrain this week for all-important pre-season testing.

    Lewis Hamilton is chasing another world title as he looks to follow-up a record-breaking 2020Credit: PA:Press Association
    When is F1 pre-season testing?
    Testing will take place over three days, starting on Friday, March 12.
    The first session will run from 7am GMT until 11am, before an afternoon run between 12pm-4pm.
    Bahrain hosts the event and will also be the venue for the opening race of the 2021 season on March 26-28.
    World champion Lewis Hamilton will get to drive the new Mercedes W12 for the first time.
    Which TV channel and live stream can I watch it on?

    You can catch every moment of the weekend’s action live on Sky Sports F1.
    Coverage on Friday will start at 6.50am GMT.
    If you’re a Sky customer, grab the Sky Go app to stream on the move.
    Non-Sky subscribers can purchase a NOW TV pass from £9.99 to watch on their mobile, Smart TV, tablet, PC or games console.

    You can also follow all the action right here with our SunSport live blog from 7am.

    F1 2021 schedule
    March 26-28: Bahrain Grand Prix (Sakhir)
    April 16-18: Emilie-Romagna Grand Prix (Imola)
    30 April to 2 May: Portimão Grand Prix (Portugal)
    May 7-9: Spanish Grand Prix (Barcelona)
    May 21-23: Monaco Grand Prix (Monaco)
    June 4-6: Azerbaidjan Grand Prix (Baku)
    June 11-13: Canadian Grand Prix (Montreal)
    June 25-27: French Grand Prix (Castellet)
    July 2-4: Austrian Grand Prix (Spielberg)
    July 16-18: British Grand Prix (Silverstone)
    30 July to 1 August: Hungarian Grand Prix (Budapest)
    August 27-29: Belgium Grand Prix (Spa-Francorchamps)
    September 3-5: Dutch Grand Prix (Zandvoort0
    September 10-12: Italian Grand Prix (Monza)
    September 24-26: Russian Grand Prix (Sotchi)
    October 1-3: Singapore Grand Prix (Singapore)
    October 8-10: Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
    October 22-24: American Grand Pric (Austin)
    October 29-31: Mexican Grand Prix (Mexico)
    November 5-7: Brazilian Grand Prix (Interlagos)
    November 19-21: Australian Grand Prix (Melbourne)
    December 3-5: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Djeddah)
    December 10-12: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Yas Marina) More

  • in

    Is Diogo Dalot eligible to play for AC Milan vs Man Utd tonight?

    MANCHESTER UNITED face a tricky Europa League last-16 clash against Italian giants AC Milan.
    The Red Devils welcome the Serie A high-fliers to Old Trafford on Thursday, buoyant from a derby day win over Man City.

    FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

    Dalot netted a wonder goal against Verona – his second for AC MilanCredit: AFP or licensors
    Is Diogo Dalot eligible to play for AC Milan vs Man Utd?
    Diogo Dalot has been on loan at the Milan club this season after falling out of favour at United.
    The full-back was brought to the Theatre of Dreams in 2018 from Porto but has since failed to nail down a starting berth.
    Much is expected of the right-back, who is still only 21 and could yet have a bright future with the club.

    Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was happy for him to leave on a temporary basis earlier this campaign, joining Milan last October on a season-long loan.
    Dalot has appeared 20 times for AC so far in 2020/21, netting twice and also chipping in with two assists.

    The full back has gained valuable experience on loanCredit: AP:Associated Press
    And there is NO clause in his loan deal stopping him playing against his former club.
    As such, Dalot could line-up against United in either of the two legs of their Europa League showdown.

    Speaking ahead of the tie, boss Ole said: “[Milan] are on the up and have done really well this season.
    “I’ve been so impressed by [Zlatan], and Diogo we know. He went there to get some experience at a big club and he’s learned a lot.
    “He’s played a lot more games this season, kept fit and, hopefully, we can give him some bother!”

    When is AC Milan vs Man Utd and how can I watch on TV?
    Man Utd face AC Milan on Thursday, March 11.
    Kick-off is set for 5.55pm GMT.
    You can catch all of the action live on BT Sport 1. More

  • in

    Man Utd vs AC Milan: Live stream FREE, TV channel, team news and kick-off time – Europa League latest updates

    MAN UTD welcome Italian giants AC Milan to Old Trafford tonight for the first leg of their Europa League tie.
    Serie A title challengers Milan will be tough opposition for the Red Devils, who eased past Real Sociedad in the last round.

    Follow ALL the build-up and action with our live blog below from 4.25pm…

    United will be without Marcus Rashford who limped out of the Manchester derbyCredit: AFP or licensors
    MAN UTD VS AC MILAN BETTING OFFERS: CLAIM £20 RISK-FREE BET ON EUROPA LEAGUE CLASH
    What time does Man Utd vs AC Milan kick-off?
    Kick=off tonight is at 5.55pm GMT.
    The game will take place in Manchester at Old Trafford.
    What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
    United’s home clash with Milan will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate.
    You can live stream all of the action from the BT Sport app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
    Can I watch for FREE?
    EE customers can get BT Sport INCLUDED to their plan at no extra cost if they are on a plan with Smart Benefits – simply log in to EE and choose BT Sport app.
    And then get it on the big screen by texting SPORT to 150 to get a FREE three-month trial of Large Screen so you can cast all the action on your TV.
    At the end of the three months you will automatically roll onto the £5 per month BT Sport Large Screen subscription unless cancelled.

    What is the team news?
    Marcus Rashford is out for United after limping out of the Manchester derby with an ankle injury.
    Edinson Cavani is also out with a knock, while Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Donny van de Beek and Phil Jones will all watch from the sidelines.

    Diogo Dalot is on loan at AC from United, but is eligible to play against his parent club and may feature.
    But Hakan Calhanoglu, Ante Rebic and Theo Hernandez are all major doubts for the Italian side.

    Man Utd are expected to field a strong line-up against AC Milan More