Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sports World |
- Vettel maintains focus
- Newcastle win just the tonic for July Cup hope Genki
- Schumacher admits crash error
| Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:13 AM PDT Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel has made it clear he won't be taking anything for granted, that despite the German extending his lead at the top of the driver's championship to 77 points after winning the European Grand Prix in Valencia at the weekend. The result has prompted Vettel's rivals to admit the title race is all but over, even though the season is just eight races old. The German has started seven of the eight races this year from pole, going on to win six of them, in a start to the season that even the most optimistic Red Bull fan couldn't have envisaged. With his mammoth lead over his nearest rivals Jenson Button and Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, it would take a monumental slip up from the team and the 23-year-old for both titles to once again be claimed by the team come the end of the season and the Formula One odds reflect this. While everyone has been quick to rule the title race all but over, Vettel has made it clear he isn't assuming anything, insisting anything can still happen over the remaining 11 races this year. "I don't look at the gap - it is a long season," he said. "But, for sure we have had a phenomenal start to the season. We continue that way, we have to take every single race as it comes." Vettel will be hoping to continue his stunning start to the season when they circuit heads to Silverstone next week.  |
| Newcastle win just the tonic for July Cup hope Genki Posted: 29 Jun 2011 01:29 AM PDT Roger Charlton's admirable seven-year-old Genki finally landed his first group race when getting the better of a fine tussle with Doncaster Rover to land the Group 3 Totesport.com Chipchase Stakes at Newcastle on Saturday in front of a massive crowd of Geordie race fans, writes Elliot Slater. Taking the opening race on The Pitman's Derby Day at the Gosforth Park circuit, Genki was back in action only a week after having finished eighth to Society Rock (beaten only four lengths) in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and was certainly not winning out of turn. The rain-softened ground appeared to help the gelded son of Shinko Forest who was a little tardy leaving the stalls under George Baker but gradually moved into contention as the front-runners began to run out of steam. Baker commented that he always thought he was going to win once he got upsides Doncaster Rover, and sure enough the Beckhampton based gelding didn't let the sound down as he battled to his second success of the season having beaten Iver Bridge Lad in the Listed Abernant Stakes at Newmarket in April. The Newmarket odds now suggest he could be set for another win at that track. Genki, owned by Gillian Khosla, was recording his eight win from 29 starts and adds the Chipchase Stakes to his other big win which came back in 2009 when beating Evens And Odds to win the prestigious Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood. Clearly getting better with age, only last September he ran probably his best race yet when a fine third to Markab in the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock, so will not be out of place at the highest level if he does indeed turn up at Newmarket for a crack at the Darley July Cup. Bookmakers reacted to his Newcastle win by cutting Genki's odds to win the latest leg of the Global Sprint Challenge to as short as 16/1 in places, having been available at up to 33/1 before his weekend success.  |
| Posted: 29 Jun 2011 05:23 AM PDT Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher has admitted he was at fault for the crash that ended his hopes of challenging at last weekend's European Grand Prix in Valencia. The German damaged his front wing after a collision with Renault's Vitaly Petrov but has been quick to claim responsibility for the incident, admitting he had been trying to sneak the corner ahead of the Russian who was on aging tyres. "Obviously knocking off my front wing was my own problem. I was trying to keep position with Petrov, who was on old tyres and I wanted to stay in front of him," he said. "I simply couldn't stop it anymore, over-locked the front, slid into him and lost my front wing. And then the race was pretty much done." The race had been the chance for the seven-time world champion to build on his impressive return to form in Montreal, where the Mercedes driver finished fourth in his best drive since returning to the sport last year. The damaged front-wing ruined any chance of a repeat of Mercedes Canadian success, with Schumacher eventually coming in 17th after the enforced extra pit stop. Fans of Formula One betting will be wondering if he can continue his improvements next time out. It wasn't all bad for Mercedes in Valencia though after Schumacher's team-mate Nico Rosberg came in seventh to at least claim some points for the team. Rosberg was overtaken by Jenson Button in the early stages before managing to overtake Jaime Alguersuari's Toro Rosso to claim seventh place ahead of the Spaniard in eighth.  |
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