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Karthikeyan still sees his future in F1
Will Kalmadi be at
BIC?
Indian food a big hit among F1 drivers
Aces put Delhi Daredevils in semifinals
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PVP Ventures to bid for new IPL franchise
Jalaj takes five wickets, Jaggi resists with gritty ton for East
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Karthikeyan still sees his future in F1
New Delhi, October 23 “I don't know where these rumours of me switching to Indycar emanated from. The brightest thing for 2013 will be another season with HRT. I would love to be with a mid-field team, but those chances look remote in this fiercely competitive F1 environment. I know I will not be in the points contentions but as of now just the adrenaline rush of driving an F1 car is good enough for me to go on,” Karthikeyan said. Despite a disappointing 2012 season, Karthikeyan is hopeful of managing his best finish for the year at the Indian Grand Prix over the weekend. While both HRT cars failed to qualify for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, a 15-th place finish at Monaco has been the best result so far for the 35-year-old Narain. He, however, insists he is only thinking of the upcoming race at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). “It is obviously a special feeling to be racing at the Buddh Circuit again. Since I can't think of podiums and points under the current scenario, the aim is to do better than last year and give the fans something to cheer about," Karthikeyan said, referring to his 17th place in the inaugural edition last year. “We are getting a new rear wing besides the new floor which was damaged in Japan. It should help us in gaining a few tenths." Talking about his own performance, he said: "I think I have been driving well and out-qualifying a senior pro like Pedro de la Rosa on a couple of occasions has given me immense confidence. I am fit and good enough to be in F1 for another two-three seasons." Narain, who made his F1 debut with the Jordan team in 2005, switched to other forms of racing, including A1GP, LeMans and NASCAR, before returning to the sport last year, but there has not been much change in fortunes. "No one likes to be at the back and so is the case with me. If I have to pick the toughest moment in my F1 career, it has to be the time when I was suddenly replaced by Daniel Ricciardo,” said Karthikeyan, about the 2011 season when HRT dropped him after eight races, only to get him back for the India round. — Agencies
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Will Kalmadi be at
BIC?
New Delhi, October 23 Though Formula I is not an Olympic sport — some say it's not a sport at all! — Suresh Kalmadi, as president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), wrote to FI boss Bernie Ecclestone, expressing India's desire to host the FI Grand Prix. His interest in FI was fuelled by Vijaya Mallaya's acquisition of the Spiker FI team in October 2007, though two years earlier, Narayaan Karthikeyan had made his FI debut for Jordan at the Australian GP. Kalmadi thought it was the right time to wade into the FI scene. An FI circuit in Greater Noida became a possibility when the FI bosses gave the green signal. After the Commonwealth Games, when Kalmadi got enmeshed in the CWG scam, the equations changed on India's bid to have an FI circuit. Jayaprakash Associates then stepped to create a futuristic, state of the art 5.12km circuit. The tainted Kalmadi, though, was not part of the inaugural Indian GP — he was in jail in connection with the CWG scam. He was released early this year. Now, as the IOA elections loom, Kalmadi has announced that he won’t contest them. It would be interesting if he is seen at the Indian Grand Prix, in which he had taken a great deal of interest when it was being set up.
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Indian food a big hit among F1 drivers
New Delhi, October 23 Sauber's Kamuyi Kobayashi relishes the butter chicken and 2007 World champion Kimi Raikkonen has never been to India but has a strong liking for Indian food. Kobayashi says the last time around he could not visit the Indian capital but is keen to go around the city time. “I haven't seen much of the country yet. What I really love is Indian butter chicken - an Indian classic dish and one of my all-time favourites. Perhaps this year I can manage to go and visit the city of New Delhi, but it is quite far away from the track and, as it is so big, it is not easy to get your bearings there,” the Japanese driver said. Kobayashi stated they hope to continue their strong show when they race at the BIC on Sunday. “I am keen to see what the circuit will be like when we arrive there for the second time. Last year, everything was new and the surface was very dusty. The track lay out as such should probably mean our performance will be average, which means we should be able to score points there,” he said. Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen, who returned to F1 with a two-year contract with Lotus, “As for India, I have never visited the country before… I have certainly enjoyed Indian restaurants in almost every country I've been to though!," Raikkonen said. Raikkonen said that adjusting to the new track won't be a problem for him. “India is a brand new place for me. I've never seen the circuit properly. I'm not like other drivers, so I haven't driven the simulator to learn it, but all in all it's not that much of a tricky situation. “I like to go to different places and the challenge of driving a new circuit is always interesting. So far, I've learnt tracks after a few laps in first free practise session scheduled on Fridays. I didn't have any problems learning the Yeongam circuit that way, and I don't expect here either,” he said. Williams' Bruno Senna likes the unique and new venue. “I'm looking forward to this weekend because India has a different atmosphere to many other Grands Prix and it's always a unique place,” he said. — PTI
Irregular double points finish hurt us: Mallya
Inconsistent double points finish has dented Sahara Force India's standing in the championship table, team principal Vijay Mallya conceded and hoped that both his drivers will end in the points bracket at the home Indian Grand Prix on Sunday. “It certainly feels like we have upped our game since the summer break and it has been satisfying to see us up there fighting for good points. The only frustration is that we have not always managed to get two cars in the points and that has hurt us in the championship," Mallya said.“But in terms of outright performance, I think we can be pleased with our level of consistency. We've had at least one car in the top ten of qualifying in over 80% of the races and scored points in 75% of the races. While we may not have finished on the podium this year, it is our consistency that has been key to success,” he said. — PTI |
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Aces put Delhi Daredevils in semifinals
Centurion, October 23 The Scorchers victory means that Auckland Aces with six points were ousted as Delhi with 10 points and Nashua Titans with eight points are through. The Daredevils now play Group B runners-up Lions in the first semifinal on October 25 at Kingsmead in Durban. The Titans will take on Group B winners Sydney Sixers in the second semifinal on October 26. A victory for Auckland against Perth could have opened up the group, but the Australian bowlers stuck to their task. Chasing a modest target of 141, Auckland failed to capitalise on the 49-run second-wicket stand between opener Martin Guptill and Azhar Mahmood as they ended on 124/8 in 20 overs. Perth clawed their way back into the match with four quick strikes. — PTI
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PVP Ventures to bid for new IPL franchise
Hyderabad, October 23 Prasad V Potluti, Chairman and Managing Director of PVP Ventures Ltd., said his company will have a disciplined approach as far as bidding amount is concerned. “We are going to bid and we would like to have Hyderabad as base. I believe we have reasonable understanding of the franchise and its operations. It is synergic to our existing business. It is logical expansion of entertainment,”Potluri said. Owners of Deccan Chargers had earlier rejected the Rs 900 crore offer made by PVP ventures to buy the franchise. Later on, the BCCI terminated the team from the IPL after the cash-strapped Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited failed to furnish the guarantee money before deadline. The bids have been invited in respect of 12 cities — Ahmedabad, Cuttack, Dharamsala, Indore, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Kochi, Nagpur, Noida, Rajkot, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam. The tender notice by the BCCI said all bidding parties will need to fulfil the eligibility criteria and other requirements specified in the Invitation to Tender. Bids must be submitted at 12 noon on October 25. The winning bids will be announced in the manner set out in the Invitation to Tender, the BCCI advertisement had said. “DC as a brand is history now. This is going to be new name and new franchise,” Potluri said.— PTI
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God in India... to inaugurate a shop!
Kannur, October 23 Maradona, on a two-day trip to the state, arrived by a chartered helicopter from Nedumabassery International airport at Kochi. Tight security was in place in the city, which saw a festive atmosphere with hundreds of fans pouring in from Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kasargod districts. About 2000 police personnel were enlisted for security. Maradona, who led Argentina to a World Cup triumph in 1986, waved to the crowds after landing at Kannur, a city which has hosted many international and national soccer tournaments. The FIFA player of the 20th century along with Pele in 2000, had come to India once before in Kolkata in 2008. Dunga felicitated by Bengal government
Brazilian World Cup winner Dunga was today felicitated by the state government at the conclusion of his two-day trip here during Durga Puja festival with a promise to return again to enthrall the football-crazy city. Dunga will be back with his former teammates Roberto Carlos, Bebeto, Mario da Silva, Zinho, Juninho Paulista and Zetti among others leading Brazilian Masters against a star-studded Sports Minister Legends in an exhibition-cum-charity match here on December 8. “We are very impressed with India. We never thought it to be so exciting. The first thing we are going to tell our people there is what all happened here," Dunga said through an interpreter here today. “The spirit and affection of people here is like in Brazil. We are eagerly waiting to come back again for the match," the former Brazil captain and coach said. Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammadan Sporting also presented him with scarfs and mementos, while the Bengal Olympic Association and Bengal Hockey Association too felicitated the former defender. There was also representation from AIFF with I-League CEO Sunando Dhar felicitating on behalf of the West Bengal Sports Council.— Agencies |
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Jalaj takes five wickets, Jaggi resists with gritty ton for East
Chennai, October 23 At stumps, Central were 12 for no loss after two overs when umpires stopped proceedings due to bad light. While Jaggi pulled his team out of the troubled waters with a quality knock of 100 not out, Central off-spinner Jalaj Saxena was rewarded for his beautiful bowling as he ended with a 5-wicket haul. Jaggi's 100 came off 251 balls with the help of 12 boundaries. It was his sixth first-class hundred while Jalaj's 5/62 was his second five-for in longer version. The right-hand batsman got a reprieve when Bhuvneshwar Kumar dropped a sitter at mid-off with Murali Kartik being the unlucky bowler. Starting the day at 64 for three, the Jharkhand lad in company of nightwatchman Iresh Saxena saw of the first hour without much difficult and also scored a few runs in the process. While India discard Praveen Kumar kept things tight, he never looked like getting a wicket as Jaggi-Iresh duo added 49 runs for the fourth wicket before East faced another slump. Jalaj bowled a classical off-break that saw Iresh (16) being bowled through the gate. Last match's centurion Saurabh Tiwary (0) pushed hard at an armer from Kartik only to edge it to Mahesh Rawat behind stumps. Biplab Samantray (0) was out as he also tried to push hard at a loopy off-break bowled by Jalaj onky to be caught by Kartik at first slip. — PTI Brief Scores: East Zone 1st Innings: 234 in 101.5 overs (Ishank Jaggi 100 no, SP Gautam 34, Jalaj Saxena 5/62). Central Zone 12/0 in 2 overs.
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New Delhi, October 23
Centurion, October 23
