22 sport Tuesday, January 12, 2010 D Lewis excited to be No.2 driver FORMULA ONE: Lewis Hamilton believes this year could be the most exciting season yet for the sport. The 25-year-old partners world champion Jenson Button, with seven-times king Michael Schumacher returning to F1 after a three-year break. The best drivers are in the best teams and so the competition should be the most exciting, said Hamilton, who added it was a level playing field at McLaren between him and Button. The team is working very hard to get him up to speed but then he is world champion. I am just the No.2 driver. Rossi on his bike MOTOGP: World champion Valentino Rossi, 30, has shelved plans to switch from bikes to Formula One. Rossi, who has won nine world titles on two wheels, was close to driving for Ferrari at the end of 2006 but says a career in rallying he was second in the Monza rally last year is now more likely. There are not many changes in a mans body between 22 and 34 so I still have time, he said. F1 wouldve been easier but when I finish MotoGP, I will be too old for F1. sportdigest FORMULA ONE MOTORSPORTS governing body will appeal against last weeks decision by the French high court to overturn a lifetime ban from the sport imposed on Flavio Briatore. The former Renault boss insisted the decision restored his dignity and freedom in the wake of a suspension imposed for his role in the crashgate saga. But new FIA president Jean Todt believes the governing body has a case against the 59-year-old Italian. A statement from the FIA read: The president of the FIA has consulted the FIA Senate and the FIAs lawyers and it was unanimously agreed an appeal would be prepared. While the appeal is under way, the World Motor Sport Councils decision of 21 September 2009 remains in full effect. The FIA will take whatever measures are necessary to ensure the continuing integrity and safety of the sport. The decision to appeal means the suspension against Briatore and the five-year ban handed to the teams former director of engineering Pat Symonds remain in force, at least for the time being. The FIA initially acted after Briatore and Symonds were involved in a conspiracy which saw Nelson Piquet Jnr deliberately crash his car at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix in order to help then team-mate Fernando Alonso take the win. The TGI court, however, declared the suspension irregular as it was not catered for in the FIAs own statutes. Now the FIA mounts Briatore appeal Legal fight: Briatore Ravens end run for New England NFL: The Baltimore Ravens stunned quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to advance to the divisional round of the AFC play-offs on Sunday. The Ravens beat up the three-time Super Bowl winners on their own field, opening up a 24-0 first quarter lead en route to 33-14 win at Gillette Stadium. We got off to a terrible start and never really got back into the game, Brady said. Playing the way we played today, we werent going to beat anybody. The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Green Bay Packers 51-45 in a record-breaking NFC tilt in Glendale. QB Aaron Rodgers led the Packers back from a 31-10 deficit before fumbling in overtime to allow Karlos Dansby score the last of the games 11 touchdowns. Stenson: Montys on the right path GOLF: Henrik Stenson is sure Colin Montgomerie will prove to be a successful Ryder Cup captain after leading Europe to a third Royal Trophy success in Thailand on Sunday. Montgomerie included himself as a player to get a closer look at those in contention for a place at Celtic Manor. And Stenson believes the Scots meticulous preparation will prove beneficial at the Ryder Cup. The more chances Colin has to captain a team then he is going to learn more, said the Swede. He is going to be a good captain, I am absolutely convinced. Down and out: Brady SOCCER PREMIER LEAGUE GAA OWEN COYLE insists spending power, rather than huge earnings, was behind his decision to quit Burnley for Bolton. The Scot was yesterday unveiled as Wanderers new boss after a protracted move from Turf Moor. Coyles decision surprised many given he had taken the Clarets from the Championship to their current position of 14th in the Premier League. Bolton, however, lie third-bottom although Coyle has been promised funds for new players this month. The 43-year- old turned down Celtic before they appointed Tony Mowbray last summer and believes he has made the right call in switching to the Reebok Stadium. Money has never been my motivation. If I had wanted money I would have taken the Celtic job and trebled, maybe even quadrupled my salary, he said. The people at Burnley knew I was ambitious. Anyone who knows me is aware I put my heart and soul into that job. Yes, I have disappointed a lot of people by leaving but I know I conducted myself right in the right manner. Im not motivated by cash, says Coyle Picture:ActionImages Hicks Jr quits Liverpool over email row with fan Tom Hicks Jr quit the Liverpool board yesterday, claiming he was sorry for his mistake in sending an obscene e-mail to a supporter. Hicks Jr, son of Reds co-owner Tom Hicks, was left with little choice but to resign and also left parent company kop Holdings after the contents of the e-mail were published in a sunday newspaper. The fan had contacted him directly about the state of the club and their fi- nances but Hicks Jrs reply was leapt upon by fans group spirit of shankly, who are fiercely opposed to Hicks sr and George Gilletts ownership of the club and called for Hicks Jr to resign. He duly did so yesterday, offering sin- cere apologies for his actions. i have great respect for Liverpool Foot- ball club, especially the clubs support- ers, he said in a statement. i do not want my actions to take away from the clubs future, therefore i am resigning from the board. To the fans and to the club, please accept my sincerest apologies. Hicks Jrs resignation will not weaken his fathers position as his successor will be casey coffman, executive vice-presi- dent of Hicks Holdings. The Reds chief financial officer Philip Nash and commercial director ian Ayre have also been elected to the boards of both companies, where they join Hicks sr, Gillett and his son Foster and manag- ing director christian Purslow. Purslow, Nash and Ayre have played increasingly vital roles at Anfield this season, not least in helping secure a lu- crative shirt sponsorship deal with stand- ard chartered Bank worth 80million. By David Kennedy THe Limerick hurling crisis will rage on for another week at least after a crucial meeting scheduled for tonight was postponed, writes Paul Keane. Limerick chiefs were due to meet tonight and potentially consider a motion of no confidence in mccarthy, whose top players will not play for him. A vote of no confidence in mccarthy and his subsequent removal would have cleared the way for the disgruntled players to return to pre-season duty. instead, the county board meeting will not take place until next Tuesday just five days before they play cork or Ucc in the Waterford crystal cup. At present, Limerick have only four players left from the 2009 panel while any college players must play for their university in the competition. To compound matters for mccarthy, metro Herald understands that the severe weather has stopped him from holding any trials for new talent so far this year. A heavy defeat in the pre-season Waterford crystal cup would pile the pressure on mccarthy ahead of the national league which begins against Galway on February 21. Limerick crisis set to drag on DuBlIN still have not tied up a sponsorship deal less than four weeks before the National league begins. Communications giant Vodafone had reportedly agreed an 800,000-a-year deal, but the link- up has still not been confirmed and the annual Dubs Stars challenges were played without a shirt sponsor. Dublin have already missed out on Christmas sales of their new shirt and are closing in on the high-profile league opener with Kerry on February 7. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html