India unveils vision for an AFC Asian Cup 2027
NEW DELHI, Dec 16: All India Football Federation President Praful Patel on Wednesday acknowledged that the country’s bid to host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup will face tough challenge from other competitors but termed it a “natural consequence” of its rising status in the continent. Unveiling the Bid Book to host the continental showpiece in 2027 along with Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Patel said the AIFF is hopeful of winning the hosting right of the tournament which will be competed among 24 teams. Asian football heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar are also bidding for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia and Qatar submitted their Bid Books to the AFC on Monday. India is expected to submit the Bid Book on Thursday or Friday – the deadline for submission. Uzbekistan has pulled out of the race. In April this year, the AIFF had submitted its official expression of interest to host the tournament. The host country will be decided in June next year. Patel said the flurry of Asian and global tournaments that the country is hosting or bidding is geared up towards the dream of the Indian men’s team qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be jointly hosted in USA, Canada and Mexico. (PTI)
2nd round of Motorcycle National C’ship this weekend
CHENNAI, Dec 16: The iconic MMRT circuit is all geared up to host another mega two-wheeler racing gala with the second and the concluding round of the MRF MMSC-FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship to be held this weekend starting from Friday. As in the previous weekend, 29 races across 10 categories have been scheduled and will be held behind closed doors with limited entry due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Championship, hit hard by lockdown and restrictions due to Covid-19 virus spread, was compressed into two weekends instead of five, as also the number of races in each of the four categories—Pro-Stock 301-400cc, Pro-Stock 165cc, Novice and Girls—though the entries again topped 200. That apart, Idemitsu Honda India Talent Cup, with two categories (NSF 250R and Novice) is also part of the weekend card, besides TVS One-Make Championship organised by MMSC which has four classes—Open, Novice, Girls and Media. The first round last weekend witnessed thrilling battles which are expected to be even more intense in the second round that will also decide the 2020 National champions. The titles, rider, team and manufacturer, are still wide open. Bengaluru’s Anish Damodar Shetty (Race Concepts), originally from Hubballi, dominated the 30-rider, the premier Pro-Stock 301-400cc category with three wins from four starts for a 12-point lead over TVS Racing’s KY Ahamed (one win). The position in the Pro-Stock 165cc is much tighter, with a straight fight between Eneos Honda Erula Racing and TVS Racing riders. Only 15 points separate the top four, Mathana Kumar (73, Erula), KY Ahamed (61, TVS), Rajiv Sethu (60, Erula) and Jagan Kumar (58, TVS). (UNI)
Yuki Tsunoda replaces Daniil Kvyat at AlphaTauri
FAENZA, Dec 16: Japan will have a driver in Formula One for the first time in seven years after AlphaTauri confirmed Wednesday that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Daniil Kvyat at the team in 2021. Tsunoda steps up to F1 after placing third in Formula Two last season with three race wins. He won the F2 rookie of the year award as the highest-scoring driver in his first season. The 20-year-old Tsunoda will be the first F1 driver to be born in the 21st century. He will partner Pierre Gasly at AlphaTauri, which is Red Bull’s second team with a focus on developing talented drivers who can represent the main team. “Red Bull has been following Yuki’s career for a while now and I am sure he will be a great asset to our team,” AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said. Tsunoda drove this year’s AlphaTauri car during testing in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, placing fifth-fastest of 15 runners. The last Japanese driver in F1 was Kamui Kobayashi, who raced for Toyota, Sauber and Caterham before leaving at the end of the 2014 season. Kvyat is without an F1 drive for 2021. He has spent six seasons in F1. (AP)