| CURATING THE BEST IN SPORT Global Edition |
| December 8-14, 2020 |
Please give Checo a seat for next year!
Sergio Pérez’ (MEX, Racing Point) win at the F1 Sakhir Grand Prix was sublime. He overcame a first lap incident that sent him to the last place only to storm back through the field and take the race by over ten seconds. For ten years Sergio has displayed finesse in his driving, optimizing his tyres, the capabilities of his car and the limits of his driving to be on the best possible spot when it matters: at the checkered flag.
“Checo” has been a spectacular driver for Formula 1 and it is a travesty that he does not have a seat for next year when he is fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, having missed two races! He will be replaced by four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel (GER, Ferrari), who was been erratic and has lacked pace for three years. The only possibly available seat for next year is Red Bull. Pérez should get it.
Team Principal, Christian Horner, has already had him as a driver in GP2, when he raced for his successful Arden International team. As a Rookie, Sergio had two podiums and finished 12th in the driver standings. Eleven years have passed and today Sergio is one of the four best drivers in the field and he has only grown. Horner is aware of his racecraft. In the other hand, Horner was not impressed when his driver Alexander Albon (THA, Red Bull) was not able to make it to Q2 and was passed on track by Pérez.
Mercedes still has the best car and will probably continue to dominate F1 next year with Lewis Hamilton (ENG), but Red Bull is the next best car and they have to be there for when the chances of winning arise, such as last Sunday, when Mercedes made the blunder of putting incorrect tyres in their drivers’ cars and, of course, Hamilton was absent due to covid-19. But seizing the moment requires the courage, grit and intelligence that Sergio has displayed, as he showed yesterday. That is why every victory count the same, because not everyone is able to optimize every condition. Sergio can.
For F1 fans, for sporting justice and for the huge Mexican/Latin American market for Red Bull and Formula 1 -let’s not forget that the Mexican Grand Prix was won the “Event of the Year” for FIA every single year it has been staged in its latest epoch- please give this man a seat for next year!
| Five things to know from last week |
- Spence comeback. Errol Spence Jr (USA) made his boxing comeback over a year after his last fight -and after a car accident recovery- and successfully defended his WBO and IBF Welterweight World titles by defeating Danny Garcia (USA). He was slick and dominating, back to his usual style. A unification with Terence Crawford (USA) is probably the fight that should happen next. Meanwhile in the UK, Billy Joe Saunders (ENG) showed great style to defeat Martin Murray (ENG) and defend his WBO World Super Middleweight Title. Murray announced his desire to retire. (Watch the highlights – DAZN)
- Boe brothers. The Boe brothers, Johannas Tignes and Tarej (NOR) have had a great start of season at the IBU Biathlon World Cup. Johannes Tignes leads the way in the standings after taking bronze in the 12.5 km Pursuit and the 10 km Sprint, won by Tarej. They were also both part of Team Norway, who took the 4.75 km Relay (alongside Christiansen and Laegreid) at the IBU World Cup in Finland. In another winter sport, Marco Odermatt (SUI) and Filip Zubcic (CRO) took the Santa Caterina Valfurva (ITA) Giant Slalom World Cup. (FIS)
- Rising Phoenix. Andrea Shaw (USA) won the IFBB Rising Phoenix World CHampionship, the most prestigious female bodybuilding event in the World, in Arizona. She will face her rivals again at the Ms. Olympia, in two weeks. Barbend
- Simracing live. Most simracing events have been held online this year but BMW was able to pull off its Sim Racing Live final, with Erhan Jajovski (MKD) taking the BMW M2 CS Racing. He is in a good run and also won the rFactor2 GT Pro Series round at Indianapolis -online- two days later. (Automobilsport)
- Alejandro Sabella passes away. As we close this edition, Alejandro Sabella (ARG), Argentina’s coach at the 2014 FIFA World Cup (runners-up) just passed away, age 66. BeSoccer
| GLOBAL PODIUM OF THE WEEK |
 Gold: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia(France, Auto Racing) Ogier and Ingrassia are one of the most successful partnerships in history of Rally Car racing. By taking the ACI Rally Monza they also became FIA World Rally Champions for the seventh time, second of all time. They have also the unusual feat of having been World Champions with three different Constructors: 2013-2016 with Volkswagen Motorsport, 2017-18 with M-Sport World Rally Team (Ford) and 2020 with Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT. This is the 49th World Rally overall win, second of all time, just behind the Sébastien Löeb (FRA)/Daniel Elena (MCO) partnership. Watch the Rally highlights |
 Silver: Evans Chebet(Kenya, Athletics) The Valencia Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Race, turned out to be a last metres sprint between Kenyan athletes, ultimately won by Evans Chebet over Lawrence Cherono (KEN). The impressive was that with the time of 2:0300 Chebet has now ran the third fastest Marathon in history. Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) has continued her great year and won again, recording the fifth fastest female Marathon ever. Watch the Valencia Marathon Replay (Marca TV( |
 Bronze: Neil Robertson(Australia, Billiards) Neil Robertson won one of the best Snooker games of all time -a 10-9 match that lasted over seven hours- to defeat World number 1, Judd Trump (ENG) and take the World Snooker Tour Betway UK Championship for a third time. Robertson becomes the fifth player to win this Triple Crown Championship three times. He now has 19 ranking titles and moves up to second in the World Ranking. His performance was one of the best ever, with 12 “centuries” throughout the tournament, an equal-best at the tournament. Relieve title decider (World Snooker Tour) |
| GLOBAL SPORTS AGENDA Week Preview The UEFA Champions League has its deciding Group Stage MatchDay. Key games include Leipzig vs Manchester United, Salzburg vs Atlético de Madrid, and and Paris Saint-German vs Istanbul Başakşehir. Formula 1 holds its final race, at the United Arab Emirates. If Lewis Hamilton (ENG, Mercedes-Benz) does not race again, will we see another shock podium such as last week’s with Sergio Pérez (MEX; Racing Point), Esteban Ocon (FRA, Renault) and Lance Stroll (CAN, Racing Point) or maybe George Russell (ENG, Mercedes-Benz) can take the win in Hamilton’s car? We looked on the way of doing it last Sunday. Polo’s Argentine Open continues and it is close to the deciding stages, with Ellerstina still favorite. La Varzea La Suerte took the Women’s Argentine Open. Golf has an important week with the Women’s US Open in Texas, just as Angela Stanford (USA) took her home win in Texas. PGA had its last “normal” tournament of the season ta the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico, won by Viktor Hovland (NOR). They are now headed to the QBE Shootout. The European Tour has its Dubai DP World Championship a week after Antoine Rozner (FRA) took the Golf in Dubai Championship and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA) took his home South African Open. In UFC, Deiveson Figueiredo (BRA) faces Brandon Moreno (MEX) for what could be a very exciting fight for the Flyweight World Title, just three weeks after they fought on the same card. Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup Val d’Isere (France) FIS World Cup Courchevel (France) American Football: NFL Regular Season Association Football: UEFA Champions League Matchday Auto sport: FIA Formula 1 (Yas Marina, UAE) FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas (Hail Baja 1 and 2, Saudi Arabia) Intercontinental GT Challenge – Kyalami, South Africa Biathlon: IBU World Cup Austria Billiards: WPSBA World Snooker Tour – Scottish Open 2020 (England) WPSBA World Snooker Tour – World Grand Prix start (England) Bobsled: BMW IBSF World Cup Austria IBSF Women’s Monobob World Series Austria Boxing: World Boxing Association Super, International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Organisation World Heavy Title – Anthony Joshua (ENG) vs Kubrat Pulev (BGR) interim World Boxing Association World Super Feather Title – Miyo Yoshida (JAP) vs Tomoko Okuda (JAP) Chess: Speed Chess Championship Main Event Semifinals and Final Cricket: Men’s ODI South Africa vs England Men’s T20i Australia vs India 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship New Zealand vs West Indies Cross-Country Skiing: FIS World Loppet New Zealand FIS World Cup Switzerland Cycling: UCI World eSport Cycling Championship Cyclo-cross: X²0 badkamers Trofee – Scheldecross Telenet Superprestige – Gavere eSports: Arena of Valor (King Pro League Fall 2020) PUBG Mobile Global Championship Season 0 Starcraft II – 2020 AfreecaTV GSL Super Tournament 2 Starcraft II – TeamLiquid StarLeague 6 BLAST Premier Circuit – Fall 2020 Finals DreamHack Europe Quake Pro League Season 2: Stage 1 Finals Hearthstone Grandmasters Golf: LPGA Tour – U.S. Women’s Open Conducted by the USGA PGA Tour – QBE Shootour (USA) European Tour – DP World Tour Championship, Dubai Horse Racing (Flat): Hong Kong Cup, Mile, Sprint, Vase (Hong Kong) Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Japan) Byerley Turk (Turkey) Cape Fillies Guineas (South Africa) Luge: FIL World Cup Germany FIL World Cup Natural Track Germany Mixed Martial Arts: UFC Flyweight World Championship – Deiveson Figueiredo (BRA) vs Brandon Moreno (MEX) Polo: Argentine Open Rugby: Autumn Nations Cup Finals Sailing: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race Leg 9 Vendée Globe Tropheé Jules Verne Simracing: SRO E-Sport GT Series Asia F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix Series (x3) Ski Jumping: Ski-Flying World Championship (Slovenia) Snowboard: FIS World Cup Austria, Italy Swimming: Speedo Sub 20 seconds 50 meters attempt by Caeleb Dressel (USA) Wrestling: UWW Individual World Cup *This agenda is based on official information at time of publication. All events are subject to change and/or cancellation. |
Sport’s best values
| Self-Confidence: Papa Boupa Diop |
Senegal national football team’s Papa Bouba Diop passed away aged 42. A hero at home, he had worldwide fame at least for a few minutes when thirty minutes into the 2002 FIFA World Cup he stunned World Champions France with a goal in Senegal’s World Cup début. Relive that moment (FIFA).
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
| “Checo (Pérez) has been a fantastic asset and he’s been an asset for this team a long time before I’ve arrived…He most definitely proves every weekend that he deserves to be in a car next year and I hope he’s in that Red Bull next year.” Lawrence Stroll (CAN) Racing Point Team owner After Sergio Pérez (MEX) won the Sakhir Grand Prix for his team, months after he was released from his contract in favor of Sebastian Vettel (DEU) F1i.com |
