Four-year ban for Kipsang
LEWIS HAMILTON
MERCEDES
(Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas)
The champions, clear favourites and team to beat as ever. They’re chasing an unheard of seventh successive title double, with Lewis Hamilton aiming to equal Michael Schumacher’s record seven drivers’ championships.
FERRARI
A huge season ahead for four-time world champion Vettel, who is leaving Ferrari after six tough campaigns and will be replaced by Carlos Sainz in 2021. The German is ultimately fighting for his F1 future, while Leclerc will be expected to build on a strong 2019.
RED BULL
(Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon)
Verstappen’s last chance to become the youngest F1 champion, with the 22-year-old having the potential to challenge Hamilton for the title. Albon will bring in steady points and should make appearances on the podium, but Max is the main man.
MCLAREN
Mclaren are on their way back after a barren few years but face a big battle to retain that fourth place in the constructors’ championship. Expect Norris to be more in the mix after his rookie season and challenging Ferrari-bound Sainz more closely.
RENAULT
(Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon)
Will be a strange year for Renault and
Ricciardo, who will leave the French team after just two years at the end of the season. Ocon returns after a year out, eager to make up for lost time. The Frenchman will have to make sure there are no tangles with Ricciardo.
ALPHATAURI
The Honda-powered team, formerly known as Toro Rosso, equalled their bestever finish last year and should be back in contention for the occasional podium, when luck falls their way, and solid points.
RACING POINT
(Sergio Perez, Lance Stroll)
Canadian-owned Racing Point will be rebranded as Aston Martin next season as the British luxury car maker makes a return to the sport. Having been a consistent midfield performer over the years, they have this season gone with what looks like a copy of last year’s title-winning Mercedes.
ALFA ROMEO
Raikkonen is the oldest driver on the grid, and will be 41 in October, but the 2007 champion is still a leader and likely to be the main points scorer. Giovinazzi has plenty at stake, with a strong cast of Ferrari academy drivers including Mick Schumacher eyeing the Italian’s seat.
HAAS
(Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen)
The only Us-owned team had a disappointing 2019 season, with owner Gene
Haas clearly unhappy with the return on his investment. Dropping further down the pecking order would be seriously bad news but cannot be ruled out. Grosjean may be on borrowed time.
WILLIAMS
One point last year, after just seven in 2018.
This is a critical year for a proud team with a limited budget and whose glory years are now far behind them. Latifi is the only rookie on the grid. The iconic British team face an uncertain future after being put up for sale in May.
ATHLETICS: CHAMP PUNISHED
TWO-TIME London Marathon winner Wilson Kipsang has been banned from athletics for four years for violating anti-doping rules.
He even used a fake photo of a road accident to justify one of his four missed whereabouts appointments.
Kipsang – a former world-record holder and bronze medallist at London 2012 – had the punishment backdated to January 10, the date his provisional ban was announced.
The Kenyan, 38, was accused of missing tests or failing to provide whereabouts information on four occasions, with all his results since April 12, 2019, scrapped.
Kipsang, who won in London in 2012 and 2014, is the only man to beat current record-holder Eliud Kipchoge over the distance.
TENNIS: LEGEND SO UPBEAT