Motor racing Lewis Hamilton’s return to Spain yesterday proved low-key, but ended on a high. The FIA, Formula One’s world governing body, had warned that a repeat of the racial abuse Hamilton suffered from spectators at a recent test in Barcelona would result in severe sanctions, potentially the loss of this year’s Spanish Grand Prix.
The McLaren driver was in Jerez yesterday for the start of the latest three-day test session, but few fans were present and there was no repeat of the previous incident. Hamilton finished the day fastest of the 16 drivers, with nine of the 11 teams represented, and only Ferrari and Toyota absent.
Snooker After his ponderous performance at the Saga Masters last month, Neil Robertson upped the tempo to begin his defence of the Welsh Open title in impressive style in Newport yesterday. Robertson, the first Australian player to win a world-ranking event with his victory in the 2006 Grand Prix, compiled breaks of 87, 77 and 71 in beating Jamie Cope, of Stoke, 5-1 to reach the last 16.
Rugby league Castleford’s threadbare squad was reduced further yesterday when Scott Moore, the hooker, was banned for two matches by the Rugby Football League’s disciplinary tribunal. The 20-year-old, who is on a season-long loan from St Helens, was found guilty of a dangerous throw and reckless tackle on his Tigers debut in Saturday’s 21-14 home defeat by Catalans Dragons.
Sailing Jean-Pierre Dick, of France, and Damian Foxall, his Irish co-skipper, were celebrating victory in the Barcelona World Race yesterday, having returned to the Spanish port after three months on board Paprec-Virbac 2. For the last five days, they lived off sachets of dried mushroom soup. Hugo Boss, co-skippered by Alex Thomson, the British sailor, is due to arrive in second place late tonight.