SILVERSTONE, England — Eight Formula One teams began preparations for a rival series after failing to resolve their dispute with motor sport’s governing body over financial constraints Thursday.
Ferrari, which has participated since the first season in 1950, and current leader Brawn GP headed the list of Formula One Teams’ Association members to announce the split ahead of Sunday’s British Grand Prix.
FOTA, which also includes McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, said it would not compromise on the quality of the series by signing up unconditionally for the 2010 F1 season under the FIA’s plans for cost-cutting.
As it stands, Williams and Force India will be the only current teams on the F1 starting grid next season while three new outfits — Campos Racing, Team US F1 and Manor F1 Team — are also due to enter.
• NASCAR driver Carl Long‘s suspension has been reduced to eight races from a record 12, but his record $200,000 fine remains. Long, a part-time driver in the Sprint Cup series, was penalized for having an oversized engine at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May.
Nadal’s injured knees leave Wimbledon in doubt
LONDON — Rafael Nadal looked hampered by his injured knees during a 6-4, 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt in an exhibition match. He will decide today if he can defend his title at Wimbledon, which starts Monday.
Also, Gael Monfils pulled out of Wimbledon with a wrist injury.
Armstrong joins Astana’s Tour team
BRUSSELS — Lance Armstrong will be on Astana Cycling’s final nine-rider roster for the Tour de France next month.
Armstrong, a seven-time Tour winner, will be joined on the team by three-time Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador, as well as Andreas Kloden, Levi Leipheimer, Yaroslav Popovych and Haimar Zubeldia.
Three other riders from a list of seven also will earn spots on the roster for the Tour, which begins July 4 in Monaco.
Meanwhile, former world champion Tom Boonen was banned from the Tour after the Belgian rider tested positive for cocaine for the second time in less than a year.
Night life begins at Churchill Downs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Churchill Downs, beset by declining attendance and financial hard times, tonight begins its experimentation with racing under the lights.
Just as installing lights at Wrigley Field in 1988 was a significant step in a sport where night games were already commonplace, Churchill officials are well aware of the historical significance of tonight’s move.
“We have a lot of tradition here. But quite frankly, if this is something that boosts horse racing and leads to people getting more excited about racing here, I think everybody is for that,” said Jim Gates, Churchill Downs general manager.
Churchill was forced to slash seven lightly attended race days from the spring racing calendar because revenues are down 20 percent for races other than the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks days.
The Associated Press
