SPIELBERG, Austria -- Red Bulls hopes for a triumph on its home circuit were dampened Friday as Mercedes regained its dominance in Formula One, clearly setting the pace on the opening day of practice for the Austrian Grand Prix.
Clifton Duck Jersey . With Daniel Ricciardos maiden victory in Canada two weeks ago, Red Bull ended a six-race winning streak by Mercedes but the Australian driver and his teammate Sebastian Vettel did not come close to matching their rivals speed on the Red Bull Ring. Lewis Hamilton beat teammate Nico Rosberg to the fastest time in the second practice. Hamilton completed his best lap on the 4.3-kilometre (2.7-mile) track in 1 minute, 9.542 seconds, topping Rosberg by 0.377. Ferraris Fernando Alonso was almost a second off the lead in third. Vettel came sixth, more than 1.4 seconds behind Hamilton, while Ricciardo posted the eighth fastest time. Mercedes also came 1-2 in the opening practice, with Rosberg beating Hamilton by 0.140. "Its so close between the two of us," Rosberg said about the fight with Hamilton for pole position. "Im hoping we will still have the edge on everybody else. That seems to be the case today." However, Hamilton said he wouldnt mind if Rosberg started in front of him on Sunday. "Hunting definitely brings out the better side," the 2008 F1 champion said. "When you are in front, you feel vulnerable and any mistake you make you are going to be caught." In the morning session, Ricciardo and Vettel came only 13th and 15th respectively. "We clearly did better in the afternoon," Vettel said. "We are not there where we want to be when it comes to speed ... but it will be warmer on Saturday and Sunday and I think that will bring us closer." In the first session, Vettel brought his car back to the garage undamaged following a spectacular incident in the final turn. He came off the track and spun twice on the grass before the car came to a standstill on the track again. "That wasnt planned of course," the four-time champion said. "I went too wide and the wet grass was slippery." Ricciardo also spun on the same spot shortly afterward, prompting team boss Christian Horner to joke "they were just warming up the crowd." "We are trying to find out the limit, and both just came on the grass," said Horner, adding the track was still lacking grip during the first session. "There was also a little bit of rain in the air. Thankfully everything is fine." Rosberg quit his first practice after 19 laps with a minor problem to his hybrid engine, enabling his technicians to fix the problem in time for the afternoons session. The German, however, couldnt keep up with Hamilton this time and didnt hide his anger as he was unaware over engine tests his team was applying on his car toward the end of the second session. "I was suddenly losing power and asked over the radio what was happening," Rosberg said. "Only then they told me they had changed my engine settings." Rosberg leads Hamilton in the drivers standings by 140-118 points going into Sundays race, the first GP in Austria since 2003. Most of the 22 drivers knew the track only from computer simulation. Alonso is one of just four drivers who raced on the track before, alongside McLarens Jenson Button, Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen and Williams Felipe Massa. The track is one of the shortest on the F1 calendar and features fast straights and only nine turns. Weather conditions could become an issue in the race as strong winds in the second practice Friday caused several drivers problems, especially on the third and eighth turns. The second session was considerably faster than the first as temperatures went up and teams were able to test their so-called supersoft tires, which helped cut lap times by approximately 0.6 seconds. The third practice is scheduled for Saturday, followed by the qualifying.
Jonathan Harris Jersey . Yup, he definitely needed this one. Craig homered twice and had three RBIs Wednesday night to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Craig went 4 for 5 and Yadier Molina added three hits for the Cardinals, who salvaged the final game of a three-game set in hopes of staying within shouting distance of front-running Milwaukee in the NL Central.
Michael Joseph Jersey . The teams all-time leading scorer, DeRo has won everything there is to win in MLS.SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Richard Shermans leaping deflection of a pass headed for Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone was the defining moment to seal last Januarys NFC championship game that sent the Seattle Seahawks on their way to a Super Bowl win.The tip landed right in the hands of Malcolm Smith for the interception.Shermans mouthy response afterward — along with a choking gesture toward Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers bench — will certainly fuel San Francisco as the NFC West rivals face off Thursday night for the first of two important matchups in a three-week span.It was cool just to clinch the game like that, defensive end Cliff Avril said. No better person to do it than Sherm and Malcolm getting it.Sherman made the play, then patted Crabtree on the backside while extending his hand for a shake, prompting the 49ers wideout to shove the brash cornerback in the face.After that 23-17 victory at CenturyLink Field, Sherman took it much further.I was making sure everybody knew Crabtree was a mediocre receiver, Sherman said. And when you try the best corner in the game with a mediocre receiver thats what happens.Sherman was later fined for unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting.Obviously you want to win that game, but its in the past now, Kaepernick said. We know weve been through this before. But its a different year, a different season.Its all still plenty fresh as the rivals play another meaningful game merely 10 months later, this time between a pair of 7-4 teams trying to stay alive in the playoff race with a chance to catch first-place Arizona (9-2).I remember just the feeling after we got that interception and sealing our trip to the Super Bowl, Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said. All that is in the past. Theyre trying to make it to the playoffs this year, just like were trying to.Kaepernick isnt about to get involved in any kind of back and forth with the emotional defensive back. He expects Crabtree to be focused, too.Its another game for him. I dont think hes worried about anything else, Kaepernick said.Here are some things to watch for in the first of two matchups between the rivals in the next three weeks:TWO GAMES IN THREE WEEKS: Seattle coach Pete Carroll is embracing how tthe schedule worked out, with two late-season matchups against the rival Niners in a three-week span.
Aaron Lynch Jersey. .Two teams that have captured the past three NFC West crowns need to keep winning, though Carroll insists these games are intense regardless of records or standings.Wed still be playing these games as championship games the way we look at it, Carroll said. If we were here and our record was different than it is, we would play every one of these games like its the last game we get to play all year.Thats how we do it. ... We would never look for some cushy way into the playoffs. We dont want to be a playoff team, we want to be a division champion. So were going to continue to fight for that as long as theres hope.BEAST MODE BOUNCE BACK?: Marshawn Lynch managed just 39 yards on 15 carries in a 19-3 win against Arizona on Sunday, and needs to get his body healed up in a hurry. Quarterback Russell Wilson outgained him.His troublesome sore back has hindered him this season.Lynch ran for 124 yards the previous week facing the Chiefs and 140 the game before that against the Giants.49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, for one, is counting on Lynchs best.Beast Mode, Ive heard him referred to that complimentary, Harbaugh said. Hard. Aggressive. Tough runner. Talented.BOLDINS HANDS: Anquan Boldin has 86 receptions for 1,091 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games against Seattle, including the playoffs.Seattles secondary will have its hands full.Boldin has at least five catches in each of his past six games, and had nine for 137 yards in last weeks win against Washington.BOWMAN NO GO: NaVorro Bowman certainly hoped to be back by now, in time to face Seattle again. He went down with a devastating left knee injury in the NFC title game and needed surgery.While his 21-day window to be activated is into its second week, Harbaugh said the 2013 All-Pro still wasnt ready to practice and would continue with his rehab.I wouldnt say disappointing is the word. Obviously we want to have him back on the field, but it has to be when hes ready, when hes healthy, Kaepernick said.___AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.___AP NFL website:
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