Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher said yesterday he had turned to dye to cover up his grey hair, but the 41-year-old said he was in perfect shape for Formula One.
The German star, who stunned the Formula One world in December by signing a three-year contract to drive for Mercedes GP, told mass circulation Bild: “I started to dye parts of my hair in, I think, 2005.”
Schumacher also revealed he had had his eyes tested recently but insisted: “I do not need glasses.”
And the former Ferrari legend said he had already burned off 5kg that he had put on since calling time on his career in 2006.
Now at the ideal racing weight of 74kg, Schumacher said his fitness regime revolved around swimming and playing soccer.
“I jog very little because I have had back and knee problems since the age of 14, but what is strange is that I can play three hours of football without any problems but I cannot jog for 45 minutes,” he said. “I now swim a lot. Half an hour of breaststroke per day makes an incredible difference.”
The new Formula One campaign gets under way today.
The three-day session at Valencia’s Cheste Circuit will be the first of four this month before the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14.
It will offer the first glimpse of F1’s offseason shake-up, with defending champion Jenson Button’s move to McLaren to join 2008 winner Lewis Hamilton one of many driver changes. Also notably, two-time champ Fernando Alonso shifted to Ferrari.
Polish driver Robert Kubica has joined Renault, while Rubens Barrichello signed for Williams.
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui were defeated by their Chinese counterparts 3-0 on Saturday in the men’s doubles final at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash. Lin and Kao received their silver medals after being defeated by third-seeded duo Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin of China 2-11, 4-11, 11-13. The Taiwan pair were left playing catch-up early in the match after the Chinese duo proved unstoppable in the first and second game. Although Lin and Kao picked up their pace in the third game and at one point took a 10-8 lead, they were crucially unable to take