Sports developments: Formula 1 in Malaysia, Schlotterbeck's injury, and Zidane as coach of France

The Mercedes driver pledged; Italian Kimi Antonelli will return things to normal and strengthen his position in the lead, with Formula 1 returning to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, when the Sepang Circuit will host the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend instead of Sakhir due to the situation in the Middle East.

The race was supposed to be held in Bahrain during last April.

Antonelli, who finished the Azerbaijan race last week in fifth place, is ahead of his Mercedes colleague. Briton George Russell, with a difference of 66 points after the latter won in Baku by a very narrow margin over the Red Bull driver. Dutch Max Verstappen.

After a hydraulic failure hampered him during testing, Antonelli suffered an accident in qualifying and started in 16th place.

Antonelli said that he intends to “get things back to normal” at the Sepang International Circuit, which hosted the last Formula 1 race in 2017.

He said about Russell's attempt to get ahead of him and grab the title: “He was always my rival. But I will make sure to get things back to normal and return to my usual level,” he added jokingly that he was driving “like my grandmother” in the “Azerbaijan Race.”

Antonelli, seeking to become the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, was only 11 years old when the last Formula 1 race was held in Sepang.

That race was won by four-time world champion Verstappen, who proved last Sunday that he has the speed that makes him a threat to the Mercedes duo as the season approaches its decisive stages.

He and his French colleague Isaac Hajjar showed; Who came third was the power of the Red Bull car and its speed on the straight lines in Baku.

But Ferrari and McLaren cars will also be competing at the Sepang circuit, in a race that is expected to be close.

The Ferrari team will enter the battle with determination after its French director, Fred Vasseur, ignored rumors linking the former president of Red Bull. British Christian Horner took his post and urged the team to fight for every remaining point.

“We will make updates and keep up the pressure until the last turn,” he said, adding that data for the 2017 Malaysian race would be “practically useless.”

He explained: “Everything has changed: the tires, engines and structures are completely different for everyone.”

Ferrari confirmed on Tuesday that it gives “full confidence” to Vasseur, who expressed his dissatisfaction with being asked about Horner “25 times a day” in Baku.

The defending world champion, McLaren driver, took the lead; British Lando Norris scene in Baku after he said that Argentine Franco Colapinto should be banned from participating, before he later apologized to the Alpine driver for what he said.

Colapinto collided with his Alpine teammate. Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who in turn collided with Norris, knocking all three out of the race.

Norris said: “I sent a letter of apology to Franco for the comments I made that I should never have said.”

He added: “I should be more aware than that, and emotions were running high, but that is no excuse. "It was wrong."

After the chaos of the Baku highways, it seems that a “normal” race is on the horizon, although the usual rain and storms remain an influential factor in Malaysia.

Half of the drivers will return to the fast and fluid circuit that many love, while others will experience it for the first time.

Seven-time British world champion Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) will seek to enhance his joint record with German Michael Schumacher, which is 5 starts from pole position and one win.

Two-time world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) will also chase his fourth victory in Sepang to equal the record.

Niko Schlotterbeck, defender of the German national football team, underwent an X-ray examination on his right ankle, after he fell during the last training session before facing Serbia, tomorrow, Thursday, in the European Nations League.

Schlotterbeck suffered the injury during the enthusiastic warm-up period at the beginning of Wednesday's training session, in a worrying blow to new coach Jurgen Klopp. The Borussia Dortmund defender, who had just returned to fitness after a similar injury he suffered at the World Cup, suddenly fell to the ground and put his hands on his face.

The German Football Association said that the player was taken directly to the hospital, for an MRI examination. In order to accurately determine the extent of the injury.

Schlotterbeck was a candidate to wear the captaincy of the German national team against Serbia, in light of the absence of Joshua Kimmich from the team roster, for the second week in a row. Kimmich was absent from the current camp, after a list of 44 players was divided into two groups, to allow Klopp the opportunity to get to know his new players better.

Before and during Klopp's first appearance with the German national team against the Netherlands last week, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz suffered two muscle injuries.

Klopp is scheduled to hold a press conference later in the day, alongside goalkeeper Jonas Orbig, who is preparing to play his first international match with Germany at home in Munich, where the coach is expected to provide an update on Schlotterbeek’s condition.

The German national team is already facing pressure in its group in the European Nations League, after losing 1-0 to Greece last Sunday.

Manu Kone, the midfielder of the French national football team, expressed his astonishment at the participation of Zinedine Zidane, the new coach, in the training, stressing that seeing one of the most prominent football stars in history wearing his shoes and participating with the players in training was an exceptional moment for him.

Zidane, who was considered one of the best playmakers in the world during his period of brilliance, was in full readiness as he distributed passes and made crosses in front of his players who were amazed by his abilities, even though he was 54 years old.

Kone said yesterday, Tuesday, before facing Italy, the day after tomorrow, Friday, at the “Stade de France” stadium in the European Nations League: “What surprised me most, during the first week of training, was his technical abilities. He maintained all his skills.”

Kone (25 years old) added: “Seeing him up close is much better, especially at his age. It is true that I was young when he was at the end of his career, but seeing that he still has those skills now means that his level in his era was amazing, for sure.”

Zidane scored two goals in France's victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final, becoming a global star overnight, after his famous picture was lit up on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, during the French celebrations of the title. Then he was crowned with the Golden Ball award, and two years later his wonderful performance led the French team to another title in the European Championship.

Kone added: “It is wonderful to train under the leadership of Zidane, a world legend. He asked me to play freely and gave me confidence. He was a midfielder, so I listen to everything he says, and I can only learn from him and by working alongside him. He gives me a lot of advice about my positioning and gives me greater responsibilities.”