Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/551192
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 5 AUGUST 2015 Sport MOTOGP FORMULA 1 FOOTBALL Pedrosa targets first victory of season REPSOL Honda rider Dani Ped- rosa has targeted a return to the top step of the podium at this weekend's Indianapolis Grand Prix, as the state of his arm con- tinues to improve. Pedrosa missed the early rounds in the US, Argentina and Spain after undergoing "ag- gressive surgery", aimed at per- manently curing the arm pump issues he has suffered in recent years. Having returned at Le Mans, he went on to record a podium at Barcelona, and ended the first half of the season by following team-mate Marc Márquez home at the Sachsenring. Heading to Indianapolis, where he triumphed in 2010 and 2012, Pedrosa is hopeful of fighting for victory once more and ending a winless streak stretching back almost a year. "I feel relaxed and ready for the second half of the season after this brief summer break," said Pedrosa. "We enjoyed a good end to the first half with a good race in Germany and then a productive test in Misano. Then I headed home, taking some important time away from it all. "Even though I've been relaxing I've been continuing my recuper- ation on my arm and then started to get back into my training to be ready for Indy this week. "I've had pretty good results at Indy in the past so my aim is to fight again for the victory." Pedrosa currently sits seventh in the championship standings on 67 points. Dani Pedrosa Uncertainty holding Lotus back - Grosjean Benzema blow for Real Andres Iniesta succeeds Xavi as Barcelona captain LOTUS driver Romain Grosjean believes that the uncertainty over the team's future in Formula 1 has been holding back develop- ment of the E23 Hybrid. Lotus recently faced a winding- up petition over unpaid bills to creditors, while Pirelli initially held back its tyres for the Hun- garian Grand Prix amid contrac- tual issues. French manufacturer Renault is also assessing its future in the sport, and whether or not it wish- es to buy back the team it sold at the end of the 2010 campaign. "The development hasn't been as good as we wanted," conceded Grosjean. "It's not due to the people or brains that we have in the fac- tory as we have a lot of ideas in the pipeline. "I think the CFD, the wind tunnel and the design office are working very well, it's just at the minute we cannot bring them on track. "On the other hand, when you're thinking about selling a team, you won't put any more money in at some stage because it's all loss. "It's just a bit of a waiting situa- tion and hopefully soon we know more and then we can move ahead. "From day one the baseline is good and where we came from last year is a huge step forward, so it shows we know how to un- derstand problems. "But it's clear that we need to move forward and from that good baseline put some more perform- ance on the car, and we couldn't achieve that." Grosjean says the current situa- tion is frustrating for all involved at the outfit, which sits sixth in the standings, but remains hope- ful that matters will soon be re- solved. "The engineers love to create their new ideas and put them on the cars; the drivers love to perform and get a car that goes quicker and quicker," Grosjean added. "Of course it's not ideal but it's a bit of an in-between game and it should be better soon." Romain Grosjean REAL Madrid striker Karim Ben- zema risks missing the start of the season after being diagnosed with a thigh injury. The 27-year-old France inter- national, who is expected to stay at the Bernabeu despite ongoing speculation linking him to Arse- nal, will undergo further evalua- tion on the muscular complaint. Benzema's setback was an- nounced in a statement on the Madrid club's official website. Real's domestic campaign starts at Sporting Gijon on August 23, meaning Benzema has less than three weeks to recover if he is to feature in the curtain-raiser. Karim Benzema ANDRES Iniesta has succeeded Xavi as Barcelona captain, with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano as his vice- captains. Xavi Hernandez's move to Al Sadd created a vacancy among the Barca players' leadership and Iniesta was elected by his peers. Messi and Busquets moved up a place in the hierarchy so a fourth name was required. Mundo Deportivo say the vote was essentially between Mascher- ano and Gerard Pique, as Pedro Rodriguez, a long-serving player, is set to leave for Manchester United. Dani Alves wasn't in the voting pool because, at the time it be- came clear Xavi was to leave, the right-back was expected to go as well. Pique had previously spoken of his desire to be a Barca captain but Mascherano had the backing of Luis Enrique, who had praised the Argentine's leadership quali- ties, but wasn't part of the vote, which was restricted to players. Barcelona's midfielder Xavi Hernandez (L) and Barcelona's midfielder Andres Iniesta