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SPORTS Tuesday 11 February 2020

Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of The Mercedes AMG-
PETRONAS F1 Team, right, and INEOS Founder and Chairman Jim
Ratcliffe pose for a photo with a Mercedes F1 car and its 2020
livery during a media briefing in London, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020.
Associated Press
After signing sponsor, Erik Jones (20) heads to the finish line to win the NASCAR Busch Clash auto race at Daytona

International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Denny Hamlin (11), who was
Mercedes awaits Lewis a lap down, helped Jones with a push in Turn 4. Associated Press

Hamilton to commit NASCAR

Continued from Page 17 a handful of us that feel first time this season when
By ROB HARRIS properly kicked off the like we have something to he won Sunday's exhibition
AP Sports Writer season," Wolff said. "I have "I wouldn't have minded prove, and two of those Busch Clash. There were
LONDON (AP) — Now that great belief in the ability working today," he said as are in my corner with me at only six cars running at the
Mercedes has signed a of the team to attract the his buddies lamented ap- JTG-Daugherty Racing with end of the third overtime,
sponsorship with one of best drivers and, at the mo- pearance after appear- Mike and Brian," Stenhouse when Jones with a crum-
Britain's richest people, the ment, Lewis has proven ance. On Monday, as said. "I know that I feel like pled hood crossed the fin-
Formula One team has to that he is the best current those same friends scat- I can still get the job done ish line. "We spent a lot of
secure a long-term com- driver with his six world titles tered to enjoy two days off behind the wheel and win time reflecting and talking
mitment from world cham- and in the mid and long from Speedweeks, it was races like we did in the and thinking about things
pion Lewis Hamilton. term I would hope that we Stenhouse jumping from Xfinity Series. ... to go to a we could do better," crew
Jim Ratcliffe's chemical gi- are able to provide tech- morning show to morning whole brand new place, I chief Chris Gayle said. "Do
ant INEOS has a five-year nology to the best driver show to talk about his pole- think I'd have been lost not we want to be the fourth-
deal with Mercedes, but and attract them." winning run for the Daytona having them there." best JGR team? No. And
Hamilton is entering the last Mercedes itself has yet to 500. It came on his second Jones is in a similar situa- we were. We have done a
season of his contract. officially commit to stay- day driving a Chevrolet tion as the least success- lot of things differently and
"It is the obvious pairing ing in the sport after 2021, Camaro and with his small ful driver in the Joe Gibbs looking to be better."
going forward," Mercedes when teams are subject to new team at JTG-Daugh- Racing juggernaut. The So is Team Penske, which
team principal Toto Wolff new Formula One regula- erty Racing. four drivers combined for orchestrated a three-team
said Monday at the RAC tions. Roughly a month after 19 wins last year, and Jones swap during the offseason
Club. "We would like to Wolff called negotiations missing the playoffs, Sten- only notched one. He was that gave each of its driv-
have the fastest man in the with the sport's leadership house was dumped by eliminated in the first round ers a new crew chief.
car and I know Lewis wants a "work in progress" for Mer- Roush Fenway Racing, the of the playoffs – the only It meant Paul Wolfe, con-
to be in the fastest car so cedes, which re-entered team that brought him to Gibbs driver not to make it sidered one of the best in
there is an obvious mutual F1 in 2010 and has won the NASCAR and where he to the championship finale. the garage, was moved
outcome." last six constructors' titles. won a pair of Xfinity Se- Jones' contract extension from Keselowski to Logano
The season begins next "We are in this for the long ries championships. Sten- also dragged deep into after 10 seasons, 29 wins
month in Melbourne, and term," Wolff said. "Mer- house thought he was set last season as Gibbs had to and a Cup Series title. Ryan
Hamilton will be looking to cedes provides a great for 2021, but instead he decide if it wanted to bring Blaney got championship-
equal Michael Schumach- marketing platform for our had to scramble to get the up Christopher Bell to the winning crew chief Todd
er's record of seven world brand. This is what we do. JTG seat and managed to big leagues. Gordon from Logano, and
titles. We build race cars and we bring crew chief Brian Pat- Jones ultimately won the Jeremy Bullins went from
At the same time, there's a build road cars. We like the tie from Roush, along with Southern 500 at Darlington, Blaney to Keselowski.
contract for 2021 and be- platform but at the same Mike Kelley, who guided finalized a contract exten- Keselowski's debut with
yond to negotiate. time we are in negotiation Stenhouse's Xfinity champi- sion and Bell was farmed Bullins got off to a rocky
Wolff said he has hasn't with the rights' holder and onships. out to a Gibbs affiliate. But start when the driver hit a
spoken to Hamilton since things need to be sorted Now the driver derisively Jones has to be able to fence heading out to prac-
December after agree- out. referred to as "Wrecky Spin- compete with teammates tice Saturday. Keselowski
ing to "leave each other "The partnership indicates house Jr." for his aggressive Kyle Busch, the reigning watched from the garage
in peace" for the couple our wish to continue our racing on superspeed- Cup champion, Denny for at least four hours as
of months in the year they successful journey in For- ways is the star of the show Hamlin, a two-time and de- his team tried to repair
aren't traveling around the mula One. It is an ongoing headed into "The Great fending Daytona 500 win- the No. 2 Ford. Then in the
world. process with a complicat- American Race." He be- ner, and Martin Truex Jr., Clash, where he was rac-
"We (agreed we) would ed set of contracts, be- lieves his hand-picked JTG winner of seven races last ing for a moral victory, he
continue our discussions tween the FIA, commercial support system can turn season. With a huge push got caught in a wreck trig-
when he comes back from rights holder and the teams the team into a legitimate from Hamlin, Jones took gered by Logano's block
America and we have and that needs time."q contender. "I think there's Gibbs to victory lane for the on Busch. q