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SPORTS Tuesday 8 January 2019

Suarez gets 2nd shot to show he can ride with NASCAR’s best

By JENNA FRYER a mid-pack racer until he
AP Auto Racing Writer joined SHR last season and
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — made the playoffs.
Daniel Suarez will hit a re- “I have done a lot of sac-
set on his career, getting a rifices in my life and my
second chance to prove career to be here,” Suarez
he can win at NASCAR’s told the AP. “I have been
top level. living in the U.S. almost
Pushed out of a ride with eight years now. I came
Joe Gibbs Racing, one of here to win races and win
the top teams in the sport, championships and I don’t
Suarez found a soft landing like when people outwork
at Stewart-Haas Racing. me. I have been working
The SHR four-driver lineup extremely hard the last two
combined for 12 victories years, I was able to show
last season and claimed that in winning the (Xfinity)
half the spots in the round championship, but the last
of eight in the playoffs. two years have just been
“I came from a great team OK. I really felt like I was
that is capable of winning either doing something
races, but things just didn’t wrong or needed some-
work out for me there,” Su- thing different.
arez told The Associated This May 6, 2018, file photo shows Daniel Suarez competing during the NASCAR Cup Series auto “This is my second chance
Press. “Maybe to win races race, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. with a top team and I am
in the Cup Series, I needed Associated Press looking forward to the op-
something different.” the top level. 72 Cup races. Now Suarez firmed Monday, on Suarez’s portunity.”
Suarez didn’t have a It was critical that Suarez will replace Kurt Busch and 27th birthday and 41 days Suarez will be sponsored
choice because he be- find a competitive ride be- drive the No. 41 Ford with a before he will make his de- by Arris, a company that
came expendable when cause a seat with a me- team that counts the Day- but in the No. 41 at the sea- has backed him since 2016,
Gibbs hired 2017 champion diocre team would have tona 500 among its six vic- son-opening Daytona 500. and Haas Automation,
Martin Truex Jr. That pushed made it difficult to prove tories and qualified for the He’s hopeful the fresh start which is owned by SHR co-
Suarez out of a job after he belongs in the series. He playoffs in each of the four will give him the launch he founder Gene Haas.
two lackluster seasons, with won the Xfinity Series title years Busch drove the car. needs in the Cup Series the “We’re in racing to win and
few seats available with driving for Gibbs in 2016 but Suarez recognized how way it did for Joey Logano, we believe Daniel Suarez
top-tier teams. Suarez, who was hastily moved to the fortunate he was to be re- who was once dumped by can win,” said Haas, not-
is Mexican and advanced Cup Series two months later leased from one top team Gibbs but became Cup ing that sponsoring Suarez
through NASCAR’s diversity when Carl Edwards abrupt- and land at another. He champion in November himself helps the growth of
program, is the only non- ly retired. spent months talking to SHR driving for Team Penske, or his machine tool building
American full-time driver at He had 21 top-10 finishes in but the deal was only con- for Aric Almirola, who was company.q

Ferrari replaces Arrivabene with Binotto as team principal

Associated Press charge since the 2015 tegic choices.
MARANELLO, Italy (AP) — season, having previously Arrivabene was criticized
Ferrari replaced Maurizio worked for Philip Morris, a for the way Ferrari handled
Arrivabene with Mattia Bi- key Ferrari sponsor. its home Italian Grand Prix
notto as team principal on Arrivabene’s criticism of in September, when a lack
Monday following another Ferrari’s technical depart- of team orders prevented
failed Formula One title ment may have resulted in Kimi Raikkonen from clear-
chase. his ouster. ing the way for Vettel at the
Binotto, who had been Having joined Ferrari in 1995 start — which was followed
working as Ferrari’s chief as a test engine engineer, by contact between Vettel
technical officer, has been Binotto was involved in the and Hamilton.
with the team for nearly 25 team’s golden years when There was another tacti-
years. Michael Schumacher won cal error concerning the
“After four years of untiring five titles. He was promoted choice of tires during quali-
commitment and dedica- to technical chief in July fying for the Japanese GP.
tion, Maurizio Arrivabene is In this June 19, 2016 file photo, Ferrari team principal Maurizio 2016. Binotto had reported- Hamilton clinched the title
leaving the team,” Ferrari Arrivabene grimaces prior to the start of the Formula One Grand ly been chosen previously two races later in Mexico
said in a statement. “The Prix of Europe at the Baku circuit, in Baku, Azerbaijan. as Arrivabene’s successor — with two GPs to spare
decision was taken to- Associated Press by former Ferrari CEO Ser- — and finished with an
gether with the company’s as Scuderia Ferrari’s Team sition in three of the first gio Marchionne, who died 88-point advantage over
top management after Principal. All technical ar- four races, Ferrari’s perfor- in July. Vettel.
lengthy discussions related eas will continue to report mance waned as the year Binotto was widely cred- In four seasons under Arriv-
to Maurizio’s long term per- directly to Mattia.” went on, enabling Mer- ited with creating cars that abene, Ferrari won 14 races
sonal interests as well as While Ferrari driver Sebas- cedes to win a fifth straight were competitive with Mer- — 13 by Vettel and one by
those of the team itself. tian Vettel won the open- drivers’ title with Lewis Ham- cedes over the past two Raikkonen — and finished
“With immediate effect, ing two races of the 2018 ilton. years — which put a spot- second three times in the
Mattia Binotto will take over season and took pole po- Arrivabene had been in light on questionable stra- constuctors’ standings.q