Ferrari needs ` four or five” podiums to challenge for F One title: Alonso

London, May 12 (ANI): Racing champ Fernando Alonso has said Ferrari must crack down on chaos and score “four or five” podiums on the trot if he is to challenge for the world championship.

The Sun quoted the double world champ, 28, as saying: “So far we have had two engine problems, one gearbox problem, one jumped start, some chaotic races. But still we are only three points behind the leader, so we are happy.”

“It”s still very early in the championship, but better to be in the first three or four positions than eighth or ninth. From now we need four or five podiums in a row. We cannot have one podium and then another three races with mistakes if we are to win the championship,” he added.

Alonso said: “We were a super Ferrari team over that weekend with no mistakes at all.” (ANI)

Snooker champ Higgins said to be ‘suicidal’ over match-fixing claims

London, May 3 (ANI): World snooker champion John Higgins was last night said to be “suicidal” after being suspended from the sport amid shock allegations of match fixing.

According to The Sun, the three-times world champ”s career looks to be in tatters after he was recorded allegedly agreeing to throw frames in return for 261,000 pounds.

But the 34-year-old star”s agent Pat Mooney, 47 – also caught up in the scandal – insists they were victims of a sting.

Mooney said: “He”s utterly beside himself – he is suicidal.”

Higgins insists he and Mooney only played along because they were terrified Russian hoods would hurt them. (ANI)

Boxer Amir Khan wants to marry Cheryl Cole

London, May 03 (ANI): Boxer Amir Khan has admitted that he likes Cheryl Cole and wouldn’t mind marrying her.

The world champ has slammed Cheryl’s estranged husband Ashley Cole for cheating on the ‘Girls Aloud’ star and has said that he would love to take the Chelsea star’s place in the singer’s life.

“This could be the arranged marriage I”m after. Cheryl”s a very nice girl, very pretty,” the Sun quoted him as saying.

And he’s assured her to lend his shoulder for her to cry on.

“I”d definitely give her a hug. It doesn”t matter how famous you are, if your lover hurts you, you”re devastated,” he added.

“I think there are a lot of distractions for footballers with all the money they earn, and all the women that approach them.

“But it”s up to the players to be strong-minded. And I think they are weak.

“Ashley Cole and John Terry shamed their families. If I was married I would never do that. They should make the most of what they have and not look elsewhere,” he added. (ANI)

Schumacher won’t indulge in nasty track tactics: Hamilton

London, Mar 16 (ANI): Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton has said that rival and seven-time champion Michael Schumacher won’t indulge in dirty tricks on the racing track this year.

The British ace admitted he feared Schumacher’s reputation for nasty track tactics when they were running close together in Bahrain on Sunday.

Hamilton finished third in his McLaren, well clear of the German who was a distant sixth making his comeback with Mercedes after three years.

Hamilton said: “He was on my tail for a while. But it wasn’t a problem. At the beginning when I first saw him it did cross my mind that it was a new experience and will he attack or do a stupid move. But just from that one experience, I know what he’s like now. He’s fair, he’s smart.”

Hamilton still believes Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel will be the man to beat this year despite Ferrari’s one-two with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, The Sun reports.

German star Vettel, 22, looked set to win until an engine problem left him powerless, as Alonso, Massa and Hamilton swept past.

Hamilton said: “If Vettel had a reliable engine, he’s got so much down force he could run away with it. But if he has problems it won’t be a runaway year for anyone. For me, that was one of my best drives and we are an age ahead of where we were this time last year.”

Teammate Jenson Button insists his confidence has not been dented, despite losing the first battle with Hamilton after finishing seventh.

And the world champ is confident he can improve in Australia on Sunday week. (ANI)

Stephanie Rice finally celebrating birthday with a bang today

Melbourne, Sep 19 (ANI): Australian swimming beauty Stephanie Rice is all set to celebrate her 21st birthday today-almost two months after her actual birthday-in a grand bash.

The Olympic star had to postpone festivities because of the world champ meet in Rome in July.

But, today, she will start her birthday celebrations at the Marriot Hotel, and roam across town with her gang in a giant luxury Hummer.

The party will swing over to Portside at Hamilton, where she will be cutting her birthday cake, reports the Courier Mail.

The swimmer celebrated her real birthday with a single piece of cake at a family do back on June 17.

According to reports, Rice has sold the rights to cover the bash to New Idea magazine. (ANI)

Pussycat girlfriend is Hamilton’s only charisma, says Lauda

London, Feb. 20 (ANI): Former motor racing champion Niki Lauda has said the only interesting thing about Lewis Hamilton is his Pussycat Dolls girlfriend.

The three-times F1 World Champ title winner blasted the British driver, as “boring”, claiming modern drivers have “no idea”.

The 59-year-old, world title winner of 1975, 1977 and 1984, said:

“The only kind of charisma someone like Lewis Hamilton has is his girl Nicole Scherzinger.”

“When I was racing, everyone was ready to drive over someone else to win. Death was always an option. Today’s drivers have no idea,” the Daily Star quoted Lauda, as saying.

However, the Current F1 champ Hamilton himself has admitted that he is “boring” on a night out.

The 24-year-old on course to become Britain’s first sports billionaire said recently: “I’m a boring bar person because if I am out I will only have a Coke or orange juice.”

Lauda, who was fighting for life after a racing crash in 1976, is well known for his criticism about current Formula 1 drivers.

Earlier, Lauda had said that Lewis Hamilton was robbed of victory in the Belgian Grand Prix, and described the penalty as “the worst judgment in the history of F1″.

He had said the sport was close to losing its integrity after Hamilton had been hit with a retrospective 25-second drive-through penalty for ‘cutting a corner and gaining an advantage’.

“So I do not understand this decision, and it’s really bad for the sport because people watching will not watch any more because of this stupid decision,” Lauda said. (ANI)