McLaren Formula 1 announced it signed CARLOS SAINZ on a "multi-year" deal to replace FERNANDO ALONSO for the '19 season. Alonso announced on Thursday that he would be leaving F1 at the end of the season. Sainz claims the opportunity to drive for a team he has "always been a fan of was too good to turn down" (London DAILY MAIL, 8/16). ... TONI KROOS "slammed" MESUT ÖZIL's claims of racism in the German FA as "nonsense" after his former int'l teammate's retirement. Kroos said, "I think that he knows that racism does not exist within the national team and the DFB" (DAILY MAIL, 8/16). ... Reports that former F1 driver MICHAEL SCHUMACHER will be moved to a £27M ($34.3M) mansion bought by his wife last month in Mallorca are "not true," according to his manager. Swiss media reported KATIA ROUARCH, who became mayoress of Andratx in June last year, said that preparations were made to welcome Schumacher to the Spanish island (London DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/16). ... England rugby player DANNY CIPRIANI pleaded guilty on Thursday to common assault and resisting arrest after an incident at a nightclub "which left a female police officer bruised." The 30-year-old was fined £2,000 ($2,540) and ordered to pay £250 ($320) in compensation to the officer (REUTERS, 8/16). ... Former India cricket captain AJIT WADEKAR died, aged 77. The batsman scored 2,113 runs in 37 tests with 114 half-centuries (REUTERS, 8/16).
