FORMULA ONE: Lewis Hamilton cancelled his media engagements and returned to his hotel after feeling unwell at the Chinese GP yesterday. A Mercedes team spokeswoman said the 2008 F1 world champion, who moved from McLaren at the end of last season, would be back at the circuit for scheduled practice today. Mercedes won in China last year with Nico Rosberg.

RUGBY UNION: Springbok loose forward Schalk Burger has been sent home to recuperate after spending two weeks in a Cape Town hospital being treated for bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, a disease he contracted after undergoing surgery to reduce pressure on a nerve that was influencing the performance of his calf muscle. The calf issue, coupled with a knee problem, has kept Burger sidelined for more than a year.

CYCLING: European track cycling champion Valery Kaikov has been fired by the Rusvelo team for failing a drugs test, the Russian outfit said yesterday. “Kaikov had his contract terminated after testing positive for a prohibited substance,” the team said. The 24-year-old rider, who won gold at last year’s European track cycling championships in the team pursuit and finished second in the Madison, was the second Russian rider in five days to fail a drugs test.

MOTOR RACING: Mercedes announced a long-term agreement with Michael Schumacher yesterday for the retired seven times Formula One champion to become an ambassador for their brand focusing on future technology and road safety. “The future interests me much more than the present and past,” the German, the most successful grand prix driver, said in a statement.