Formula One: Marussia are facing a race against time to be in Australia for the season-opening Formula One grand prix this month. The Banbury-based team has confirmed its new car, the MR01, has failed the last of 18 FIA crash tests, and so has pulled out of this week’s final pre-season test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. The team, who were known as Virgin Racing last season, had hoped to be lining up in Barcelona again from tomorrow to run the new car through its paces prior to heading out to Melbourne’s Albert Park.

Athletics: Decathlon world record holder Roman Sebrle is injured and will miss the world indoor athletics championships in Istanbul. Sebrle, the 2004 Olympic decathlon champion, has picked up a minor left thigh muscle strain forcing him out of the March 9-11 event. Sebrle holds the world record of 9,026 points set in Gotzis, Austria, back in 2001.

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Auto Racing: Matt Kenseth (picture) won his second Daytona 500, holding off Dale Earnhardt in a race delayed once for rain and again after a frightening crash at the Daytona International Speedway. Ken-seth took the chequered flag after rain postponed the race for 30 hours. Then with 40 laps to go on Monday, Juan Pablo Montoya escaped serious injury when he lost control and slammed into the back of a safety truck carrying jet fuel, causing a fiery explosion that delayed the race another two hours.

Winter Sport: Pippa Middleton, sister of Duchess of Cambridge Catherine, will take part in Sweden’s gruelling, 90km Vasaloppet cross-country ski race this weekend. Middleton, an avid athlete, will take part in the race along with her brother James in a bid to raise money for charity, and will compete with 15,800 other participants. The race is held between Saelen and Mora in western Sweden. The first race took place in 1922.

Basketball, NBA: Kobe Bryant moved past Michael Jordan to become the leading NBA all-star game scorer on Sunday but the milestone proved costly as the LA Lakers superstar suffered a broken nose. Bryant, 33, fractured his nose in the third quarter after being hit in the face by Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade. Wade was assessed a foul for reaching in and slapping Bryant on the face and shoulder.

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