Fernando Alonso has F1 title in his own hands

Fernando Alonso has the championship lead on his side as he aims to clinch the Formula One (F1) world title in a historic finale Sunday in the Abu Dhabi.

But in a season of the roller-coaster rides for all the stars, Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton are also in the frame.

It is the first time in the F1 history that four drivers are in the title race ahead of the season-ender.

A simple engine failure in Alonso's Ferrari could for instance open the door for the others, he may be shunted off the track by another driver, make a mistake himself or have yet another negative experience with the safety car as has happened already three times this season.

However, Alonso has a third career title in his own hands as the championship leader. He has amassed 246 points from 18 of 19 races, with Webber on 238, Vettel on 231 and Hamilton on 222.

Under the current system, the top 10 drivers get points in a 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 1 format.

Alonso has done his maths and says 'I just need to finish second. It does not matter who wins in Abu Dhabi if I finish second'.

The Spaniard can also afford third place if Webber does not win, and fourth or fifth if Webber and Vettel do not win.

Webber will secure the trophy if he wins and Alonso comes no better than third. A team order of sorts may be used if Vettel leads from Webber and Alonso in the final lap, as Ferrari also ordered Felipe Massa to let Alonso pass for victory at the German GP.

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Valentino Rossi third in Valencia MotoGP

Valentino Rossi ended his Yamaha career on the podium in the Valencia yesterday, but the Italian was unable to clinch a fairytale farewell as he was overshadowed by bitter rival and with Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo.

Rossi was in contention for an emotional final victory and the 47th of his Yamaha career when he suddenly started to fade with the Lorenzo and Aussie Casey Stoner dicing for the lead.

The 31-year-old though blamed a lack of fitness for his failure to sustain his challenge as his training regime has been badly affected by the damaged right shoulder he suffered in a motocross training accident in the April.

Rossi, who will ride for Ducati in 2011 and is due to make his debut tomorrow (Tuesday) in Valencia, said: “It was a great race for me because we suffered too much during the practice and I think it is one of the best races of my career at the Valencia.

"I lost time at the start but I had a good grip from the beginning so I could push. I did some good passes and when I arrived in third place I was able to come back on Casey and Dani (Pedrosa). I made some great lap times and at that moment I think maybe it is possible to win the race. But Jorge rode ride very well.

"I was behind him and we were behind Casey, but unfortunately for the last laps I’m not at the maximum. I’m not fit, so I start to lose power to the right hand and then to the left and then to the leg. So I need more distance to stop the bike and I started to make some mistakes behind Jorge.

"I was running wide and I have to slow down. If you are not 100 per cent with this level it is impossible to win. But the podium is great and I kept third position in the championship.”

Rossi will test for Ducati this week before he goes for surgery on the shoulder that troubled him throughout the entire season.

He said: “Next Monday or Tuesday I will do the surgery. It will be quite a long time to recover and hard work but I hope to be quite fit for the first test in Sepang and if I will not be at 100 per cent I hope to be at the maximum for the first race of the next season.”

Giants Give City by the Bay Its Long-Awaited Title

Buster Posey caught the final strike, started to rush the mound, then stopped and turned toward the dugout.

The rookie catcher wasn't quite sure what to do or where to go. Hard to blame him, either. It's not as if the San Francisco Giants win the World Series every day.

More than a half-century after moving West, the Giants are taking the trophy to the city by the Bay for the first time. Tim Lincecum was wicked on the mound, Edgar Renteria broke a scoreless duel with a three-run homer in the seventh inning and San Francisco beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 in a tense Game 5 Monday night.

The prize that eluded Willie and Barry for so long finally belongs to San Francisco, thanks to a band of self-described castoffs and misfits and their shaggy-haired ace.

"World Series champs, 2010. Can you believe this?" October ace Matt Cain said.

Lampard to face Reds

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti expects Frank Lampard to be available for their weekend clash with the Liverpool.

The influential 32-year-old England international has missed the club's last 11 matches with a groin injury.

The Blues have maintained their fine form even without Lampard, but they have now received a shot in the arm ahead of the Sunday's mouth-watering trip to the Anfield.

Ancelotti is ruling Lampard out of featuring in the Wednesday's UEFA Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow as the fixture is too soon.

The Italian is relishing having the creative midfielder back among his ranks, stating he is likely to come straight into his starting XI.

Ana Ivanovic splits with her coach

Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic has parted ways with her coach Heinz Gunthardt.

The Serbian ended a two-year title drought at the Linz Open in the October but is keen to have a full-time coach at her side.

Gunthardt, who forged his reputation with the Steffi Graf, had been working with Ivanovic since February alongside his commitments as a television analyst.

Ivanovic was world number one shortly after her Roland Garros triumph in the 2008 but her game deserted her and she slipped to a low of 65th in the rankings last July.

The 22-year-old appeared to have turned the corner when triumphing in the Linz and is now looking to take her comeback to the next level.

Rossi satisfied with podium and now aiming for final win

The Fiat Yamaha rider finished second in the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal and is now determined to win his final race with the team at the Valencia next weekend.

Valentino Rossi’s ninth podium result of the season in the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal on Sunday gave the Italian great satisfaction, after a step into the unknown in terms of the track conditions at the Estoril.

After spending the weekend practicing in the wet conditions the race was a dry affair, and the switch between set-ups did not hold the 31 year-old back from pushing hard as he finished second behind team-mate Jorge Lorenzo having challenged the Spaniard.

"Like I said yesterday, a wet warm up and a dry race is a difficult one! I am happy about this weekend, we worked really well on the bike on the wet and this morning I was the fastest in the warm up, if it had been a wet race I could have been very competitive,” said Rossi.

“For the dry we started blind so I had to try to take some risks at the beginning because the setting was okay, but it was not enough because when Jorge got into his rhythm he was faster than me, I had no way to fight with him. I tried to stay with him but he was too fast.”

With Casey Stoner crashing out Rossi now sits third in the Championship, 19 points behind Dani Pedrosa with the final round in Valencia next weekend.