Lewis Hamilton welcomes the prospect of regular wheel-to-wheel battles with Sebastian Vettel in the future – once he and his Mercedes team have made sure of winning this years title race.

The defending two-time world champion said Ferrari's revival since four-time champion German Vettel had joined them proved they are a real threat to Mercedes' domination.

Fernando Alonso on Thursday made light of his frustrations with the struggling McLaren Honda team and confirmed he plans to stay with the team next year and through 2017.

He said his widely broadcast radio messages, in which he criticized the performance of his car’s Honda engine during the Japanese Grand Prix, were insignificant and had not upset Honda.

Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi and his father Jorge are to stand trial on three counts of tax fraud that could carry prison sentences, a Spanish court confirmed on Thursday.

In a court filing, the judge in charge of the case rejected a request by the public prosecutor to try only the footballer's father.

One of the greatest footballers in history, Michel Platini was on target just two weeks ago for becoming the next head of FIFA, the sport's paramount body.

But on Thursday, his dream was dealt a shattering blow by the financial scandal that has engulfed FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

African football leader Issa Hayatou took temporary charge of FIFA on Thursday after Sepp Blatter was "relieved of his duties" because of his 90-day suspension, the world governing body have announced.

Hayatou, 69, is president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and takes over as senior vice president of FIFA even though he has a troubled past.

As his scandal-haunted reign running world football came to an ignominious end, Sepp Blatter had become increasingly certain that FIFA rivals, the media, maybe even governments, were out to get him.

Some diehard supporters of the 79-year-old Swiss sports baron even compared him to "Jesus", being hounded out of office and crucified by his critics in a hateful press.

American rider Nicky Hayden, 2006 world champion, said Thursday he will retire from MotoGP next year to compete in the World Superbike Championship.

The 34-year-old Honda man, preparing to race in this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, has announced his move to Ten Kate Honda from the next year.

Nico Rosberg is heading into this weekend’s Russian Grand Prix determined to keep alive his bid for the drivers’ world title by beating defending two-time champion and Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton on a track that may throw up tire problems for most teams.

The 30-year-old German, who is 48 points adrift of the Briton after winning three races, to Hamilton’s eight, this season said he feels he has enough positive feelings to draw on to justify his optimism as he prepares for a keenly-anticipated contest.

Tottenham Hotspur teenager Dele Alli is one of several players hoping to make an impression when England begin their preparations for next year's European Championships against Estonia on Friday.

England secured their place at Euro 2016 by beating Switzerland 2-0 last month, when Wayne Rooney became his country's all-time leading scorer, and they will be looking to record a ninth win in nine Group E games in the encounter at Wembley.

FIFA's ethics watchdog on Thursday suspended the two most powerful men in football, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, for 90 days in a sensational new blow to the sport's scandal-tainted governing body.

While it said the bans were "provisional", the action almost certainly signals the end of the reign of FIFA president Blatter and deals a major blow to UEFA leader Platini's hopes of taking over.