Formula One is set for a further clampdown on the use of telemetric driver aids next year in the wake of revised rules on clutch settings being introduced for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The planned restrictions were revealed in a note sent by the sport’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), to the teams on Thursday as the F1 circus set up camp again after a month’s break.

English champions Chelsea have agreed a deal with Barcelona for the signing of Spanish international winger Pedro Rodriguez, both clubs announced on Thursday.

"FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Pedro Rodriguez for 30 million euros ($33.2 million, £21.2 million), three of which are variables depending on performance," Barcelona said in a statement.

Fernando Alonso wishes he had left Ferrari sooner and, contrary to much speculation, feels he made the right decision to join struggling McLaren’s “new project” with Honda.

The two-time world champion admitted Friday that he felt "things were getting more and more sad" in his final months with the Italian team – and revealed he should have left them two years earlier.

For a team that won it all in spectacular fashion last season, Barcelona begins the Spanish league plagued by doubts few could have imagined three months ago.

A shaky back line, sloppy passes, and even a self-destructive outburst from the team's best defender have given coach Luis Enrique more than enough to muddle over before Sunday's league opener at Athletic Bilbao.

Algerians starred in midweek UEFA Champions League play-offs with Sofiane Feghouli, Islam Slimani and El Arbi Hillel Soudani scoring significant goals.

Winger Feghouli struck four minutes from time to seal a 3-1 win for Valencia over 2015 quarter-finalists Monaco in Spain.

Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi has signed for Manchester City, the Premier League side announced on Thursday after a deal was agreed with his current side Valencia.

The 27-year-old has signed a five-year contract although no financial details of the transfer were released.

Tim Duncan has given up millions in salary to give the San Antonio Spurs the cap space needed to re-sign teammates and add players such as LaMarcus Aldridge.

And Duncan has deferred offensively to teammates like Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard despite averaging 19.5 points over his 18-year career.

The drifting smoke from forest fires sometimes makes it difficult for marathoner Heather Lieberg to take a deep breath during her afternoon training runs in the hills of Montana.

Even on days when the local advisory lists the air quality as "unhealthy for sensitive groups," Lieberg is out there chugging away through the hazy and hot conditions.

Chris Froome will be racing both for and against history when the Spanish Vuelta starts Saturday.

The Tour de France champion is aiming to become the third cyclist to win both the Tour and the Vuelta in the same season, after Jacques Anquetil (1963) and Bernard Hinault (1978).

Serena Williams pumped her fist after each important point and screamed as she smacked another emphatic shot. The defending Cincinnati champion wasn't going to ease into the tournament.

Williams put a lot of emotion into her opening match at the Western & Southern Open on Wednesday, a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tsvetana Pironkova that made her the first of the top seeds to advance.