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Lewis Hamilton squares up to resident Top Gear driver The Stig
Formula One star Lewis Hamilton is to swap his multi-million pound, 230mph McLaren to drive a modest family car for BBC Twos Top Gear show on Sunday.

Hamilton takes part in the programmes “star in a reasonably priced car” feature, where celebrities compete to post the fastest lap around a track.

The 22-year-old Briton is out to beat a time of one minute 44.4 seconds, set by Top Gears resident driver The Stig.

Hamiltons time will be revealed during the programme which starts at 2000 GMT.

Former Formula One stars Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Mark Webber have already taken the challenge.

The select group of former drivers is pitted in a separate category to stars such as Hugh Grant, Simon Cowell, Ellen MacArthur and Gordon Ramsay who have all taken the challenge in the past.

The appearance will be the first on the show since Hamilton narrowly failed to win the world championship in his rookie season, losing out to Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen by one point.

written by Coolgarriv \\ tags: f1, top gear, TV

Setanta Sports has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to nearly all of the 2010 World Cup away qualifiers involving England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The rights package includes the exclusive rights to England’s away matches in group 6 against Croatia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra, and all of Scotland’s away qualifers in group 9. Wales’ games in group 4 against Russia, Finland and Azerbaijan will be featured along with the Republic of Ireland’s group 8 qualifiers against Bulgaria, Cyprus and Montenegro. Rounding out the qualifying matches are Northern Ireland’s group 3 games against the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. 72 additional games involving the teams in groups 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9 will also be screened on Setanta.

“We’re excited to be following the Home Nations and the Republic Of Ireland in their quest to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,” said Setanta joint chief executive Michael O’Rourke. “This is another massive addition to Setanta’s increasingly strong portfolio of top premium football and proves our commitment to football at every level, not just the Barclays Premier League. This announcement further cements Setanta’s position as a channel no serious football fan can do without.”

written by Dave \\ tags: SPORT, TV