A 15-year-old Russian karting driver's contract will be terminated by his team after he appeared to make a Nazi salute as he stood on the podium on Sunday.

Artem Severiukhin won his race in the first round of the FIA Karting European Championship at the Kartodromo Internacional do Algarve.

The teenager, representing Italy rather than his country of birth due to sanctions imposed on Russian athletes following the invasion of Ukraine, made the gesture and laughed as he was on the podium in Portimao.

An investigation has been launched by the FIA following what the governing body described as "unacceptable conduct."

Ward Racing, Severiukhin's team, on Monday stated that the youngster will no longer drive for them.

The Privately owned Swedish team said they were "deeply in shame" over Severiukhin's actions, which they condemned in the "strongest possible terms."

Ward Racing also condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stated that Severiukhin's action did not represent the views and values of the team.

Casemiro has urged Real Madrid fans to stop targeting Gareth Bale as "when you whistle a player like that, you're whistling the history of this club".

Bale was whistled at by Los Blancos supporters when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 LaLiga win over Getafe at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

The forward has only played five games for the leaders in the Spanish top flight this season and Madrid fans were not impressed when he declared himself unfit for a Clasico hammering against Barcelona last month, before inspiring Wales to a World Cup play-off win over Austria four days later.

Bale has won the Champions League four times and LaLiga twice since arriving in the Spanish capital nine years ago, but his relationship with Madrid fans has soured.

The 32-year-old, who is set to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, did not do himself any favours when he held a flag with the words 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' after helping his country qualify for Euro 2020.

Yet Madrid midfielder Casemiro has called on supporters to lay off Bale ahead of the Champions League quarter-final second leg at home to Chelsea on Tuesday.

The Brazil international said: "When you whistle one player, you whistle all of us. Football is about opinions, everyone has theirs, but I don't agree when a player on my team is whistled. We're all on the same side, we have to support him."

He added: "I didn't like the whistles the other day for Bale. He's a historic player for this club. He's scored a lot of important goals for this club.

"When you whistle a player like that, you're whistling the history of this club. I didn't like it. I think the fans have to support us."

Madrid will start the clash against holders Chelsea with a 3-1 lead but Casemiro says they must not think it is job done.

He said: "We have to go in to it with the idea that it's going to be a very difficult game. We had our best 90 minutes of the season in the first leg, but we can't be complacent, especially given the coach's words about them.

"I'd like to ask the fans to get behind us because it'll be difficult as we're up against the champions and we respect them. We have to give our all along with the fans because it'll be very, very difficult."

Casemiro added: "When talking about Real Madrid, we always talk about winning everything. Everyone wanted to win a title at the start of the season, to be in the knockout stages like this and 12 points clear in LaLiga. We're working hard, but we've still got the hardest part to come."

Real Madrid should not be ashamed to be reliant upon talisman Karim Benzema, according to Los Blancos head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

France international Benzema has helped Madrid to the LaLiga summit, 12 points clear of Barcelona, who have played a game less.

The former Lyon striker also propelled the LaLiga giants into the ascendancy with his hat-trick in a 3-1 win against Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, he became the first player to score a treble against the Blues in European competition as he joined Cristiano Ronaldo, Luiz Adriano and Lionel Messi as the fourth player to manage consecutive hat-tricks in the Champions League following his heroics in the last 16 against Paris Saint-Germain.

Only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (46) has found the net more times in Europe's top-five leagues in all competitions than Benzema, who has 37 goals to his name in as many appearances.

Ancelotti heaped praise on his star forward as he fielded questions over whether potential transfer target Erling Haaland would be put off Madrid by Benzema's exploits.

"What a question... I'm sorry, I can't answer," he said. 

"But I can say that Benzema is a modern centre-forward, in the past the number nine would get into the area and finish off whatever was going on there.

"Karim is what modern football demands in a striker, shooting, playing, defensive work, not giving away balls... It's the perfect representation of what a centre forward should be today".

Benzema and Vinicius Junior have formed a formidable partnership this campaign, with the duo combining for a competition-leading five goals in the Champions League.

Ancelotti referenced the likes of Los Blancos greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale as he pointed towards his new pairing as the stars of the show this season.

"The season says that there are two strikers who have stood out a lot, Vinicius and Benzema," he added.

"In the past we had Cristiano, Bale... To say that we are dependent on Benzema is the truth, there is no need to hide it. I am very happy to be dependent on Benzema".

Benzema has netted 11 times in the Champions League this campaign, the most by a Frenchman in Europe's premier club competition and as many as he had scored in the previous two editions combined.

He will look to add to that tally at home to Chelsea on Tuesday as Ancelotti aims to qualify for an eighth Champions League semi-final – the joint-most of any coach in history, along with Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.

Dean Elgar says South Africa are in a "very special place" after they hammered Bangladesh at St George's Park to seal a 2-0 Test series whitewash.

The Proteas ripped through the tourists once again early on day four in Port Elizabeth, bowling them out for only 80 to win by a mammoth 332 runs.

Keshav Maharaj took 7-32 in the second innings of the first Test as the Tigers folded to a shambolic 53 all out at Kingsmead and the spinner was also their chief tormentor on Monday.

The left-armer took 7-40 after making 80 with the bat, richly deserving both the man of the match and player of the series awards as he reached the 150 Test wickets landmark.

South Africa are second behind Australia in the World Test Championship table, having beaten India 2-1 and drawn 1-1 with New Zealand before hammering Bangladesh.

With a Test series in England on the horizon, Proteas captain Elgar believes his side are making great strides.

He said: "Everything comes with a challenge. I like challenges, which is why I am still playing Test cricket at nearly 35.

"I still feel I've got a lot of good years left and maybe even my best years left in me. If was younger, I might not have enjoyed it as much. This is still a massive privilege.

"I've enjoyed it so far. The last year has been testing off the field, but I've got an amazing core of players around me that understand me as a character, as a player and a person and the nature of cricket I want to play going forward. Slowly, everyone has bought into it. We are in a very special place."

The opening batter added: "We've had an extremely successful summer, not just as a Test side but as a cricketing nation.

"I think we are on the right path, doing things in the correct way. I am extremely proud of the Test summer we've had and the depth we've shown with regards to our selection pool. I am extremely proud of the group of players that we fielded."

Julian Nagelsmann has promised that Bayern Munich "will not play badly against the same opponent twice" ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Villarreal.

Bayern welcome Villarreal to the Allianz Arena trailing 1-0 from last week's first leg.

The Bundesliga leaders are looking to avoid being eliminated in the quarter-finals in consecutive seasons. Prior to last term, when they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight, Bayern had only been eliminated in one of their last nine quarter-final ties in the competition, against Real Madrid in 2016-17.

Villarreal coach Unai Emery said after the first leg that he regretted his side not being able to make the most of further opportunities to extend their advantage.

It was the first time Bayern have failed to score in a Champions League since Liverpool in February 2019, and Nagelsmann insisted the poor display will not be replicated on Tuesday.

"We played a bad game and they played their best game," Nagelsmann told a news conference.

"This will not happen again, to play badly against the same opponent twice.

"We delivered in the past and it should be like that. We have to, we must, we want to. It is normal when you win so many titles and have such success for so many years that you maybe need this pressure sometimes to get the maximum out.

"Maybe it will be a sparkling game from our side. We must turn up our complete intensity level. We did not take the last steps, the last metres in the first leg. We have to play more uncomfortable football."

Bayern actually finished the first leg with a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.6 in comparison to Villarreal's 1.5, though that will have been helped by a higher quantity of attempts (22 to 12).

Nagelsmann added: "We made many mistakes. They made one to keep us alive. They could have scored more goals but we are still alive and we should show it on the pitch."

Bayern are aiming to progress from a Champions League knockout tie after losing the first leg for the first time since the 2014-15 quarter-finals, while the defeat was their 20th against a Spanish team in European competition, their most against sides from a specific nation.

Lewis Hamilton remains staunch in his stance against the FIA's jewellery ban, with the seven-time world champion insisting "you should be able to be who you are".

New race director Niels Wittich, who replaced Michael Masi at the start of the season, informed Formula One drivers that the ruling on accessories would be reinforced before the Australian Grand Prix.

Wittich suggested "body piercing or metal neck chains" were forbidden, with checks to be undertaken before races, but Hamilton still competed on Sunday with piercings in both ears and a nose stud.

The 37-year-old could, in theory, be penalised both financially and in terms of points for breaking the sporting code, with F1's race director insisting the rules were to prevent injury for the driver.

However, Hamilton – who finished fourth in Melbourne, one place behind Mercedes team-mate George Russell – does not intend on removing his jewellery.

"I don't have any plans on removing them," he said. "I feel they are personal things. You should be able to be who you are. There's stuff that I can't move.

"I literally can't take these out [gesturing to piercings on his right ear]. They're literally welded on so I'd have to get them chopped off or something. So they'll be staying.

"It's been the rule forever. Since I've been here it's been the rule, so there's nothing new. I'm just going to come with more jewellery next week."

The jewellery ban has been in place since 2004, but Wittich made a special effort to stress the rule was back into strong consideration in his pre-race notes in Melbourne.

While Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the work of the new race director thus far, he questioned whether Wittich needed to pick a problem with what he sees as a minute issue.

"How he has run the first few races has been respectful, solid and he hasn't put a single foot wrong," Wolff said, as reported by PA Media.

"But is that [jewellery ban] a battle he needs to have at this stage? However, if it turns out to be the biggest unfortunate misstep of a race director, I would take it a thousand times over."

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti prefers the day-to-day running of club management amid questions about whether he would take up an international role.

Ancelotti has guided Madrid to the summit of LaLiga, 12 points clear of a resurgent Barcelona, who do have a game in hand.

Madrid are also in contention to go all the way in the Champions League. Los Blancos are 3-1 up in their quarter-final against reigning European champions Chelsea heading into Tuesday's second leg.

While Ancelotti has Madrid on course for success this season, speculation swirls as to whether president Florentino Perez will stick with the 62-year-old for next season.

The failure of Italy to qualify for two straight World Cups has also brought Roberto Mancini's position into question, but Ancelotti – a reported option to take over as Azzurri coach in 2018 – prefers club football.

"I have thought about it, to train a national team," he told a news conference when asked about the Italy job. 

"To be honest I must say that I like the day-to-day of club football. The matches give you emotion and happiness.

"But there is of course the worry and the day-to-day stress – when I lose the desire for the daily work, I will stop."

The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss opted to leave Everton for Madrid at the start of this season, after guiding the Toffees to an underwhelming 10th in his only full Premier League campaign with them following a 12th-placed finish in 2019-20.

Everton were looking good to mount a challenge for Champions League qualification as late as March, yet only managed three wins from their final 12 top-flight games.

The Merseyside club are now fighting relegation, but Ancelotti said Madrid, who he coached previously between 2013 and 2015, were the only suitors capable of turning his head.

"With Everton, I was having a good time," he said. "Then Madrid called me and I can understand why [Everton] got angry, but it was difficult to say 'no'.

"It was the only team I couldn't say no to. To the rest, I could say no."

Asked whether he would be in charge in 2022-23, Ancelotti replied: "I hope so, but I'm not thinking about that.

"I'm not thinking about the contract. If the club is happy, I'm still happy. If not, I'll appreciate it, period. I trust at the end of the season, it will be good."

Carlo Ancelotti believes Real Madrid can win the Champions League but is braced for a tough quarter-final second leg against Chelsea.

Madrid hold a 3-1 advantage after defeating Chelsea for the first time in Europe and will be expected to finish off the job at in the Spanish capital on Tuesday.

Thomas Tuchel has conceded the holders face an almost "impossible" task in the Spanish capital, as they have to win by their biggest margin away from home in the competition just to take the tie into extra time.

No English side has ever won by more than a single goal at Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League, making Ancelotti's team the strong favourites to make the semi-finals.

That would set up a meeting with either Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, but Ancelotti is not getting ahead of himself even if he thinks his team have the credentials to lift the famous trophy.

Asked at a pre-match news conference what Madrid were missing to be labelled as favourites, he said: "There is nothing missing, but nobody can say that they are going to win because the Champions League is very difficult.

"Not everyone can compete, you need a lot of quality, experience, personality. That's why I said that this team can compete."

Madrid are looking to become the first team to win both legs against Chelsea in a Champions League tie since Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 season.

But Ancelotti expects the Blues to come out fighting after Tuchel was critical of their display at Stamford Bridge last week.

"Everyone knows that it will be a difficult match, like all the quarter-finals in the Champions League," he continued. "Whatever happens in the first leg, you have to fight and compete.

"You have to be switched on for 90 minutes. We expect Chelsea are going to come out strong. I am lucky that my squad knows this type of match and what can happen. We won't go out relaxed.

"My squad is happy to play because it's a great opportunity to reach a semi-final."

Pressed on Tuchel stating it is an almost impossible task for his side to progress, Ancelotti said: "I don't know. They will come and fight despite it being difficult. They are a big team with a spirit that never gives up."

If Madrid do progress to the last four, Ancelotti will have made the Champions League semi-finals for an eighth time – the joint-most by a coach in the competition, along with Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.

Guardiola will take his tally to nine if City get knock Atleti out.

Record crowds at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix might have been welcome to organisers, but drivers on the Formula One grid have expressed concern on where it currently sits on the calendar.

Before a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Albert Park circuit traditionally hosted the first race of the season, since the Australian GP's move to Melbourne from Adelaide in 1996.

With pre-season testing in Bahrain leading into the season-opener at the Sakhir circuit for the 2021 and 2022 season, however, Melbourne's traditional status has been rendered impractical.

While the crowds underlined the appetite for F1 in the region, the drivers were cool on the Australian GP's scheduling as a standalone week, before the series continues in Italy.

"It works well at the moment because we are doing the winter testing in Bahrain, it makes sense to stay there," Red Bull's Sergio Perez said. "Just coming to Australia for a single race is quite painful for everyone.

"We all want to come here, but there are ways we can improve and in fairness to F1, Australia hasn't been on the calendar for the last [two] years. I'm sure that going forward they can have a look at it."

While Mercedes' George Russell said the previous scheduling at Albert Park was "cool", the back-to-back arrangement with Bahrain requires a rethink for Australia.

"I think Melbourne here as the season opener was really cool because everybody came up here early and there was a lot of excitement and anticipation," he said.

"But I think having Melbourne in between races, especially as a stand-alone is too tough for the teams and everybody."

Before the Australian GP moved to Melbourne, Adelaide traditionally held the final race of the Formula One calendar, circumventing these logistical issues.

If Bahrain was to retain the opening of the season, Russell believes pairing Melbourne with other Asian races is a possible solution.

"If it is geographically correct…we are happy for it to be at any point of the season," he said. "We obviously race very far east with Japan and Singapore, China obviously not this year, but it is on the calendar from next year onwards.

"I just think there is a better compromise to be had. I know there is a huge amount of limitations involved."

Whatever you think about the sporting merit of the introduction of the Play-In tournament to last year's NBA season, there is no doubt it made things more interesting for the neutral.

The Golden State Warriors were surprisingly eliminated after defeats to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Indiana Pacers were denied a playoff place by the Washington Wizards in 2021.

The format has returned for this season, and again, it promises to add all sorts of further intrigue to the playoff picture.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, the mini tournament will take place from April 12-16. The teams that finished seventh and eighth play one another to determine the seventh playoff seed from their respective conference, while the loser of that game gets a chance to secure the eighth seed when they host the winner of a game between the ninth and 10th seeds.

Therefore, the teams that finish seventh or eighth only need to win one game to advance to the playoffs, while those in ninth and 10th must win two.

Whoever clinches the seventh seed in the east will face the Boston Celtics in the playoffs, while the eighth seed will take on the Miami Heat. In the west, the seventh seed will go up against the Memphis Grizzlies, and the eighth seed will be paired with the Phoenix Suns.

With the regular season over after Sunday's final games, Stats Perform takes a look at the eight teams with one last chance to secure their place in the 2022 NBA playoffs.

Eastern Conference

Tuesday, April 12 – Brooklyn Nets (7th) vs Cleveland Cavaliers (8th) 

It has felt like a season of distractions in Brooklyn this season, be it James Harden's struggles, Kevin Durant's fitness or Kyrie Irving's vaccination status, and now the debut of Ben Simmons, which it seems may come in the playoffs, if they make it that is.

The Nets will be favourites, having won 12 of their last 17 and with Durant and Irving both in excellent form. KD is averaging 29.9 points per game (PPG), while Irving sits at 27.4.

The Cavaliers do not arrive in great form, losing eight of their last 11 games. Though they were victorious in their last outing against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, the Bucks rested their starters, and Jrue Holiday only started to earn a foul and trigger a financial clause in his contract.

Darius Garland will be key if Cleveland are to stand a chance at Barclays Center, with the 22-year-old averaging 21.7 PPG.

Brooklyn have won three of their four meetings this season, including a 118-107 win at Barclays on Friday.

The loser will host the winner of...

Wednesday, April 13 – Atlanta Hawks (9th) vs Charlotte Hornets (10th)

All eyes will be on Trae Young as the 23-year-old looks to drag the Hawks into the playoffs, though it will take two big performances, even by his high standards.

Young averages 28.4 PPG this season, the joint-fifth highest in the league along with Luka Doncic, as well as 9.7 assists per game.

Atlanta have won seven of their last nine, including a 130-114 success at the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

For Charlotte, they will look to trio Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier for inspiration, and have had a good end to the season themselves, winning 11 of their last 15.

They also beat the Hawks last month 116-106 in Charlotte, though each team has won two apiece of their four meetings through the campaign.

Western Conference:

Tuesday, April 12 – Minnesota Timberwolves (7th) vs Los Angeles Clippers (8th)

Despite the Timberwolves going into this one with home advantage, you would have to make the Clippers the favourites based on form and previous meetings.

Minnesota have lost six of their last 10, while the visitors arrive having won five of their last six.

The form of Karl-Anthony Towns, who is averaging 24.6 PPG this season, will be key for the hosts, as will that of Anthony Edwards, who scored a career-high 49 points in the recent win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Unsurprisingly, the Clippers have been a different prospect since the return of Paul George at the end of March, having lost eight of their previous 10 games before the 31-year-old came back, and winning six of seven since, albeit George only played in five of those games.

The Clippers have won three of their four meetings in the regular season, but the Timberwolves did win their last encounter in January. It should be noted that the team from Los Angeles won both games in Minnesota, though.

The loser will host the winner of...

Wednesday, April 13 – New Orleans Pelicans (9th) vs San Antonio Spurs (10th)

No team shows just how much the introduction of the Play-In tournament keeps seasons alive for a longer period than the Pelicans, who somehow have a shot at the postseason despite a disastrous start to their campaign.

Having lost 12 of their first 13 games, they are just two wins away from booking their place in the playoffs, and come into this one having won five of their last eight. 

Coach Willie Green will need CJ McCollum in top form, with the 30-year-old impressing since arriving from Portland earlier in the season, averaging 24.3 PPG since becoming a Pelican.

San Antonio recently won seven of eight games, but a slight wobble from the Spurs in the last few, losing their last three, may have thrown them off course at precisely the wrong time.

Like the Clippers, the Spurs could still be favourites despite being the away side, as they have won three of the four meetings between the two teams this season, including the most recent one in late March (107-103 in New Orleans).

New Zealand centre Anton Lienert-Brown will be out for around six months after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The midfielder was injured during the Chiefs' 25-0 Super Rugby Pacific defeat to the Blues on Saturday.

Lienert-Brown will go under the knife this week and is facing a long spell on the sidelines.

The Chiefs said: "It has been confirmed that Anton will require surgery on his shoulder that was injured last Saturday. He is expected to return to rugby after approximately 6 months.

"The Chiefs Rugby Club wish Anton all the best for a speedy recovery."

Lienert-Brown posted on Instagram: "Shoulder is going to need a bit more work than I was hoping, going under the knife this week which will put me out for 6 months.

"A bump in the road, but the journey continues. I'll be back. Appreciate all the support."

Lienert-Brown damaged the same shoulder during New Zealand's defeat to Ireland in Dublin last November, ruling him out of a loss to France. 

Keshav Maharaj claimed another seven-wicket haul as he ripped through Bangladesh to propel South Africa to a 332-run victory and 2-0 Test series win at St George's Park.

Left-arm spinner Maharaj bamboozled the Tigers to dismiss them for just 53 in the opener, picking up 7-32, and he repeated the trick in Port Elizabeth with figures of 7-40 in the second innings.

Simon Harmer (3-34) again provided capable support as the Proteas utilised just the two spinners to secure the series in 23.3 overs and move to second in the World Test Championship table.

The spin pair left Bangladesh reeling at 27-3 overnight and picked up where they left off on Monday but not before there was an international cricketing first. 

Khaya Zondo, who made his Test debut, and Glenton Stuurman replaced Sarel Erwee and Wiaan Mulder as COVID-19 substitutes – a first instance of the protocol being used in international cricket.

Once play started with the substitute duo on the field, Maharaj soon had both Mominul Haque (five) and Mushfiqur Rahim (one) caught.

Yasir Ali fell to a similar Harmer trap as he holed out to deep midwicket for nought, before Kyle Verreyne stumped top scorer Litton Das (27) to complete Maharaj's five-for.

Verreyne and Maharaj combined again to remove Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 20, caught behind on review, and the left-armer pinned Khaled Ahmed in front without scoring shortly after.

Harmer then trapped Taijul Islam for a duck three balls later to wrap up victory within an hour on the morning session of day four.

Magical Maharaj

Maharaj raced to a quickfire 84 in the first innings to go along with his two dismissals, but again the 32-year-old came alive in the second innings as he reached 150 dismissals in Test cricket.

He toyed with the Bangladesh batters' minds, uncertain whether the ball would spin or go straight on, as he collected another seven-wicket haul to take him to a series-leading 16 wickets overall.

Fierce Proteas tame Tigers

Bangladesh may not have collapsed for just 53 this time, but it was hardly better as the Tigers looked stunned by Maharaj and Harmer and they have now not beaten the Proteas in 14 red-ball attempts.

Meanwhile, South Africa have won five of their last six Tests, including their last three in a row for the first time since a three-game span between December 2018 to January 2019.

Thomas Tuchel says it will be "almost impossible" for Chelsea to avoid a Champions League exit but they must dream of fighting back to knock Real Madrid out.

A Karim Benzema consigned the holders to a 3-1 defeat in the first leg of the quarter-final tie at Stamford Bridge last week.

Chelsea responded to that loss by hammering Southampton 6-0 in the Premier League on Saturday, while Madrid stayed on course to be crowned LaLiga champions with a 2-0 victory over Getafe.

The Blues, who will be without injured record signing Romelu Lukaku due to an Achilles injury, have a mountain to climb at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday and Tuchel is realistic over their chances of progressing to the last four.

But the German expects his side to put up more of a fight than they did in London last week.

He said: "It's one of the biggest challenges to perform as an away team at the Bernabeu. If you have to win by at least two goals, it is very difficult, almost impossible. We need to overperform.

He added: "We never manage our input and effort by chances we have for a result, we never did and will not start tomorrow by giving less because it's very unlikely we will make it.

"It's unlikely, but we will try, we will play to our full limit. It's a big night and a big match and we wll try to be in better shape and in a better condition than in the first leg."

Tuchel says Chelsea must arrive in the Spanish capital with belief they can pull off a stunning comeback.

"We need nothing else than a fantastic script," he said. "The task is incredibly high after the first leg. You're always allowed to dream and sometimes it is important to imagine and dream about things, but it doesn't change the fact we need to be ready to deliver.

"We will try hard, it's worth trying. Hopefully we can fulfil our dream, but realistically we have to invest a lot."

Cesar Azpilicueta is available after testing negative for COVID-19, while Callum Hudson-Odoi remains sidelined with an Achilles injury and Ross Barkley is out due to illness.