Williams technical director Pat Symonds says it is crucial his team does not let Valtteri Bottas move to Mercedes next year. Ruben Loftus-Cheek Jersey UK .Bottas has been linked with the vacant seat at the world champions for 2017 following Nico Rosbergs retirement and is believed to be at the top of team boss Toto Wolffs wishlist. However, he is contracted to Williams for next year and is due to partner rookie Lance Stroll, who comes to the team from Formula 3 with backing from his billionaire father Lawrence Stroll.Mercedes has reportedly offered a discount on Williams engine supply in order to release Bottas from his contract, but as yet a deal has not been reached.We will have Lance Stroll making his debut, with no F1 experience, so holding on to Bottas will be crucial for our success, Symonds told Gazzetta dello Sport. Losing him would have a big impact on the team.Bottas 2016 teammate Felipe Massa retired from the sport at the end of the season and Symonds says it is essential his team has at least one driver as a reference under F1s new regulations for 2017.People often underestimate the importance of continuity in a team. The driver is the final link you need between the engineers and the data.You can replace one of them, but you need the other as a reference, especially in a season with the amount of rule changes 2017 will have. Oscar Jersey UK . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Oscar Chelsea Jersey UK .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. http://www.chelseafcteamshop.net/eden-hazard-chelsea-jersey-uk/ . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen.Nicky Henderson hailed Sprinter Sacre as the horse of a lifetime after confirming on Sunday that the dual Cheltenham Festival hero, one of the most popular modern-day steeplechasers, is to be retired due to a minor leg injury. Hendersons charge had bounced back to form on this day 12 months ago at Cheltenham when landing the Shloer Chase, sparking emotional celebrations in the winners enclosure.He went on an unbeaten run following that victory, winning three more times including his second Champion Chase victory at Cheltenham in March. His final racecourse appearance was to be at Sandown in April, where he demolished Un De Sceaux by 15 lengths. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. Sprinter Sacre had returned to work ahead of a planned reappearance in Sandowns Tingle Creek Chase next month, but after exercising on Tuesday was found to have some heat in his near-fore leg, prompting connections to make the decision to retire him.At a specially-convened press conference at the racecourse, an emotional Henderson said: Hes been a great part of our lives. Nico de Boinville celebrates winning the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase What happened last year was something that will never be repeated in my lifetime. In terms of emotion it took us all to the brink.He will be here today and he looks as well as hes ever done. Hes in staggeringly good form. The sad thing is that he is doing everything right. The delighted rider gives Sprinter a hug If you saw him now, you wouldnt know which leg it was, but theres a little bit of heat in his near-fore that has shown up on the scan. If he was seven, youd say give him a year off and hed be back. But hes not seven any more and this is the right thing to do.For a long time I protected See You Then and said he was our best horse but during Sprinter Sacres best two years, he was unbeatable. Literally unbeatable. Sprinter Sacre (left) beats Cue Card to win the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Steeple Chase Im sad for him because hes come here today thinking hes going to have a race and hes all excited and ready to show his public what he can do, but at least people will have the opportunity to see him again today.Sprinter Sacres most recent partner and the jockey under whom he took last seasons Champion Chase was Nico De Boinville, and Henderson went on: Nico has been with Sprinter from the start. He rode him every day at home when Barry Geraghty wwas his jockey and they have always been great friends. Alexandre Pato Chelsea Jersey UK. Sprinter Sacre soars over a fence earlier in the contest I had to ring him this morning to let him know just before he went into surgery for the arm he broke here yesterday. It wasnt the easiest conversation to tell him his mate wont be there for him to ride when he comes back.Sprinter Sacre won 18 of his 24 starts and amassed £1,136,000 in prize-money.In between his two Champion Chase victories, however, he was plagued with problems before returning to something approaching his best last season.Joining the Henderson stable from France, he made a winning debut in an Ascot bumper in February 2010 and went novice hurdling the following campaign.After winning two of his first three starts, he was then third in the Supreme Novices Hurdle in March 2011.It was a chaser he really made his mark, though.He created a big impression in his novice season which saw him defeat Cue Card in the Arkle Trophy in 2012.Sprinter Sacre went on to win his first 10 races over fences, including the Champion Chase at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival.But his successful streak came to an abrupt halt when he was pulled up in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton that December, after which it transpired he had an irregular heartbeat.He made a full recovery and returned to action in January 2015 when he was second to Dodging Bullets in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot.But when he was pulled up in that seasons Champion Chase it seemed his best days were behind him.However, he came back in tremendous form last season and after wins in the Shloer Chase and the Desert Orchid Chase, Sprinter Sacre reclaimed his two-mile crown with a convincing defeat of Un De Sceaux at the Festival in March.He wound up the campaign with a similarly authoritative victory in the Celebration Chase at Sandown in April in what turned out to be his swansong.Explaining Sprinter Sacres career-ending injury, Henderson said: It all crept up yesterday. He worked on Tuesday and everything was grand.We were just a bit worried on Wednesday night as he was warm in one leg. I was going to work him yesterday but we couldnt work him.We cant ask him to come back, not at his age.Hes in the same stable he has always spent his days in here (at Cheltenham) and you wouldnt know which leg I was talking about. In fact, if I was thinking about working this afternoon him I would.It (the injury) wouldnt hold up in the short term and when you cant go for the long term, you have to sadly bite the bullet.Barry Geraghty rode Sprinter Sacre 17 times, winning on 13 occasions, and said his old ally was just unbelievable.The jockey said; Hes something special and he is to be celebrated. Ive never sat on a horse over fences like him - he was electric.The first day he won here (in the 2012 Arkle), just to see him sail away on the way to the last, Ive never seen that before.He was just unbelievable. 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