Thursday 13 March 2014 16:26, UK
Magnificent March continues this week with a series of show-stopping events on Sky Sports.
Formula 1 returns with the Australian Grand Prix and Sky Sports F1 will show every practice, qualifying and race live in 2014.
There has been a regulations revolution ahead of the new season - changes that Ted Kravitz has called "the biggest in Formula 1 regulations in living memory".
Also shaking up the world of motorsport has been the wholesale personnel changes - some prompted by team choices, some dictated by the preferences of drivers. One thing is for sure: the off-season has not been dull!
Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel will again be behind a Red Bull wheel but testing has not gone to plan for the reigning champion and a host of drivers – including Sky Bet favourite Lewis Hamilton – will be looking to claim his crown.
Racing of a different kind takes place at Cheltenham this week with the showpiece of the national hunt season.
The festival is the embodiment of everything that is great about Cheltenham. It is four days of atmosphere, anticipation and action, played out on a beautiful sporting arena.
And to help you make your selections for the big races, Sky Bet – sponsors of the festival’s opener, the Supreme Novices; Hurdle – are offering new customers a free matched bet up to £30. Not only that they are offering money back if the favourite wins the first race on every day of the festival plus, if you place a bet up to the qualifying stake with the online bookmaker, you can watch the action live on your PC.
The four English teams battling for a place in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League have it all to do and you can see how they get on with Sky Sports throughout March.
Manchester City face an uphill battle when they visit the Nou Camp for a return clash with Barcelona on March 12. City trail 2-0 from the first leg at the Etihad and will have their work cut out if they are to avoid exiting a second cup competition in a week. You can catch the action on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm or follow it live via the Events Centre.
Manchester United also have the odds stacked against them when they play host to Olympiakos on March 19. David Moyes’ side need to overturn a two-goal first leg deficit at Old Trafford as they look to keep their season alive.
United are also in Barclays Premier League action this Sunday when they entertain title hopefuls Liverpool as part of a mouth-watering Super Sunday which also features the north London derby as Arsenal make the short journey to take on a wounded Spurs side. The action gets under way at 12.30pm on Sky Sports 1HD.
Fellow title challengers Chelsea are also in action this weekend when they face Aston Villa live on Saturday Night Football, looking to build on their advantage at the top of the table.
England have had a winter to forget following their Ashes hammering but will be looking to end it on a high when they travel to Bangladesh for the ICC World Twenty20 which kicks off next week with all the games live on Sky Sports.
The 2012 tournament was won by surprise package West Indies - who comfortably overcame hosts Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final in Colombo. The Windies – with star opening batsman Chris Gayle back in the fold – are showing England why they’ll be tough to beat once again, having handing out a T20 beating in Barbados on Sunday. The two sides meet twice more this week – both games live on Sky Sports 2HD – before the teams fly out to Bangladesh for a cricketing carnival.
One man missing from the England squad is Jonathan Trott following his much-publicised departure from Australia suffering from depression.
Trott will return to cricket with Warwickshire in a pre-season friendly with Gloucestershire at Edgbaston starting on April 1. He is likely to then take on Oxford MCCU at The Parks before the first game of the new County Championship season against Sussex at Edgbaston on April 13.
Ahead of his return, you can catch a special documentary with the England batsman which will include his first interview since leaving Australia. The interview first airs at 7pm on March 16 on Sky Sports 1HD.
And that’s not all for Magnificent March. Sky Sports will also bring you ATP Masters tennis from Indian Wells, Super League featuring Wigan v Hull KR, live netball as the Dragons take on the Mavericks plus top class boxing with Tony Bellew and Kell Brook both back in the ring.
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