There's something about seeing an artist or rock group perform in their hometown that is truly remarkable. Imagine having the good fortune to be able to see and hear Tony Bennett crooning in some smoky piano bar in New York City. How about U2 performing in Dublin, REM in Athens, Georgia, or, if you were in the right place at the right time, Nirvana ripping through a set in Seattle during the early 1990s?
Italy isn't known for its rock or pop stars, although it has spawned more than its fair share of opera singers. But Italy does have rock cars. It has Ferrari. And even if there was no other Italian car company, the fact that it has Ferrari would be enough. There's more, however; Italy is home to the most famous road race of them all: the Mille Miglia. And, when the two things combine, Italy spontaneously combusts into a celebration the likes of which I have never before witnessed.
It happened for the first time last year, after Ferrari managed to do a deal with the Mille Miglia's organisers whereby a side event could be run: the Mille Miglia Ferrari Tribute. In essence, this enables owners of Ferraris built after 1958 (or perhaps older ones that never raced in the original competition series) to take part, albeit separately. The same roads and the same regularity sections are used, the same town and city centres are driven through; it's just that Tribute drivers set off at different times. Last year saw 130 Ferraris take part; this year has 150 and I'm fortunate enough to be in one of them: a new California.
There's a caveat, however. Because I'm a journalist I don't get to compete. Which, having taken part in historic rallies before now, is no biggie. For starters I have no co-driver and, to be honest, the thought of having to concentrate on average speeds and distance covered when I'm in an unfamiliar car in unfamiliar surroundings doesn't appeal. I can just kick back, get the roof down and enjoy Italy at its very best; all the while in a high-speed convoy of some of the finest cars ever built. And I get paid to do this? Pinch me, I must be dreaming.
Only I'm not dreaming. This is very real. But when I ease my car out of the hotel car park on the outskirts of Brescia and make my way to the town centre to join the others, it still feels like an out-of-body experience.
I mean, I'm driving a Ferrari, being escorted by a group of motorcycle cops who ride on ahead to stop the traffic, sirens blaring and blue lights flashing. I'm sure I've had dreams just like this.
Brescia is the starting (and finishing) point for the Mille Miglia, and today it is full to bursting with Maranello's finest. The narrow streets reverberate to the deep rumbles and shrill barks of Ferrari V8s and V12s and onlookers swarm around the cars like bees around a honeypot. We have a few hours to kill before the competition begins and, a couple of streets from where I'm parked, the 300 or so actual Mille Miglia competitors are being treated like long-lost prodigal sons. A fever has swept through Brescia and it's highly contagious.
But we have some serious driving to do and, before I know it, we're off. Off on a journey that will cover about 1,600km of Italy's finest roads in the space of three days. The 150 Ferraris are closely followed by 300 historic race cars that took part at some point in the original race rally that ended in 1957. If the pope was on live television turning up at one of Berlusconi's bunga bunga parties, the nation would not be interested. All eyes are fixed firmly on the Mille Miglia - it's the highlight of the year for millions of people in this exquisite country. For the next three days I will be a rock star. Actually, I won't; my car will be.
I'm sharing the roads, considered hallowed ground by automobile aficionados the world over, with owners not only from obvious countries such as Italy, Britain, France and Germany, but also from Switzerland, the US, even Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. The efforts these people have gone to (and the sheer expense) shows just how passionate they are about this brand and the Mille Miglia. There's magic being created here. Seriously.
And, like any touring rock group, there's a greatest hits collection to be enjoyed. Ferrari receives many more applications from owners than there are available spaces, so not everyone with the requisite funds (€6,360 or Dh33,076 per team, to be exact) gets to take part. What we have at this year's event are classics worth millions of dollars, such as the delectable 250 GT SWBs mixing it up with less rare, less valuable (but no less desirable to my eyes) 328s, 288 GTOs, Dinos and F40s. But this rock group has new material it wants to showcase. So as well as the old favourites, there's an inordinate amount of newer Californias, 599 GTOs and 458 Italias taking part; something the cynic in me is disappointed by. Still, as marketing opportunities go, this is a pretty good one and it's their party so they can invite whoever they want.
I leave Brescia to the roar of thousands of appreciative Italians and drive into the evening sun, in the middle of the pack. It's still warm, so the roof is down, and it's now I start to feel what the California is all about. It's comfortable and refined, yet focused and extremely quick when you want it to be. I think, despite my reservations about its looks, we're gonna get along just fine.
We drive until 1am, when we arrive for an overnight stay near Imola. Bed by 2am, up again at 5.30. I'm already feeling drained. This next leg is Imola to Rome and, after 90 minutes or so, I decide this is no fun whatsoever. We're driving on motorways and through industrial landscapes - there must be more to the Mille Miglia than this, surely. But then, when I least expect it, we peel off the main roads and enter the countryside. Vistas of unparalleled beauty unfold before my disbelieving eyes and I do the decent thing: switch the steering wheel "manettino" to Sport and floor it. The California, for all its refinement, goes like a scalded cat when you do this. It corners with poise and precision, feeling stiff and composed no matter how much I throttle it. And the noise, oh my, the noise. With the gearbox set to manual, with every up or down change, the quad exhausts emit coughs, splutters and bangs that sound like shotgun blasts. The seduction is complete; I love this car.
It takes a good 12 hours to reach Rome and, when we do, it's rush hour and we need to get across the gridlocked city. I'm going nowhere fast. And then, just when I'm stuck in one of the subterranean tunnels in four lanes of car park, the police arrive. Sirens screaming, they push their way through the sea of stationary metal. The noise must be making my ears bleed but it's a surreally brilliant experience to see them part the traffic, creating a channel for 150 Ferraris to push their way through. My body is coursing with adrenalin - I can't quite believe what is happening but if it wasn't for the police I get the feeling I'd still be stuck here a month from now.
Next day it's Rome to Brescia and we need to do it in one hit. The 800km in one day after, at best, three hours sleep? Bring it on. The route is stunning, taking us through Tuscan hillsides, across mountain passes and through unspeakably beautiful cities like Siena, Florence, Bologna and Modena. And everywhere we go, there are crowds lining the streets, sometimes 10 people deep, expressing their appreciation for these incredible cars. Every age group, from toddlers to old ladies, is on hand, gesturing for us to rev our engines to make their favourite music. It's our civil duty to oblige as they cheer and wave us on our way.
When we finally reach Brescia, the heavens have opened. We've had three days of unbroken sunshine but the thunder and lightning has arrived, almost as if to assert nature's authority as it drowns out the cacophony of our engines. It's been a blast, a privilege to share this experience - as a participant, an observer and a fan. I leave the California with its exhausts ticking and steam emerging from its brakes and crawl into bed to get another measly three hours of sleep. I'm full of admiration for the crews that did the Mille Miglia as an actual road race in cars that were cramped, uncomfortable and dangerous to drive fast; I wouldn't swap places with them, thanks. But I'd do this event again in a heartbeat and, if I had to do it in a new Ferrari, I reckon the California would be my chariot of choice.
Italy might be a republic but, after three days in the company of its people, it's obvious that Ferrari is its royal family and the Mille Miglia its wedding day route. Will and Kate who?
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
World Cup warm up matches
May 24 Pakistan v Afghanistan, Bristol; Sri Lanka v South Africa, Cardiff
May 25 England v Australia, Southampton; India v New Zealand, The Oval
May 26 South Africa v West Indies, Bristol; Pakistan v Bangladesh, Cardiff
May 27 Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton; England v Afghanistan, The Oval
May 28 West Indies v New Zealand, Bristol; Bangladesh v India, Cardiff
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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