Formula One. To some it is the very grandest of automotive spectacles, the cutting edge of internally combusted four-wheel design. Others see it as a wasteful (as in US$3 billion annually) exercise in engineering self-indulgence. At the very least, it is the pinnacle of motor racing, if not always in actual on-track competition then in technology, cost and universality of its appeal.
To me, however, an auto scribe who scrapes a paid-by-the-word living out of all things automotive, Formula One is the story that keeps on giving. When Formula One is on its game (a not-so-frequent occurrence in recent years), it's a motorised extravaganza like no other. Even when the racing is processional, there's always the As The Stomach Turns drama of who is dissing/cheating/firing who to keep the sport's legion fans glued to their TV sets.
A few years ago, for instance, I lamented the continued spectacle of Bernie Ecclestone and his video-vixen cohort, Max Mosley, as Nero and Caligula combining to hasten the decline of the empire that is F1. But now I see that they were really Laurel and Hardy, bumbling about providing comic relief so that the hoi polloi didn't catch on that there really is no plot (or, in the case of F1, no actual racing). Look, there's Bernie waving his middle digit at the assembled motor scribes. We, ever-vigilant motor scribes, are appropriately offended (when, in actual fact, a gnome-like 80-year-old giving anyone the finger is nothing if not pathetic).
Wait, here's Bernie describing the new F1 teams - Lotus, Virgin and Hispania - as cripples. "They do nothing for us," Ecclestone recently told the Financial Times. "They are an embarrassment." Of course, there was no mention in his diatribe that the grand revolution that saw these new teams get what many called preferential treatment was part of a scheme he and his odd-couple cohort, Mosley, cooked up to make Formula One more financially responsible (says the man who has twice tried to take F1 public to engrandise his already estimated $300 million portion of the racing series' parent company, Delta Topco).
Meanwhile, in the pits, there's even more contretemps. A near-constant war of words has erupted between Red Bull teammates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, everyone's asking why Michael Schumacher bothered trying to make a comeback and will somebody please tell Jacques Villeneuve to stick to Nascar. In the last race alone, for instance, former champion Jenson Button was almost car-jacked by machine-gun-toting gangsters (thwarted only because he was being chauffered around by an off-duty cop) and Ferrari's second driver, Felipe Massa, was threatened with jail (for six years, no less) by Brazilian authorities if he acceded to a Ferrari call for "team orders" and slowed to allow the current championship leader, teammate Fernando Alonso, to pass him.
On the track, meanwhile, there have been some pleasant surprises, not the least of which has been some actual racing. Jenson Button's race last year at Interlagos from 14th to 5th to cement his first drivers' championship saw more daring pass manoeuvres by the once-passive Brit than in the rest of his rather somnolent career. And even if the on-track duels can't match the intensity of the backroom shenanigans, it's a damned sight better than the parade laps that have passed for racing in recent years.
Besides, even if 2010 didn't see a miraculous defence of Button's Formula One crown, isn't it nice to see him at least prove that he's more than a just a backmarker made lucky? Remember that this is a man so disrespected by his own team, Brawn GP, last year that, upon winning the title was told that if he wanted a congratulatory raise he was free to seek employment elsewhere.
As for Fernando Alonso, love him or hate him (even his many followers admit that their's is a prickly love affair), his rise to the top of the F1 standings this year is so completely unexpected that, should he hold on to his current lead, his will be a classic Cinderella motor racing fairy tale, Vettel and Webber conveniently stepping into the roles of the ugly stepsisters.
We should also congratulate both supporting actors for playing their roles to the hilt. Red Bull's Renault-powered RB6s have consistently been the fastest cars all season, dominating practice and pole alike. And, yes, Vettel's engine failure in the Korean round was tragic. But the Anointed One's torpedoing of he and his teammate's chances for a coveted one-two finish at Istanbul with an ill-advised pass (not to mention the run-in with Button in Belgium) speaks to a still-flawed genius, one that sees a little too much testosterone foiling what is obviously prodigious driving talent.
Even the supposedly mature Webber, who hinted that he might retire when it looked like he might finally win the driver's championship, has not been the model of maturity a nine-year F1 career should engender. The first Australian to ever claim a Formula One crown, Sir Jack Brabham, postulates that the Korean spin (while holding second place no less) has cost Webber the 2010 title, the second lap crash an almost rookie mistake of not getting enough heat in his tyres.
Former champion Lewis Hamilton seems equally adamant about scuttling his title chances. By times brilliant this year, Hamilton, too, has succumbed to the impetuousness of youth that many thought would have rubbed off after four years in F1. Hamilton admits that his all-or-nothing approach to the season "hasn't paid off too well for me recently".
Indeed, save for last week's race in Brazil, the 2010 Formula One season has been very much a case of all the contenders treating the supposedly coveted championship like a hot potato, each combatant seemingly eager to pass the title to one of their competitors at the very first hint of success. Of the five originally given a chance at the 2010 title - Alonso, Webber, Hamilton, Vettel and Button - only the normally hot-headed Spaniard seems truly eager to actually wear the crown.
With one race remaining - and a maximum of 25 points to be garnered - four drivers mathematically have a chance of winning. Realistically, though, Hamilton is out of the running and this year's fastest driver, Vettel, would have to win with Ferrari's Alonso finishing fifth or worse, an unlikely event considering that the Spaniard had been on the box for the last five races running. That leaves only Webber, RBR's unloved child, to challenge Ferrari's number one driver going into the final round in Abu Dhabi.
Unfortunately for the Australian, perhaps the biggest of this year's pit lane dramas is that the Red Bull team management has made it very clear that Webber can expect no support from his teammate (there's much contention in F1 circles right now that RBR would rather lose with Vettel than win with Webber). Indeed, had Vettel let Webber through in the last round, the Australian would be only one point adrift of Alonso going into the last round rather than eight. As it stands now, the internecine intrigues so common to Formula One could have already cost Red Bull and Webber the driver's championship.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
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Ferrari
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
PROFILE
Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
Investors: Global Ventures and angel investors
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Racecard
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
match info
Union Berlin 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')
Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
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MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
FIGHT CARD
1. Featherweight 66kg
Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg
Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg
Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg
Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg
Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg
Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg
Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg
Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)
9. Featherweight 66kg
Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Match info
Wolves 0
Arsenal 2 (Saka 43', Lacazette 85')
Man of the match: Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal)
More from Aya Iskandarani
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
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
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
