I think I'm the first former Silverstone employee to have gone on to become a Formula One racing driver and it's a circuit I know far better than any other.
It's a more local circuit to me than it probably is to any British driver, as I live only about seven miles (11.3km) from the track. If I'm at home, I cycle past Silverstone three times a week as part of my training ride.
I was a racing instructor there for three years but I was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. I used to marshal there as well as part of the job - basically, I did whatever the racing school asked me to.
One day, I might have been picking up motorbikes from the gravel trap, the next day I'd be there waving yellow flags or even hurtling around in an Audi or a Caterham with a passenger in tow.
I love the place; it's great fun. Honestly, if I had a free weekend, I'd probably be at Silverstone in the rain watching a race with a cup of tea trying to keep warm. I'm a bit of a motorsport anorak - my teammate Bruno Senna calls me "a bobble hat" because of it.
For me, there are three top circuits - Monaco, Spa and Silverstone. I believe I'm in Formula One for the right reasons. I'm not here to be famous or to earn enough money to get a house in Monaco. I'm here because I absolutely love F1 and, at the moment, Silverstone is very much my home race.
In fact, even when the Indian Grand Prix is added to the calendar next season, Silverstone will still be another home race for me. The crowd are just fantastic and so knowledgeable. They have an incredible understanding of the sport and their enthusiasm makes for an even better atmosphere than at the other races on the calendar.
If someone asked me to build my ideal race track, I would definitely include the first sector at Silverstone. It is such a buzz to drive. I think I first drove there in 2002 and I've been there a few times since. I won there in Formula Three and twice ended up on the podium in GP2.
You get up to serious speeds on the opening straight into Coppice, a fast right-hander that's completely blind so the buzz is there straight away. You're then on to the trio of Maggots, Becketts and Chapel. There's nothing like it in F1 and, as a spectator, I'd love to be watching there. As a driver, it's just brilliant. Those three corners are so fast and they're over in an instant as you keep your speed on to the ensuing Hangar Straight.
The next corner at Stowe is slower but you still keep as much speed as possible, which means you always end up running over the kerb. There's another straight before Vale and Club, very slow parts of the circuit before you come to the new changes at Abbey.
A lot has been made of the changes that have been done to the circuit. Everyone has this glamorous idea that we've sat in simulators going round every aspect of the new Silverstone but that couldn't be further from the truth.
Now it's open, I cycled from home, got to the circuit and paid £5 [Dh27] to get in and then cycled round the new layout. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the changes. I'm not saying that to be critical but, for me, I don't think there was much wrong with it. There really wasn't anything to improve.
Of the changes, the new Abbey will be a good corner and still a high-speed commitment. There's a few new corners there and then the track rejoins the old circuit at Brooklands on a long straight so there might be a bit more overtaking there.
What it means is that we won't fly through Bridge anymore and I can understand the reasons for doing that. Bridge is just not safe as it is for the MotoGP riders. So I'm not unhappy about the changes, I just thought Silverstone was a fabulous circuit as it stood.
That said, the changes have been very much in keeping with Silverstone and its fast, flowing nature. You get places like the Valencia street circuit that are such stop-start circuits but Silverstone just flows beautifully from start to finish. It remains fast, flat out and a place where you need to be brave to get it just right. It's the ultimate test as a racing driver.
motoring@thenational.ae
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
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
The years Ramadan fell in May
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
SPECS
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Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
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
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding