The shock waves of Lewis Hamilton’s sensational victory in Brazil are still reverberating all the way across the world to Abu Dhabi.
And not least because it has dramatically increased the chances the most exciting — and bitter — championship in years will play out its very final chapter at Yas Marina in a month’s time.
A decisive factor could be the track itself not unlike Interlagos, which already has a reputation as a car breaker and driver frustrater.
Ask Fernando Alonso, stuck behind Russian also-ran Vitaly Petrov in 2010 for so long it wrecked his dreams of a third championship at the very last hurdle.
Or Hamilton who led the race in 2016, and indeed won, only to lose his crown to teammate Nico Rosberg who was second.
And that was before Yas united with F1 promoters Liberty to redraw crucial sections and inject turbo boost into lap times.
Seven bends have been redesigned to improve the racing. The point and squirt chicanes at either extreme have been ditched and replaced with wider circumference teardrop shaped hairpins.
At the southern end four corners have morphed into one single continuous banked hairpin 18 metres wide with lap times predicted to plummet by 10 seconds. The section that races under the track’s world famous hotel is now more flowing.
Yas has the same two DRS zones as Interlagos separated by a single chicane that was the setting for Hamilton’s race winning overtaking move.
But the remodelling triggered in February has also thrown in a giant unknown for F1 teams.
Their form depends on sophisticated computerised LIDAR surface scanners for their driver simulators which are so detailed they even pick up painted lines and grass.
A full circuit can take 80 hours to record. But teams have not had time to get them done since the track rebuild finished.
Teams have already contacted the circuit for the layout so their reserve drivers can spend countless hours thrashing around in the simulator looking for the slightest edge — as part of the sophisticated F1 AI war going on behind the scenes.
Then there is the engine battle. The Honda power plant used by Verstappen is less powerful when new but degrades less over it’s life.
In two gruelling races time Hamilton’s Mercedes may not still be capable of the awesome speeds it demonstrated in Brazil because it fades more quickly.
As for tyre wear, in Brazil expectations were flipped on their head yet again in a topsy turvy season.
Hamilton was overwhelming favourite three races ago in Austin and yet Verstappen won. Brazil appeared to favour the Dutchman but he was blown away by a Mercedes which had started last.
Pirelli, who supply tyres to the entire grid, revealed to The National only on Monday they have yet to receive race simulations from the teams to do their own analysis because of the track has changed.
Even so, a spokesman said speeds will inevitably go up because of the redesign but they are confident their three softest (and fastest) compounds will suit the conditions.
Interestingly, the same trio of tyres were used at Monaco, Azerbaijan and Russia. Both combatants dropped out in Azerbaijan but Verstappen won the other two.
Yas Marina Circuit renovations
Does that mean Red Bull will be favourites? Well, it’s difficult to tell. Mercedes struggle with their rear tyres and Red Bull the fronts.
As for the lessons from history: Verstappen won last year but Hamilton was returning early from a covid infection. Prior to that Mercedes had won every one of the previous six events.
And perhaps Saturday is now more important than Sunday. The last six Yas GPs have been won by the man who snared pole. But only twice in the last six has the Abu Dhabi winner been the champion.
Then there is the high grip track surface, British Graywacke aggregate, the same surface used in Bahrain where Hamilton won in March.
And so the statistics twist and turn in favour of one then the other.
Like Brazil two fast sectors in Yas favour Mercedes’ power but bookend a twisting middle sector more to Red Bull’s liking.
Only in South America it did not. Hamilton gained three-tenths in the first and third sections and then another tenth in the second where he was supposed to lose out.
Will it be the same in the marina section here in Yas?
And then there are the plummeting temperatures as the sun sets 20 minutes after the start of the twilight race — creating another handling headache for drivers of such temperamental thoroughbreds.
Above all, though, there is also the looming chance of a third collision between the two combatants. Unless Hamilton wins the next two races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia that would make his Dutch rival champion.
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 592bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Price: Dh980,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Wayne Rooney's career
Everton (2002-2004)
- Appearances: 48
- Goals: 17
Manchester United (2004-2017)
- Appearances: 496
- Goals: 253
England (2003-)
- Appearances: 119
- Goals: 53
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Results
Light Flyweight (49kg): Mirzakhmedov Nodirjon (UZB) beat Daniyal Sabit (KAZ) by points 5-0.
Flyweight (52kg): Zoirov Shakhobidin (UZB) beat Amit Panghol (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (56kg): Kharkhuu Enkh-Amar (MGL) beat Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov (UZB) 3-2.
Lightweight (60kg): Erdenebat Tsendbaatar (MGL) beat Daniyal Shahbakhsh (IRI) 5-0.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Baatarsukh Chinzorig (MGL) beat Shiva Thapa (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Bobo-Usmon Baturov (UZB) beat Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ) RSC round-1.
Middleweight (75kg): Jafarov Saidjamshid (UZB) beat Abilkhan Amankul (KAZ) 4-1.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Ruzmetov Dilshodbek (UZB) beat Meysam Gheshlaghi (IRI) 3-2.
Heavyweight (91kg): Sanjeet (IND) beat Vassiliy Levit (KAZ) 4-1.
Super Heavyweight ( 91kg): Jalolov Bakhodir (UZB) beat Kamshibek Kunkabayev (KAZ) 5-0.
The%20Roundup
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Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
MATCH DETAILS
Barcelona 0
Slavia Prague 0
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
Engine: 5.7-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 362hp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh329,000 (base model 4.0L EXR Dh215,900)
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
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Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
