Sitting in Jeddah this morning, preparing for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have cause to suspect this may be a season like no other.
OK, we only have a sample of one, but the opening round of the new era in Bahrain last weekend was a tumultuous, roller-coaster of changing fortunes.
Today their concerns about the next round may be compounded by thoughts of taking to the ultra-fast Jeddah Corniche Circuit in ultra-fast cars with fundamental grip and grounding issues.
Of course, there’s no stopping their epic rivalry. Just a week ago the Dutchman was runaway title favourite. His Red Bull both reliable and fast in testing and practice.
One unexpected late-race retirement later and the sport’s feted new champion goes into Sunday’s second round hounded by the knowledge he is already battling the odds.
To put that into perspective, car problems caused him just one retirement in the entirety of 2021.
The Dutchman must view another 22-races splayed out across the globe, in a tightly contested championship, his margin of error already gone, with some alarm.
Hamilton has the opposite car issue – but equal alarm, I suspect.
His car is reliable but uncompetitive – well, uncompetitive in Mercedes terms (after a double Red Bull failure he still ended up on the podium in Bahrain).
The general consensus is that the W13 has plenty of speed - if it can be unlocked.
But Hamilton’s celebrations are muted by the reality that the same layout in Jeddah that favours his Red Bull rival appears to doom his car to mediocrity.
Saudi Arabia’s track has more corners than any other in the championship and its snaking layout means a bigger danger factor than almost anywhere else.
So dangerous in fact that in the brief interval since last year’s race the barriers have had to be moved back in a couple of places to improve driver sight lines.
Going into a corner at 250kph is one thing. Doing it blind not knowing if a car is stalled the other side is asking for trouble.
Jeddah’s barriers left its mark on almost everyone at the front of the field last year and the jeopardy is greater now.
This time they are just one race into a new formula with heavier, wider cars, bigger tyres and a significant, unsolved, handling problem.
The ground effect system introduced to improve overtaking has triggered cars banging the track surface at speeds over 250kph in an oscillation known as porpoising.
Every team suffers but Mercedes more than most, admitting a solution may be a few races away.
Hence Hamilton’s delight at Red Bull’s Manama disasters. The racing gods have given Mercedes a surprise breather to address their issues.
On the bigger issue of whether the new rules are the solution to the historic lack of overtaking in F1 remains to be seen.
2021 Saudi Arabian GP - in pictures
In Bahrain cars were able to run closer but that didn’t appear to make overtaking any easier. Maybe Saudi Arabia will provide more evidence after the equivocal beginnings.
But the grid has been reshuffled. Ferrari are back to their winning ways and it can only be good for F1 to have its marquee name back in the spotlight.
Where Verstappen raced with his usual pugilistic intent in Bahrain, their lead driver Charles Leclerc out-thought and out-raced the world champion, retaking the lead three times.
But this year is ostensibly about restoring teams’ and fans’ faith in the tarnished reputation of F1’s governing body and restoring wider trust in the sport after the controversy of Abu Dhabi.
Its new president, Mohammed ben Sulayem, came into office promising a new era ruled by black-and-white laws rather than opinions and threatening consequences for those who transgressed.
The first to feel the Emirati's focus were Hamilton and Mercedes who broke obligations by missing the FIA’s Prizegiving Gala in protest at the handling of the Abu Dhabi race by the old order.
But over the Bahrain GP weekend the FIA slid out a statement saying Hamilton had agreed a €50,000 donation to fund a motor sporting career from among the disadvantaged. Ben Sulayem praised the offer while also reminding Hamilton of his duty of sportsmanship - unquestionably referring to the Gala.
How you regard that "fine" depends on your viewpoint, neat solution or fudged punishment?
The conclusion most people are likely to draw is that Hamilton paid an unofficial fine for failing to meet his contractual obligations.
But isn’t this exactly what F1 is trying to get away from? A new era where the rule of law applies rather than the rotten old habits of cosy compromises and easy solutions taken behind closed doors? Wasn’t that why Michael Masi lost his job?
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Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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.
Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The Programme
Saturday, October 26: ‘The Time That Remains’ (2009) by Elia Suleiman
Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
Continental champions
Best Asian Player: Massaki Todokoro (Japan)
Best European Player: Adam Wardzinski (Poland)
Best North & Central American Player: DJ Jackson (United States)
Best African Player: Walter Dos Santos (Angola)
Best Oceanian Player: Lee Ting (Australia)
Best South American Player: Gabriel De Sousa (Brazil)
Best Asian Federation: Saudi Jiu-Jitsu Federation
THE CARD
2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m
3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m
3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m
4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m
4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
