Imola has always been one of my favourite tracks – and favourite places.
Fast, rolling, demanding and dangerous despite being neutered by safety changes after Ayrton Senna’s death in 1994, it remains challengingly old-school – and resolutely loved by the sport’s cognoscenti.
Despite dozens of attempts and billions spent worldwide, F1’s track designers are yet to recreate this chemistry of twists and turns.
The circuit is on the edge of a city of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants. Maranello is 90km north, Monza and Milan a few hours further in the same direction and F1 heads to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix this weekend of the first visit to Europe this season.
The days are immersed in the region’s motor racing obsession and the nights consumed with its other love; pizza. Well into the early hours, boy racers would roar up and down outside on their vespas, the tinny sound echoing through rooms with wall-to-wall tiling and showers that leaked continually.
Much as I, like so many others, was profoundly affected by the death of Senna, my love for this place and Autodromo Dino e Enzo Ferrari has been unrelenting.
Even in my time Tamburello, a flat out left-hander, had seen significant accidents before Senna’s. There had been warnings. Nelson Piquet knocked himself senseless there, Gerhard Berger was hospitalised by an inferno he was lucky to escape. And, of course, a little further down the track the day before Senna’s demise, poor Roland Ratzenberger became a victim too, just three Grands Prix into an F1 career he had worked so hard to achieve.
No-one who was there will ever go to Imola without vivid memories of a bleak weekend, even as the 30th anniversary approaches.
And yet it is great to see the circuit persists in a rapidly changing sport, modernised but somehow its essence largely untouched.
Leclerc wins the Australian GP
If Monza is the raging heart of Italy’s motor sporting passion then, for me, Imola feels closer to its soul.
The brutal chicanes slapped in after ‘94 have been refined and improved. It has emerged from its bleakest hour arguably better and stronger. Much like Ferrari themselves.
After two of the worst years in their history, Maranello has emerged from the first three races as clear title favourite, capitalising on radically changed regulations that appear to have caught out all its rivals.
Even this early, the statistics scream in favour of their poster boy, Charles Leclerc, becoming the next champion.
He has won two of the first three events, finished second in the other, started on pole twice and set fastest lap in all three.
More significantly, perhaps, he has led nearly nine out of every 10 laps raced so far. And there is something serene about the way he is doing it.
Max Verstappen is ranting on the radio and branding his car’s lack of reliability “unacceptable” and Lewis Hamilton is yet to harness his Mercedes' speed – or his own.
Having retired twice in three races from different fuel-supply issues, the Dutchman is already 46 points adrift and one team source labelled his occasionally dark moods as a “time bomb”.
Boss Christian Horner has attempted to smooth over the problems insisting it is better to have a fast car with issues than a slow car and have to find speed.
That appears to be the problem faced by Mercedes, their championship positions flattered by Red Bull’s lack of reliability.
Some are suggesting Mercedes' issues are so fundamental they have already gone back to the drawing board and are working on an entire B-spec design rather than use the traditional route of refining what they have – a significant move in a price-cap formula.
And with a power unit also well down on both their title rivals, Mercedes will rue the timing of Imola because 71 per cent of every lap is spent at top speed.
At 205 kph, Imola also has the third highest average corner speeds of the year after Silverstone and Suzuka, making balance crucial, and one of the widest variety of corners seen all year, both stats playing to Ferrari’s strengths.
Leclerc’s rivals will be hoping for salvation from the chaos usually generated by the Sprint formula with only one practice session before Friday qualifying and a 100km race on Saturday.
Last year, Verstappen set the tone for the season with a first chicane lunge on Lewis Hamilton that earned him an unexpected victory. This year, it’s difficult to look beyond a Leclerc and Ferrari.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Read more about the coronavirus
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra
Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa
Rating: 4/5
Subscribe to Beyond the Headlines
MADAME%20WEB
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
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Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
Easter%20Sunday
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
