Next stop Singapore and Max Verstappen’s first chance to win the 2022 drivers' world championship.
If the Dutchman’s first title here in Abu Dhabi barely 10 months ago was (and remains) one of the most hotly debated in the sport’s history, this is a very different story.
Even Lewis Hamilton fans would probably accept the Dutchman has been the best driver this year.
And not because he had the fastest car. In fact, statistics indicate Ferrari have had the edge on outright pace but the Red Bull were usually better come race day.
After all, the red race machines have started from pole 10 times in 16 races but won just four times.
The world champion, on the other hand, has started at the front just five times but won 11 Grands Prix. By those parameters he has been masterly.
It’s remarkable that he now leads by 116 points considering the way the season started with two dnfs in three GPs as Charles Leclerc charged to a 34 point advantage.
The fourth round when the tables turned at Imola was to encapsulate the season to come: Verstappen impregnable, Ferrari and Leclerc horribly flawed.
This season the story is as much about Maranello throwing away a championship as Red Bull winning one.
Leclerc fumbled an easy win in France and let more easy points go before that at Imola. Then there have been reliability issues and, perhaps worst of all, woeful strategy calls.
While opprobrium has been piled on the Scuderia and it’s boss Mattia Binotto, the critics seem to have forgotten where the team came from.
Ferrari started the season on the back of one of the worst slumps in its history. They had not won since Singapore two and half years before. From that prism the turnaround is remarkable.
Gallery: Verstappen wins Dutch GP
Of course their winning start stoked a frenzied Italian press and its public to a boiling froth of expectation, only to dump them unceremoniously weekend after weekend and thereby creating an even bigger rod for their own backs.
What is it they say about it being the hope that kills not the disappointment ?
By contrast Verstappen’s form has been regal and almost robotic in grinding out win after win regardless of circumstance. He arrives on the back of a five race winning streak and has been off the podium just once since Azerbaijan in mid June.
If he wins the title this Sunday only two men will have done it faster in modern times – Michael Schumacher (in the 11th race out of 17 in the season) in 2002 and Nigel Mansell (11 of 16 rounds) in 1992.
Although if you go further back, legends Jim Clark and Sir Jackie Stewart have been speedier – and arguably their feat all the- more impressive because the price of the smallest mistake in those days was usually death.
Schumacher won in 2002 with six rounds remaining but Verstappen could match the man next up - Mansell - who did it with five to go in 1992.
Of course the odds are against it happening on Sunday because he not only has to win but hope Ferrari have another of their catastrophic weekends.
Gallery: Verstappen win Belgian GP
But memories of Felipe Massa roaring out of his pit, while leading, with 10 feet of silver fuelling hose trailing behind him and chased, Keystone Cop-like, by his pit crew in 2008 or Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen crashing out together at the first corner in 2017 means it can’t be ruled out.
Not only will Verstappen have to outscore Leclerc by 22 points but teammate Sergio Perez by 13 and George Russell by six. Perez may be the toughest hurdle, although he has yet to finish higher than fifth in this night race.
For a long time it has not been ‘if’ but ‘when’ for Verstappen and he is likely to beat the all-time record for races in a season (13 by Schumacher and Vettel) as well.
His cause will undoubtedly be aided by the fact there are signs too that, faced with the inevitable, rival teams are turning to their 2023 designs and making the remaining races glorified test beds for next year’s grueling 24-race calendar announced last month.
In one respect Verstappen faces an embarrassment of riches given that, Abu Dhabi aside, there are few better places to win a championship than under the lights in party town Singapore or the legendary showdown land that is Suzuka, just seven days later.
While the world has mourned the passing of one monarch and is celebrating the elevation of her successor, the coronation of F1’s own ace racer is not that far away either.
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more about the coronavirus
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
New Zealand 57-0 South Africa
Tries: Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder (2), Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Ofa Tu'ungfasi, Lima Sopoaga, Codie Taylor. Conversions: Beauden Barrett (7). Penalty: Beauden Barrett
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
FIGHT INFO
Men’s 60kg Round 1:
Ahmad Shuja Jamal (AFG) beat Krisada Takhiankliang (THA) - points
Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) beat Akram Alyminee (YEM) - retired Round 1
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Bhanu Pratap Pandit (IND) - TKO Round 1
Men’s 71kg Round 1:
Seyed Kaveh Soleyman (IRI) beat Abedel Rahman (JOR) - RSC round 3.
Amine Al Moatassime (UAE) walk over Ritiz Puri (NEP)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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.
GROUPS
Group Gustavo Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (x1)
Alexander Zverev (x3)
Marin Cilic (x5)
John Isner (x8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (x2)
Kevin Anderson (x4)
Dominic Thiem (x6)
Kei Nishikori (x7)
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
'Saand Ki Aankh'
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The five pillars of Islam
