Formula One is poised for another dramatic season, starting on March 5 in Bahrain, and ending with the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26 at Yas Marina Circuit.
Hopes are high for a thrilling and hard-fought contest as Red Bull's Max Verstappen bids for a third successive drivers' world championship.
But, after cruising to the title in 2022, the Dutch driver is not expected to have it so easy in 2023 as Ferrari and Mercedes go all-out to wrestle away his crown.
Here's all you need to know about the 2023 world championship.
The drivers
Alfa Romeo
Valtteri Bottas (Finland, car 77)
Zhou Guanyu (China, car 24)
AlphaTauri
Nyck de Vries (Netherlands, car 21)
Yuki Tsunoda (Japan, car 22)
Alpine
Esteban Ocon (France, car 31)
Pierre Gasly (France, car 10)
Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso (Spain, car 14)
Lance Stroll (Canada, car 18)
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc (Monaco, car 16)
Carlos Sainz (Spain, car 55)
Haas
Kevin Magnussen (Denmark, car 20)
Nico Hulkenberg (Germany, car 27)
McLaren
Lando Norris (GB, car 4)
Oscar Piastri (Australia, car 81)
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton (GB, car 44)
George Russell (GB, car 63)
Red Bull
Max Verstappen (Netherlands, car 1)
Sergio Perez (Mexico, car 11)
Williams
Alexander Albon (Thai-GB, car 23)
Logan Sargeant (USA, car 2)
The race calendar
Bahrain Grand Prix
Bahrain IC, Sakhir
March 3-5
Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah
March 17-19
Australian Grand Prix
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
March 31-April 2
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Baku City Circuit
April 28-30
Miami Grand Prix
Miami International Autodrome
May 5-7
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Imola
May 19-21
Monaco Grand Prix
Monte Carlo
May 26-28
Spanish Grand Prix
Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona
June 2-4
Canadian Grand Prix
Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
June 16-18
Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg
June 30-July 2
British Grand Prix
Silverstone
July 7-9
Hungarian Grand Prix
Hungaroring, Mogyorod
July 21-23
Belgian Grand Prix
Spa-Francorchamps
July 28-30
Dutch Grand Prix
Zandvoort
August 25-27
Italian Grand Prix
Monza
September 1-3
Singapore Grand Prix
Marina Bay, SingaporeMarina Bay, Singapore
September 15-17
Japanese Grand Prix
Suzuka
September 22-24
Qatar Grand Prix
Losail International Circuit, Doha
October 6-8
United States Grand Prix
Circuit of the Americas, Austin
October 20-22
Mexican Grand Prix
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City
October 27-29
Brazilian Grand Prix
Interlagos, Sao Paulo
November 3-5
Las Vegas Grand Prix
Las Vegas Street Circuit
November 17-19
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Yas Marina
November 24-26
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
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
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
Killing of Qassem Suleimani