Red Bull's Max Verstappen has his fourth Formula One title within reach after a stunning drive to victory from 17th on the grid in Brazil on Sunday dealt a shattering blow to Lando Norris' hopes.
Norris, who started the wet and chaotic Sao Paulo race on pole position and 44 points behind Verstappen, finished sixth for McLaren.
The title gap blew out to 62 points with three rounds remaining and 86 points still to be won.
What does Verstappen's win mean for Abu Dhabi?
The 2024 season concludes on December 8 with the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit.
Race fans still hold hope that the race will go down to the wire, though Verstappen's victory at Interlagos has made the window for Norris much smaller.
If results go his way, Verstappen could hit the championship jackpot in the next race down the floodlit Las Vegas Strip on November 24.
To clinch a fourth successive drivers' title, Verstappen simply needs to finish ahead of Norris at the next race in Las Vegas.
Outside of outright victory, Verstappen will automatically take the title if Norris doesn’t outscore him by at least three points in Vegas – while even if Verstappen fails to score, Norris would still need to finish at least 8th or 9th with a fastest lap point.
What does Norris need to do?
Norris will aim to take his challenge all the way to the final two rounds in the Middle East, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
The Briton's best hope would be to take the chequered flag in Vegas and see his Red Bull rival fails to finish.
If the opposite were to happen, it would effectively signal the end of Norris' title bid.
Verstappen has only failed to finish once in the last 69 races, a brake failure prematurely ending his race at this year's Australian GP.
Norris last failed to finish a race in June at the Austrian GP when a collision with his Red Bull rival when fighting over the race lead rendered the car undrivable.
Victories in the three remaining races now has to be Norris' main aim, and hope that Verstappen fails to cross the line in a couple as well.
Is anyone else in contention?
Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri are no longer in the running for the drivers’ title post-Sao Paulo.
Leclerc is currently 86 points adrift of Verstappen in third, with 86 points left available. In the unlikely event that Leclerc won every race, took all the bonus points and won the Sprint in Qatar, and Verstappen failed to score again, the duo would tie at the end of the season, but Verstappen would win based on victory count.
As for Piastri, he is now 131 points behind Verstappen after a disappointing race in Brazil, so can no longer take the title.
A more realistic target for Ferrari driver Leclerc – an impressive winner in the USA and third in Mexico – would be tracking down Norris for second. The Monegasque driver sits 24 points behind Norris.
Conclusion
Verstappen's win in Brazil means it is highly unlikely, though not impossible, we will get a championship decider in Abu Dhabi.
Yas Marina Circuit was the setting of the most dramatic finish in F1 history in 2021.
Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen arrived in the UAE locked on 369.5 points apiece ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP, an epic winner-takes-all title decider that had fans gripped.
Up until a late safety car stoppage, Mercedes' Hamilton looked set to claim his eighth world title with ease, but that all changed on Lap 53 when Nicholas Latifi crashed at corner 14 which brought out a very late safety car on lap 53.
Verstappen pitted onto new soft tyres whilst Hamilton stayed out on the hards, assuming that it would be enough to cross the line in the lead to seal his eighth world title. Instead, the FIA had other ideas and even though lapped cars stayed in position to begin with, five of the seven were allowed to eventually pass Hamilton, which put Verstappen right behind him.
With one lap to go, the safety car then came into the pits. On his much newer tyres, Verstappen cruised past Hamilton to take the first of his three world drivers' championship titles.
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
MATCH INFO
World Cup qualifier
Thailand 2 (Dangda 26', Panya 51')
UAE 1 (Mabkhout 45 2')
Company%20Profile
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Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Company%C2%A0profile
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
SPECS
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