The final race of the season ended in thrilling fashion on Sunday as Lando Norris scored his first win at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix and fourth race win of an impressive season.
In taking the chequered flag at Yas Marina Circuit, Norris also clinched the constructors' championship for McLaren – the British team's first team title since 1998.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen could afford to let McLaren and Ferrari battle it out at the front, denied a fifth consecutive win in Abu Dhabi following an earlier collision with Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren.
The Dutchman finished sixth in the race but had already secured a fourth consecutive drivers' title two weeks previous in Las Vegas.
The National reviews a year that began in Bahrain in March and culminated on Sunday with a record 24th race in Abu Dhabi.
Masterful Max
After coasting to the past two world titles Verstappen was again seen as a dead-cert for a fourth driver's crown, a sequence that begun with his controversial defeat of Lewis Hamilton on the last lap of the season at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver secured victories in seven of the first 10 races to set the early pace and also highlighted his single focus determination as he blocked out the malaise surrounding the team in pre-season testing.
Team principal Christian Horner looked to be on his way out as he fought off accusations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague. A secret inquiry cleared the beleaguered Briton and Horner was in the pitlane for the season opener in Bahrain. An internal power struggle at the Austrian giants simmered away though, then came the bombshell that their technical genius, Adrian Newey, was quitting to join Aston Martin from 2025.
None of this appeared to faze Verstappen as victory in Spain in June gave him a commanding lead in the title race. Little did he know then but that was to be the last time he was to win a race until he snapped an 11-race winless run in Brazil in November. He then extinguished Norris' slim chances of seizing his crown under the lights of Las Vegas with two races to spare.
As he leaves Abu Dhabi, Verstappen's thoughts will already turn to how he can do what no driver has done since Michael Schumacher in 2004 and win five successive F1 drivers' titles.
Hamilton swaps Mercedes for Ferrari
Sunday was an emotional day in Abu Dhabi for Lewis Hamilton, driving his final race with Mercedes.
The British driver announced ahead of the season that he was moving to Ferrari next year, brining to an end his 11-year association with the Silver Arrows, where he won six of his seven world drivers' titles.
Hamilton won two races in 2024 but finished a distant seventh in the final standings – one place lower than teammate George Russell.
Hamilton is hoping the gamble on a move to Ferrari proves as fortuitous as his equally shocking move when he quit McLaren in 2013 for Mercedes. Ferrari's uptick in fortunes under French team principal Fred Vasseur, with whom Hamilton has a strong relationship, augurs well for a golden drive into his F1 sunset.
McLaren end wilderness years
Abu Dhabi proved a happy hunting ground for McLaren on Sunday. After dominating Saturday's qualifying, Norris would go on to win Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to claim second place in the drivers' championship, but the British team pipped Ferrari to the constructors' crown – ending a 26-year wait for that championship.
The end-of-year-standings are crucial for teams – one place representing a difference of millions of dollars, with the 2003 champions Red Bull estimated to have won $140 million, the last and 10th-placed outfit collecting $60m.
This was the British marque's 21st world title, and the confidence it will generate – aligned with the extra cash – puts Zak Brown's outfit in a tremendous position for 2025.
Changing lanes
The drivers' merry-go-round that usually starts spinning in the mid-summer break began this year in February with Hamilton's decision to quit Mercedes for Ferrari. He replaces Carlos Sainz, who moves over to Williams.
F1 bade farewell to one of the sport's most likeable and popular drivers – Daniel Ricciardo, let go by Red Bull's sister team RB in favour of Kiwi Liam Lawson in September.
Other familiar faces leaving the grid are Sauber duo Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, and Kevin Magnussen of Haas. Despite his poor season Sergio Perez remains Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull, for the time being at least. Exciting newcomers are Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who replaces Hamilton at Mercedes, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, and Jack Doohan, son of former MotoGP star Mick Doohan, who takes over Haas-bound Esteban Ocon's seat at Alpine. German veteran Nico Hulkenburg makes the reverse switch to Swiss team Sauber from Haas.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Brief scores:
Newcastle United 1
Perez 23'
Wolverhampton Rovers 2
Jota 17', Doherty 90' 4
Red cards: Yedlin 57'
Man of the Match: Diogo Jota (Wolves)
No_One Ever Really Dies
N*E*R*D
(I Am Other/Columbia)
Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
Uruguay 3 Russia 0
Uruguay: Suárez (10'), Cheryshev (23' og), Cavani (90')
Russia: Smolnikov (Red card: 36')
Man of the match: Diego Godin (Uruguay)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE%20FIXTURES
%3Cp%3EWednesday%2019%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3EFriday%2021%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Hong%20Kong%3Cbr%3ESunday%2023%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2026%20April%20%E2%80%93%20UAE%20v%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2029%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Semi-finals%3Cbr%3ESunday%2030%20April%20%E2%80%93%20Third%20position%20match%3Cbr%3EMonday%201%20May%20%E2%80%93%20Final%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More on Quran memorisation:
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
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Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The five pillars of Islam
Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon
Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon
1999 - 1st round
2000 - 1st round
2001 - Quarter-finalist
2002 - 1st round
2003 - Winner
2004 - Winner
2005 - Winner
2006 - Winner
2007 - Winner
2008 - Finalist
2009 - Winner
2010 - Quarter-finalist
2011 - Quarter-finalist
2012 - Winner
2013 - 2nd round
2014 - Finalist
2015 - Finalist
2016 - Semi-finalist
