Another Formula 1 season ends soon after dusk on Sunday but the sun is yet to set on Mercedes remorseless domination of the sport.
Even though the ruler’s crown wobbled briefly in mid-season - as Red Bull and Ferrari conjured five wins in seven races bridging the summer break - it was too little, too late.
The reigning champions had kicked off the year like they had never been away with eight straight wins, finishing the first six of them 1-2, and the die was cast.
So the first lesson was: never trust pre-season testing. Every lap until the first race in Melbourne suggested Maranello were runaway pacesetters.
Instead Mercedes have become the first F1 operation to win six double world titles on the trot.
As devastating as ever, Lewis Hamilton pretty much tucked the driver’s championship away by mid-May
His teammate had promised us Bottas 2.0 and he duly won the opening round. But that was it and his dignified announcement a couple of days ago over the end of his three-year marriage revealed the private torment he has been battling.
The only real discussion when it comes to Hamilton is where he stands in the pantheon. Not his right to be there – but just how high up the scale he should sit.
Some put him ahead of Ayrton Senna and Fangio, others say he is behind Michael Schumacher. Take your pick.
Inside the cockpit he has been as remorseless as ever; beyond the paddock he appears to have matured, selling his Lear jet, and taking on more of the responsibilities of a global icon, speaking out on social issues such as climate change, veganism, dolphin hunting and even depression.
And then there is the rise - and rise - of Max Verstappen. If this year has proved anything it is that the Mercedes champion has at least one equal.
This is not one fading super nova standing in the face of a new sun. Hamilton is at the peak of his powers – and at times the Dutchman has been more than his equal - most noticeably in Brazil a fortnight ago.
While their stock rose, Sebastian Vettel’s shrank. On this form he is a busted flush, outclassed by a lightning-fast teammate fresh out of rookie school.
Vettel’s season has been erratic and error strewn (causing daft accidents at Silverstone and Brazil) and his only win owed more to a dubious team strategy call than his own speed.
Then crashing into his own teammate in Sao Paulo. On the straight. That’s plain embarrassing.
Whether he lacks the speed or simply the desire to achieve it is a moot point. His days at Maranello appear numbered.
Given 2021 will usher in radical rule change there is a strong argument for changing a driver at the end of this year and not next, when his deal expires.
The answer could be to recruit Daniel Ricciardo, who was so fast Renault have shown highly-rated Nico Hulkenberg the door for 2020. But could Ricciardo be prised from Renault? Doubtful.
The Scuderia’s problems cannot be blamed on Vettel alone. Under their fourth principal in five years Ferrari reminded everyone of their talent for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, throwing away four possible wins even before the summer break.
Charles Leclerc instantly established his credentials as a risen star, eclipsing Vettel in every department. Not bad when you're racing a four-time champion who has won more races than you've competed in. Basic newboy errors, the worst of which cost him victory in Austria, has shown he is not yet the finished article.
Liberty Media, F1’s new owners, unveiled long-overdue rule changes for 2021 which promise closer racing and more overtaking.
But the teams, disgruntled as they were with the eventual compromise, managed to water down some of the proposals (aero and braking among them) proving yet again they have too much influence.
Ferrari’s power to veto any rule it doesn’t like is chief among them, although it was not exercised here.
But one of the most fundamental issues highlighted time and again in 2019 was the job done by the race stewards.
Erratic decision-making and inconsistent penalties rankled with fans much as VAR does in the Premier League.
Liberty Media and the FIA continue to resist a move to a permanent stewards panel made up, largely, of ex-F1 racers. Currently, the four-man panel is an odd mix of local and international motor sporting dignitaries led by the Race Director with one ex-racer picked on a rotating basis.
As ever the deciding factor is surely money (well this is F1!) The driver steward is an unpaid, voluntary role and one cynic suggested it is easy to see why any organisation would resist switching to a system with, say, three permanent ex-drivers which would surely increase their annual salary bill by something approaching £1m.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
SPECS
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Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
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
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
Five films to watch
Castle in the Sky (1986)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poki (1994)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Results:
5pm: Baynunah Conditions (UAE bred) Dh80,000 1,400m.
Winner: Al Tiryaq, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Abdullah Al Hammadi (trainer).
5.30pm: Al Zahra Handicap (rated 0-45) Dh 80,000 1,400m:
Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
6pm: Al Ras Al Akhdar Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m.
Winner: Jaahiz, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Al Reem Island Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m.
Winner: AF Al Jahed, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
7pm: Al Khubairah Handicap (TB) 100,000 2,200m.
Winner: Empoli, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 2,200m.
Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More coverage from the Future Forum
Honeymoonish
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm
Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: L/100km
Price: Dh306,495
On sale: now
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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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
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
UAE FIXTURES
October 18 – 7.30pm, UAE v Oman, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 19 – 7.30pm, UAE v Ireland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 21 – 2.10pm, UAE v Hong Kong, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 22 – 2.10pm, UAE v Jersey, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 24 – 10am, UAE v Nigeria, Abu Dhabi Cricket Oval 1
October 27 – 7.30pm, UAE v Canada, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 29 – 2.10pm, Playoff 1 – A2 v B3; 7.30pm, Playoff 2 – A3 v B2, at Dubai International Stadium.
October 30 – 2.10pm, Playoff 3 – A4 v Loser of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Playoff 4 – B4 v Loser of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 1 – 2.10pm, Semifinal 1 – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Semifinal 2 – A1 v Winner of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 2 – 2.10pm, Third place Playoff – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Final, at Dubai International Stadium
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
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JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" 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 as 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 had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
