Fernando Alonso will leave Ferrari at the end of the current Formula One season, according to the Italian team’s recently-departed president Luca Di Montezemolo.
Alonso’s decision has not yet been made public by either the Spaniard or the Maranello-based marque, but has been anticipated for the last couple of weeks in the wake of Sebastian Vettel revealing he was leaving Red Bull Racing.
The National’s 2014 F1 season guide: Race calendar, standings, track layouts
Ferrari have also not yet confirmed whether they will link up with the reigning four-times world champion but Di Montezemolo’s announcement on Wednesday paves the way for the German to join the famous company.
Di Montezemolo said on Italian television channel RAI: “Alonso is leaving for two reasons: One, he wants another environment. Two, because he is an age when he cannot wait to win again.”
Alonso, a world champion in 2005 and 2006 with Renault, had high hopes of adding to his crowns after joining Ferrari in 2010.
Despite finishing runner-up to Vettel in three of the last four years, including taking the championship to the final race in 2010 and 2012, Alonso has not had the success he would have been craving.
Di Montezemolo admitted that the team’s ailing fortunes – Ferrari have not won a constructors’ title since 2008, while neither Alonso nor Kimi Raikkonen have topped the podium this season – have been a large factor in the 33-year-old’s departure.
He is sixth in the standings this year, with just two podium appearances after finishing third in China in April and runner-up in Hungary in April.
“He was disappointed that he has not won over these last years and wanted new stimulus,” added Di Montezemolo, who left his post earlier this week after 23 years in office and has been replaced by Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive officer of parent company Fiat.
Alonso appears to have limited options available to him ahead of next year, with a move mostly likely to McLaren appearing the only choice other than taking a self-imposed one-year sabbatical from the sport.
The prospect of him joining the Woking-based team throws into doubt the destiny of 2009 champion Jenson Button, whose deal with McLaren expires at the end of the season.
The Briton has been confident of retaining his seat and could yet form a strong partnership with Alonso were McLaren to decide to keep the 34-year-old on – instead of their other driver Kevin Magnussen – when the team switches to Honda engines next year.
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Our legal consultant
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
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SPECS
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Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
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Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
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Key facilities
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
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Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
