Considering they have been the two dominant forces of Formula One for almost a decade, it is strange that until this year we have never seen a championship duel between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
Since 2008, Hamilton (three) and Vettel (four) have won seven of the nine world titles. Yet they had never gone head-to-head during that time.
Yes, they were both in the four-way shoot-out for the title in 2010 at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but Hamilton had been a complete outsider that season, and it was due to mistakes from the inexperienced Vettel, who was driving the best car in the field in the Red Bull Racing chassis that year, that the championship had gone down to the wire at all.
But the stars have finally aligned and we have Hamilton v Vettel, both in strong cars, going up against each other to be the champion, and if the first five races of the season are anything to go by it has been well worth the wait.
Sunday’s race in Spain was the best so far of 2017 as Hamilton and Vettel tussled wheel-to-wheel at times, and it was a great duel between two drivers at the top of their games, pushing each other to the limit, and their respective teams in Mercedes-GP and Ferrari frantically working on the pit-wall to try to get their man the optimum pit strategy.
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■ Read more: Hamilton cuts into Vettel's lead with Spanish Grand Prix win
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Hamilton was the victor Sunday, but there was really not much in it, and the fact that he had to work so hard to prevail clearly meant a lot to him.
“That is how racing should be today,” he enthused of the 66-lap race, which he won by 3.490 seconds. Talking directly about Vettel, he said: “It is a real privilege to race against someone as good as him.”
Vettel, understandably as the man who finished second, was not quite as emotive, but he did say “it was a nice race”.
It was a big performance from Hamilton, coming two weeks after one of his worst displays in recent years when he finished a distant fourth in Russia, more than 36 seconds behind his teammate and race-winner Valtteri Bottas.
Order was restored this weekend, with Hamilton on pole and then proving to be the only Mercedes capable of fighting Vettel in race conditions after the German had taken the lead from the second on the grid at the start.
Strategy would play a significant part in the race with Mercedes’s decision to put Hamilton on the harder tyres at his first pit stop proving inspired, as it meant he could go on the softer compound for the closing laps at his second stop, while Vettel and Ferrari chose to go on the hard tyre last.
It meant Hamilton had a pace advantage and he was able to pass Vettel around the outside at Turn 1 at the start of Lap 44. He then paced himself to the finish for his 55th career victory.
After the previous three seasons of Mercedes domination, when Hamilton’s only real competition most weekends was with retired world champion Nico Rosberg in the German marque’s other car, racing Ferrari and Vettel is exciting him.
Hamilton added: “It was just the rawest fight I can remember having for some time, which I loved ... To have those close battles with him, a four-time champion, is awesome.”
It is now 2-2 between Hamilton and Vettel in wins this year – 3-2 to Mercedes – and Vettel has a six-point lead in the standings.
It has been a long time since F1 has had a great duel between two champions at the front. It is hard to call on who will take the title this season, but if Hamilton and Vettel continue to serve up entertainment like on Sunday then regardless of who is the victor on track, it will be the fans who win off it.
* With agency
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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On sale: Available for preorder now
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Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
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Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
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%3Cp%3EEncourage%20innovation%20in%20the%20metaverse%20field%20and%20boost%20economic%20contribution%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20outstanding%20talents%20through%20education%20and%20training%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20applications%20and%20the%20way%20they%20are%20used%20in%20Dubai's%20government%20institutions%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAdopt%2C%20expand%20and%20promote%20secure%20platforms%20globally%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDevelop%20the%20infrastructure%20and%20regulations%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
SUZUME
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Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
