Lewis Hamilton has cleared the air with his Ferrari rival Fernando Alonso ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix.
Hamilton, the world championship leader, said the pair had swapped conciliatory text messages in the wake of their war of words after Hamilton had finished second in the European Grand Prix in Valencia last month. Hamilton received a drive-through penalty for an infringement, but Alonso said sterner punishment was needed.
"We are in touch. He has my number and I have his number," the McLaren-Mercedes driver told Reuters ahead of Sunday's race at Silverstone.
"We messaged the other day," Hamilton said. "Things are cool. I just messaged him to see how he was doing and he said everything's cool and he knows how the racing world works and this is a tough year."
Alonso was critical of his former McLaren teammate after Hamilton had illegally overtaken the safety car while Alonso and his Ferrari teammate, Felipe Massa, drove within the rules. Both lost track position, eventually finishing eighth and 11th, respectively.
The Formula One stewards were also condemned by Alonso for taking so long to impose the punishment. They needed almost 30 minutes to conclude that Hamilton had broken the rules, allowing the Briton enough laps to create a sizeable margin over his rivals to be able to take the penalty without losing track position.
Alonso, who is fighting with Hamilton, the second McLaren of Jenson Button, and the two Red bull-Renault drivers, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, for this year's title, was furious at how the events had unfolded in Valencia.
The Spaniard had said the race was "manipulated". The Ferrari team spoke darkly of a "false race".
Hamilton had suggested the comments were "sour grapes" in the immediate aftermath, but Alonso said last week that he had calmed down and turned his attention to Silverstone.
Martin Whitmarsh, the McLaren team boss, said he had no issue with what Alonso had said in the heat of the moment and encouraged drivers to speak their minds.
"You are going to get two drivers who see the same incident from completely different perspectives and want to vent their spleen on the day and thereafter," he told reporters after a fan forum last week.
"But you've got to have some of that. Alonso was fairly outspoken, but actually people want a bit of that. It doesn't worry me."
Whitmarsh said there had to be a limit, but drivers also had to be able to query the stewards' decisions without fear of punishment.
"In the past you haven't been able to question," he said.
"People complained about the sterility of conversations and debate within the paddock. Well, there was a regime in which you weren't allowed to even hint at 'have we got it right?'.
"I don't think it's reasonable for any of us to then go on a blast and criticise the FIA (International Automobile Federation) over anything.
"There have to be some limits and we have to be respectful to the FIA," added the chairman of FOTA, the teams' association.
"But I think it's acceptable for people to display their passion and enthusiasm and aggrievement from time to time in the sport. I think that's a healthy thing."
Meanwhile, Fairuz Fauzy, the Malaysian test driver, will take part in four more Friday practice sessions for Lotus this season, starting with Silverstone this week, the team said yesterday.
Fauzy tested for the grid newcomers in pre-season and also drove in free practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix in April.
* Reuters
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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.
Read more from Kareem Shaheen
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
more from Janine di Giovanni
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
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
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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
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
RESULT
Kolkata Knight Riders 169-7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals 144-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata win by 25 runs
Next match
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders, Friday, 5.30pm