There's always a real buzz in Abu Dhabi around the time of the Grand Prix and whether you're a fan of Formula One, or not, there's plenty to see and do.
We have rounded up some of the best ways to get involved in the hype without hitting the grandstands.
F1 FanZone
If you’re not in the stands at Yas Marina Circuit, the next best place to be is at the F1 FanZone at the West Plaza on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. As well as live broadcasts of the action on the circuit, there is a range of activities that will appeal to F1 fans.
The Dubizzle stand, for example, is offering “F1 Car Wheel Change” as well as simulators that put fans in the driver’s seat of an F1 race car. In the Motion Simulator, visitors will experience the G-forces that drivers experience as they take corners, accelerate and brake. Head to the Batak stands where there’s an interactive performance game that tests reaction time, fitness and flexibility in 60 seconds.
The F1 FanZone is open Friday and Saturday from 4pm to midnight and on Sunday from 5pm to 11pm.
Beats on the Beach. Vidhyaa for the National
The music
For those more into racy tunes than racing, the Formula One weekend never disappoints. Usually it’s not possible to buy tickets separately to the After-Race Concerts on Yas Island, so head to the Corniche for Beats on the Beach and be spoilt with a line-up of locally based, regional and international stars. The best part is that it’s free.
Hitting the stage tonight are Grammy award-winner Sean Paul, former X Factor Middle East contestant Adham Nabulsi, Arab boy band The 5 and UAE teen sensation Esther Eden. Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram, funk-rock troupe Bull Funk Zoo, hip-hop artist Travis Scott and the winner of the Emerging Talent Competition will perform on Saturday.
Gates open at 6.30pm, but it's wise to get to the Corniche early to secure a comfortable position and take public transport as the traffic is always a mess. The National's Arts&Life editor, Saeed Saeed, who is a Beats on the Beach veteran, also recommends making sure your phone is fully charged before you go, in case you get separated from your family and friends (and so you can post pics to social media). "Take a coat too as there can be a cool breeze on the Corniche at night-time," Saeed advises.
For an adults-only music experience, Mad on Yas Island nightclub has an all-star line-up over the weekend, with Sean Paul and Rita Ora on Friday, Travis Scott on Saturday and Future on Sunday. For information and table reservations, visit www.madonyasisland.com.
Origins terrace. Courtesy Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi
Restaurants and bars
If you don’t have grandstand tickets for race weekend, you may still be able to watch some of the racing from one of the restaurants at Yas Viceroy. The most coveted tables will be those outside, so don’t be surprised if they’re already booked by this late stage. You’ll still be able to stand on the terraces, though, between bites. Consider what part of the race you want to see (practice, qualifying, race), as that will determine whether you’ll need a lunch or dinner sitting and the day (see race time box below). It will also reflect in the prices – Sunday will be most expensive. Don’t forget that there’s also other racing, such as GP2 and GP3, throughout the weekend so there’ll barely be a quiet moment. Meal packages start from Dh444 (including taxes and charges). Call the hotel on 02 656 0600 for availability and reservations.
There are more options on the other side of the marina where Stars ‘n’ Bars has live entertainment and no reservations or tickets are necessary. Diablitos is also accepting walk-ins, however rooftop tables will be subject to a minimum spend and maximum allocation of two hours. Iris is offering a buffet brunch each afternoon, along with daily entertainment and a live band.
Amber Lounge. Courtesy Amber Lounge
After-parties
An F1 Grand Prix, anywhere in the world, is a great opportunity for celebrity-spotting and Abu Dhabi is no exception. The best places are the after-parties and there’s no shortage of them. You won’t catch any of the racing action, but you may be lucky enough to spot one of the drivers.
The biggest and best established of the after-parties is Amber Lounge, which sets up at Yas Links golf club, and, in previous years, has hosted guests such as Lewis Hamilton, Prince Harry, Kylie Minogue and Hugh Grant. Tickets cost from Dh3,030, which includes entry and unlimited drinks. Visit amber-lounge.com for tickets.
The VIP Room has a pop-up club again this year on the third floor of Yas Marina Building 1 (Cipriani), where it will host techno music heavyweight DJ Luciano and socialite Paris Hilton on Friday, Canadian rapper Drake on Saturday and unnamed “celebrity” guests on Sunday night. Reservations can be made by calling 052 881 8888 or by emailing bookings@viproom-dubai.com.
The Podium Lounge will be held at Rush, the bar that spans the racetrack at Yas Viceroy. It also promises celebrities, drivers and music all night long. General admission is free for women and Dh200 for men, and VIP packages are available. Contact VIP@podiumlounge.com or 056 113 4626.
Elsewhere on Yas
If you can’t get trackside, then securing yourself a position on the island, where you can hear the cars and feel the buzz, could be the next best thing. Many Yas Island attractions, such as Yas Beach, Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld have something special organised.
Yas Beach has a pool party with DJs on Friday and Saturday, starting from 1pm, but there’s also a kids’ area for families with inflatables and activities. Call 050 952 2283 for more information.
Ferrari World will be busy as it opens its doors for free this weekend to Grand Prix ticket holders, but F1 drivers have also been known to stop by and try out the rides and test their skills on the simulators. Entry this weekend costs from Dh275 for adults and Dh230 for children under 1.3m tall. Spend Dh20 more and get access to Yas Waterworld as well (valid for the same day). The waterpark will have DJs and special offers on food and drinks during the weekend. Tickets can be bought at the venue or online from ferrariworldabudhabi.com or yaswaterworld.com.
Get Driver Fit challenge onstacle course. Christopher Pike / The National
Get Driver Fit
This is the last weekend of the Get Driver Fit free fitness programme, so if you haven’t been making the most of the sessions, now is your last chance to do so. There’s boot camp, yoga, Zumba and boxing classes on the beach.
Alternatively, head to Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym on the Corniche, where a variety of fitness equipment has been assembled, and work out under the supervision of GDF trainers.
Race times
Friday, November 25
Practice 1, 1pm to 2pm
Practice 2, 5pm to 6.30pm
Saturday
Practice 3, 2pm to 3pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Race, 5pm
atomlinson@thenational.ae
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, second leg
Liverpool (0) v Atletico Madrid (1)
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
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Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Name: Mariam Ketait
Emirate: Dubai
Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language
Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown
Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
Results:
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1.400m | Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Saab, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Majd Al Gharbia, Saif Al Balushi, Ridha ben Attia
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed Dh 180,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Money To Burn, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh 70,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Kafu, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 2,400m | Winner: Brass Ring, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
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Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
