The Bahrain Grand Prix in Manama got the red light after the nod from the Crown Prince.
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Manama got the red light after the nod from the Crown Prince.

Abu Dhabi willing to accommodate Bahrain Grand Prix



Bahrain and Abu Dhabi were originally granted dates at opposite ends of the Formula One calendar to get maximum exposure for the Gulf region, but the UAE would not object to the postponed Bahrain race being rescheduled at the end of the season.

That was the word yesterday from Mohammed ben Sulayem, a vice-president on the World Motor Sports Council (WMSC) and the president of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE.

"We are organisers of the Abu Dhabi race and we respect the [FIA's] judgement," ben Sulayem said. "Finding time in the calendar is feasible.

"Originally, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain agreed to have a big separation on the calendar to make the most of the exposure that a grand prix brings. However, this is an emergency and in an emergency we need to work together."

Bahrain's decision to call off the season-opening race on March 13 because of unrest in the country has been met with widespread relief and international approval.

But the question of when – or if – the race should be rescheduled was a hot topic for F1 teams and officials yesterday.

Bernie Ecclestone, the Formula One chief, appeared reluctant to confirm whether, if the unrest in Bahrain subsides, the race would be held later this year.

Ecclestone told the BBC he is "looking to see how we can slot it in".

But he also added, when asked if it will definitely take place this year: "We don't know yet; we will need to wait and see."

With 20 grands prix on the calendar, 2011 was going to be the busiest year in the sport's history. Bahrain's withdrawal does not massively change that, but it does mean the season, as it stands today, will be two weeks shorter.

The Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 27 will now open the season, with the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo on November 27 marking the end.

Ben Sulayem told The National yesterday that he discussed the situation with Ecclestone by telephone twice in the past seven days and that postponing the Bahrain race was a "wise decision".

"I spoke with Bernie and he was very straight. It wasn't for us to decide. It was up to the Crown Prince of Bahrain because there are more important things going on there than motorsports," ben Sulayem said.

"What is crucial is Bahrain get their priorities right and I believe they have done so. Stability is the most important factor at this stage, but once it returns then we will push to bring the race back, because we know they would do the same for us."

A decision regarding the race – which has been held at Sakhir, south of Manama, since 2004 – cannot be made until organisers at the Bahrain International Circuit officially make a request to be re-included, ben Sulayem said.

The WMSC meets next week and will discuss the situation, but until Bahrain circuit officials formally request Ecclestone's Formula One Management (FOM) group to find them a place on the calendar, nothing will be decided.

"If a request comes from Bahrain, the FOM has to find a place on the calendar and Bahrain have to agree to it," he said. "Then the World Council will need to approve it."

If no request for a new race date is made by next week, the WMSC's subsequent meeting in June would be the next opportunity for Bahrain to have its request heard.

Everyone agrees that the current calendar is congested and the possibility of squeezing in one more race in is far from ideal. But if Bahrain is adamant about securing a race later this season - and the country has been unfaltering in its support of F1, including paying tens of millions of dollars to host the season-opening race - there are two realistic gaps that could be exploited by Ecclestone.

There are free weekends either side of the penultimate race of the season in Abu Dhabi on November 13 and, logistically at least, it would make sense for Bahrain to be paired as close to the UAE race as possible. Ben Sulayem said yesterday that this year could be an exception to the strategy of having the two races separated by as much time as possible.

ALSO:

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others

Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.

As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.

Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.

“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”

Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.

“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”

Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.

box

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Letstango.com

Started: June 2013

Founder: Alex Tchablakian

Based: Dubai

Industry: e-commerce

Initial investment: Dh10 million

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month

Famous left-handers

- Marie Curie

- Jimi Hendrix

- Leonardo Di Vinci

- David Bowie

- Paul McCartney

- Albert Einstein

- Jack the Ripper

- Barack Obama

- Helen Keller

- Joan of Arc

Jebel Ali results

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard

3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson

4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson

4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson

5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m

Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer

Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year

2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)

THE CARD

2pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

2.30pm: Handicap Dh 76,000 (D) 1,400m

3pm: Handicap Dh 64,000 (D) 1,200m

3.30pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh 100,000 (D) 1,000m

4pm: Maiden Dh 60,000 (D) 1,000m

4.30pm: Handicap 64,000 (D) 1,950m

MATCH INFO

Tottenham 4 (Alli 51', Kane 50', 77'. Aurier 73')

Olympiakos 2 (El-Arabi 06', Semedo')

Squid Game season two

Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk 

Stars:  Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun

Rating: 4.5/5

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
Boulder shooting victims

• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
RESULT

Bayern Munich 0 AC Milan 4
Milan: Kessie (14'), Cutrone (25', 43'), Calhanoglu (85')

The biog

Date of birth: 27 May, 1995

Place of birth: Dubai, UAE

Status: Single

School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar

University: University of Sharjah

Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.

Fanney Khan

Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora

Director: Atul Manjrekar

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand

Rating: 2/5 

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.