Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 times, schedule and all you need to know

And then there was one. One of the most nail-biting Formula One seasons in recent memory reaches a climax today with the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix witnessed an incredible night of drama and chaos as Lewis Hamilton triumphed over title rival Max Verstappen at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

The Mercedes driver's victory means he is now level on points with Verstappen going into the season finale in the UAE.

Where and when is the final race?

The Abu Dhabi GP takes place at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, December 12.

Current standings

In the drivers' championship, Verstappen and Hamilton are level on 369.5 points each. In the constructors' standings, Hamilton's Mercedes team are on 587.5 points with Verstappen's Red Bull on 559.5.

There are a maximum 26 points up for grabs in Abu Dhabi — 25 for a race victory and one for the fastest lap around the remodelled Yas Marina track.

The simple equation is that whoever finishes higher will win the title.

Verstappen leads Hamilton 9-8 on wins for the season, however — meaning that the 24-year-old Dutchman will be champion if neither he nor Hamilton scores another point.

Schedule

Thursday, December 9

F1 Team track walks: 9am-11.30am; F1 press conference: 2.30pm-6pm

Friday, December 10

F4 UAE Practice: 10.35am-11.05am; F4 UAE Qualifying 3.55pm-4.15pm

F2 Practice: 11.35am-12.20pm; F2 qualifying: 6.30pm-7pm

F1 Practice 1: 1.30pm-2.30pm; F1 Practice 2: 5pm-6pm

Saturday, December 11

F4 UAE First race: 11am-11.30am

F2 First race: 12.20pm-1.10pm

F1 Practice 3: 2pm-3pm; F1 Qualifying: 5pm-6pm; F1 press conference: 6pm-7pm

Sunday, December 12

F4 UAE second race: 11.40am-12.10pm

F2 Third race: 1pm-2.05pm

F1 Fastest Lap & Pit Stop of the Year Award 3pm-3.05pm

F1 End-of-year F1 drivers' photograph 3.05pm-3.10pm

F1 Drivers' parade 3.20pm-3.50pm

F1 Starting grid presentation 3.25pm-3.55pm

F1 National anthem 4.44pm

F1 Grand Prix 5pm-7pm

(Timetable is subject to amendments)

Images released by Abu Dhabi Motorsports showcasing renovations made to Yas Marina Circuit for December's 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. All photos courtesy Abu Dhabi Motorsports

Yas Marina Circuit has undertaken an extensive reconfiguration programme to improve the track’s overall race experience.

Images released by Abu Dhabi Motorsports showcasing renovations made to Yas Marina Circuit for December's 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Safety measures

Covid-19 precautions remain in place with temperature checking, venue sanitisation and social distancing. Masks are to be worn at all times and spectators will need to show a Green Pass through Al Hosn app and a negative PCR test within 96-hours to enter the venue.

Track changes

The capital's 5.554-kilometre circuit on Yas Island has undergone extensive changes since last year's race designed to increase the average speed and the opportunities for drivers to overtake.

Tickets

Grandstand starting Dh660 Hospitality starting Dh1,250

More information is available at www.yasmarinacircuit.com

While you're here

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Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem

Rating: 4/5

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

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Tomorrow 2021

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Low turnout

Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.

Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.

"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."