• Race winner and 2021 F1 world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing team celebrate on the podium after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on December 12, 2021. Victor Besa / The National
    Race winner and 2021 F1 world champion Max Verstappen and his Red Bull Racing team celebrate on the podium after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on December 12, 2021. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen fought off Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting finish. Victor Besa / The National
    Verstappen fought off Lewis Hamilton in a nail-biting finish. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen runs to celebrate with his team. Victor Besa / The National
    Verstappen runs to celebrate with his team. Victor Besa / The National
  • The Dutch driver clinched the race and the championship on the final lap. Victor Besa / The National
    The Dutch driver clinched the race and the championship on the final lap. Victor Besa / The National
  • Race fans cheer as Verstappen wins. Victor Besa / The National
    Race fans cheer as Verstappen wins. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen enjoys that winning feeling. Reuters
    Verstappen enjoys that winning feeling. Reuters
  • Verstappen drinks in the moment as Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton looks dejected after finishing second. Reuters
    Verstappen drinks in the moment as Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton looks dejected after finishing second. Reuters
  • Verstappen and Hamilton go head to head on the track. Victor Besa / The National
    Verstappen and Hamilton go head to head on the track. Victor Besa / The National
  • An Etihad Airways flyover before the race. The airline sponsored the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National
    An Etihad Airways flyover before the race. The airline sponsored the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen in action. Victor Besa / The National
    Verstappen in action. Victor Besa / The National
  • Hamilton took an early lead. Victor Besa / The National
    Hamilton took an early lead. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen and Hamilton led the championship going into the final race. Victor Besa / The National
    Verstappen and Hamilton led the championship going into the final race. Victor Besa / The National
  • The start of the race. Reuters
    The start of the race. Reuters
  • Drivers pose for their end-of-season picture before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. AP
    Drivers pose for their end-of-season picture before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. AP
  • Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel before the race. Reuters
    Aston Martin's Sebastian Vettel before the race. Reuters
  • Fans of Verstappen and Hamilton before the race. Reuters
    Fans of Verstappen and Hamilton before the race. Reuters
  • Hamilton looks relaxed before the race. Reuters
    Hamilton looks relaxed before the race. Reuters
  • Verstappen looks like he means business. Reuters
    Verstappen looks like he means business. Reuters
  • Hamilton soaks up the early atmosphere. Victor Besa / The National
    Hamilton soaks up the early atmosphere. Victor Besa / The National
  • Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas with his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. Victor Besa / The National
    Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas with his girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell. Victor Besa / The National
  • Verstappen arrives at the circuit with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. Reuters
    Verstappen arrives at the circuit with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. Reuters
  • Hamilton on the Yas Marina Circuit. AFP
    Hamilton on the Yas Marina Circuit. AFP

Abu Dhabi to bring down curtain on record 24-race F1 calendar


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi will host the final race of the 2023 season after Formula One's governing body announced a record 24-race calendar.

Yas Marina Circuit is contracted to host the final race of the F1 season until 2030 and will stage the 2023 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26.

A new addition to the calendar will see Las Vegas make its floodlit debut a week before. Monaco, meanwhile, signed a new deal to secure its place on the calendar until at least 2025.

"The presence of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale," said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

"The addition of new venues and the retention of traditional events underlines the FIA’s sound stewardship of the sport," added the Emirati.

The Las Vegas Strip circuit takes a November 18 date as the season's penultimate round and third in the United States. It will also be the first race to be held on a Saturday since 1985.

"The Las Vegas Grand Prix is going to take F1 race weekends to the next level," said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali. "The entire city is buzzing with excitement for next year's race."

The Grand Prix's 6.12km track along the famed Las Vegas Strip will see drivers roar past landmarks such as the Bellagio Fountains and Caesars Palace at an event expected to attract 170,000 fans.

  • Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco celebrates after setting the pole position in the qualifying session at the Monaco racetrack on Saturday, May 28, 2022. AP
    Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco celebrates after setting the pole position in the qualifying session at the Monaco racetrack on Saturday, May 28, 2022. AP
  • Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, left, is congratulated by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. AP
    Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco, left, is congratulated by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. AP
  • Ferrari's Charles Leclerc of Monaco smiles after securing pole position. AP
    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc of Monaco smiles after securing pole position. AP
  • Max Verstappen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. Getty
    Max Verstappen during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. Getty
  • Spectators watch from the stands in Monte Carlo. Reuters
    Spectators watch from the stands in Monte Carlo. Reuters
  • Ferrar's Carlos Sainz on track during qualifying. Getty
    Ferrar's Carlos Sainz on track during qualifying. Getty
  • Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari. Getty
    Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari. Getty
  • George Russell in his Mercedes. Getty
    George Russell in his Mercedes. Getty
  • Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on his home track. AP
    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc on his home track. AP
  • Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during qualifying. AP
    Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during qualifying. AP

Monaco, historically F1's most glamorous race, had its future thrown into doubt earlier in the year amid contract renewal talks.

Formula One said a new three-year deal had now been signed with the Automobile Club de Monaco, whose president Michel Boeri added that it was likely to be renewed.

The principality retains its traditional May 28 slot as the eighth race and middle part of a triple-header with Italy's Imola and Spain's Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.

This season was to have had a record 23 races but that was reduced to 22 after Russia's race in Sochi was cancelled following the invasion of Ukraine.

Bahrain will open the season on March 5 with Saudi Arabia's street Jeddah street circuit the next race on March 19.

The calendar also avoids a clash with the 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year on June 10-11.

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone on July 9 will be on the weekend before the Wimbledon men's and women's tennis finals on July 15-16.

  • Zhou Guanyu's Alfa Romeo crashes at the start of the British GP at Silverstone on Sunday, July 3, 2022. Getty
    Zhou Guanyu's Alfa Romeo crashes at the start of the British GP at Silverstone on Sunday, July 3, 2022. Getty
  • Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
    Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
  • Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes at Silverstone. Getty
    Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes at Silverstone. Getty
  • Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes at Silverstone. Getty
    Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes at Silverstone. Getty
  • Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
    Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
  • Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
    Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
  • Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu after the crash. AFP
    Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu after the crash. AFP
  • Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
    Alfa Romeo driver Guanyu Zhou crashes at the start of the British Grand Prix. AP
  • Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes into the barrier. PA
    Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu crashes into the barrier. PA
  • Mercedes driver George Russell checks on Guanyu Zhou. EPA
    Mercedes driver George Russell checks on Guanyu Zhou. EPA
  • The huge crash at the start of the British GP. AP
    The huge crash at the start of the British GP. AP
  • Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrates after winning the British GP. AFP
    Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrates after winning the British GP. AFP
  • Carlos Sainz and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. AFP
    Carlos Sainz and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. AFP
  • Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrates winning the race on the podium. Reuters
    Ferrari's Carlos Sainz celebrates winning the race on the podium. Reuters
  • Carlos Sainz celebrates on the podium with second-placed Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and third-placed Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Reuters
    Carlos Sainz celebrates on the podium with second-placed Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and third-placed Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes. Reuters

The traditional August break is maintained, with Belgium becoming the last race before it at the end of July — and following on from Hungary — rather than the first after.

Belgium's longer-term future remains uncertain, with organisers signing only a one-year extension last month.

Qatar, with a race on October 8, returns as a fourth Middle Eastern round after being absent this year due to the country hosting the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

China, which last hosted a race in 2019, returns despite lingering uncertainty over Covid-19 restrictions while France, whose race was at Le Castellet's Circuit Paul Ricard near Marseille, has been dropped as previously announced.

Azerbaijan and Miami remain as back-to-back races on April 30 and May 7 respectively.

  • Mercedes driver George Russell on track during second practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at the Miami International Autodrome on May 06, 2022 in Miami, Florida. AFP
    Mercedes driver George Russell on track during second practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at the Miami International Autodrome on May 06, 2022 in Miami, Florida. AFP
  • George Russell steers during the second practice session of the Miami Formula One Grand Prix. AFP
    George Russell steers during the second practice session of the Miami Formula One Grand Prix. AFP
  • George Russell on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
    George Russell on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly in action during practice. Reuters
    Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly in action during practice. Reuters
  • Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
    Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
  • Max Verstappen on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Max Verstappen on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
  • Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
    Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. AFP
  • Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
  • Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Charles Leclerc on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
  • Lewis Hamilton on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Lewis Hamilton on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
  • Lewis Hamilton on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Lewis Hamilton on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
  • Red Bull driver Sergio Perez on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty
    Red Bull driver Sergio Perez on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami. Getty

Calendar:

March 5 - Bahrain

March 19 - Saudi Arabia (Jeddah)

April 2 - Australia (Melbourne)

April 16 - China (Shanghai)

April 30 - Azerbaijan (Baku)

May 7 - Miami

May 21 - Emilia Romagna (Imola)

May 28 - Monaco

June 4 - Spain (Barcelona)

June 18 - Canada (Montreal)

July 2 - Austria (Spielberg)

July 9 - Britain (Silverstone)

July 23 - Hungary

July 30 - Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)

Aug 27 - Netherlands (Zandvoort)

Sept 3 - Italy (Monza)

Sept 17 - Singapore

Sept 24 - Japan (Suzuka)

Oct 8 - Qatar

Oct 22 - United States (Austin)

Oct 29 - Mexico

Nov 5 - Brazil (Interlagos)

Nov 18 - Las Vegas

Nov 26 - Abu Dhabi

Racecard

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m

8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m

The National selections

6.30pm: Chaddad

7.05pm: Down On Da Bayou

7.40pm: Mass Media

8.15pm: Rafal

8.50pm: Yulong Warrior

9.25pm: Chiefdom

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

Results

4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).

4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

57%20Seconds
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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Top financial tips for graduates

Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:

1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.

2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.

3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.

4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.

'O'
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Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night 

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes 

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge

 

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

A cheaper choice

Vanuatu: $130,000

Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.

Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.

Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.

Benefits:  No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.

Updated: September 21, 2022, 5:30 PM