Max Verstappen on the winners' podium in Miami, Florida. Getty
Max Verstappen on the winners' podium in Miami, Florida. Getty
Max Verstappen on the winners' podium in Miami, Florida. Getty
Max Verstappen on the winners' podium in Miami, Florida. Getty

Miami GP: Max Verstappen hails ‘great win’ from ninth on grid


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Max Verstappen beat Sergio Perez and the boo brigade to extend his world championship lead.

Verstappen was jeered before and after the race, as he celebrated a triumph that moves him 14 points clear of teammate Perez, who finished second.

Fernando Alonso was third for Aston Martin. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished fourth and sixth for Mercedes.

Verstappen divides opinion in the sport and he was booed by the Hard Rock Stadium crowd as he was presented on the grid before the 57-lap race by rapper LL Cool J.

But the boos did not faze the double world champion as he raced from ninth on the grid to top spot to claim his third win from five rounds.

“It was a good race. I stayed out of trouble in the beginning. I had a good battle with Checo and we kept it clean and that was the most important thing. A great win today," Verstappen said.

“Yesterday was a setback in qualifying but today we kept it calm and clean, and winning a race from ninth is always very satisfying.”

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands on his way to victory in the Miami GP on May 7. Getty
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands on his way to victory in the Miami GP on May 7. Getty

Verstappen, who started on a different strategy to teammate and pole-sitter Perez, was up to second on lap 15.

He stopped for tyres with a dozen laps to go and then cruised into the lead by outbraking Perez at the opening corner on lap 48.

"I gave it my all. The first stint was poor and that compromised my race," Perez said.

“Max was particularly good today so a well-deserved win for him. We need to analyse what happened today because I didn’t have the pace.”

Destroyer

Director: Karyn Kusama

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan

Rating: 3/5 

UAE release: January 31 

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Updated: May 08, 2023, 4:38 AM