Fatigue was a key theme of the first question and answer session with the assembled Formula One drivers ahead of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Now in its 15th year, the UAE event, which marks the culmination of the racing season, has prompted a series of talking points, with many considering the tail-end of the tournament to be on the rushed side.
“We’re delirious,” Daniel Ricciardo said when asked about how the drivers were feeling, prompting laughter amongst those present.
It was clearly a light-hearted remark, but many noted a more serious side to the Australian driver’s comment.
“It’s been a busy year,” he added, to nods of approval from his fellow drivers. “We’ve had a crazy, crazy year,” agreed triple champion Max Verstappen.
All the participants remained upbeat about the upcoming race, though.
A degree of tiredness aside, the drivers were keen to emphasise the racing over the weekend will still be competitive despite the fact the main prizes are no longer up for grabs.
Verstappen and Red Bull have the drivers' and contructors' safely in the bag.
The Dutchman and the rest of the Red Bull team remain positive about next year, but they will not be taking it for granted that the positive results will necessarily continue into next season.
Verstappen admits the car is not a perfect product, and acknowledges the efforts being made by other teams to encroach on their success.
“We are working on our car to try and make it better,” Verstappen said. “On street circuits we are struggling a bit more. Lower speed is definitely not our strongest point in the car.”
The Red Bull driver remained coy when asked a question about whether he would welcome Lewis Hamilton as a teammate.
He brushed the question aside, saying such conjecture was “hypothetical”, and he wasn’t in the business of commenting on something that remains unlikely. “There’s no point in making up stories if it isn’t happening,” he said.
For his part, Hamilton has denied reports he and his management team reached out to Red Bull supremo Christian Horner over a potential switch from Mercedes.
It’s becoming a point of honour for those behind the ultimate Formula 1 event in Abu Dhabi that, in recent years, there have been some surprising and unpredictable results.
That said, Verstappen remains the favourite and it would take a degree of bravery to doubt his likely victory on Sunday.
The other drivers will, of course, have their own points to prove, so we may see a couple of unexpected occurrences yet.
As things stand, Verstappen sits at the top of the table on 549 points, followed by Sergio Perez (273), Lewis Hamilton (232), Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso (both 200).
As regards the situation for the constructors, with eyes on the ongoing battle for second place between Mercedes (on 392 points) and Ferrari (388) being of particular interest, alongside how McLaren (284) will fare against Aston Martin (273).
The practice sessions for the race start early on Friday afternoon ahead of qualification on Saturday and finally the big race Sunday.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Brief scores:
Pakistan (1st innings) 181: Babar 71; Olivier 6-37
South Africa (1st innings) 223: Bavuma 53; Amir 4-62
Pakistan (2nd innings) 190: Masood 65, Imam 57; Olivier 5-59
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The Bio
Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959
Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.
He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses
Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas
His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s
Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business
He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery
Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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