Live updates: Abu Dhabi F1
A pair of red flag incidents caused havoc in the second practice session of the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix on Friday.
Early on, Carlos Sainz spun off and hit the barriers in a spectacular and dizzying fashion in his Ferrari, both car and driver ending up in a shower of debris.
The Spaniard had prompted some sharp intakes of breath from the spectators when he had a wiggle in the earlier session, feathering another barrier on that occasion but in a rather less catastrophic fashion.
A further stoppage occurred following the Ferrari smash after the drivers had been allowed to race again for mere minutes.
Nico Hulkenberg in the Haas rotated, out of control, in a similar manner to Sainz and shot across the track to hit the cladding with a wallop.
In total, the crashes caused the entire session to be shorted to just 20 minutes.
Disruption aside, the driver who managed to take the top slot following the stoppages was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, with Lando Norris in the McLaren coming in second.
After Max Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez gave up their seats in the first practice session, the Red Bull pair could only manage third and fifth, respectively.
Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas nudged in-between the two championship leaders by coming in fourth.
For his part, Verstappen seemed rattled by events, overtaking cars in the pit lane, and complaining via the team radio that his car was "bouncing like a kangaroo".
The early afternoon practice session saw George Russell of Mercedes get the first best lap time and continue at the top of the leaderboard until the clock ran down.
Constructors are obligated to have rookie test days, so nine of the 10 teams present chose the first track outing to fulfil these commitments.
However, Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich and Robert Shwartzman in the Ferrari were the only newcomers to make the top 10.
Drugovich’s high placing – he came in second – was pleasing for team principal Mike Krack, who said this was the result of getting the right vehicle for the right driver and hinted at further positive results.
As for the seniors, AlphaTauri's Daniel Ricciardo was third fastest in the first session, followed by Bottas, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
The rumours and conjecture about what happened between Lewis Hamilton’s people and the Red Bull team - who negotiated with who, when, and whether any of it even happened in the first place - were still rumbling on Friday at Yas.
Team principal Christian Horner maintained a sense of humour about the ongoing speculation, but was keen to assert he still felt it was a story about nothing.
He made the point that, the situation being what it is in modern racing and particularly F1, negotiations between all drivers and teams is a never-ending process.
“A lot has been made out of something fairly innocuous,” Horner said in a further attempt to draw a line under the affair for good.
"There were no formal discussions and there was no seat to be had," he added.
The next practice session in Abu Dhabi will take place at 2.30pm on Saturday, with qualifying at 6pm.
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Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
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.
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
