Not all the drivers participating in this year’s Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are here for the silverware.
While the teams concentrate on the race, Bernd Maylander has wider concerns. The German is the safety car driver at the event, and the role he and his team play is crucial. If an incident takes place that blocks the track, or leaves debris that is likely to be a danger to racers, the safety car will be deployed to slow the drivers down until the marshals have performed a clean-up operation.
This is Maylander’s 21st year in Formula 1 but, despite his longevity in the job, he always experiences an adrenaline rush as the race approaches, particularly as he and his colleagues have a vital job to perform even before the action begins.
They must always carry out a series of checks to ensure both their own car – a Mercedes-AMG GT R – and the track are in optimum condition for what lies ahead. They inform race control of any adverse conditions around the circuit, such as unusually slippery surfaces, that could prove problematic to drivers.
There are two safety cars and two medical cars in the set up, and the team has its own mechanics.
Maylander is fond of the Abu Dhabi F1 event, saying: “It’s a nice place to finish the season and that’s why we always love to go to Yas Marina Circuit.”
The driver enjoyed a motorsport career prior to his safety car duties, driving for the likes of Formula Ford and Porsche.
Like many involved in the sport, he has found the season challenging, largely due to the ongoing pandemic.
“It’s been a tough second half of the year and the most important thing after Abu Dhabi is to get back to the family and prepare for Christmas,” he said.
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Vigilant pandemic prep under way at Yas Marina Circuit
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
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”.
Match statistics
Dubai Sports City Eagles 8 Dubai Exiles 85
Eagles
Try: Bailey
Pen: Carey
Exiles
Tries: Botes 3, Sackmann 2, Fourie 2, Penalty, Walsh, Gairn, Crossley, Stubbs
Cons: Gerber 7
Pens: Gerber 3
Man of the match: Tomas Sackmann (Exiles)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
