Former world champion Nico Rosberg has knocked down suggestions that Max Verstappen is a better driver than Lewis Hamilton and insisted that his old Mercedes rival will finish as Formula One's greatest of all time.
Verstappen could prove to be Hamilton's closest challenger for a record-equalling seventh world crown when the new season gets under way in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Red Bull driver, still just 22, is this season set to embark on what will be his sixth campaign in the sport. Remarkably, Hamilton was the same age as Verstappen is now when he started out 13 years ago.
Indeed, Verstappen will become F1's youngest world champion if he beats Hamilton to this year's crown.
The Dutchman finished third in the standings last season and won three times in largely inferior Red Bull machinery, passing Hamilton twice to win at the penultimate round in Brazil.
But Rosberg – the only man to have stopped Hamilton from winning the title in the last five seasons – says it is too premature to rank the rising Red Bull star ahead of his former foe.
"Max is the one guy in F1 who is on a similar level to Lewis," 2016 world champion Rosberg said. "He has that very rare exceptional talent that Lewis has – a once-in-a-generation talent – and if he has the right car, there is no question he will be a contender for the championship this season.
"But you cannot say that Max is a better driver than Lewis. Lewis is going on to become the best of all time, so you cannot say that at all.
"Lewis is the absolute favourite to win the championship – but I have really high hopes that we can be in for a thrilling season.
"I am confident and optimistic that Red Bull and Ferrari can up their game and be on a level playing field with Mercedes."
Hamilton and the rest of the F1 circus have arrived in Melbourne for the traditional curtain raiser which will go ahead as planned despite the postponement of several sporting events due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The Bahrain Grand Prix, which is scheduled for the weekend after Melbourne, will take place behind closed doors. Officials for the Vietnamese Grand Prix – set for April 5 – are ready to push ahead with their inaugural race.
F1 meanwhile has announced a major new sponsorship contract with Saudi oil company Aramco.
It marks the first significant partnership deal of American owners Liberty Media's three-year tenure and is set to pave the way for a race to be staged in Saudi Arabia in the coming years.
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Januzaj's club record
Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals
Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals
Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
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Specs
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
