"Redemption" was how an emotional Daniel Ricciardo used to describe winning the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time.
Two years ago on the same weekend in the Principality the Australian had shown Formula One that he was more than just a smiling face.
Back then he had been denied a win by a bungled pit stop by his Red Bull Racing team. He could not hide his devastation post-race.
So standing on the top step of the podium was always going to be an especially sweet moment, the seventh win of his F1 career coming at the one that had got away before.
Redemption sums up a tough past four weeks for Ricciardo. After colliding with teammate Max Verstappen four weeks ago in Azerbaijan, he had spun on his way to an underwhelming fifth place in Spain.
But in Monaco he was superb. He did not put a wheel wrong all weekend. Not easy at Monte Carlo were the proximity of the barriers around the track can easily lead to a costly mistake.
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Just ask Verstappen. His crash in Saturday's final practice not only damaged his car and prevented him from taking part in qualifying, it wrecked his weekend. He started last on the grid, and despite being the fastest car at the track had to be content with ninth place.
In contrast, Ricciardo had the perfect weekend. He was fastest in every practice session, took pole and then led all 78 laps to prevail for the second time this season after his win in China in April.
But that does not tell the whole story. Mid-race he complained of a loss of engine power. Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, estimated that the issue cost the 28 year old around 25 per cent of the power in the RB14's Renault unit.
Horner said initially the team feared they were going to have to retire the car, but Ricciardo drove around the problem despite having Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari less than a second behind him for most of the race.
A relieved Ricciardo said in his post-race podium interview: "We had problems, a lot to deal with and before halfway I felt a loss of power and thought the race was done.
"We got home using just six gears, but we got it home and I'm stoked. There were a few doubts that came in mid-race, but we won Monaco - it feels good."
It is unlikely that if Ricciardo had suffered the issue at any other track he would have held on to win. Monaco has always been a difficult place to overtake on, unless you have a sizeable performance advantage on the car ahead.
Vettel was unable to find a way past his former teammate and in the end had to be content with second spot, easing off himself in the closing laps to deal with his heavily worn tyres.
World championship leader Lewis Hamilton, who had won the previous two races in Monaco, was third as Vettel, his nearest rival in the drivers' standings, cut his title advantage to 14 points. The four-time world champion Hamilton will be happy with that; Mercedes were the third fastest package on a track that has not suited them in recent years.
The second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen was fourth, ahead of the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas, with the top five finishing in the order in which they started.
Esteban Ocon was the best of the rest in sixth, ahead of Pierre Gasly's Toro Rosso and the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg.
Verstappen proved overtaking was possible as he came up from last on the grid to earn two points for ninth, with the second Renault of Carlos Sainz completing the top 10.
Ricciardo and Red Bull may find it tough to repeat their success at the next round in Canada on June 10, the long straights at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal will suit Mercedes and Ferrari better.
But Ricciardo's victory in Monte Carlo was an important reminder, with the Australian out of contract at Red Bull at the end of the season, of what he can do when given the opportunity to race at the front.
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
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The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Syria squad
Goalkeepers: Ibrahim Alma, Mahmoud Al Youssef, Ahmad Madania.
Defenders: Ahmad Al Salih, Moayad Ajan, Jehad Al Baour, Omar Midani, Amro Jenyat, Hussein Jwayed, Nadim Sabagh, Abdul Malek Anezan.
Midfielders: Mahmoud Al Mawas, Mohammed Osman, Osama Omari, Tamer Haj Mohamad, Ahmad Ashkar, Youssef Kalfa, Zaher Midani, Khaled Al Mobayed, Fahd Youssef.
Forwards: Omar Khribin, Omar Al Somah, Mardik Mardikian.
