Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Racing Point has tested positive for coronavirus. EPA
Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Racing Point has tested positive for coronavirus. EPA
Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Racing Point has tested positive for coronavirus. EPA
Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Racing Point has tested positive for coronavirus. EPA

Sergio Perez tests positive for coronavirus while Racing Point docked points over car design


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Sergio Perez has been ruled out of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix after testing positive for coronavirus, which means he will miss a second consecutive race, his Racing Point team said on Friday.

It was the second unfortunate news for the team on the day, with Racing Point to be docked 15 championship points after a complaint from Renault that it had copied elements from Mercedes' world championship-winning 2019 car was upheld, the FIA revealed.

On Thursday, Perez was given the green light by English health authorities to race at Silverstone after serving seven days in quarantine.

But ahead of practice, his Racing Point team said his latest test was positive and the 30-year-old will be replaced again by German driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Racing Point said Perez, who contracted Covid-19 after visiting his mother in Mexico following last month's Hungarian Grand Prix, was "physically well and recovering".

Hulkenberg, 32, made an impressive return in practice and qualifying for last Sunday's British Grand Prix but was unable to start the race due to a power unit problem.

The outlook is bad for Racing Point as team as well. They will lose 7.5 points for each of their two cars participating in the 2020 season.

It means that ahead of Sunday's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone, Renault move up to fifth place in the manufacturers' standings on 32 points and Racing Point slip to sixth, on 27 points.

The stewards said in a statement that the team would not have to redesign their car.

"It is the view of the stewards that the penalty rendered at the Styrian Grand Prix was proportionate for the violation of the design process...and a further penalty of reprimand is sufficient for the Hungarian and British Grands Prix," they said.

The stewards said the penalty was "intended to penalise the potential advantage Racing Point may have accrued in the brake duct design process" and recognised it was not realistic to expect the team to "unlearn" what it already knew.

Racing Point, owned by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll and powered by Mercedes engines, has also been fined €200,000 (Dh867,000) per car. Racing Point can appeal the decision.

________________

Hamilton's last-lap drama at Silverstone

  • Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, of Mercedes, after wining the British Grand Prix for the seventh time at Silverstone on Sunday, August 2. Reuters
    Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, of Mercedes, after wining the British Grand Prix for the seventh time at Silverstone on Sunday, August 2. Reuters
  • Lewis Hamilton inspects his punctured tyre after victory in the British GP. AFP
    Lewis Hamilton inspects his punctured tyre after victory in the British GP. AFP
  • Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes after wining the British GP. EPA
    Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes after wining the British GP. EPA
  • Lewis Hamilton after winning at Silverstone. AP
    Lewis Hamilton after winning at Silverstone. AP
  • Lewis Hamilton driving on the last lap with a puncture at Silverstone. Getty
    Lewis Hamilton driving on the last lap with a puncture at Silverstone. Getty
  • Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas suffers a puncture with two laps to go at the British GP. Reuters
    Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas suffers a puncture with two laps to go at the British GP. Reuters
  • Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas in action during the race. Reuters
    Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas in action during the race. Reuters
  • Racing Point's Lance Stroll at Silverstone on Sunday. Getty
    Racing Point's Lance Stroll at Silverstone on Sunday. Getty
  • Red Bull's Thai driver Alex Albon steers his car during the British Grand Prix. AFP
    Red Bull's Thai driver Alex Albon steers his car during the British Grand Prix. AFP
  • Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. AP
    Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton at Silverstone. AP
  • Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives during the British Grand Prix. AFP
    Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives during the British Grand Prix. AFP
  • Lewis Hamilton leads at Silverstone. AFP
    Lewis Hamilton leads at Silverstone. AFP
  • Charles Leclerc of Ferrari during a pitstop for new tyres. Getty
    Charles Leclerc of Ferrari during a pitstop for new tyres. Getty

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The biog

Name: Capt Shadia Khasif

Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police

Family: Five sons and three daughters

The first female investigator in Hatta.

Role Model: Father

She believes that there is a solution to every problem

 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio

Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)

Engine 4.7L V8

Transmission Six-speed automatic

Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance

The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

Spain drain

CONVICTED

Lionel Messi Found guilty in 2016 of of using companies in Belize, Britain, Switzerland and Uruguay to avoid paying €4.1m in taxes on income earned from image rights. Sentenced to 21 months in jail and fined more than €2m. But prison sentence has since been replaced by another fine of €252,000.

Javier Mascherano Accepted one-year suspended sentence in January 2016 for tax fraud after found guilty of failing to pay €1.5m in taxes for 2011 and 2012. Unlike Messi he avoided trial by admitting to tax evasion.

Angel di Maria Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain star Angel di Maria was fined and given a 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud during his time at Real Madrid. But he is unlikely to go to prison as is normal in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying sentence of less than two years.

 

SUSPECTED

Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid's star striker, accused of evading €14.7m in taxes, appears in court on Monday. Portuguese star faces four charges of fraud through offshore companies.

Jose Mourinho Manchester United manager accused of evading €3.3m in tax in 2011 and 2012, during time in charge at Real Madrid. But Gestifute, which represents him, says he has already settled matter with Spanish tax authorities.

Samuel Eto'o In November 2016, Spanish prosecutors sought jail sentence of 10 years and fines totalling €18m for Cameroonian, accused of failing to pay €3.9m in taxes during time at Barcelona from 2004 to 2009.

Radamel Falcao Colombian striker Falcao suspected of failing to correctly declare €7.4m of income earned from image rights between 2012 and 2013 while at Atletico Madrid. He has since paid €8.2m to Spanish tax authorities, a sum that includes interest on the original amount.

Jorge Mendes Portuguese super-agent put under official investigation last month by Spanish court investigating alleged tax evasion by Falcao, a client of his. He defended himself, telling closed-door hearing he "never" advised players in tax matters.

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Red Sparrow

Dir: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Jeremy Irons

Three stars

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

Superliminal%20
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20One%20%26amp%3B%20X%2FS%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PC%20and%20Mac%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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”.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
European arms

Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons.  Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

THE SPECS

BMW X7 xDrive 50i

Engine: 4.4-litre V8

Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission

Power: 462hp

Torque: 650Nm

Price: Dh600,000

Countries offering golden visas

UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.

Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.

Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.

Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.

Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence. 

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

While you're here

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays

4.5/5