Lewis Hamilton said he would gain very little from access to Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg’s data after the driver topped the times but then stopped on track in Friday’s practice for the British Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old Briton, champion in 2008 and desperate to win this Sunday’s race to reboot his title bid this season, missed the final half hour of the afternoon’s second free session while Rosberg ran without problems.
Interactive: The National’s 2014 Formula One season standings and race information
Hamilton, 29 points behind German Rosberg in the title race, had an engine problem that left him stranded out on the circuit.
Amid speculation that the two rivals and teammates share little data within the team, Hamilton made clear that full access to Rosberg’s information would be of little use.
Hamilton said: “The long run data doesn’t really help in the sense that we drive so differently. It doesn’t help you in the sense of understanding how the tyres are lasting, and whether you need to put the car into more understeer, or oversteer, whether you need to move the brake balance, or which corners you want to lift and coast.
“All those different things you need to practice. It makes it really hard, but I’ll be OK. I don’t know why things happen to my car so much. We’ll fix it, but I really needed a long run. Now I don’t know what the car is going to feel like for the race.”
Rosberg played down suggestions that the two were not sharing their information. “We have to think about the team in the first instance and everything is open,” he said.
“We share everything. We’re dominating the sport because we’ve managed to work together really well. Of course, there comes a point where I am fighting him and at that point I will try to keep certain advantages, as he will too.
“We always try to keep an advantage over each other, but never compromising the team as a whole. It’s a fine line.”
Hamilton had clocked a best lap in 1 minute, 34.508 seconds to outpace Rosberg by 0.228 seconds on a warm and windy day that saw two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso third quickest for Ferrari.
Alonso was 0.7 seconds down on the pace-setters, but ahead of the two Red Bulls of Australian Daniel Ricciardo and defending four-time champion German Sebastian Vettel.
They were both more than a second behind on sheer single lap pace, but improved their overall pace on the long runs in the final stages of the long afternoon session.
Hamilton came to a halt on track with a serious engine problem an hour into the 90-minutes session when he stopped out on the circuit. “Engine stopped,” he told the team by radio. “Says engine kill, no shifting.”
He managed only 14 completed laps compared to Rosberg’s 35, an advantage for the championship leader that he may be able to exploit on Sunday.
Finn Valtteri Bottas was sixth fastest for Williams - having missed the morning session when his car was briefly run for just three laps by Susie Wolff, the first woman to take part in a Grand Prix for 22 years - ahead of Briton Jenson Button in the leading McLaren.
Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen was eighth fastest in the second McLaren ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari and 10th placed Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne of Toro Rosso.
Rosberg had topped the times Friday morning ahead of Hamilton in an opening session where the main focus was on the luckless Wolff.
The 31-year-old Scot at least became the first woman to take part in a Grand Prix weekend since 1992, even if she lasted only three laps before her engine failed. Only a few minutes later her Williams teammate Brazilian Felipe Massa crashed out of the session.
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Teaching in coronavirus times
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
More coverage from the Future Forum
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
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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