Mark Webber prepares to drive during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Mark Webber prepares to drive during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Mark Webber prepares to drive during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Mark Webber prepares to drive during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Red Bull sitting on top


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It may have been two Red Bull-Renaults sitting at the top of the timing screens at the end of the second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix yesterday, but Mark Webber was still not convinced his team are the fastest in Barcelona. The Australian was second-quickest behind teammate Sebastian Vettel, who set a best time of 1min 19.965secs, but said that there was a lot more to come from McLaren-Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton had gone quickest in the first session from McLaren teammate Jenson Button, but they were only fifth and ninth-fastest in the afternoon session and a full second off the pace. Webber is not counting out the two British drivers: "I haven't particularly seen a huge amount of what has happened in that session, but for sure McLaren probably weren't showing everything today." Of his own form, Webber, whose best result in Spain was third last year, added: "That is a nice positive for the team. They have done a huge amount of work over the last few months, as all the teams have."

Michael Schumacher had arguably his best day since returning from retirement. The seven-times world champion out-paced his Mercedes GP teammate Nico Rosberg for the first time all year and was third in both sessions. Nico Hulkenberg did not have such a good day, crashing his Williams-Cosworth and bringing out a red flag during second practice. * Compiled by Graham Caygill

Spanish Grand Prix, practice at 1pm and qualifying at 4pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 2

While you're here

THE BIO

Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.

Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.

Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
MATCH INFO

Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)

Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16

Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)

Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28

Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs

About Housecall

Date started: July 2020

Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech

# of staff: 10

Funding to date: Self-funded