MONTE CARLO // Sebastian Vettel, after finishing on pole position on Saturday, described the Monaco Grand Prix as “a bit of a casino with a lot of things going on”.
Yesterday, after risking it all in a quest to secure his fifth win from six races this season, he lucked in and won the jackpot.
Red Bull Racing’s reigning world champion finished 1.1 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso with Jenson Button of McLaren-Mercedes another 1.2secs behind.
But he needed more than his fair share of fortune on the streets of Monte Carlo. First, a safety car helped him eradicate Jenson Button’s 15-second lead. Then, with just six laps remaining and employing a high-risk one-stop strategy, a red flag allowed him to change his worn tyres without sacrificing his position at the front of the field to the prowling Alonso.
“I am extremely happy,” Vettel said. “The victory at times seemed far away, but like I said before, Monaco is a crazy place.
“I think the roulette wheel spun a lot [in qualifying] and kept on spinning throughout this race, so I’m really happy. It’s a fantastic result.”
The race was poised for a grandstand finish with Vettel, Alonso and Button all separated by less than a second and the 23-year-old German being forced to defend brilliantly on old tyres to ward off the growing threat of an aggressive Alonso.
But with six laps remaining, Alonso was poised to attack when the trio of front-runners found traffic from the back of the field and a multi-car collision involving Adrian Sutil, Jaime Alguersuari, Lewis Hamilton and Vitaly Petrov.
This resulted in the race being suspended while an ambulance arrived to take Petrov to hospital after he had made heavy contact with the barriers.
The Russian, who drives for Lotus Renault, was later discharged with his team reporting that he had suffered no broken bones or serious injury in the incident.
When action resumed 23 minutes later, Vettel had fresh tyres, fresh impetus and was able to close out his first win at Circuit de Monaco without too much trouble as he built up a one-second lead over Alonso which he was able to maintain.
With McLaren’s Hamilton finishing sixth, Vettel now leads the world championship by 58 points.
“As expected, it was not a normal Monaco Grand Prix,” he said. “We took the risk and in the end we got the reward.”
Speaking of his decision to employ a one-stop strategy, Vettel said he had overruled his team, who had ordered him to the pits.
“I got the call to box, but I said ‘No, I want to stay out’,” he said.
“It was the only way I was going to win the race. [Alonso] was getting closer and closer, then with six laps to go they had to suspend the race.
“Obviously, I was struggling with the tyres, but I think we could have held on.”
Alonso said he and Vettel were fortunate the safety car was deployed earlier in the race following an accident involving his teammate Felipe Massa, who was forced to retire.
“We we very lucky because Jenson was on his way to victory,” Alonso said.
Button, however, was philosophical about missing out on a second success in Monte Carlo to go with his 2009 triumph.
“I don’t know if you can call it unlucky,” said the Briton. “On lap 16 of the race, we thought [three stops] was the right strategy. To be pulling such a lead, even through traffic, was great and the car felt good, but the safety car mixed things up a little bit.
“It just didn’t go our way. It’s disappointing because we didn’t put a foot wrong, but these things happen in Monaco.
“It was good fun to watch these guys tussle. I was waiting for the move to see if it came off or to see if they ended up in the barriers.”
Vettel was able to avoid the barriers, but he had no intention of avoiding the Red Bull swimming pool, which he gleefully leapt into following his memorable win.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Monaco GP race results
1 Vettel, Red Bull 2h09m.38.373s
2 Alonso, Ferrari +1.138
3 Button, McLaren +2.378
4 Webber, Red Bull +23.100
5 Kobayashi, Sauber +26.900
6 Hamilton, McLaren +27.200
7 Sutil, Force India +1 lap
8 Heidfeld, Renault +1 lap
9 Barrichello, Williams + 1 lap
10 Buemi, Toro Rosso + 1 lap
11 Rosberg, Mercedes + 1 lap
12 Di Resta, Force India + 2 laps
13 Trulli, Lotus + 2 laps
14 Kovalainen, Lotus +2 laps
15 D'Ambrosio, Virgin + 2 laps
16 Liuzzi, HRT + 3 laps
17 Karthikeyan, HRT + 3 laps
18 Maldonado, Williams + 5 laps
Retired
19 Petrov, Renault 68 laps
20 Alguersuairi, Toro Rosso 68 laps
21 Massa, Ferrari 33 laps
22 Schumacher, Mercedes 33 laps
23 Glock, Virgin 31 laps
24 Perez, Sauber did not start
Drivers’ championship
1 Sebastian Vettel, Germany 143
2 Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain 85
3 Mark Webber, Australia 79
4 Jenson Button, Great Britain 76
5 Fernando Alonso, Spain 69
6 Nick Heidfeld, Germany 29
7 Nico Rosberg, Germany 26
8 Felipe Massa, Brazil 24
9 Vitaly Petrov, Germany 21
10 Kamui Kobayashi, Japan 19
11 Michael Schumacher, Germany 14
12 Adrian Sutil, Germany 8
13 Sebastien Buemi, Switzerland 2
14 Paul Di Resta, Great Britain 2
15 Sergio Perez, Mexico 2
16 Rubens Barrichello, Brazil 2
17 Jarno Trulli, Italy 0
18 Jerome d'Ambrosio, Belgium 0
19 Heikki Kovalainen, Finland 0
20 Jaime Alguersuari, Spain 0
21 Pastor Maldonado, Venezuela 0
22 Narain Karthikeyan, India 0
23 Timo Glock, Germany 0
24 Vitantonio Liuzzi, Italy 0
Constructors’ championship
1 Red Bull Racing 222 pts
2 McLaren-Mercedes 161
3 Ferrari 93
4 Renault 50
5 Mercedes GP 40
6 Sauber-Ferrari 21
7 Force India-Mercedes 10
8 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 7
9 Williams-Cosworth 2
10 Team Lotus-Cosworth 0
11 Virgin-Cosworth 0
12 HRT-Cosworth 0
How to help
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
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
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
The%20specs%3A%20Taycan%20Turbo%20GT
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20synchronous%20electric%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C108hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C340Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%20(front%20axle)%3B%20two-speed%20transmission%20(rear%20axle)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E488-560km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh928%2C400%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOrders%20open%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)
Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20several%20factors%20for%20landlords%20to%20consider%20when%20preparing%20to%20establish%20a%20holiday%20home%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3ERevenue%20potential%20of%20the%20unit%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20location%2C%20view%20and%20size%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EDesign%3A%20furnished%20or%20unfurnished.%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Is%20the%20design%20up%20to%20standard%2C%20while%20being%20catchy%20at%20the%20same%20time%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EBusiness%20model%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20will%20it%20be%20managed%20by%20a%20professional%20operator%20or%20directly%20by%20the%20owner%2C%20how%20often%20does%20the%20owner%20wants%20to%20use%20it%20for%20personal%20reasons%3F%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuality%20of%20the%20operator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20guest%20reviews%2C%20customer%20experience%20management%2C%20application%20of%20technology%2C%20average%20utilisation%2C%20scope%20of%20services%20rendered%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20Adam%20Nowak%2C%20managing%20director%20of%20Ultimate%20Stay%20Vacation%20Homes%20Rental%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Formula One top 10 drivers' standings after Japan
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 234
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 192
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 148
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 82
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 65
9. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 48
10. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault 34
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5