Instead of simply reading the end-of-year points standings to determine who the top five Formula One drivers of the year were, allow Graham Caygill to tell you who the real top five F1 stars of 2016 were.
1. Lewis Hamilton
He did not win the championship, but he was unfortunate with 10 wins and 12 pole positions, yet still coming up short. Apart from two poor weekends in Baku and Singapore he was usually unbeatable as long as his car held together and he made a good start. Will expect his fourth drivers’ title to come in 2017.
2. Daniel Ricciardo
Edges ahead of his Red Bull Racing teammate Max Verstappen by being the stronger driver earlier in the season. Lost out on wins in Spain and Monaco to strategy mistakes by his team, but fully deserved the element of fortune that was his Malaysia victory. Challenge now is to remain the fastest driver within Red Bull over the coming 12 months.
3. Max Verstappen
The Dutch teenager made an instant impact on his promotion to Red Bull by winning in Spain. Got quicker as the year went on and became one of the most consistent threats to Mercedes-GP in the final rounds. Will look to become a consistent race-winner next season and try and become the sport’s youngest world champion.
4. Nico Rosberg
He was not the fastest man in 2016, but the only thing that ultimately mattered was points scored and Rosberg had five more than Mercedes-GP teammate Hamilton. He handled the pressure of the title being his to lose in the final four races with great dignity. It is a shame he has retired as his presence on the grid next year will be missed.
5. Fernando Alonso
October was the 10-year anniversary of the Spaniard winning the second of his two championships. It is a shocking statistic that he has gone a decade without a title, and he again highlighted his excellence by scoring 54 points and seven top-eight finishes in a painfully average McLaren car that lacked horsepower with its Honda engine. Hopefully better will come for him next year.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
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The five pillars of Islam
