A slew of celebrities have arrived at the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix ahead of Sunday’s final race of the season.
Big names encompassing the entertainment and sports worlds such as US television lifestyle guru and celebrity chef Martha Stewart, Russian tennis champion Maria Sharapova and Grammy-nominated folk group Mumford & Sons arrived at the Yas Marina Circuit on Saturday to be met by a delegation from the Grand Prix before undertaking a tour of the premises.
The first celebrity spotted during the weekend was Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham. A renowned petrol head, the British actor cut a low-key figure in a blue fedora and brown shirt as he toured the racing garages of a number of F1 teams.
The first key figure to arrive was Stewart. Arriving just after 4pm, the 76-year-old television host and best-selling author was in a breezy all-white ensemble as she was met on the red carpet entryway by Yas Marina Circuit chief executive Tareq Al Ameri.
“I am very happy to be here,” she says. “I don’t know too much about the Formula One, but I am looking forward to it and the weather here is absolutely gorgeous.”
Stewart left the circuit after 90 minutes and briefly crossed path with Mumford & Sons; the four-piece arrived at the circuit fresh from completing their sound check at du Arena where they were to perform the penultimate Grand Prix after-race concert.
“We decided we wanted to catch some of the qualifiers,” keyboardist Ben Lovett said.
“It is perfect weather; I don’t think there is ever a bad day here.”
Another personality enjoying the cool breeze was Germany’s Nico Rosberg. The former Mercedes F1 driver, who announced his retirement immediately after winning the Abu Dhabi race last year, was quickly escorted to one of the exclusive hospitality lounges in the Paddock Club.
Sharapova made a more low-key entry with a friend while West Ham footballer Jose Fonte was also spotted at the Paddock Club with Force India Mexican driver Sergio Perez.
A range of music celebrities are expected today to watch the race.
US pop star and car enthusiast Pink should be attending before her race-day performance at the du Arena. She is set be joined by a range of hip-hop stars who are performing separate shows on Yas Island. They include J Cole, who headlined du Arena on Friday, and fellow rappers Rick Ross and French Montana.
UK R 'n' B singer Craig David is also slated to attend in addition to British television personality and singer Alesha Dixon.
Also making a sensation at the Paddock Club yesterday was a group of Emirati students who recently took part in the F1 in Schools World Finals in Malaysia. The four students – ages 12 to 14 years old – from Abu Dhabi’s Umm Al Arab School returned from Kuala Lumpur, where they presented their miniature F1 car concept, dubbed Desert Force, complete with technical details and marketing plan. The team was made up of Sheikha Al Ali (leader), Meera Hassan (engineer), Mahla Mohammed (resources manager), and Dana Hamad (design engineer)
“This was a first time we joined this competition and we came 32nd, which was better than 20 others. As one of the youngest team, we got an achievement award and that was a payback for all the hard work that we did in staying after school and missing on vacations to work hard on this project,” Sheikha said.
“The experience was great because when we came back we met Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed at the Sea Palace.”
Not all the action is restricted to the Paddock Club, however.
Today the Abu Dhabi F1 will launch its first ever Fan Forum at the F1 Fanzone site at the Yas Marina Circuit. General ticket holders will have a chance to pose questions to all drivers taking part in the Abu Dhabi race in two separate sessions running from 12.20pm to 1pm and 1.30 pm to 2pm.
The Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix race takes place today at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island at 5pm. For details go to www.yasmarinacircuit.com
_______
Read more:
F1 fans head to Yas Marina Circuit ahead of Abu Dhabi GP - in pictures
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2017: All you need to know for the weekend of racing at Yas Marina Circuit
Hefty room rates in Abu Dhabi for last minute F1 stays
_______________
HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Last-16 Europa League fixtures
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Jawan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAtlee%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Nayanthara%2C%20Vijay%20Sethupathi%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
