While the winner of the F1 Grand Prix season could be decided by a matter of millimetres on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, the race for the most luxurious experience is also down to the fine details.
It could be a better suite, a closer view of the action, the largest balcony, or simply what's on the menu. Words such as "VIP" and "VVIP" may sound a tad nonsensical in the outside world, but within the universe of Formula One racing, a sport once reserved for the wealthy and now a family-friendly juggernaut, some habits die hard.
These terms carry weight, and people are willing to spend a boatload of dirhams for not only for proximity to the racing action, but the chance to mingle with celebrities and industry leaders. As the hip-hop refrain has it, from a genre long linked with all things flashy, there are "levels to this".
One of the first stages of the premium luxury experience is the Paddock Club, which sits directly above the team garages. It's where guests can enjoy a buffet that includes Wagyu beef, oysters and sushi, before going to the balcony that stretches across the starting straight of the Yas Marina Circuit to watch the lightning-quick pit stops of the Formula One teams.
Drift further along the hospitality section and there are those with the green VIP badges who have access to private suites hosted by companies and government agencies. These spaces feel like calm living rooms with coffee tables, couches and broadcast screens showing the racing action.
They can be used to host clients and meetings, which is part of the plan. Each suite has staff outside to maintain privacy.
Some of these rooms belong to racing teams such as McLaren and Ferrari, a place where they can meet potential sponsors, celebrities and the most loyal customers of the brand.
For those who want to experience the action from a distance, there are always the superyachts, some of which are commercial offerings, while others are private.
The National was invited to visit one of the latter, the 65-metre sky blue yacht from Monaco that resembled a floating country club with interiors of oak furniture, creamy couches, a performance space for a string ensemble and European adaptors.
The food, designed by a catering team from France, was also what can be considered “next level”. Who knew that a Wagyu beef slider could be even more indulgent with a strip of foie gras, or that a lobster tartine could be a useful snack to pass the time?
Then comes another stretch of exclusivity that money cannot buy. It is the access to the paddock promenade, where team garages and cabanas are, where drivers such as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton can casually stroll by.
It is mostly surrounded by colleagues and the occasional visiting superstar, such as Sunday’s race-day performer Katy Perry or Thursday’s headliner Benson Boone. These are the true “VVIPs”, who, in a rare touch of restraint, have an orange badge with "Guest" written on it.
And know who also has that access? The humble international journalists, more than 100 of whom send out frequent dispatches from the nearby media room.
The food in the mess hall may be a tad different – less foie gras, more egg noodles and chicken skewers – but just as delicious and hearty.
However, whether on a superyacht, in a private suite or in the media room, everyone turns toward the same track. For a moment, at least, the levels flatten and the race becomes the only thing that matters.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
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Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Palestine and Israel - live updates
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THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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