This season may go down in history for all sorts of record-breaking reasons but it is unlikely to be engraved on the hearts of many fans beyond Max Verstappen’s Orange Army. Utter Dutch domination means there is little room for laying the plaudits elsewhere but The National still went looking.
Driver of the year
OK, if you just study results it’s difficult to look past Verstappen for his staggering, relentless, perfection but we reckon having that big a car advantage is plain unfair – even if F1 doesn’t – and he’s won enough so The National has delved deeper. Dragging newcomers Aston Martin onto the podium time and again when no-one expected it confirmed 42-year-old Fernando Alonso’s star quality. Beating Sergio Perez and his far superior Red Bull by 0.0053 seconds in Brazil was just jaw-dropping. Then there is Alex Albon. The Thai racer defied the form book as he led Williams’ raids into the points time and again.
Winner: Alonso. There’s life in the old dog yet.
The crying shame - Not - award
Verstappen shattered rival hearts and records in equal measure driving the most dominant car of all time with panache so it’s no surprise he admitted to being tearful on his final lap in the Red Bull beast in Abu Dhabi. His rivals not so much, unless they were tears of joy the season was finally over.
Jaw-dropping award
It’s not often you see an F1 car sideways at 150mph but in Abu Dhabi Lando Norris obliged. The back end of his hard-charging McLaren spectacularly stepped out of line during his bid for pole. A deft flick of the steering wheel and a dab of the power snapped the car back into line in a split second of utter racing genius. Sadly the WRC adventure cost him precious fractions and pole position.
Disappointment of the year - team
You know it’s been a bad year when your highlight is a race you were disqualified from. So it was for Toto Wolff in Austin during Mercedes' winless, worst season of his tenure. Lacklustre Ferrari conjured a single win under new boss Fred Vasseur but change has been slow in coming. While Alpine’s disasters led to the axing of three key figures but the highlight was a Monaco podium.
Winner: Mercedes for their true annus horribilis.
Disappointment of the year - driver
How the Sergio Perez can have sat in the same car as Verstappen and won just twice beggars belief. The Dutchman won the last seven races and his teammate was third once. Perez was supposedly Red Bull number two but raced like the number 10. Unlike the real thing he had no real competition in this category.
Not-so fun fact award
Both Verstappen and Perez won more races when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc started on pole than Leclerc himself did.
What was everyone else doing award?
Red Bull stopped developing their car in mid-season, five months early, and still won the last seven races.
Rescue of the year
After all the hype (and expense), Las Vegas threatened to be a massive dud when action was halted for track repairs on the first day but the weekend ended on a soaring note with a thrilling race for the ages confirming F1 really has conquered America.
Mr Positive award
After yet another beating at Verstappen’s hands Lewis Hamilton predicted his arch rival’s dominance could last another two years.
Quandry of the year
Billionaire businessman Lawrence Stroll spent a small fortune on son Lance’s motor racing career, bought an F1 team and, just for extra synergy, iconic car maker Aston Martin as well. Then hired veteran Fernando Alonso for $20 million. The only trouble is two-time world champion Alonso has blown away Stroll’s own son and junior’s place in F1 is now in doubt. Christian Horner faces the same dilemma over Perez but his support has been unstinting, maybe because he just wants a loyal number two to Verstappen.
Winner: Lawrence Stroll
Rookie of the year
Lando Norris’ speed derailed Daniel Ricciardo’s career in 2022 but his replacement Oscar Piastri has proved more than capable, winning one sprint race and leading another. While Liam Lawson super-subbed for injured Ricciardo in a car he had never driven and finished ninth in Singapore, their best result to that date.
Winner: Piastri for sheer motor racing star quality.
Back to the future award
Michael Schumacher cut his teeth in endurance racing before winning seven titles in F1. Son Mick did not make much impact on F1 but plenty on his team’s crash budget, totalling $2 million. So after a season as reserve driver at Mercedes in 2023 he has quit F1 for endurance racing with Alpine.
That's how it goes award
Singapore, the only Grand Prix of the season not won by Red Bull has been voted Best Race Action of the Year by numerous media outlets. Which just proves, you can’t win ‘em all.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
HAJJAN
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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
The%20specs
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UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
Masters%20of%20the%20Air
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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