Lewis Hamilton topped the times with a smile on Friday after conquering the challenge of learning the new Baku street circuit in a single day’s practice ahead of this weekend’s European Grand Prix.
The defending three-time world champion, who outpaced Mercedes-GP teammate Nico Rosberg by seven-tenths of a second in the second session, said he enjoyed his experience, but added that the track surface was very slippery.
“It’s been a good day for me,” Hamilton, 31, said. “And it’s a nice way to start the weekend. The track isn’t easy, not because the layout is particularly difficult to learn, but because it’s very slippery out there.
“It’s quite Monaco-esque in terms of braking and how close the barriers are, but you’re arriving at much higher speeds.
“Otherwise, it’s like a mixture of Valencia and Sochi, with the smooth track surface and the style of the corners themselves.
“It’s a real challenge and I think it’s going to be tough for everyone over the weekend. It takes a lot of focus, which I like. I’ve enjoyed driving today.”
More from Formula One:
• Baku practice: Lewis Hamilton edges Nico Rosberg in Baku practice while Daniel Ricciardo crashes
• Baku preview: Nico Rosberg determined to stave off Lewis Hamilton in first ever Formula One race at Baku
• F1 results, standings update: Lewis Hamilton breathes life back into title race
The second session ended with Hamilton, who has trimmed Rosberg’s lead in the title race from 43 points to nine in the last month, fastest in one minute and 44.223 seconds.
Third was Mexican Sergio Perez, a driver linked with a possible move to Ferrari, who shone for Force India.
“The track is pretty cool,” Rosberg said. “There are just some safety concerns at a few places, like the pit entry, which we have to look into.
“Unfortunately my second session was a bit compromised as I had to stop the car after I lost power.
“We are still investigating. I was a bit surprised by the order. I don’t really know what to expect from Red Bull and Ferrari, as they’ve been our closest rivals so far, so we’ll see.”
Hamilton was one of a number of drivers who went off-circuit and brushed the barriers on a day of accidents, incidents and car failures.
Many of the problems were caused by the track’s tricky design and lack of run-off space, but others were due to loose kerbs, most of which had to be refixed between sessions.
The track, described as dangerous in places by many drivers, including 2009 champion Jenson Button of McLaren, and Rosberg claimed many victims who struggled with the dusty surface and tight turns lacking broad run-off spaces.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo provided the most spectacular incident of the day when he crashed at Turn 15 in the opening session, which was red-flagged to clear the track.
His Red Bull Racing car was repaired and he rejoined in the second practice.
“I expected someone to take out the barrier in T8 first, but I was the one in T15,” Ricciardo said.
“I felt a bit bad about it. I said sorry to the guys. On this new surface, if you can get that tyre to work, and find the grip, I think it equates to a big chunk of time.”
Valtteri Bottas was fourth for Williams ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in the second Force India.
“I think we can be strong here,” Bottas said. “It’s a good challenge.”
Sebastian Vettel just made the top 10, the four-time world champion ending his day cruising back to the pits slowly as Ferrari diagnosed mechanical problems for both of their cars.
“It’s about trying to get the tyres to work for one lap and this seems to be a difficulty right now,” Vettel’s Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen said.
“They don’t work exactly like we want and the challenge is to switch them on. More laps seem to help, but over one lap it’s clear we need to find something to get the grip out of them.”
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CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
The Good Liar
Starring: Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Three out of five stars
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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.
Summer special
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Company%20Profile
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'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
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Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
