ABU DHABI // Yas Marina Circuit entered the history books on Sunday night as being the location of Sebastian Vettel becoming the youngest Formula One world champion.
But for Richard Cregan, the track's chief executive, one of the most impressive moments from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was just how quickly the circuit stewards were able to clear the road following the spectacular opening-lap collision between Michael Schumacher's Mercedes GP and the Force India-Mercedes of Vitantonio Liuzzi at Turn 6. The Force India rode up over the front of the Mercedes and the front left wheel just missed the cockpit and Schumacher's helmet by a matter of inches.
With debris spread across the track and both cars wedged together, the safety car was brought out for the first time in an F1 race at Yas Marina.
Remarkably, despite the wreckage, the track marshals were able to clear the track so that racing was able to resume at the start of lap six.
Cregan paid tribute to the work of the marshals, saying: "They did a tremendous job to clear up so quickly and it was a credit to them and their training.
"I know that Charlie Whiting [the F1 race director] was very pleased and impressed with the job that everyone did in that clear up and that is a great tribute to them and to the track."
Cregan confessed to being very relieved to see Schumacher walk away from the collision unhurt, and he added: "When you first saw it, it was a scary moment.
"I think the fact that Michael was able to get out of the car unhurt showed just how far the safety of F1 cars has come in recent years, with the increased sides on the cockpit helping to protect the driver that bit more than in the past."
While the seven-time world champion had an early end to his race, his German compatriot Vettel had a far more fulfilling afternoon as he won at Yas Marina for the second successive year.
The 10th victory of the 23-year-old's career proved enough for the Red Bull-Renault driver to take the drivers' title as Fernando Alonso, who had led the championship going into the race, could finish only in seventh place.
Cregan felt that Vettel was a worthy champion, and was pleased Abu Dhabi had been the scene of his success.
"I think he is a well-deserved champion and he has been very quick all year," he said.
"I think what was key for him was getting the pole position on Saturday because, as we have seen before, Sebastian is very hard to catch once he is in front and he showed that again on Sunday.
"Him becoming the youngest champion and doing it in Abu Dhabi is great, and in some ways is helping even more to put Abu Dhabi and Yas Marina Circuit on the map."
The build-up and the race weekend was an exhausting time for Cregan, but he revealed he had no plans to put his feet up now it is over, especially with the younger driver F1 tests beginning at the circuit today followed by the winter programme.
"There is no real time for rest," he said. "We have the F1 boys here for another week of testing and then we have two weeks of GP2, and then we are on to our winter programme with drag racing, the Aussie V8s, the GT1 sportscars and the drifting all to come, so it is going to be very busy in the coming months."
gcaygill@thenational.ae
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
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The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Fireball
Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.
A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.
"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.
EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Results
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Company%20Profile
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
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
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Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
