ABU DHABI // Proposed plans to modify the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of this year's Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have been postponed until next year.
This capital's race on November 13 will now take place on the same unchanged track that was widely criticised last year.
Following a largely processional 2010 championship-deciding race that presented few overtaking opportunities for drivers, track officials had proposed changes and a blueprint had been drawn up to improve the racing spectacle.
However, Richard Cregan, the chief executive at Yas Marina, confirmed the plans have been put on hold until after the 2011 F1 season's penultimate race in the Emirates.
With the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the sport’s governing body, introducing new power-enhancing regulations at the start of the season, Cregan believes the need for track changes may no longer be required.
“With all the changes implemented by the FIA, the racing so far this year has been full of overtaking and excitement,” Cregan said.
“So we decided, rather than spend a whole lot of money making these changes, we’ll wait and see how [this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix] goes first.”
Cregan said the proposed plans have been finalised, approved by Hermann Tilke, the track designer, and are ready to be carried out, if necessary, after the season’s penultimate race.
“The plans are effectively postponed until we see how things go at this year’s race,” he said.
Last week, Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, which manages Yas Marina Circuit, said it was cutting 60 jobs due to the firm revising its business plan.
While the majority of the track will remain open this summer, sections of the circuit will close for routine maintenance and general repairs – most notably at Turn 20 – later this month. It is also understood that two or more manufacturers will travel to the capital to carry out endurance testing.
Cregan insisted he was unconcerned by the possibility the world championship could be decided well before the Formula One fraternity rolls into the country in November.
Sebastian Vettel, the world champion, leads the championship by 77 points after eight races and his Red Bull Racing team have been utterly dominant during qualifying this season, finishing in pole position at all the races thus far.
There are fears that if Vettel's superiority continues, many of the races in the second half of the season – which includes both Abu Dhabi and the inaugural Indian Grand Prix – could be rendered dead rubbers. The FIA imposed new regulations at the European Grand Prix last week that many hoped would curb Red Bull's dominance, but they failed.
The governing body are also implementing a new rule at this week’s British Grand Prix, prohibiting the use of off-throttle engine blown diffusers.
It is again hoped Red Bull will feel the biggest impact, although Cregan is not convinced that will happen.
“Our race is going to be great anyway,” Cregan said. “It will be a great spectacle like it has been in previous years. The championship race played no part in our decision to postpone the changes.
"The way Sebastian is going, if he wins at Silverstone [this weekend], he will be very hard to catch, although I'm sure Ferrari and McLaren will chase him all the way."
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
Tickets
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
BLACKBERRY
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Jay%20Baruchel%2C%20Glenn%20Howerton%2C%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
The%20specs
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BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
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