SAKHIR // Felipe Massa already knew it, but yesterday he proved it to the world. The Ferrari driver, competing in his first Grand Prix weekend since an accident in Hungary eight months ago that left him with a fractured skull, finished second in qualifying at the Formula One season-opener in Bahrain to prove he has lost none of his speed.
"I always expected to be competitive," said Massa after making an emotional return to finish behind Red Bull-Renault's Sebastian Vettel, who himself took a moment to congratulate the Brazilian on his long-awaited return. "It is fantastic to hear that because, while we are here to compete and race each other, the relationship and respect goes above everything. "I have a great relationship with the drivers and after such a difficult time, I am here and ready to fight again.
"I never had a doubt; everything I have been doing since last year has been the same. I remember going to the go-karts for the first time and everybody was watching, including the doctors. They were waiting to see if I would be OK and in the first lap I was on my side, pushing hard." Massa's teammate, Fernando Alonso, will start today's race third on the grid and the Spaniard said he is looking forward to being back in the hunt for pole positions, wins and championships after two barren years at Renault. The double world champion said: "Having spent two years with no possibility of that, obviously I missed the podium and the competition and stress of fighting for a world championship.
"After a long winter with some good signs of a very competitive car we thought we would fight, but we needed confirmation. And we got that in the first Grand Prix by showing we are quick enough." McLaren-Mercedes, the British team, were not provided such confirmation after Lewis Hamilton, winner of the series in 2008, finished fourth, while his teammate Jenson Button, the reigning world champion, ended his first qualifying campaign in eighth.
For all the questions raised regarding McLaren's controversial rear wing, it appears the Woking manufacturers do not have the pace that was expected. At one point during the second part of qualifying, Button alarmingly looked set to finish outside the top 10 before he rallied on his last lap to pip Rubens Barrichello's Williams-Cosworth. Hamilton admitted: "We don't have the same pace as Red Bull and Ferrari, so I am overwhelmed with fourth. There are a lot of quick guys behind me."
Michael Schumacher, the seven-time world champion, said he was content with starting from seventh place after taking part in his first qualifying session for three years, despite being beaten by his teammate Nico Rosberg, who starts fifth. "I am quite happy, we have steadily improved and we have worked quite well as a team which is what counts at the moment," he said. gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Oppenheimer
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
