SHANGHAI // Daniel Ricciardo sounded a warning to Mercedes after the first practice sessions for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, declaring that they should watch out as Red Bull “are coming”.
Mercedes, having won the opening three races of the season, still appear to be the dominant force in Shanghai as Lewis Hamilton topped the times in Friday’s second practice session.
For the track guides, team profiles and the latest standings see our interactive F1 2014 graphic here
Team-mate and drivers’ standings leader Nico Rosberg was third, but appeared to have been hampered on his fastest lap by yellow warning flags waved after Pastor Maldonado crashed his Lotus at the pit lane entrance. With a clear run, Rosberg may have bettered Hamilton’s time.
The Silver Arrows were split by a resurgent Ferrari, driven by Fernando Alonso, after Spaniard had earlier set the fastest time in the first practice session.
Ricciardo’s Red Bull was fourth, just half a second behind Hamilton with his teammate and world champion Sebastian Vettel in fifth, two-tenths of a second further back.
The encouraging session prompted Ricciardo to tell reporters afterwards that Mercedes should be aware that Red Bull “are coming”.
But the affable Australian admitted that it would take a little more time.
“There won’t be any deposing going on this weekend,” Ricciardo said. “I would like to think that we have caught up, but I think they (Mercedes) have got a bit more in there that they didn’t show today.
Ricciardo had said earlier in the week that he felt “pumped” for the Shanghai race, despite losing an appeal against his Australian Grand Prix disqualification and he talked enthusiastically about his chances for Saturday’s qualifying session.
“We’d like second row in qualifying tomorrow. That’s the aim at the moment,” he said.
“We are making small improvements. The gap is a big one so it’s not going to come down over one race, but I feel that we have crept up a little bit more,” Ricciardo added.
“It’s still a big one but we are coming.”
By contrast Hamilton, despite setting the fastest time, was unhappy with the handling of his Mercedes throughout the day, complaining of understeer and later saying on team radio: “There’s something wrong with this car. I’m coming in.”
Rosberg said it wasn’t only Hamilton having problems given the nature of the Shanghai circuit with long bends under braking.
“Lewis had understeer, I had understeer also, but everybody has that problem here because the circuit destroys your front tyres,” said Rosberg.
“You just have to figure out a way round that. Turn one is a tyre killer because it never ends, it goes on and on and on.”
Hamilton caused confusion when he was asked if the planned “clear-the-air talks with Rosberg following their acrimonious Bahrain battle had happened on Thursday night and replied: “No.”
But Rosberg had a different take on the matter.
“Yeah, we sat down and went through everything,” he said. “It’s all behind us and it’s flat out, full speed ahead.”
sports@thenational.ae
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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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.
Sukuk explained
Sukuk are Sharia-compliant financial certificates issued by governments, corporates and other entities. While as an asset class they resemble conventional bonds, there are some significant differences. As interest is prohibited under Sharia, sukuk must contain an underlying transaction, for example a leaseback agreement, and the income that is paid to investors is generated by the underlying asset. Investors must also be prepared to share in both the profits and losses of an enterprise. Nevertheless, sukuk are similar to conventional bonds in that they provide regular payments, and are considered less risky than equities. Most investors would not buy sukuk directly due to high minimum subscriptions, but invest via funds.
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Panga'
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Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
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Greatest of All Time
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WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand (Saturday, 12pm)
Wales v South Africa (Sunday, 1pm)
Company%20Profile
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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.
Company%20Profile
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Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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SPECS
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THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
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Director: Neeraj Pandey
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Rating: 5/5
The%20specs
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FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now