Mercedes will be looking to reassert their Formula One dominance at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend after the team received the loudest of wake-up calls in Malaysia by Sebastian Vettel's revitalised Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes one-two ahead of Nico Rosberg in the season opener in Melbourne last month, the pair enjoying a Sunday stroll around Albert Park that left the rest of the field trailing in their wake and fans fearing the worst.
Another procession was expected in Malaysia but Vettel and Ferrari had other ideas with both winning a race for the first time since 2013, thanks to a car that was much kinder on the tyres in the sweltering heat and a tactical masterclass from race engineers.
Mercedes are now fully aware they have a real title fight on their hands from a team that stumbled from one crisis to another in a winless 2014 campaign, but the German outfit will be happy to race at a circuit that suits the car with track temperatures far less demanding on the Pirelli tyres.
“We left Malaysia with plenty to think about. It may have been a good result for the sport ... but for us, it was a wake-up call,” Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said.
“Our opposition has raised its game and we must now raise ours even further. As we have said since Melbourne, we expect a season-long battle for both world championships and we must maximise every opportunity,” he added.
“China is the next chance to do that ... a circuit which has been a good hunting ground for the team.”
Hamilton beat Rosberg to the chequered flag in Shanghai a year ago and while recent trends make Mercedes favourites at the 5.451km Hermann Tilke-designed circuit, Ferrari won the race in 2013 and will be keen to prevent the Briton from registering a record-extending fourth win in China.
Fernando Alonso was another driver given a rude awakening in Malaysia and while the Spaniard put a brave face on an early withdrawal on his seasonal debut for McLaren after missing Melbourne due to concussion, the sight of his old employers storming to victory must have left a bittersweet taste.
Undeterred and insisting he was happy to rejoin a team with whom he spent one unhappy season in 2007, Alonso firmly believes the car is making rapid improvements since a disastrous season-opener and double retirement last time out.
“The steps we took between Australia and Malaysia were extremely impressive,” the double world champion said.
“That sort of progress really gives the whole team belief and confidence in the path we’re taking, so I hope we can keep moving forwards every time we take to the track.”
Williams and Red Bull will also be hoping for a more positive weekend after two races that starkly exposed their early-season limitations.
The former had been expected to battle with Ferrari for second place but have been well beaten by Vettel in Australia and Malaysia, while Red Bull have become bogged down in a public spat with engine suppliers Renault and were unable to back up an impressive qualifying session in Malaysia during the race.
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Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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Faber & Faber
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
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Amazon Prime
Four stars
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
THREE
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Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
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Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
BABYLON
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- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule
August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland
Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE
December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman
February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland
September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal
February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal