LONDON // Martin Whitmarsh has officially taken over from Ron Dennis as the McLaren team principal with the immediate task of helping Lewis Hamilton become the first British driver to retain the Formula One title.
Dennis announced at the launch of the new McLaren MP4-24 car in January that he would stand down as principal on March 1 after 28 years in the role.
The Briton, 61, will continue as McLaren's executive chairman, among other responsibilities, and has said that he has no thought of retirement.
Whitmarsh, the former team chief executive, has been at McLaren since 1989, when they had the Brazilian Ayrton Senna and the Frenchman Alain Prost as their formidable line-up.
"I've been trying for 20 years to win races and championships, but I have to say I feel an extra zing this time," he said.
"I want my first win as team principal and my first world championship more than I realised. And I certainly don't want to be the man who fails to deliver the championship for Lewis Hamilton."
Since his arrival at the Woking factory, the Mercedes-powered team have won four constructors' championships and six drivers' titles including Hamilton's first last year.
"Ron and I have common views, but I am not an identikit of him," he said. "On the fundamental issues of how to go motor racing we are very similar in how we approach things."
Whitmarsh said Hamilton, who beat Ferrari's Felipe Massa to the title by a single point in the Brazilian season-ender in November, had been "battle-hardened" like no other driver.
"He just wants to prove he can become a multiple world champion, but there is no longer the pressure there was on him until he won the title at the last race of last season," he added.
"If you sit with him now, you do sense someone who has the confidence of being world champion."
The season starts in Australia on March 29.
*Reuters
Company%20Profile
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
AWARDS
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Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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