The online ID service allows pilgrims to electronically verify their identity through the Absher and Tawakkalna platforms to streamline their journey
gulf2 hours ago
The German won from pole on the shorter layout last year and returned on the back of a victory in Valencia at the end of June.
The 23-year-old, who celebrated his birthday last week, lapped the 5.9km track with a fastest time of one minute 32.280 seconds with McLaren’s championship leader Lewis Hamilton 0.334 slower.
Renault’s Robert Kubica, with a new contract signed only a few days ago, was third fastest with Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber returning from his big crash in Valencia to post the fourth best time.
McLaren were trying out a new ‘blown’ rear diffuser similar to the one pioneered by Red Bull and showed mixed results in a home race for both their world champions.
While Hamilton was on the pace, reigning champion and team mate Jenson Button was only eighth on a morning that saw all the drivers coming to grips with an unfamiliar layout.
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, the only driver other than those from McLaren and Red Bull to have won a race this season, was only 13th quickest.
Hamilton is six points clear of Button ahead of a race billed as a battle of the British drivers with McLaren also leading Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.
“We are hoping we are going to put it (the blown diffuser) on and it will be fine, but we know it will take a little bit of getting used to,” Button had said on Thursday.
“So we are going to have a busy couple of days getting it right.”
Brazilian Bruno Senna was an absentee after being dropped by his Hispania (HRT) team in favour of Japanese test driver Sakon Yamamoto, who was by far the slowest on the track.
Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi sat out the opening session to allow Force India test driver Paul di Resta a stint in the car in front of his home crowd. He was 14th.
Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy completed 11 laps in Italian Jarno Trulli’s Lotus.
The online ID service allows pilgrims to electronically verify their identity through the Absher and Tawakkalna platforms to streamline their journey
gulf2 hours ago
MSME Honours aims to acknowledge budding businesses and entrepreneurs who have made remarkable contributions in the MSME ecosystem across geographies
kt network2 hours ago
At least 521 houses, 31,985 hectares of land including rice fields, 19 bridges, and most main roads were damaged
asia3 hours ago
He discovered the device inside a teddy bear that his ex-wife gave their daughters
legal3 hours ago
The Frenchman started preparing for the journey two years ago by enhancing his physical capabilities and cultivating a love for long-distance walking
gulf3 hours ago
This is Imran Khan's first public appearance since his arrest in last August in Toshakhana case
world3 hours ago
These tourists can stay in the country for a maximum duration of 15 days
asia3 hours ago
Robert Fico fought for his life in hospital Wednesday after being shot multiple times in what the government called a 'political assault'
uae4 hours ago