Hamilton crashes in final practice for F1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi GP ahead of qualifying
Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) (AP): Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton crashed in the final practice of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ahead of qualifying later Saturday.
The thrilling three-way title battle will be decided on Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit. McLaren driver Lando Norris is 12 points ahead of Red Bull's Verstappen and 16 ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen is aiming for his fifth straight F1 title — Norris and Piastri are chasing their first. All three drivers have won seven races.
Mercedes driver George Russell led third practice ahead of Norris and Verstappen, with Piastri fifth.
Hamilton lost the rear of the Ferrari coming out of Turn 9 and spun full circle before sliding into the barriers, bringing out the red flag. He stepped out of the car and picked up some of the debris himself.
Hamilton owns F1 records for most wins (104) and pole positions (104) but called his own performance “ terrible ” this season.
The 40-year-old Briton won a sprint race in China in March, but nothing else this season. He has not even been on the podium in a main race this campaign.
Norris had a scare during third practice when he narrowly avoided running into the back of Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull, swerving around him just in time.
Toward the end of practice, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli lurched into the side of Tsunoda's Red Bull in the pit lane as Tsunoda was driving past him.
Norris showed good pace to lead Friday's first two practice sessions ahead of Verstappen.
Title showdown
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Taking the pole is crucial in Abu Dhabi, where overtaking is hard on the 58-lap circuit.
Every driver starting on pole has won the race since 2015. The last not to do so was Nico Rosberg a year earlier, when he was beaten by his then-Mercedes teammate Hamilton.
Norris will win the title if he's on the podium in Abu Dhabi. Even if Verstappen wins, the Dutchman needs Norris to be fourth or lower. If Piastri wins, he requires Norris to finish outside the top five.
McLaren rues errors
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Norris had the chance to wrap up the title at last week's Qatar Grand Prix but a botched strategy call by McLaren handed Verstappen the win, boosting his chances of a fifth straight title to equal Michael Schumacher's feat with Ferrari from 2000-04.
Verstappen's victory in Qatar was his 70th overall. His title chances were suddenly improved after Norris and Piastri were disqualified in Las Vegas.
Tense title raceAfter winning the Dutch GP on Aug. 31 for his seventh victory, Piastri led by Norris by 34 points and was 104 ahead of Verstappen, who had won just two races.
Piastri, who is looking to become the first Australian champion in 45 years, hasn't won in eight races since his Zandvoort win.
When Norris won the Brazil GP sprint race in early November, he moved 39 ahead of Verstappen with four races to go.
Verstappen also qualified in 16th for the main race in Sao Paulo and said he could “ forget about ” winning the title at that point.
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Man held for fake campaign against KAS officer; police cite personal hostility
Bengaluru (PTI): In a key development in a cyber defamation case involving social activist Snehamayi Krishna, police on Saturday arrested a man for allegedly circulating fake documents and a fabricated audio clip targeting senior KAS officer and former MUDA Commissioner D B Natesh.
Police said the accused, Vinod, acted out of hostility arising from certain transactions between him and the complainant.
According to a press release issued by the police department, the case was registered on February 18 at the Bengaluru City Cyber Crime Police Station based on a complaint filed by Natesh, former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner.
During the investigation, police found that due to hostility arising from certain transactions between Vinod and the complainant, he contacted Krishna and provided false information, allegedly with the intention of taking revenge for personal gain.
In his complaint, Natesh alleged that Krishna, a resident of Mysuru, had been targeting and harassing him by creating fake documents, morphed photographs and a fabricated audio clip, and uploading them on social media through his Facebook account with the intention of defaming him.
Police said the investigation was taken up accordingly.
It was further revealed that Krishna, without verifying the authenticity of the information received, allegedly circulated it on social media with malicious intent to defame and damage the complainant’s reputation, the release said.
In this connection, a notice was issued to N Vinod, a resident of Bogadi in Mysuru, directing him to appear before the police.
Upon inquiry, and in view of the supporting evidence found against him, he was arrested and will be produced before the competent court, police said.
A notice has also been issued to Krishna to appear for questioning regarding his role in the offence. Further investigation is in progress.
Additionally, another case has been registered against Krishna at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station for allegedly spreading false information and carrying out defamatory propaganda. The matter is under investigation.
During the investigation so far, materials shared by Krishna on Facebook have been collected.
On verifying mobile numbers, vehicle registration details and other evidence, police found that the information circulated was false.
The investigation is continuing, they added.
On Thursday, Krishna had alleged corruption against Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and senior KAS officer D B Natesh, a former MUDA Commissioner.
The government rejected the allegations, stating that due process had been followed and a prior sanction for investigation had already been granted.
Krishna also lodged complaints with the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department, alleging the exchange of a large amount of cash in Mysuru. He also shared a photograph of a vehicle allegedly used in the transaction.
On Saturday, Krishna apologised to the chief secretary.
“I was brought here yesterday for questioning following a complaint by Natesh that I filed a false complaint, created fake documents, fabricated an audio clip, and posted them on my Facebook page. There was also a complaint against me for making baseless allegations against Shalini Rajneesh,” Krishna told reporters.
The activist said he had received the information through WhatsApp. He added that the person who shared it has also been questioned by the police.
Krishna, however, claimed that his allegations against Natesh are correct. “The information shared with me regarding Shalini Rajneesh is false. I have committed a mistake. I request her to pardon me,” he said.
He added that the investigation will continue.
Krishna was the complainant in the MUDA land allotment case, based on which a case was registered against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and others.
In this case, it was alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an upscale area of Mysuru, with a higher property value than the land acquired by MUDA.
MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under this scheme, MUDA allots 50 per cent of developed land to landowners in exchange for undeveloped land acquired for residential layouts.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police, which registered the case against Siddaramaiah, his wife and his brother-in-law, later gave them a clean chit by filing a closure report, which was accepted by the Special Court for trial of public representatives.
