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F1 pre-season testing: Stefano Domenicali calls for calm in face of criticism of new rules

F1’s bosses agreed at a meeting of the F1 Commission rules-making body on Wednesday they would assess data from this final test at a further meeting to decide whether action needed to be taken in the short term.

Concern arises from the fact the new engine rules have tripled the power provided by the electrical part of the engine but left the batteries more or less the same size as last year, and removed one of the devices used to recover energy.

This had led to cars that are energy starved and forced the teams to find new ways to harvest sufficient electrical energy to produce the best performance. The rules governing energy recovery are also highly complex.

That in turn has required drivers to perform behaviours that have been described as “counter-intuitive” to optimise lap time.

These include not going flat out put of the final corner before a qualifying lap, lifting and coasting on a qualifying lap, and even not accelerating at full power at the end of a lap because it was more advantageous to use the energy elsewhere.

However, drivers have generally been positive on the handling characteristics of the new cars, and a number of top drivers all told BBC Sport they are still driving to the limit of grip, and driver ability will still be as crucial as ever.

Domenicali said: “Don’t be worried about the energy management. We’re going to solve that. If we need to solve it, by the way.”

He has spent his time in Bahrain having a series of discussions with individual drivers about the sport, including Verstappen.

And he added: “Max wants and does care about Formula 1 more than anyone else. He has a way of putting the point that he wants to say in a certain way.

“Max will be part of the future of Formula 1 and of course it’s very important that we listen to him and all the top drivers that are very important in this sport.”

Domenicali also said F1 was looking at introducing new sporting elements on Fridays, expanding on the approach that led to sprint-race weekends, which feature two qualifying sessions rather than one, and a shorter race on the Saturday in addition to the grand prix on Sunday.

He has already previously said F1 is considering increasing the number of sprint events beyond the current six.

Domenicali added: “Feedback from the fans, from the people attending the track, the promoter, [is] that people want to see action, real action during the three days.

“People want to see already on Friday something that is sporting – qualifying, points, whatever it is.

“So, it is true that there is the trend to go in the direction of, even if it is not a sprint every weekend.”

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Danniella Westbrook finally reveals results of her full face, neck and brow lift after unrecognisable post-surgery look

DANNIELLA Westbrook has finally revealed the full extent of her recent surgery makeover after undergoing a full face, neck and brow lift.

The former soap star underwent multiple facial surgeries weeks ago in Dubai and was spotted looking swollen and bruised as she emerged from surgery.

Danniella has unveiled the results of her facial operations – but couldn’t resist adding a filter or twoCredit: BackGrid
Danniella showed off her new face in a series of snaps but ensured they were filtered so she was looking her bestCredit: BackGrid
The star pictured leaving her operations earlier this monthCredit: BackGrid
Danniella pictured in 1995 before undergoing any surgeriesCredit: Getty

But now the ‘results’ have been revealed with Danniella sharing a slew of new snaps post-surgery but ever the perfectionist, the star couldn’t resist adding a filter or two to the images before she posted them online.

The star’s new images featured a helping hand in order to enhance her appearance even more post-surgery.

The axed EastEnders star could be seen posing on a towel as she enjoyed the Dubai heat.

Wearing a blue bikini, Danniella showed off her filtered face and her body in the images.

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She pulled a series of sultry poses in which evidence of her recent nose operations could be seen thanks to some slight bruising still visible around the nostril area.

In another image, Danniella opted to wear a pair of glasses as she laid back and relaxed in the sunshine.

The 52-year-old, has been on a journey to rebuild her face after historic drug abuse, with this surgery following on from a nose operation last June.

Danniella had a full face, neck and brow lift in addition to a lip and nose reconstruction.

Following the operation, she left the facility in a wheelchair with a facial compression garment wrapped around her head.

A full recovery for a face, neck and chin lift can take up to nine months.

The star popped a filter on her selfies for good measureCredit: BackGrid
She wasn’t shy about showing off her body either in the imagesCredit: BackGrid
Danniella’s face has changed drastically over the years thanks to surgery and heavy drug abuseCredit: Shutterstock

The surgery was performed by Danniella’s trusted Surgeon Dr Parviz Sadigh, who has carried out operations on her in the past.

Danniella became hooked on drugs at the age of 14 after beginning to take cocaine after shooting to fame as Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders.

The former star estimates that she has spent a whopping £250,000 on cocaine in her lifetime and was using at least five grams a day throughout her entire pregnancy with son, Kai.

Danniella was addicted to drugs throughout the 1990s and early 2000.

She then managed to stay clean before a number of relapses including in 2017 – the year after she last appeared on EastEnders.

Her latest known drug relapse was in 2021.

This abuse led to the collapse of her nose and cheekbones, with her septum – the cartilage that separates the two nostrils – falling out.

Last summer, Danniella went under the knife for a surgery to reconstruct her nose, with cartilage from her rib being used to fix her nose.

At the time, the star admitted she was hoping to rebuild her face so that she can kick start her acting career once again.

On the day of her surgery, she said: “Big day for me heading down for a very long surgery right now to rebuild my face.

“Then I can get back to work.”

Danniella on-set of EastEnders during her last appearance in 2016Credit: BBC
The star pictured on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016Credit: Getty
Her face changed drastically just a couple of years laterCredit: Splash

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Heathrow Airport £7 fee that must be paid – or travellers face fine up to £80

Visitors can either pay a single fee or pre-pay for multiple online or over the phone

London Heathrow has reminded travellers of a fee that must be paid when using a certain part of the airport. Failure to pay this could result in an £80 fine, reduced to £40 if paid within a fortnight.

On X, formerly Twitter, the London airport explained: “Terminal Drop-Off Charge applies to vehicles dropping off passengers on the terminal forecourts. Use short-stay parking for pick-up; free pick-up/drop-off remains available in Park & Ride car parks. No waiting/picking up is allowed in the drop-off area, and any unattended vehicles may be towed. Blue badge holders are eligible for a 100% discount.”

Drop-off zones are situated immediately outside each terminal, providing the most convenient and fastest option for dropping off passengers. Visitors can either pay for a single drop-off or pre-pay for multiple drop-offs online or over the phone.

Nonetheless, anyone who uses a drop-off zone must pay by midnight the next day. Further online guidance from Heathrow adds: “When you pay in advance, your prepayments last for 12 months. Any prepaid funds that remain unused 12 months from the date of purchase will expire.

“You cannot pay for drop-offs at an airport ticket machine or in the terminal drop-off zones. There are no barriers; you incur a charge when you enter the drop-off zone.”

Anyone with questions about the fee or who requires a refund should contact refunds.heathrowdropoff@apcoa.com, chat to an agent via webchat, or call customer services on 0333 200 7459.

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London Heathrow’s two-bag policy

You might not realise that the capital’s airport also implements a ‘two-bag policy’ at security to prevent hold-ups. This rule means travellers are permitted to take just two items of hand baggage through the screening zone.

London Heathrow explains: “To avoid delays, Heathrow operates a two-bag policy at airport security. Only two items of hand baggage may be taken through security control, and they must be no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22in x 18in x 10in).

“Items larger than this must be checked in as hold luggage – you can check your bag size using the gauges at check-in. Handbags and laptop bags count as a piece of hand baggage.”

Beyond this, it’s important to understand what items are suitable for your hand luggage. For instance, only specific electronic equipment is permitted on flights leaving from the UK.

While individual airlines may have varying requirements, the UK Government outlines nine essential items you’re able to include in both your hand luggage and hold luggage:

  • Hairdryers
  • Straighteners
  • Travel iron
  • Electric shaver
  • Most cameras
  • Mobile phones
  • Laptops
  • Tablet devices
  • MP3 players

Those travelling with e-cigarettes are required to store them in hand luggage rather than checked bags. When going through security checks, electronic items should be positioned in a separate tray, allowing security staff to examine them and ensure no prohibited items are hidden.

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UK travellers heading to USA could face £20,000 bill ‘on average’

Forgetting this vital add-on for your getaway could leave travellers thousands out of pocket

Thousands of holidaymakers will be heading across the Atlantic this year, many driven by the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but they could be risking £20,000 on average if they don’t arrange vital protection before jetting abroad. While most are trying to sort flights, accommodation and match tickets, experts have urged people to double check their travel insurance too.

Dr Asimah Hanif, an NHS GP working with travel insurance provider Staysure, explained that medical care abroad can often leave travellers out of pocket. However, in the United States this can be an even bigger problem as there is no universal healthcare and medical costs are known to run into the thousands for standard hospital treatment.

She said: “Many people assume they will only need medical care abroad in the event of a serious emergency. However, this overlooks more common health issues such as heat exhaustion or infectious illnesses like flu, which can easily spread in crowded, hot environments.

“For older travellers, or those with pre-existing medical conditions, these seemingly minor issues can quickly lead to the need for medical treatment and result in significant costs, particularly in the United States.”

The FIFA World Cup will be taking place across Mexico, Canada and the United States this summer, with ticket demand breaking records and thousands planning to attend. For many, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

However, common football ailments like slips and trips can spell financial disaster for some. The summer heat and long journey is also expected to increase the likelihood of injuries and illness among the crowds.

Staysure data from 2025 showed biggest claims in these countries were for hospital treatment, emergency care and medical repatriation. The average claim had a cost of close to £20,000 with some extreme cases even exceeding £1million.

Dr Asimah added: “These are not unusual scenarios, things like chest pain, dehydration, infections or a fall can mean scans, overnight hospital stays or specialist treatment. In North America, those costs escalate very quickly.”

She warned that one of the biggest mistakes travellers and football fans can make this year is leaving their travel insurance for the last minute or assuming they won’t need it at all.

She added: “Travel insurance is not just about lost luggage or delays. It is about making sure you are protected financially and medically if something unexpected happens. With the right cover, you can focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about worst case scenarios.”

The doctor encouraged people to try arrange medical travel insurance as soon as their trip is booked.

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Airlines warn Brits face paying extra £250 for flights due to major airport expansion

WITH Heathrow Airport set to add a third runway, there are growing fears that it could increase the price of flights.

Airlines warn that the planned expansion could result in a £250 price increase for passengers on a family fare.

Airlines fear that passenger fares could increase due to the Heathrow Airport expansionCredit: Alamy
Plans for the expansion are for a third runway to be addedCredit: Getty

With the expansion set to cost £33billion, The Times has reported that airlines are “seriously worried” that Heathrow’s landing charge will increase to pay back the cost of the project for investors.

Their landing fees are already the highest in the world.

In July 2025, Heathrow Airport proposed to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to increase airport charges to fund the expansion.

The average charge over the next five years could increase to around £33.26 per passenger, up from the current average of £28.46 per passenger.

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Now, The Times added that airline bosses have pointed out that the cost of the project would add “at least” £60-£65 to average ticket prices.

This means that the additional cost for a family of four could be as much as £250.

Officials from IAG – the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus – raised their concerns to Downing Street.

Another group called ‘Heathrow Reimagined’ have written to Rachel Reeves about the expansion.

The letter raised points that going ahead with the current model will “deliver a scheme which negatively impacts connectivity, competitiveness and the wider UK economy“.

It added that increased charges that are “already the highest in the world” would undermine the “government’s commitment to reduce the cost of living.”

The letter was signed by the boss of IAG, the chief of Virgin Atlantic and the director-general of the airline trade body International Air Transport Association (Iata).

However, a Heathrow spokeswoman told The Times: “Expansion provides a rare opportunity to drive real economic growth for the UK and deliver value for future generations of passengers.

“With demand consistently outpacing supply, incumbent airlines currently compete to charge a premium and the evidence speaks for itself: airfares at Heathrow have risen by 30 per cent in real terms since 2014, whilst the airport passenger charge has decreased by 19 per cent.”

They added that the analysis has “shown fares will be lower with expansion than without it” and said that they did not “recognise those numbers nor have we seen calculations that would support them.”

The huge expansion for the UK’s busiest airport was given the green light in November 2025.

The Heathrow proposals involve building a 3,500-metre runway which will require a new M25 tunnel and bridges to be built 130 metres west of the existing motorway.

The expansion is estimated to cost £33billion which includes building a 3,500 metre runway.

It will see Heathrow’s capacity increase to 756,000 flights and 150 million passengers per year.

The project has received government backing and is moving forward, but it has not yet received final planning approval or development consent.

Heathrow Airport is making other big changes this year…

London Heathrow will undergo a series of developments this year starting with Terminal 2 and 4

The airport will improve the passenger experience by using AI-technology and has plans to make flights more punctual along with better baggage facilities.

 Heathrow Airport revealed it will start upgrading Terminal 4 next year costing £1.3billion.

The first step will be building a new multi-storey car park and upgrading its check-in area.

The works will be phased to ensure that there’s no disruption to the running of Terminal 4 – and these are expected to be completed in 2031.

Over in Terminal 2, Heathrow has announced that work will also begin on a new baggage system that will be able to handle 31,000 bags each day.

In order to speed up flights and improve punctuality, it will install AI-powered turnaround tech. This will involve a network of cameras being installed across Heathrow.

Using AI to analyse data, the airport will speed up turnaround times between flights, which will make journeys more punctual.

Coverage is expected to be across all terminals by the end of 2026.

Heathrow Airport is planning on undergoing a huge expansionCredit: Alamy

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