Latest news with #Spa
Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Renowned wellness expert brings spiritual guidance to Glasgow as part of exclusive residency at Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa
One of the UK's most sought-after wellness and healing experts is bringing her modern approach to traditional spiritual practices to Glasgow city centre. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Jade Mordente – a meditation guide, Reiki Master, and tarot reader – will host a monthly residency at Kimpton Blythswood Square Hotel and Spa from August to October. For the first time, Jade is opening her appointment book at the Spa at Blythswood Square– Kimpton Blythswood Square's luxurious destination spa inspired by the Scottish Hebrides. Designed to guide guests on an intuitive wellness journey that aligns mind, body, and spirit, this bespoke experience has been carefully curated to awaken new depths of self-discovery. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The exclusive package includes a 55-minute private tarot and crystal healing session, followed by access to the spa's Thermal Experiences, which features a salt room, snow shower, and tepidarium. Snow shower at the Spa at Kimpton Blythswood Square. Tarot reading is a form of divination that uses symbolic cards to offer insight into the past, present, or future, while crystal healing is a holistic practice that harnesses the energy of crystals and gemstones to promote physical and emotional well-being. Jade's residency forms part of Kimpton's Stay Well programme – a UK-wide initiative bringing immersive wellbeing experiences to guests. The programme includes an in-room wellness menu offering exclusive wellness products including Ross J. Barr herbal healing patches, complimentary access to Swell Sound Therapy as well as Theraguns, and Recovery Wave Boots which can be borrowed from reception. Melissa Gibson, Head of Spa at Kimpton Blythswood Square, said: 'We're thrilled to welcome Jade Mordente as part of our Stay Well programme. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The new residency offers guests a rare opportunity to experience a powerful wellness and healing journey right here in the heart of Glasgow with one of the UK's top wellness experts. Tepidarium at the Spa at Kimpton Blythswood Square. 'This really is a unique chance for anyone looking to reduce stress, support their mental health and wellbeing, or simply indulge in some well-deserved self-care.' The experience begins with a transformational tarot reading led by Jade, using her signature method. The spiritual session explores the key themes shaping your life, while offering grounded insights to help you thrive in the months ahead. Supported by a gentle guided meditation, a hand-selected crystal to anchor your energy, and the therapeutic aromas of ishga, Jade will illuminate your strengths, uncover blocks, and reveal your next best steps. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After your reading, guests will enjoy two hours of access to the Thermal Suite at the Spa at Blythswood Square allowing you to reflect, reset, and integrate your experience in serene surroundings designed to restore harmony and balance. Meditation guide, Reiki Master, and tarot reader Jade Mordente. Jade added: 'I'm delighted to launch this Blythswood Square residency and begin working in Glasgow more regularly over the next few months. The spa is a truly incredible space, and the team all understand the importance of health and wellbeing, so it was the perfect fit.' Appointments with Jade are available to book now from £170 per person, taking place on Tuesday 26 August, with dates for September and October to be announced shortly.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Few races in the last 25 years of Formula 1 can attest to providing the same kind of drama the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix offered. From the huge start-line pile-up to the shock 1-2 for Jordan, there are many, many moments that make the race stand out. But it was also the day the Schumacher brothers would both go to war, left aggrieved after feeling they had each been denied a potential victory. Michael Schumacher arrived at Spa hoping to take another bite out of McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen's lead, having cut the gap to just seven points with victory in Hungary two weeks earlier. Hakkinen hit back in qualifying by taking pole position by one-tenth of a second, locking out the front row for McLaren ahead of teammate David Coulthard. Schumacher could only manage P4, as Damon Hill grabbed third on the grid for Jordan. Torrential rain on race day forced the field to fit full wet tyres and brace for a possible race of attrition through the Ardennes forest. The title contenders knew there was plenty to lose in the tricky conditions – but Hill sensed a big opportunity. Before the race, he ordered a team huddle with his crew, a crowd of yellow bodies bunching together as the rain continued to hammer down. Mika Hakkinen, McLaren MP4/13, was hit by Johnny Herbert, Sauber C17 on the exit of La Source Hill was slow to pull away in the damp conditions, slipping down to seventh on the short run to La Source. But he crucially managed to avoid the chaos that quickly unfolded after Coulthard hit a metal drain cover, causing his McLaren to spear across the track and into the wall on the downhill sprint towards Eau Rouge. It triggered one of the biggest accidents in F1 history that involved more than half the field, prompting the race to quickly be red flagged. The rules at the time meant the start was voided, allowing the drivers involved in the accident to rejoin the race and use their spare cars if required once the track had been cleared. After more than an hour's wait, the race restarted, the rain still falling. Hill sat out the wait in his car, not wishing to break his focus. The second start was cleaner, but not without incident. Hill made a sluggish initial move from his grid slot before finding the grip to place his Jordan alongside pole-sitter Hakkinen, before swinging around the outside to move into the lead at La Source. Hakkinen was tentative under braking, allowing Schumacher to try a similar move on exit. While trying to force his title rival wide, Hakkinen spun his car before being hit by the unsighted Johnny Herbert, ending the Finn's race immediately. To make matters worse for McLaren, a tangle with Alexander Wurz had left Coulthard in the gravel on the opening lap, but the Scot was able to haul his car back onto the track. He remained in the race, albeit now running far down the order. The safety car was soon called to allow Hakkinen's stricken McLaren to be retrieved, giving Hill the chance to settle his nerves at the head of the pack. It was the first time he had led a race since his near-miss for Arrows in Hungary one year earlier, and had two red Ferraris filling his mirrors through the spray. When the race resumed, Hill knew it was a matter of time before Schumacher made his move, eventually losing the lead on lap eight. Schumacher was then able to put over a second per lap on Hill as he waltzed through the spray, putting him 37 seconds clear with 20 laps to go. Victory and, importantly, the championship lead were his for the taking. It Is What It Is. Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F300, with missing front wheel and wing, and David Coulthard, McLaren MP4-13 Mercedes, with missing rear wing, in the pitlane As Schumacher neared, Coulthard moved to the right and lifted off to allow him past on the downhill run to Pouhon – only for Schumacher to slam into the rear of the McLaren. Coulthard later revealed the impact had been 137 mph, enough to tear the nose and front-right wheel off Schumacher's Ferrari, as well as leaving Coulthard without a rear wing. Both cars made it around the rest of the lap before coming into the pits nose to tail. The McLaren mechanics set about repairing Coulthard's car, but soon found themselves joined in the garage by their colleagues in red, who were trying to restrain a fuming Schumacher. With a face like thunder, Schumacher was pulled back to the Ferrari garage, knowing his title hopes had been dealt an enormous blow in seemingly cynical fashion. Coulthard would feel the brunt of that at Monza two weeks later. There was still hope of a Schumacher victory, though. Proving wet-weather skills were in the family business, Ralf Schumacher had been rising through the field to sit third before his brother's downfall. He had quietly chipped away at Hill's advantage, cutting it from 22 seconds to a little over 10 at one point, but was handed a lifeline when the safety car was called following a crash between Giancarlo Fisichella and Shinji Nakano. Shinji Nakano, Minardi M198 ploughs through the debris after colliding with Giancarlo Fisichella, B198 It put the younger Schumacher on the rear of Hill's car for the restart with 12 laps to go, giving the team a sniff of not just victory, but a 1-2 finish. Both would be firsts in the history of the team, coming in a season where it had finished a race no higher than fourth. It could not afford to throw it away. Hill was starting to feel the pressure as the race entered its closing stages, the rain still pouring down. He then hit the radio button and made his status as world champion clear. Jordan decided to use team orders, prompting Sam Michael to tell the faster Schumacher to hold position in contradiction to his previous calls to push. Podium: Racewinner Damon Hill, Jordan, second place Ralf Schumacher, Jordan; third place Jean Alesi, Sauber As the team celebrated its famous victory, Schumacher's face offered a similar kind of fury to that shown by his brother in the McLaren garage an hour or so earlier. He waved his cap and sprayed the champagne, but felt aggrieved after being denied a possible first win. Michael Schumacher would also have his say on the incident, making a point of finding Jordan amid the post-race celebrations. Ralf would pick up one final podium for Jordan at Monza before leaving the team two races later, starting a six-year stint at Williams. Michael would miss out on a third world title, losing to Hakkinen at the final race. Victory at Spa could have given him a six-point lead for the title showdown at Suzuka instead of a four-point deficit. It may be remembered for Eddie's dance and that start-line crash, but Spa '98 was also a crucial race for the F1 fortunes of the Schumacher brothers. Race winner Damon Hill, Jordan To read more articles visit our website.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Are Aston Martin a dark horse to sign Verstappen?
After a three-week break, the Formula 1 season resumes this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix at the much-loved Spa-Francorchamps will be the first race with Laurent Mekies in charge of Red Bull, following Christian Horner's sacking as team Sport F1 correspondent Andrew Benson answers your latest questions. With Adrian Newey at Aston Martin and his history of making cars that Verstappen is strong in, does that make them dark horses to sign Max if he does leave Red Bull? - DanAston Martin already have two drivers committed for Alonso's contract runs out at the end of next season, and Lance Stroll will drive there for as long as he is the son of the owner, Lawrence Stroll, and the team effectively exists for means that if Verstappen were to want to leave Red Bull for Aston Martin, an arrangement would have to be reached with that Alonso gets his first chance to drive an Adrian Newey-designed car next year, the chances of him being especially amenable to that are low. Any pay-off in such circumstances would have to be very large indeed, one can said all of that, and while nothing is impossible in F1, and one can always be surprised, there does not seem to be any movement in this direction at the Verstappen is to leave Red Bull, it is most likely to be to Mercedes. Whether he will remains an open question for sense from little bits of information from here and there is that at this stage Verstappen is more likely to stay at Red Bull than not. But of course that could change. How hard is it for a team principal to step into a new team part way through the season? Particularly at Red Bull where the outgoing team principal seemed to have a lot of the control and responsibility. - SteveThe sacking of Christian Horner as Red Bull team principal is a big change. This weekend's Belgian Grand Prix will be the first time in Red Bull's 20-year history that someone else other than Horner is in charge of the replacement Laurent Mekies is a very capable person who is well respected within already has a good understanding of the Red Bull structure. He had been working as team principal at their second team since the start of last year and before that spent a decade there as an engineer before moving to the FIA in 2014. He has also worked at Ferrari, from as Racing Bulls source a lot of their parts from Red Bull, that means Mekies will already know a fair bit about his new will have spent the past two weeks getting to know Red Bull as well as he can at their Milton Keynes base - as well as a test day that he attended in the days immediately following his already knows he is stepping into a team that is immensely capable. He won't want to make massive changes the time being it will primarily be a question of watching, learning and understanding how and why things work as they do, and building a bank of knowledge from which he can then start to make the changes he feels will fix some of the issues that have developed in the past 18 months or so. In the context of teams focusing on 2026 cars, it is interesting that so many have introduced new floors over the past few races. Are floors more reusable for the new regulations than other parts, or do they simply provide the best value for money performance upgrade? - SamThe fact that teams are introducing new floors as upgrades this year is not in any way related to next year's new the current F1 cars, the floor is the most powerful part of the design in terms of aerodynamics, so it's inevitable that will be where teams focus their attention as they try to make their cars faster through the any floor that is introduced this year is not relevant to next year because the technical regulations for 2026 are completely different in aerodynamic so-called venturi floors that generate ground effect on the cars that have been in F1 since 2022 are being abandoned next F1 is returning to what are known as 'step-plane' floors - similar to the ones used prior to have a central section which is the lowest part of the floor, and then a 'step' either side to a higher section which, from the front of the floor to ahead of the rear tyres, is flat, rather than curved in a wing shape as the cars will have to be run differently from that era because the FIA has introduced a series of prescriptions with regard to what teams can do to control airflow in the rear corners of the to Mercedes technical director James Allison, these restrictions in the rules "make it harder to hang on to the downforce at high ride heights".In the era from 2017-21, there was a lot of discussion about the cars' Bull ran a high rake - a steeper angle from front to back - and Mercedes low. In other words, the Red Bull's rear was higher from the ground than the Mercedes'. Red Bull's was the style followed by most teams at the time, even though this was the era of ground-breaking Mercedes success. These approaches were to do with different philosophies of dealing with a phenomenon known as 'tyre squirt'.This is messy airflow created where the inner shoulder of the rear tyres meets the ground. It disturbs the clean flow of air teams want through the diffuser, the upswept part of the floor at the back of the want to try to clean up that airflow to increase downforce created by the diffuser, and under the previous rules there were various ways of doing that. But the new rules have aspects that are intended to impede that to Allison, this will likely mean that the cars next year typically run lower at the rear than in the previous generation - but not as low as the ground-effect cars of the current said: "The low ride-height Mercedes (of the previous era) is vastly higher than the cars of the current generation, and I suspect that the new generation cars will be in between where we are now and the lower end of the ranks that we saw in the 2014 to 2021 era." How can teams have a 'feel' for who is ahead in developing the new engines for 2026 when the manufacturers presumably keep everything as secret as possible? - AlexIt's a good question because, on the face of it, no one should know anything about the relative performance of next year's engines, because the manufacturers are all working on them in reality, though, F1 might be big business and have a huge following, but it is a relatively small world, and people a start, the manufacturers have to discuss their engines with governing body the FIA for a whole bunch of there is movement between teams and manufacturers in terms of employment - people leaving one team or engine company to work for another. When they get there, they will obviously take knowledge of where their previous employer was, and be able to share that with their new then there is just general gossip between people in the while individual manufacturers do their best to stop performance figures creeping out, inevitably they do, to some how an impression last time there was a major change of engine design, there was a lot of talk about Mercedes being ahead of the rest. No one knew for sure whether that was true until the cars first ran in pre-season testing, when it became immediately apparent that it situation this year feels very similar. Again, no one knows for sure, but the grapevine says that Mercedes are is a lot of complexity in the new engine architecture is changing, with the removal of the MGU-H, the part of the hybrid system that recovers energy from the power split of the engine is changing, with the electrical part of the engine now set to produce about 50% of total output, up from about 20% need to recover that much energy - in combination with the removal of the MGU-H, which had a powerful impact on recovery - has led to a change in the aerodynamic rules.F1 is introducing moveable aerodynamics - both the front and rear wing have high- and low-drag modes. The idea is that drag can be reduced on the straights, to increase speeds, to make braking distances longer, to increase the time energy can be recovered during deployment and recovery aspects of the engines will also be very different from example, the engines will likely be run at high revs during cornering simply so energy can be recovered for use on the straights. In that situation, the internal combustion engine is effectively being used as an energy generator for the there is the fully sustainable fuel, which is being manufactured without any use of fossil fuels. These will also have an impact on snippets of information about all these aspects of the new engines creep out one way or another, and a sense of who is in a good place and who is less so starts to it is, of course, all guesstimation at the moment.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Where is the next F1 race? Belgian GP 2025 schedule at Spa and how to watch
F1 returns after a three-week mid-season break for the Belgian Grand Prix at the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit - and the third sprint weekend of the 2025 season. Lando Norris won his home race last time out at the British Grand Prix, capitalising on teammate Oscar Piastri 's penalty to claim his second victory in a row. Piastri's lead in the world championship is now just eight points at the halfway stage of the season. Nico Hulkenberg secured his first-ever podium in F1 at Silverstone, while Lewis Hamilton once again finished fourth as he continues to chase a first podium in Ferrari red. Hamilton won last year's race at Spa-Francorchamps after George Russell was disqualified. This weekend's race will also be the first since Christian Horner's dismissal at Red Bull, with Laurent Mekies taking charge for the first time. When is the Belgian Grand Prix? All times BST Friday 25 July Free practice 1: 11:30 am Sprint qualifying: 3:30pm Saturday 26 July Sprint race: 11am Qualifying: 3pm Sunday 27 July Race: 2pm How can I watch it online and on TV? The Belgian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom - and ESPN in the United States. Sky's coverage of Sunday's race starts at 12:30pm (BST). Sky Sports subscribers can watch all the action at Spa-Francorchamps on the Sky Go app. If you're not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription. If you're travelling abroad and want to watch the Belgian Grand Prix then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help. F1 driver standings 1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) – 234 points 2. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 226 points 3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 165 points 4. George Russell (Mercedes) – 147 points 5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 119 points 6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) – 103 points 7. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 63 points 8. Alex Albon (Williams) – 46 points 9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) - 37 points 10. Esteban Ocon (Haas) – 23 points 12. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) – 21 points 12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) – 20 points 13. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) – 19 points 14. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – 16 points 15. Carlos Sainz (Williams) – 13 points 16. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) – 12 points 17. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) – 10 points 18. Ollie Bearman (Haas) – 6 points 19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – 4 points 20. Franco Colapinto (Alpine) – 0 points 21. Jack Doohan (Alpine) – 0 points F1 constructor standings 1. McLaren - 460 points 2. Ferrari - 222 points 3. Mercedes - 210 points 4. Red Bull - 172 points 5. Williams - 59 points 6. Sauber - 41 points 7. Racing Bulls - 36 points 8. Aston Martin - 36 points 9. Haas - 29 points 10. Alpine - 19 points 2025 F1 CALENDAR IN FULL: ROUND 13 - BELGIUM (sprint weekend) Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 25-27 July ROUND 14 - HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest - 1-3 August ROUND 15 - NETHERLANDS Circuit Zandvoort - 29-31 August ROUND 16 - ITALY Monza Circuit - 5-7 September ROUND 17 - AZERBAIJAN Baku City Circuit - 19-21 September ROUND 18 - SINGAPORE Marina Bay Street Circuit - 3-5 October ROUND 19 - UNITED STATES (sprint weekend) Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 17-19 October ROUND 20 - MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 24-26 October ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint weekend) Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 7-9 November ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS Las Vegas Street Circuit - 20-22 November ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint weekend)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How to follow Belgian Grand Prix on the BBC
Formula 1 moves into the second half of the season with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps from 25-27 July. It's also a sprint weekend so extra points are on offer in Saturday's 15-lap race. After winning the past two grands prix, Lando Norris has narrowed the gap in the drivers' championship to his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri to eight points. Sunday's main grand prix, over 44 laps, starts at 14:00 BST. Session start times and BBC coverage Commentary of the race will be on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website and app and most smart speakers. Make sure to download the Chequered Flag podcast, which previews and reviews every race of the season. All times BST Friday, 25 July Practice session: 11:30-12:30 (BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds and smart speakers) Sprint qualifying: 15:30-16:14 (BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds and smart speakers) Saturday, 26 July Sprint race: 11:00 (BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds and smart speakers) Qualifying: 15:00-16:00 (BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Sounds and smart speakers) Sunday, 27 July Race: 14:00 (BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and smart speakers) What is the weather forecast in Spa? The weather at Spa, located in the Ardennes Forest, is notoriously unpredictable and the early forecast suggests this year will be no exception. A high of 23C is predicted for all three days with light showers expected on the Friday and Saturday. Sunday is looking sunnier but the possibility of rain remains. A new boss at Red Bull Following Christian Horner's sacking as Red Bull team principal and chief executive, Laurent Mekies takes charge for the first time after his promotion from second team Racing Bulls. The 48-year-old Frenchman had been at Racing Bulls since the start of the 2024 season and was previously racing director for Ferrari. It is the first time anyone other than Horner has been in charge of Red Bull's main F1 team since their debut in 2005. Englishman Alan Permane, 58, has been promoted to team principal of Racing Bulls from his position as racing director. Could Horner end up at another F1 team? Chequered Flag Extra: What next for Max Verstappen?
