France, Yes Even France, Rethinks Low-Emissions Zones
Europeans love climate policies in theory, but they're discovering that in practice they're also , well, impractical. The latest example comes from France, where lawmakers across the political spectrum voted this week to remove constraints on urban driving.
France wants 66% of new car sales to be electric by 2030, a target that can only be reached if Paris takes the wheel. This year the government expanded its low-emission-zones scheme to restrict older gas-powered vehicles from driving in any city with more than 150,000 residents. Violators face hefty fines.
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New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Spanish Grand Prix briefing: Piastri wins, Verstappen misery, surprise Ferrari podium
Oscar Pisatri dominated Formula One's 2025 Spanish Grand Prix to win ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Max Verstappen had long threatened the leaders by unleashing a three-stop strategy to their two pit stops, before a late safety car period shook up the race and the world champion became embroiled in a controversy with Mercedes driver George Russell. Advertisement At the start, polesitter Piastri easily survived the long run down to Barcelona's Turn 1, where Verstappen passed Norris, who had made the slowest reaction to the lights going out of the leaders. Piastri then romped clear after Verstappen dropped back and Norris repassed, after which Red Bull soon pitted its leader earlier to signal Verstappen would be on an attacking three-stop race that meant he could push on with his full pace while the McLarens had to manage their tires to avoid an extra stop. Verstappen led the middle phase of the race after the McLaren drivers had completed their first stops, but just as they were homing back in on the Dutchman, he pitted again. Verstappen then again closed back up on the leaders, which forced McLaren to issue instructions to their drivers to up their pace. Piastri and Norris exchanged phases of the contest where one hand the upper hand and so the gap between them contracted and expanded, but just as the race appeared settled after the final round of pit stops — kicked off by Verstappen's third when he was just a few seconds adrift of Norris —a safety car period intervened. The leaders all piled in to stop again during the race neutralisation that had been caused by Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes engine expiring smokily, after which Piastri led the pack for a five-lap shootout to the finish. Piastri nailed the restart and pulled clear to win by 2.4s, while Verstappen — who had been fitted with slower hard tires compared the softs on the other leaders — made a mistake and Leclerc pounced. Verstappen then clashed with Russell at Turn 1, with the Red Bull driver taking to the runoff and staying ahead. Red Bull then ordered Verstappen to let Russell by, but second after he did so, Verstappen hit Russell at the next corner. He was handed a 10-second time addition over the incident that dropped him to 10th in the final standings. Advertisement Russell ended up fourth ahead of Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar. Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso were the other points scorers, with Williams driver Alex Albon the other retiree. The Athletic's experts Luke Smith and Madeline Coleman analyze the key talking points from Barcelona. There was a moment when Verstappen and Red Bull seemed to have at least a small chance of upsetting McLaren's domination and winning the Spanish Grand Prix. The team had been aggressive with its strategy, committing Verstappen to a three-stop strategy that meant he could push the tires hard through the race, instead of trying to conserve his rubber on a very warm day in Barcelona. After making his final pit stop, and seeing the two McLarens react by coming in on consecutive laps, Verstappen was only a couple of seconds off Piastri in the lead and hot on Norris's tail. The safety car called with 12 laps to go worked against Red Bull. As Verstappen had used up all his available tires, Red Bull had no choice but to fit Verstappen with a set of hards for the last charge to the line. Against the McLarens, who had only pitted twice and had a set of softs available, he was powerless to put up any kind of fight on hards. The risk of keeping Verstappen out to inherit the lead and then try to fend off the McLarens on worn tires was he'd be easily gobbled-up. The hards still left Verstappen exposed for the restart. He nearly lost his car at the final corner when the race return to green before being overtaken by Charles Leclerc, and almost George Russell, going off the track to stay ahead. When Verstappen was told to give the position to Russell, he responded firstly by fuming on the radio, then letting the Mercedes through, before ramming into him at Turn 5 — resulting in a 10-second time penalty for Verstappen, dropping him all the way down to P10. Advertisement Red Bull knew it couldn't beat McLaren in a direct battle, making the strategy gamble an admirable one that at least gave Verstappen a chance. But we again saw just how good the McLaren is as an all-round package, giving Piastri the chance to return to the top step. In a championship of fine margins, this was one where the weekend swung ever-so-slightly to Piastri instead of Norris, being that little bit quicker in qualifying and then making the better start when the lights went out. Luke Smith This season you can get closer to the F1 action by joining The Athletic's Formula 1 WhatsApp channel. Click here to join or search for The Athletic | F1 on your WhatsApp. Isack Hadjar's debut is best described as rocky, as his early exit from the Australian Grand Prix dominated headlines when Lewis Hamilton's father embraced him in the paddock. But since then, the rookie driver has quietly — and quickly — become arguably the second-strongest driver within the Red Bull family, albeit in the Racing Bulls car rather than the notoriously tricky RB21. He has had his moments, like triggering red flags during practice sessions in Imola and Monaco. But heading into the Spanish GP weekend, Hadjar sat 10th in the driver standings with 15 points, coming off of a season-best sixth-place finish in Monaco last time out. He qualified ninth, marking it the Racing Bulls driver's fourth top 10 start in nine race weekends. The rookie driver had a clean start and ran in the top 10 for a majority of the race. By the halfway mark, Hadjar comfortably ran eighth with a healthy gap ahead of him to Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and behind him to Sauber's Nico Hülkenberg. Recognizing these are two entirely different cars, races like Sunday's and Hadjar's recent form may make one wonder what would happen if he was put in the second Red Bull seat. Advertisement Yuki Tsunoda qualified plum last, and the team made set-up changes (and changed the rear wing specification), resulting in a pit lane start for the Japanese driver. Tsunoda got within points distance, navigating his way to 12th by Lap 45 after undergoing two pit stops. By race end, Tsunoda finished 13th after four stops, while Hadjar, who is evidently becoming more comfortable with the Racing Bulls car, ended the day seventh after a three-stop race. Madeline Coleman While acknowledging there are other factors that impacted the competitive order, like how the hotter temperatures give McLaren an edge with its tire management, the front wing technical directive hasn't had a massive impact on the competitive order like some had hoped heading into the Spanish GP. As teams monitored how the TD looked in the simulator, some only saw minor differences. McLaren team boss Andrea Stella told Sky Sports after qualifying Saturday, 'When you look at the numbers associated to the TD, it was always going to be minor. So yeah, it entertained to have this kind of debate. But in our numbers, in our simulation, it was everything very small. So we weren't concerned from this point of view.' Some drivers reported that the cars felt different in the high- and low-speed corners, but on the whole, McLaren still has a dominant edge, and the race looked set to end similarly to how it started. Any changes from the starting to the ending grid can be chalked up to racing elements, like a solid start or a better strategy, or a mistake, or the timing of Antonelli's safety car. It doesn't appear to be a revolutionary technical change. Madeline Coleman
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
I'm a Car Expert: 5 Most Improved Luxury Cars That Are Now Worth Your Money
When it comes to wealthy luxury vehicles, most buyers gravitate toward long-established German brands. But according to Alan Gelfand, owner of German Car Depot — with over 30 years of experience servicing BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Porsche vehicles — it's time to expand our view. For You: Trending Now: 'The luxury experience market no longer depends on German brands because alternative manufacturers now provide comparable premium experiences at lower prices,' Gelfand said. Here are the most improved luxury cars Gelfand recommends buying now and why they're worth your money. Why they're worth it: Once dismissed for their Hyundai roots, the Genesis G90 and G80 (2022 and newer) have evolved into serious contenders in the luxury space. Gelfand said Genesis recruited engineers from German brands and it shows. 'The engineering divisions of Genesis and Cadillac established partnerships with employees who previously worked at German automakers. The suspension settings and interior materials and overall sophistication of these vehicles demonstrate a clear enhancement,' Gelfand said. Read Next: Genesis also offers a 10-year powertrain warranty, which is significantly longer than the four years offered by BMW and Audi, making it a more cost-effective option to own. Gelfand estimated owners save 40% to 50% on maintenance over five years compared to a Mercedes S-Class. Why they're worth it: Cadillac's Blackwing sedans (2022 to 2024) pair American muscle with premium refinement. Powered by a supercharged V8 from the Corvette Z06, the CT5-V Blackwing delivers over 650 horsepower (according to Cadillac's website) with the option of a manual transmission, an increasingly rare feature. 'The construction quality and interior components of these vehicles match the standards of BMW M vehicles,' Gelfand said. Low production numbers and strong enthusiast demand are already pushing resale values higher. Gelfand believes these will become future collectibles. Why it's worth it: The Lexus LS 500 has always been known for reliability, but newer models (2021 and Newer) deliver a more complete luxury experience. The 2021 refresh introduced significant enhancements to ride quality and infotainment, two areas where Lexus had previously lagged. 'The brand stands as a proper competitor to S-Class luxury vehicles,' Gelfand said. For buyers who value peace of mind and long-term durability, the LS 500 is a smart pick. Looking ahead, Gelfand is keeping an eye on several luxury EVs poised to shake up the market: BMW iX M60: With up to 610 horsepower and adaptive air suspension (according to BMW's website), the iX M60 delivers the dynamic handling expected from a BMW, even as an electric SUV. Mercedes-Benz EQS (2025): A larger battery and updated software aim to fix early issues (according to Mercedes-Benz's website), making the 2025 EQS more refined and range-efficient. Genesis Electrified G90: Expected to carry over Genesis's award-winning design and build quality, this flagship EV could disrupt the high-end luxury electric segment. Gelfand said we're in the middle of a major shift in the luxury car world. 'The luxury experience market no longer depends on German brands because alternative manufacturers now provide comparable premium experiences at lower prices,' he said. While German brands still lead in brand prestige, they're no longer the only way to get a premium driving experience. Today's most improved luxury cars offer competitive quality, cutting-edge tech and in many cases, better long-term value. Editor's note: Vehicle prices range depending on vehicle's year. More From GOBankingRates 3 Reasons Retired Boomers Shouldn't Give Their Kids a Living Inheritance (And 2 Reasons They Should) The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing This article originally appeared on I'm a Car Expert: 5 Most Improved Luxury Cars That Are Now Worth Your Money
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK bans single-use vapes to stem use by children and reduce harmful litter
LONDON (AP) — A ban on disposable vapes came into force across the U.K. on Sunday as the British government aims to stem their use by children, reduce litter and prevent the leaking of harmful chemicals into the environment. The ban makes it illegal for any retailer — online or in-store — to sell vapes, whether they contain nicotine or not. They will still be able to sell reusable vapes. The crackdown follows the soaring use of disposable vapes in schools and a rising tide of trash as users dispose of the vapes. It is estimated that as many as 5 million disposable vapes are thrown in bins or littered every week across the U.K., rather than being recycled. A number of countries are seeking to regulate the vape market, which has grown exponentially over the past decade or so. Australia outlawed the sale of vapes outside pharmacies last year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes, while Belgium became the first European Country to ban the use of disposable vapes at the start of this year. California has been at the forefront of bringing in new regulations in the U.S. The U.K.'s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said usage among young people remained too high, and the ban would 'put an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation's streets.' Also known as single-use vapes, disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste or just thrown on the street. Even when they are recycled, they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment and potentially harming wildlife. Businesses were given six months to prepare for the change by selling any existing stock. Rogue traders who continue to sell them risk a fine of 200 ($260) in the first instance, followed by an unlimited fine or jail time for repeat offending. The U.K. Vaping Industry Association said its members had moved quickly to comply with the June 1 deadline, but warned of 'serious unintended consequences' emanating from too much regulation. 'We are concerned that this ban will encourage former smokers who have already transitioned from cigarettes, which kill 220 people every day in the U.K, to return to combustible tobacco or opt for unregulated vapes," said its director general, John Dunne. Separately, the British government is legislating to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavors of e-cigarettes.
