#singapore🇸🇬at

[xtruss]

A Male Saiga Antelope in Russia's Black Land National Park. These highly social antelope live in herds. Photograph By Valeriy Malee/Nature Picture Library

This Floppy-Nosed Antelope Was Nearly Gone. 20 Years Later, It’s Thriving.

Less than a decade ago, more than half of the world’s saiga antelope were lost to a mysterious disease. Its comeback is a rare and phenomenal conservation success.

— By Jason Bittel | December 14, 2023

Just two decades ago, it seemed as if we might need to write a eulogy for the saiga antelope.

Cut down by widespread poaching and waves of disease, by 2003, just 6 percent of the floppy-nosed ungulates remained in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Uzbekistan.

But today, scientists are rejoicing at the saiga’s unlikely rebound.

There are now 1.9 million saiga antelope across Eurasia, according to the most recent estimates released this week. So many saiga, in fact, that the International Union for Conservation of Nature is upgrading the Red List status for the species from critically endangered to near threatened.

“There's a lot of conservation doom and gloom, and there isn't very much attention paid to conservation successes,” says E.J. Milner-Gulland, a conservation scientist at the University of Oxford and co-founder of the U.K-based Saiga Conservation Alliance. “It’s quite a vindication of 20 years of hard work by lots of people.”

To get a sense of just how far this species has come, in 2015, more than half of the worldwide population of saiga antelope were lost to a mysterious blood disease.

“This is phenomenal news,” says Joel Berger, an ecologist at Colorado State University and a senior scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, in an email.

“At a time when so many species and populations are in deep swan dives, to witness the recovery of saiga—a species deserving of more recognition in its own right—is something we all need to celebrate,” he says.

Male Saiga Antelope Battle in Black Lands National Park. Males and their horns are a specific target of poachers. Photograph By Valeriy Malee/Nature Picture Library

The Saiga’s Downward Spiral

Those who have been paying attention to the saiga’s saga know that it’s been a wild ride.

“Twenty years ago, it had the fastest increase in threat status of any mammal,” says Milner-Gulland. “The population had plummeted by more than 90 percent over a really short time of a few years, so it went straight in at critically endangered.”

As for what happened, Milner-Gulland explains that the saiga’s downfall can be attributed to several factors. For starters, saiga horn has great value in China, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia as a component in traditional medicine. And this demand, coupled with the breakup of the Soviet Union, led to a dramatic rise in hunting.

It’s a Symbol of the Wild Steppe, of Independence and Freedom.

— E.J. Milner-Gulland, Conservation Scientist at the University of Oxford

“The economies of these countries basically collapsed,” she says. “And they were living in very harsh conditions on the steppe. So they turned to poaching.”

Fencing along the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan also put a barrier in the middle of the saiga’s migratory route, while infrastructure development cut into saiga habitat. Finally, an unknown trigger turned a naturally occurring microbe in the saiga’s characteristic nose into a virulent pathogen, leading to the mass die-offs.

It’s for all these reasons that the IUCN has chosen not to de-list the saiga completely.

“The near threatened category is right for the saiga, because we know that at any time, we could just get large numbers of them dropping dead again,” says Milner-Gulland. “They are very vulnerable.”

A Path to Recovery

Just as the threats to the saiga were multi-faceted, so too have been the efforts to protect the species, which are important seed dispersers and grazers that contribute to plant biodiversity.

For instance, an international collaboration between countries where saigas roam, countries that traditionally consume saiga products, and other stakeholder nations, including the United States, led to a memorandum of understanding in 2006 to conserve the species, restore its habitat, and restrict harvest to a sustainable level.

For its part, Kazakhstan’s government focused on stronger anti-poaching measures, including law enforcement to prevent saiga hunting. The Saiga Conservation Alliance supplied financing for gasoline, uniforms, motorbikes, and shelters for those rangers, who live in the harsh, windswept grasslands. Customs agents also improved detection of saiga products leaving the country as part of the illicit wildlife trade. Lastly, the country designated multiple protected areas totaling more than 12 million acres of saiga antelope habitat.

Now that economic conditions have leveled out and local people don’t have to choose between their own survival and saving saiga, there has also been a dramatic shift in support for the species.

“The thing about saiga is the local people really love it,” says Milner-Gulland. “It’s a symbol of the wild steppe, of independence and freedom.”

Saiga (Drinking on Southern Russia's Astrakhan Steppe) can migrate up to 600 miles over summer and winter. Photograph By Valeriy Malee/Nature Picture Library

[syedahmedsabrina]

Travel Summer in Singapore 🇸🇬 09/05/2024

[tojiscrack]

JDueudjndhehsjhdhsjeueu IT'S 12 30AM RN AND I HAVE SCHOOL TODAY NOOOOOOOOOOOO ksjehuwjdjehe

I'm just happy the first week is bonding activities because I'm a student counselor and basically a group of us have to hang out with our allocated sec 1 (13 year olds if u didn't know) class and like do activities with them BUT ON THE 6TH I HAVE CLASSES STARTING AND I HAVE AN ALGEBRA QUIZ ON MY FIRST ADDITIONAL MATH LESSON WTFFFF the Singapore education system is killing me oml😔

YOU’RE FROM SINGAPORE??? 😫

i looked up the day-to-day life of a school day over there and google is so unhelpful, it literally gave me nothing 😐

one site said that ‘students usually start classes around 7:45 in the morning and typically study for about 5 to 6 hours per day’, which, in comparison to how my school days used to be in the uk (start at 8:30 and end at 3:30, but if you’re in year 11 — which translates to a sophomore, last year of secondary school — you get an extra hour at the beginning and end), i think it’s quite good? 😭

unless google got that info out of its ass 🌝 in that case, idk, i can’t make a judgement

you’re so real for hating maths too. i’m glad i never have to touch it ever again 😋 (tho i did consider taking medicine or one of the sciences for uni next academic year, and then remembered maths would be part of it and just gave up on that dream lolol)

YOU’LL BE FINEEE, power through 🥴

never back down, never WHAT? 🎤

[historixally-accurate]

i was looking through twitter and randomly noticed this, like mcsr is such a niche community. what are the chances someone from this ALREADY niche community also lives in my smallass country AND is also a talkingmime liker? im fighting the urge to dox myself right now /j 发疯了

????!?! SINGAPOREAN TALKINGMIMER?? dox yourself. /j

anyway. hi. 3 in eleventy billion singaporeans are in the mcsr community. giggles. ^-^

I don't bite... we can chit chat. 🦅

[hananoami]

Take part in activities at Infold Games Booth A17 to win official Love & Deepspace merchandise!

🎟 Get tickets via https://animefestival.asia/csf2024/ticketing/

AFA Creators Super Fest Singapore 2024 📅 27-28 July 📍 Singapore Expo Hall 3 🌐 https://animefestival.asia/csf2024/

[moobrvoobl-moobmoob-oobmpoobroom]

reminder to my fellow singaporeans to vote today!!!

[engioc]

Photographed this Olive-Backed Sunbird on my recent trip to Singapore. #singaporebotanicgardens #singapore #singapore🇸🇬 #swanlake #botanicgarden #garden #landscapesofinstagram #nature #naturelover💚 #naturelovers #landscapes #asia #2023 #singapure #singapore_insta #ilovesingapore #olivebackedsunbird #birds #bird #birdsofsingapore #singaporenature #birdphotography #birdsofinstagram #birdlovers #wildlifephotographer #nikon #venusoptics100mm (at Singapore Botanic Gardens) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpPx6gPvY2y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[thinkingsmart]

Aaron 🦊 18202 When you reach the end of your rope .. it is time to tie a knot .. then hang on. 💫💚💫   https://ift.tt/Ux7om2X

[islifearecipe]

The Death of Pie and Mash Shops? Please don't let it happen. Support our Pie and Mash and Eel Shops

[140445ism]

most inexpicable lestappen interaction for me is pre-race singapore 2019. You just know he was dying to talk to charles (for whatever reason... so let us hear you, max). There's no other explanation. And he wants to talk to him so bad he makes him look stupid: first thing he thinks of is to ask about the flag. Known flag expert can't see the difference between singapore and monaco flag. Yeah sure, max. (And actually charles doesn't know his own flag, since he uses the indonesian one as emoji all the time 😂)

Max, geography expert, trying to flirt: Charles... hey Charles... CHARLES!!! IS THAT THE MONACO FLAG???

Charles, perfectly oblivious, knows like 3 flags at most: Oh hiiii Max, well you see 😅this one has stars 🤩 and a crescent thing 🌙 and Monaco's flag doesn't!

Max, loudly, embarrassingly: OH RIGHT!!!! 🤤😍 *omg he looked at me!*

Lewis: *looking around desperately for an escape route*

[singerboyvids]

Mikey Robinson ~ Dein laues Auge |J.Brahms| [Singapore 🇸🇬]

[xtruss]

Compare the Wealth of World Countries in Sputnik's Infographic

Gross National Income data offers a clear picture of a country's overall income, guiding policymakers in shaping economic strategies. It also helps compare nations' economic health and informs decisions on international aid and development efforts.

Gross National Income (GNI) is the total amount of money earned by a country's people and businesses, both within the country and abroad, over a specific period, usually a year. It includes all the wages, profits, and taxes generated by citizens and companies, whether the income comes from inside the country or from other countries. Essentially, GNI measures the financial health of a nation by looking at how much money its people and businesses make.

In simpler terms, GNI shows how much a country is earning overall. It includes not only the money made from goods and services produced within the country but also money from international investments or work done by citizens living abroad. GNI is often used to understand a country’s wealth and can be a key factor in comparing the prosperity of different nations.

GNI per capita is a measure that divides a country's GNI by its population, giving an average income per person. It reflects the average amount of money each person in a country makes, including income from both domestic and international sources. This figure helps to compare the standard of living and economic well-being of individuals in different countries, as it gives an idea of how wealth is distributed across the population.

According to the World Bank, the top 5 countries with the highest Gross National Income per capita are: Singapore ($118,710), Qatar ($116,870), Norway ($108,790), Ireland ($98,650), and Luxembourg ($98,490).

Take a look at Sputnik's infographics showing the countries with the highest and lowest Gross National Income:

[knowledgenook]

Social Science Classes in Singapore: Delve into the complexities of human society and behavior with thought-provoking social science classes offered in Singapore. From anthropology and sociology to political science and geography, our classes provide a deep understanding of societal issues and dynamics.

[hananoami]

Infold Games will be at AFA Creators Super Fest Singapore 2024 as an Exhibitor!

Infold Games is the company that brings us interactive game Love and Deepspace. As the brand new installment of the popular Mr. Love series, Love and Deepspace allows you to step into a sci-fi world where love knows no bounds. With immersive cutscenes, 3D storylines and interactions, love is truly within reach!

🎟 Tickets now available! Get yours via https://animefestival.asia/csf2024/ticketing/

AFA Creators Super Fest Singapore 2024 📅 27-28 July 2024 📍 Singapore Expo Hall 3 🌐 https://animefestival.asia/csf2024/

[filmbyjy]

OML THIS WAS GOOD🤧🤧

what are we after the grand prix? - l.hs

pairing : f1driver!heeseung x fem!reader genre : mercedes driver heeseung, best friends au, angst, fluff, unrequited love wc : 2.2k warnings : kissing, eating, speeding (cars), skinship synopsis : heeseung invites you to one of his races, determined to win and impress you. but when you confront him and ask him what the two of you are, he confesses his love for you. will you return his feelings? he'll have to wait for your answer after the grand prix. a/n : first part of the series! hope u guys like it~ heeseung gives off major mercedes vibes, i feel like he would be chill like lewis hamilton maybe? not completely sure if i'm happy with this one but here you go! next parts coming soon!

heeseung was confusing, more confusing than all those buttons on his steering wheel.

sure, he was your best friend, but sometimes it felt like he was more.

friends don't hug each other the way heeseung hugs you before a race, friends don't wink the way heeseung does at you before he puts on his helmet, friends don't look at each other the way heeseung does at you as he stands on the podium. but heeseung does it anyway, and it leaves you confused.

"you busy next weekend?" heeseung asks as you both sit on the couch of your apartment. "no, why?" you reply, raising an eyebrow, "i was wondering if you wanted to come to singapore with me to watch the grand prix, specifically to watch me." he says, emphasizing the word 'me'. you pretend to think about it taking the opportunity to annoy him.

"will sunghoon be there?" you ask, wiggling your eyebrows imitating a lovestruck fan. heeseung rolls his eyes, "come on (name), i'm way better than that red bull driver, park. if you come i'll beat him for sure." he says with confidence. "alright, i'll come. but how am i getting there exactly?" you question, "don't worry about it babe, just be outside your apartment on thursday at 9am and i'll pick you up."

heeseung was confusing, like how he called you 'babe' just now, friends don't call each other that.

~

it's thursday. you haven't seen heeseung all week, he was probably busy with training and pre-race preparations. all he sent you was a text reminding you to be ready at the agreed time. you glance down at your watch, '8:55' the people passing by on the sidewalk pay little to no attention to you.

that is, until heeseung pulls up in front of you in his black mercedes benz. you have to stop your jaw from dropping at his entrance, now everyones looking at you, how can this get more embarassing? and just as you think that, heeseung rolls down the window, "come on! get in already, we're gonna miss the flight!"

you wince and quickly throw your suitcase in the trunk and hop in the passenger seat before turning towards him. "heeseung! what was that for?!" he tilts his head to the side, "what was what for?"

"that!" you say exasperated, "picking me up in the flashiest car possible and then drawing more attention by rolling down your window!" heeseung just shrugs and now you're really in shock, "we have a flight to catch." is all he says as the car starts zooming through the streets. "don't speed! we're going too fast!" you say as you're gripping onto any handle you can find. "you're saying that to me?" heeseung replies with a laugh. "you're telling a race car driver not to speed? you're real funny (name)."

you arrive at the airport and follow heeseung to your gate. he finds his team and introduces them to you, his team principal smiles and shakes your hand, "nice to finally meet you, (name). you're heeseung's girlfriend right? he does talk about you quite a lot."

you're taken aback, heeseung talks about you a lot? "oh, he does? i'm not his girlfriend though." you say with an awkward laugh. "oh, you're not? sorry i assumed. forget i said that." and you nod.

you board the plane and take a seat next to heeseung. your seat is extremely nice, you play with the buttons to adjust your seat and browse through the different movies on the tv. heeseung sees you and laughs, "first time in first class?" he asks. "it is obvious?" you say with a sheepish grin, "very, i should take you with me to races more often then." heeseung says and leans back. do friends say that? you didn't know, but you do know that a friend wouldn't make you blush like how you are now.

~

after the flight, all you can think of is heeseung. he was your best friend, and you were here to support him, but he made you feel like you were more than just his best friend.

the words from his team principal still lingered in your mind, you didn't know what to think of it. heeseung talks about you a lot? you were flattered, you feel the blush creeping onto your cheeks again just thinking about it.

a knock on your hotel door snaps you out of your trance. you already knew who it was. "come in", and there he is in all his glory. the very man that can't seem to leave your mind.

"wanna go get dinner?" he asks and you give him a small nod, getting up from the bed. halfway through your journey to the lobby, you realize it's just the two of you. "hee, what about the rest of your team?" you ask. "they went out together, i told them i wanted to take you to dinner." "oh.." is all you can get out, and you stay silent for the rest of the walk.

you're taken aback when heeseung puts his arm around your shoulder as you walk to a nearby restaurant. you give him a confused look, "what's wrong? i thought you were cold?". you were cold, you just didn't want to admit it, but heeseung knew you too well.

heeseung leads you inside a nice looking restaurant, one look at the menu has your jaw dropping at the prices. "pick whatever you want, i'll pay." he reassures you with a smile after seeing your expression.

the dinner starts in silence until heeseung breaks it. "how are you so far? i hope the hotel is comfortable enough." you're in shock, the hotel is more than comfortable, it's luxurious. you nod and tell him about how 'fancy' everything is.

as heeseung eats, you can't take your eyes off him. he feels your gaze on him and looks up smiling. "am i that good-looking you can't focus on your food?" he says with a laugh. here comes the blush again, and you shake your head defensively.

heeseung was making you look at him differently now. you don't think you and heeseung are just friends anymore.

~

heeseung walks you to your room, it's getting late and he has practice tomorrow. before you walk in your room, you turn to face him.

you had to know.

"heeseung-" you start, he only hums in reply.

"what are we?"

heeseung is caught off guard by your question but keeps his calm facade.

"what do you want us to be?" he asks and now it's your turn to be speechless.

"i-i don't know..." you admit, slightly embarrassed you had even brought up the topic.

"(name)-" heeseung starts, he pauses for a while, trying to find the right words.

"(name), i've liked you for a long time, not as friends but as something more. you're like the gas that fills me with joy, even when i've just had a bad race. you make me feel all these things that i didn't even know i could feel. all i know is that i'm happy when i'm with you."

you open your mouth to speak but nothing seems to come out.

"i don't expect you to give me your answer now. but please, let me know after the grand prix this sunday. take your time for the next few days, i want a sincere answer, even if it may hurt me, i'm ready to face it."

you're at a loss for words, the passion and love in heeseung's voice tells you that he's kept this to himself for so long. you give him a small nod and motions for you to get going before it gets too late.

just as you're about to close your hotel door, you hear his voice call your name again.

"(name), don't worry about coming to watch practice and qualifying, use it to rest or go around the city. i just want you to be there for the grand prix."

you promise to be there and give him a small smile before finally closing your door.

~ it's saturday, the grand prix.

you have your answer and you're sure of it, and most of all, you're ready to tell heeseung after the race. heeseung had left before you, not wanting you to get shaken up from all the reporters and fans watching him. you made sure to text him a simple 'good luck!' message to which he reacted with '🤍'. making your way down to the paddock, you spot his team principal and he greets you pulling up a chair for you. you look around, eyes searching for heeseung. "he's at an interview." his team principal says, as if he just read your mind. you just mouth an "oh." and take a look at the things around you, being careful not to touch anything. you see heeseung's car, with a big number "1" on it, and as if on cue, he walks in running his fingers through his hair. you couldn't help but stare, oh you were doomed.

heeseung sees you and grins from ear to ear, he looks you up and down, admiring your outfit, clad in his team colors. "heeseung-" you start and his intense stare into your eyes make you want to melt. "i have my answer, but i'll tell you after the race." and he nods, smile never leaving his lips. "i'll win for you." he says as he zips up his race suit and climbs into his car, giving you a little wink before he drives off to the starting grid.

heeseung drives into the 2nd grid position, eyeing the red bull beside him. park sunghoon hears the car pull up next to him and decides to test heeseung's patience. "hey, heeseung!" sunghoon shouts. earning a glare from him. "what do you want sunghoon." heeseung roles his eyes. "ready to lose today?" "hell no, i got a girl in the paddock to impress", heeseung says, diverting his attention to the lights in front of them.

heeseung is determined to win, determined to win for you. the race goes by fast and you had to admit, you didn't really understand how all of these racing things worked. but you did know one thing, and it's that heeseung was going to do anything to win. halfway through the race, heeseung pits and the crew immediately rushes around his car. within a few seconds, heeseung and his fresh set of tires are ready to go. but before he zooms off, he gives you a little wink and you feel the tips of your ears turning red. 55/57 LAPS things were getting heated down at the track, sunghoon and heeseung racing as if their lives depended on it. heeseung was practically gritting his teeth, he just needed to overtake sunghoon, to cross that finish line first, to win for you. during the last turn, heeseung takes his chance and cuts in front of sunghoon. heeseung's whole team stands up in anticipation and shouting at the screen in front of them. the team cheers as heeseung zooms past the checkered flag and commentators going crazy. heeseung gets out of his car, and raises his arms towards the crowd as they cheer. but now, he's more nervous than he was at the beginning of the race, he's nervous to hear your answer. as heeseung walks back to his team, sunghoon walks over to him and pats his back. "go get that girl." he says, and smiles. heeseung smiles and gives sunghoon a small nod. you stand in front of the team garage, heeseung walking towards you, his eyes never breaking eye contact. this was it, it was time to give your answer. "(name).." heeseung starts and takes a deep breath "remember that whatever your answer is, i love you, and i respect your decision." you stare into his eyes with your loving ones. lunging towards him and engulfing him in an embrace. he doesn't say anything, but you can feel his heartbeat as he savors your embrace. you're the first one to pull away but your arms never leave their position wrapped around him. 'heeseung, i love you too, so so much." and that's all it takes for him to pull you into a kiss, a kiss of longing, and impatience. it may have taken a while, but heeseung thinks it's worth the wait. sunghoon watches from his garage and he smiles at the new couple, his team principal makes his way to stand beside him and looks at what sunghoon is looking at. "you could've won, why didn't you defend your position?" his team principal says, furrowing his eyebrows. "come on man, had to let they guy win. but now i think he's won twice, he's won the race and that girl's heart." heeseung makes his way up the podium when they announce his name. his team below him is smiling up at him, but the only eyes he looks for are yours. he gives you a little wink and you blush. heeseung usually likes to go fast. but with you, he wished time slowed down a little more.

please reblog, it really helps!

[sweeterlovers]

FINALLY / LANDO NORRIS

lando norris x private girlfriend reader / SMAU FIC

FACE CLAIM / none

WARNINGS / none

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TWITTER

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INSTAGRAM

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri, and 127,362 others

yourusername landed in singapore 🇸🇬

view all comments

user3 ARE WE GOING TO SEE Y/N IN THE PADDOCK??????????

user55 I HOPE 🤞 🤞

user2 WAIT I’M EXCITED TO SEE HER OUTIFT

oscarpiastri who won the chess game?

yourusername who do you think???

oscarpiastri if i were to guesssss……. you?

landonorris yeah no kidding 🙃

yourusername sucks to suck 😜😜

user1 ngl that second photo was low key a jump scare

user6 NO CAUSE IT REMINDED ME OF THOSE TIKTOK POVS OF LIKE MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH LANDO

user7 LMAOOO

user99 i see that tannn!!!

user00 the outfit hits!

user33 ARE WE JUST GOING TO IGNORE THAT LAS PHOTO????

user5 FRR!!! i’m having a heart attack

user765 THOSE MUSCLES 🤤🤤🤤🤤

user42 y/n you are a LUCKY woman!!!!

user6 wish that was me 😪😪

user74 us lando girlies are SCREAMING

user9 more like screaming without the s……

user015 FOUL FOUL

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INSTAGRAM

liked by wagsf1, paddockfits, and 16,424 others

f1wags Y/N (lando norris’s girlfriend) has arrived at the singapore grand prix!!!!!

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user5 she looks great!!!!

user2 LANDO IS ON POLE GUYS

user7 i hope he’ll win!!

user836 yesss!!!! and y/n can see him win 🥹🥹

user89 look at that face card!!!!

user7034 the outfit is 10/10

user3 hopefully she can bring lando some good luck!

user22 i hope!!!!!

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INSTAGRAM

liked by landonorris, mclaren, and 204,725 others

yourusername P1!!! MY RACE WINNER ❤️❤️❤️ I CAN’T BELIEVE I GOT TO SEE YOU WIN IN PERSON! YOU DID AMAZING BABY I LOVE YOU 😘

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user6 AWW

user777 YES I LOVEEEEEEE

landonorris thank you baby 🥰

yourusername SO SO PROUD OF YOU

user6 P1 BABYYYYYYYYYY 💪

user8 WE GOT A MCLAREN P1 AND P3

user005 MCLAREN DOMINANCE

user5 such a great win!!!

user42 lando you’re a phenomenon !

user3 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

mclaren strong performance no? 💪💪

yourusername BEYOND STRONG

user7 she’s such a proud girlfriend 🥹🥹🥹

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INSTAGRAM

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri, and 638,272 others

landonorris winning is great but the aftermath with you is even better ❤️

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user6 cuties

yourusername i love you so much 🫶🏻

landonorris i love you too baby

user88 what if i cried

user00 it’s been an emotional race

mclaren 🙌🤍

user44 so so adorable wtf

maxfewtrell great job mate 👏

landonorris thank you!

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TEAM RADIO / SWEETERLOVERS - lando norris win!