In this article, the 3D Printing Industry engineering team reviews the Peel 3, the latest 3D scanner from Creaform subsidiary Peel 3D. This handheld device offers professional scanning at an affordable price tag, making it ideal for both entry-level and industrial users.Creaform, a leading manufacturer of 3D scanning equipment with over 20 years of industry experience, launched Peel 3D alongside American electronics manufacturer AMETEK. The brand entered the market in 2017 to diversify the 3D scanning landscape and lower the barrier of entry for high-performance metrology.Peel 3D launched the Peel 3 scanner in 2022 following previous Peel 1, Peel 2, and 2-S iterations. The latest professional-grade system is well suited to reverse engineering, AR, VR, and healthcare applications. Peel 3D has since introduced a new Peel 3 Pro.CAD bundle that includes the 3D scanner and Peel.CAD Pro reverse engineering software for $8,990.The 3D scanner stands out for its low individual starting price of just $5,990. Given that most high-end industrial devices exceed the $15,000 range, the Peel 3 is perfectly poised to address the needs of those requiring budget-friendly, high-quality 3D scanning.Introducing the Peel 3: high-quality 3D scanning made easyThe Peel 3 utilizes structured light technology with white LEDs and infrared light sources. Its three cameras, two of which are dedicated to geometry and surface capture, facilitate full-color 3D scanning and texture mapping.Peel 3Ds offering delivers up to 0.050 mm accuracy and resolution within a 340 x 475 mm scanning area. With a scanning rate of 1,250,000 measurements per second, the device ensures highly efficient operation for objects measuring between 10 cm and 3.0 m. Additionally, its dedicated Human Body mode allows users to 3D scan people.A stand-out feature of the Peel 3 is its haptic feedback technology, advertised as the industrys first haptic user communication system for a handheld 3D scanner. The technology emits distinctive vibration patterns when scanning narrow and hard-to-reach areas. This alerts the user if the scanner has lost tracking or is too far from the object, enabling quicker positioning adjustments to maximize accuracy.AI tracking is also integrated into the Peel 3. As such, tracking dots are not essential for most shapes, but are needed when capturing large flat objects with no distinct features. In keeping with most 3D scanners, it faces challenges when capturing transparent and shiny materials where there is no clearly defined surface from which the light can reflect.The Peel 3 is made even more user-friendly by its color-coded touchscreen user interface, which guides the operator to the optimal 3D scanning distance. This allows users to perform accurate 3D scanning without looking at a computer screen. Touchscreen displays are rare in the 3D scanner market, helping the Peel 3 further differentiate from the competition.The Peel 3 scanner and accessories. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.A lightweight device for on-the-go 3D scanningThe Peel 3 is a lightweight device with a revamped ergonomic handle design. This makes the 3D scanner easy to hold and maneuver. Measuring just 304 x 150 x 79 mm and weighing 950g, it is portable and ideal for on-the-go 3D scanning.Our model came with a watertight, crush-resistant, and dustproof 3D scanner case, available for $380. A Peel protection kit can also be purchased for $215. This includes a silicone sleeve, hardened glass screen protector, clip-on lens cover, and custom cable winder.Hands-on with Peel.OS and Peel.CAD softwarePeel 3D offers its proprietary data acquisition software, Peel.OS, free of charge with the Peel 3. This allows users to calibrate the device and process, clean, align, improve, colorize, and export 3D scanning data.Peel.OS offers a straightforward and well-guided workflow. The UI is elegant and thoughtfully structured, allowing 3D scanning newcomers to navigate the software with ease.Before scanning, users must define the key parameters of the target object, including size, detail level, output quality, and full-color features. This optimizes the capabilities of the scanner, ensuring the desired output quality is met. Advanced users can also set custom parameters for more specific requirements.Peel.OS user interface. Images by 3D Printing Industry. Peel 3D also offers Peel.CAD, a dedicated reverse engineering software for the Peel 3 scanner. Peel.CAD features a wider range of post-processing tools and capabilities for professionals requiring advanced reverse engineering capabilities.The software can be used to convert scanned mesh data, which consists of triangular facets, into geometric CAD entities like plane cuts, surface area cuts, and cylindrical features. This data can be seamlessly transferred directly to popular CAD software like SolidWorks, Inventor, Solid Edge, and Fusion 360, streamlining design and reverse engineering processes.Peel.CAD provides powerful tools to refine and enhance damaged or incomplete 3D scans. You can fill holes, smooth rough areas, and edit boundaries with ease. The software also enables the merging of multiple scans to create more complete and accurate models. Additionally, cross-sections can be generated by slicing mesh data. If you encounter any issues, the Contextual Help feature within the user interface offers straightforward, step-by-step guidance.The software is less intuitive than Peel.OS, reflecting its focus on more industrial applications. Peel.CAD can be purchased with the Peel 3 for $8,990.Peel.CAD software user interface. Images by 3D Printing Industry. How to calibrate the Peel 3 scannerSetting up the Peel 3 is straightforward and shouldnt challenge less experienced operators. After installing the software, the 3D scanner was connected to a power source and our computer using the included cables. In a matter of minutes, the Peel 3 was up and running.Calibration must be completed when first operating the 3D scanner and at least once a week. It is recommended that the Peel 3 be calibrated for each day of 3D scanning. Calibration considers temperature variations and pressure, matching the operating conditions to ensure the device can receive optimal metrology data.To calibrate the Peel 3, users need to move the scanner to 15 positions on the included calibration plate. This process is straightforward and intuitive. However, the orientation of the plate can be slightly confusing when calibrating for the first time. Adding orientation arrows would overcome this, ensuring the 3D scanner is calibrated correctly.Peel 3 calibration plate and user interface. Photo and image by 3D Printing Industry. Benchmarking the Peel 3 scannerDoes the Peel 3 live up to its advertised capabilities? To find out, we scanned our in-house benchmarking tile. This part features various geometric shapes, surface textures, and colors that often pose challenges for 3D scanners. We completed three successful scans in 30 minutes. After merging this data in Peel.OS, we achieved mostly impressive results.Most of the scanned geometries on the front of the tile came out well, although some issues were encountered. The overhanging 3 character came out well after conducting some minor post-processing steps. Despite failing to capture the entire surface below the number, we were largely impressed by the 3D scanners performance.However, the Peel 3 struggled to capture the inner walls of the D character, resulting in some defects. Mesh gaps were present on the inside corners of the steps, along with small spikes and bulging on the deepest section of the indented shape. We also encountered issues with the I character, with the scanner unable to capture all of the data at the deepest point of this section, leaving several gaps across the bottom. This was surprising given the basic geometry of the shape.3DPI tile scan results. Photos and images by 3D Printing IndustrySmall 3D Printing Industry text is located on the side of the tile, offering a good chance to assess how the Peel 3 handles small features. Peel 3Ds scanner performed excellently here, the text was clear with no visual defects.3D Printing Industry text scan. Image by 3D Printing Industry.We next assessed how the Peel 3 handled different material textures. It unfortunately struggled with carpet and fabric surfaces. Protruding fibers introduced noise into the data, while details were significantly lacking for both sections.However, the 3D scanner performed much better when capturing sandpaper, creating a near-perfect representation of the real-life material. Similarly, scans of the tire and sponge surfaces impressed our team. The unique and challenging geometries of these surfaces were captured with aplomb, recreating key details with a high level of accuracy.While issues were encountered with the reflective and translucent materials, this is a common limitation of most 3D scanners on the market. Reflective surfaces deflect light away from the scanners sensors, while clear objects dont provide a solid basis for accurate light reflections.Materials section of the 3DPI tile: real-life model and scan result. Photo and image by 3D Printing Industry.For the underside of the tile, issues were encountered with the square snake and screw thread sections, with the latter achieving a score of just 1/5. Despite spending extra time scanning this area, we observed little improvement, suggesting that the Peel 3 struggles when capturing very fine details. The square snake section was also below our expectations, with mesh anomalies forming at the more narrow sections. Scanning the underside of the I sections also posed problems. This indicates that the Peel 3 struggles with sharp points that reflect minimal light.Despite these shortcomings, the 3D scanner performed well for the remaining surface geometries. The thickness grade test was passed with flying colors, accurately representing all 10 digits with no issues. The hole matrix also came out well. Eight of the ten holes were perfect, with slight issues only encountered with the smallest 1.5 mm and 0.6 mm diameters.3D scan results of the underside of the 3DPI tile. Image by 3D Printing Industry.Testing 3D scanner applicationsWe next conducted a range of application tests to assess real-world use cases of the Peel 3, ranging from hobbyist projects to reverse engineering.First, we conducted a 3D scan of a bicycle fork assembly. After several unsuccessful attempts, we determined that scanning spray and tracking dots were needed to capture the chrome and glossy black finish. Once applied, the Peel 3 achieved impressive results, with Peel.OS excelling in this application. It allowed us to remove all tracking dots, background mesh data, and imperfections. Although our initial scan had a few holes in the mesh, the fill-hole tool seamlessly resolved them.Fork object and scan result. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.Next, we tasked the Peel 3 with scanning a motorcycle chain guard. Tracking dots and scanning spray were again needed to achieve optimal results. We also spent 1 hour and 20 minutes post-processing to improve the scan, which initially contained noise particles created by ambient light.The Peel 3 struggled to identify tracking dots when switching from bright surface shutter to dark surface shutter, leading to lost tracking. This resulted in a tedious process that could frustrate advanced users and dissuade newcomers.Chain guard object and scan result. Photo and images via 3D Printing Industry.A broken motorcycle clutch basket containing metal and plastic parts with varying surface textures was also scanned. This provided a good opportunity to assess the Peel 3s ability to capture complex geometries with multiple materials.Overall, we were pleased with the results of this scan. After 2 hours and 30 minutes of post-processing on Peel.OS, the final results accurately resembled the real-life part. This highlights the value of the 3D scanner for creating digital twins of industrial components, removing the need for physical inventories.Clutch basket object and scan result. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.We next completed a 3D scan of a motorcycles full exhaust system. This offers an opportunity to assess the Peel 3s ability to capture large-scale parts. To capture all angles of the exhaust, we suspended the object from the ceiling using nylon fishing wire. Consequently, the entire scan could be completed in a single step.Exhaust system scan setup. Photo by 3D Printing Industry.The Peel 3 exceeded our expectations here. No tracking dots were needed and the scanner seamlessly maintained tracking throughout without defects. The setup was straightforward, and scanning took only 20 minutes. After post-processing, the quality of the final model is impressive.Motorcycle exhaust and scan result. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.Research and development is a core application of the Peel 3. To assess the 3D scanners value for aftermarket automotive parts, we conducted a 3D scan of a motorcycles front wheel and motor. We were impressed by the final result and were able to capture the key details after a 30-minute scan.Initially, we encountered tracking and data accuracy issues due to sunlight shining through a window, which the 3D scanners infrared light is susceptible to. The Peel 3s automatic shutter intensity feature identifies ambient lighting intensity and adjusts the emitted light to counteract this. Testing confirmed the effectiveness and value of this feature.Motorcycle front wheel and scan result. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.In reverse engineering applications, physical objects are converted into digital files. To assess how the Peel 3 handles this, we achieved an impressive scan of a motorcycle airbox snorkel. This was converted to a CAD file, transferred to Fusion 360, and 3D printed at 80% scale.Motorcycle snorkel object, scan result and 3D printed part. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.The ability to transfer geometrical and cross-section entities from Peel.CAD to other mainstream CAD software significantly streamlines the reverse engineering process. This allows engineers to quickly achieve geometrically accurate results without measuring the actual model.Cross-section geometrical cutouts transferred to Fusion 360. Images by 3D Printing Industry.How well does the Peel 3 scan complex geometries? To assess this, we scanned a turbo assembly off a Volkswagen Golf R. This part features small gaps, grooves, thin walls, fine details, and bore depths. Despite the reflective metallic surfaces, the Peel 3 successfully maintained tracking with help from scanning spray. The final scan results were impressive, capturing high-quality details of features such as lettering and mounting holes.The physical air inlet measured 56 mm, while the scanned result was 55.968 mm, a mere -0.032mm discrepancy. As such, the Peel 3 can achieve impressive geometrical measurement accuracy, making it suitable for professional applications demanding accurate 3D scanning.Turbo assembly and scan result. Photos and images by 3D Printing Industry.The ability to 3D scan people offers much potential for artistic, model-making, gaming, VR, and medical applications. The Peel 3 features a unique full-color, human-body mode. To test this, we created a human bust that was then 3D printed.Human 3D scan results. Images by 3D Printing Industry.This 3D scan was impressive, capturing details of clothing and skin while producing excellent color accuracy. One clear challenge was scanning hair. The Peel 3 would often lose tracking at this section, resulting in a large gap at the top of the head. We successfully corrected this using the fill feature and merging stray mesh data in Peel.OS.3D printed bust from the human 3D scan. Photos by 3D Printing Industry.High-performance 3D scanning at an affordable priceThe Peel 3 brings professional 3D scanning to the entry-level market. It combines an appealing price with high-quality performance, offering value for consumers and industrial users alike.Our team was particularly impressed by the Peel.OS software. This user-friendly and comprehensive platform provides the tools to achieve high-quality final mesh results. Despite its exhaustive features, we are confident most users can master the software after minimal experience.Additionally, the optional Peel.CAD software is an outstanding tool for reverse engineering. Its complex interface offers various processing tools, making it highly versatile and valuable for advanced users. Entities and planes can be created and exported to third-party CAD software, for a seamless and intuitive user experience. This data provides crucial information, like deviations and measurements, which can be manually adjusted to enhance precision and unlock greater customization. For users looking to take their reverse engineering skills to the next level, we believe the Peel 3.CAD offer is well worth its $8,990 price tag.Our extensive testing confirmed the Peel 3s ability to achieve high-quality 3D scanning results for various geometries and surface textures. It successfully created several impressive 3D models with minimal scanning time. Accurate resemblance was achieved for the broken clutch basket and motorcycle airbox, highlighting the 3D scanners value for those wanting to design automotive components and personalized bodywork.Digitizing inventory is another key 3D scanner use case. The accuracy and detail offered by the Peel 3 make it well-suited to the creation of digital twins. This is even true for highly complex geometries, with our Volkswagen Golf R turbo assembly scan perfectly capturing several intricate features. Large-scale parts pose no issues for the Peel 3. When suspended from the ceiling, our full-sized exhaust system was captured in just 20 minutes, providing an accurate and detailed life-like digital representation.Some issues were encountered when attempting to scan depths as shallow as 19 mm, which may have been caused by scanning spray interfering with surface quality. Black, reflective surfaces also caused problems. However, this is a common challenge for most 3D scanners. To counteract this, we recommend adding well-placed tracking dots. Although scanning spray should be avoided for small, indented sections, its appliance to shiny materials can greatly improve results for notoriously challenging surfaces.Ultimately, the Peel 3 stands out as one of the most comprehensive 3D scanners in its price class. It blends the high accuracy and access to the tools that professionals demand, with affordability and user-friendly operation. This makes it a compelling addition to the 3D scanner market.Technical specifications of the Peel 3 scannerSoftwarePeel.OS, Peel.CADRecommended object size0.1 3.0 m (0.3-10 ft)AccuracyUp to 0.050 mm (0.0020 in)Measurement Capabilitiespin: 1.5 mm (0.059 in)hole: 3.0 mm (0.118 in)step: 0.1 mm (0.0039 in)wall: 1.0 mm (0.039 in)Mesh resolution0.250 mm (0.01 in)Scanning area340 x 475mm (13.39 x 18.7 in)Scan speed80 sec/m2 (7.4 sec/ft2)Usage Distance (from object)250 to 550 mm (9.8 to 21.7 in)Depth of field300 mm (11.8 in)Scanner ControlsTouchscreenColor Resolution (on object)50 to 200 DPIPositioning methodsGeometry and/or targets and/or textureMeasurement rate1,250,000 measurements/sDimensions304 x 150 x 79 mm (12 x 5.9 x 3.2 in)Weight950 g (2.1 lb)ConnectivityUSB 3.0Output formats (Peel 3).dae, .fbx, .ma, .obj, .ply, .stl, .txt, .wrl, .x3d, .x3dz, .zpr, .dxf, .iges*, .step*Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image shows Peel 3Ds Peel 3 scanner. Image via Peel 3D.

CUPACLAD is a natural slate faade system that perfectly balances aesthetics, durability, and sustainabilityeverything contemporary architecture demands. Made from 100 percent natural slate, it helps improve a buildings thermal performance while reducing environmental impact. With its long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements, CUPACLAD is an ideal choice for architects and builders looking for both beauty and energy efficiency. Thats why its becoming a go-to solution for projects aiming to meet the strict standards of Passive House certification.Affordable housing project in Chicago (Courtesy Cupa Pizarras)In recent months, three different buildings featuring CUPACLAD have achieved the prestigious Passive House certification, proving that natural slate faades can play a key role in energy-efficient design. Lets take a closer look at these standout projects and see how CUPACLAD contributed to their sustainability success.Leland House isnt just affordable housing for adults over 62 in Massachusettsits a place built for connection and community. To bring this vision to life, every detail was carefully considered, including the facade. CUPACLAD was the perfect fit, delivering both style and high performance while meeting Passive House standards.In New Jersey, a private home embraced CUPACLAD to create a stunning, eco-friendly retreat. Designed with sustainability in mind, it seamlessly blends natural materials for both aesthetics and energy efficiency.Leland House is affordable housing for adults over 62 in Massachusetts. (Courtesy Cupa Pizarras)The result? A durable, low-maintenance facade that meets Passive House certification.Chicagos latest 43-unit affordable housing project is setting a new standard for sustainability. Built to achieve Passive House certification, it prioritizes energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort or design.With CUPACLAD, the facade combines durability, low maintenance, and natural beautyproving that sustainability and affordability can go hand in hand.

Herzog & de Meuron confirm their expertise in the design of spaces forhealing and recovery with Kinderspital Zrich, but replicability is questionableTo reach the new childrens hospital in Zrich, we have to leave behind the cobbled, medieval streets of the city centre and head up the hills. On a foggy, rainy Wednesday in February, they were green and wet, dotted with vineyards, fruit orchards and scattered residential buildings, at times offering glimpses of the lake and its shimmering grey expanse. Nestled between several other medical facilities and private hospital buildings, Zrichs private and university Kinderspital (or as it is affectionately known in these parts, the Kispi) was conceived by Baselbased practice Herzog & de Meuron over the course of a decade, following a competition win in 2011, and finally opened its doors to the public last autumn.Click to download drawingsApproaching the Kispi means walking alongside a long facade, where the wood is showing signs of the effect of the humid and wet Swiss winter. Many plants are already climbing up the walls, striving to grow and adapt to their new home, and getting ready to fully bloom come spring. The main entrance is shaped by two large wooden gates, which in a different universe could have signalled the entrance to Tolkiens Rohan. Imposing and disproportionately large, they give way to a low tunnel clad in timber and marked by portholes placed at a childs height to show glimpses of what awaits inside which leads to an impressive round tripleheight courtyard. Open to the sky, it is full of vegetation, trees and birdsong. A little girl is riding her bicycle around the green, humming along.This feels new, and it is. The Kispi opened in November 2024, with a considerable delay and more than CHF 150 million over budget, totalling a cost of CHF 761 million. When running massively over budget during construction, the Zrich government decided to inject CHF 250 million into the project; the move made the news but was described by the city as necessary. The Kispi is Switzerlands largest paediatric university hospital, founded in 1874 under the patronage of the private Eleonore Foundation. Offering a full spectrum of paediatric, medical and surgical care, including many rare diseases, makes it a meeting point for specialists and clinical research teams. One of the first impressions the hospitals medical director, Michael Grotzer, heard from a visiting mother was that she felt safe. Thats about the biggest compliment we can get, he points out. Entering the hospital, the first impression is indeed that this cannot be a hospital. With wooden ceilings throughout, Artek childrens furniture in waiting rooms, an expansive cafeteria with floor to ceiling windows, as well as impeccable (and expensive) finishes everywhere, it could be a youth hostel in an affluent neighbourhood, a disproportionately large mountain chalet or a coworking space in a Nordic country.Beyond material qualities, it is both the spatial considerations and organisation that set Kispi apart. Pierre de Meuron describes the hospital as a town with courtyards, streets, alleys and squares, providing clear and memorable orientation, plenty of daylight and a connection to nature. Christine Binswanger, Herzog & de Meuron partner and Kispi project lead, points to the idea of a holistically conceived, functional building that is calm and quiet despite its diversity. A linear distribution indeed offers easy access to the different facilities; a main central corridor connects all areas of the building, while large circular courtyards, skylights and expansive glazed areas bring daylight into the hospital.For Grotzer, who worked alongside the architects from 2018 until the opening, the fact that the Kispi doesnt look, feel or smell like a hospital is a helpful factor when considering healing processes. He mentions a 2024 University of Toronto study that probes the potential for incorporation of nature into the hospital environment as a component of a therapeutic hospitalisation showing exposure to nature leads to a better healing experience. For him, this confirms the power of architecture. On Kispis second floor, all 200 inpatient rooms have views to the nature outside and a small porthole window, placed at a childs height. One of the buildings most remarkable features, the rooms allow every child to have an independent space and bathroom, and welcome the parents as well, who can spend the night next to their children. While from the inside these are organised along gently curving corridors that run alongside the edges of the building, from the outside they appear as independent units, all with pitched roofs at different angles, like a linear sequence of mountain huts that are randomly squashed together. It is one of the buildings playful, almost humorous, moves, which seek to bring lightness and pleasure to those who inhabit it. The Kispi is made not in a childish way, but in a childspecific way, Grotzer points out, noting how the atmosphere plays a positive role. Parents report that the waiting times, which arguably make up most of the experience inside any medical facility, are made easier by themed rooms patients and siblings can play in a forest or outer space, or read in the Harry Potter cave. There is also an outdoor playground, pleasant break rooms where parents can work, eat and drink coffee or tea, as well as a school and kindergarten for children spending longer periods at Kispi. Raphael Heftis colourful lighting installation Starmix, on display at the spiral staircase, highlights the main access between floors, and is one of the many artworks that greet patients and their families at unexpected moments.A more unusual and particularly sobering space is the socalled room of silence, located in the basement, where bereaved families can spend time mourning the loss of a child. Past a screen of small sleigh bells, a fully woodpanelled room features diverse seating arrangements offering the possibility to sit together or in solitude. It is an ample, grave space, marked by a fulllength floortoceiling window revealing a large, ancient boulder found on site during construction. This element could evoke the stillness and muted comfort of a Zen garden, but it is also a testament to the magnitude of what takes place inside this building life, death, and everything in between.Medical facilities are concentrated on the ground and first floors, including an emergency department, the polyclinic entrance, a pharmacy and different ambulatory specialties. The Kispi is a private hospital, but in Switzerland, that does not mean that it is only for the few. The whole national health system is privatised, with every person in the country having mandatory private health insurance that allows access to health facilities in the country. At the Kispi, that means more than 8,000 inpatient cases, 140,000 outpatient and 42,000 emergency cases per year. The hospital specialises in oncology and dermatology, and serves a wide range of children coming from both Zrich and the neighbouring towns and villages. The spacious offices for staff, distributed along the short edges of the buildings first floor, include numerous typologies of meeting and break rooms that allow for a flexible use of the space, as well as garden offices filled with plants on all four corners of the building. Employees are encouraged to leave their belongings in a locker at the entrance and plug into any workstation they deem convenient for the day.As a complement to the Kispi, Herzog & de Meuron also designed a circular tower across the street, which hosts a sevenstorey paediatric research and teaching centre. The two buildings are almost polar opposites. While the horizontal hospital is a timberclad concrete frame with a facade that seeks to disappear within the surroundings, the research centre stands tall, a Guggenheim lookalike cylinder placed at the foot of the hill. Two large semicircular portals that seem to crawl up the facade serve as entrances, much like periscopes, and lead to what the architects call an agora: a central gathering space with a double-height ceiling that is surrounded by three auditoriums, a caf and, on the first floor, a study space. On the afternoon of my visit, the caf was full, the study space and auditoriums empty.For such a simple spatial concept a circle from where all other spaces radiate the building is confusing. A series of halfstorey accesses lead to dead ends or emergency exits, and finding a toilet proves to be a labyrinthine endeavour. The study space features a halfsunken circular shelf with embedded desks an impressive work of carpentry that further peers onto the agora below; hard to say if studying here is a voyeuristic activity or a focused one. Overall, spaces are clean and muted, overtaken by white plastered walls, a few wooden panels marking features such as the auditoriums and various exposed concrete spiral staircases a favourite Herzog & de Meuron trope, seen in several of their other projects, including the Kispi.While the idea of a hospital as a holistic experience is not that common, Kispis concept is a derivation of a formula that Herzog & de Meuron have already experimented with, namely in the REHAB Basel project also led by Binswanger and completed in 2002. This groundbreaking project for a clinic for neurorehabilitation and paraplegiology already put in practice the larger concept of the hospital as a city, in a lowrise, timberclad building organised around open courtyards. The formula seems to function so well that a further derivation is at the core of the firms New North Zealand Hospital in Denmark, currently under construction and expected to finish in 2026, with Binswanger part of the core team. The architects describe the lowrise, woodenclad building arranged around a courtyard as an appropriate typology for a hospital because it fosters exchange; across the various departments, the employees work on a shared goal: the healing of the ailing human being.Many established architecture firms copy and rehash their best ideas over and over again. The idea of the horizontal hospital might be a Herzog & de Meuron trope, but it is true that the architects have cracked the code for what makes a good space for healing and recovery. However, it is only thanks to the tightly coordinated work between the office and the medical teams, for over a decade, and the resources that enable it, that projects like Kispi can be made possible.2025-04-07Reuben J BrownShare AR April 2025Buy Now

Detail of Into Being. All photos by India Hobson. Images courtesy of the artist and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, shared with permissionLaura Ellen Bacon Brings Somerset Willow Into Being at Yorkshire Sculpture ParkApril 7, 2025ArtKate MothesFrom pliable lengths of sustainably sourced Somerset willow, Laura Ellen Bacon (previously) weaves elegant, meandering sculptures. Whether installed on a wall, streaming from windows, or curled up on a plinth, her works invite us to wander through installations that appear alive and moving. Bacons latest solo exhibition, Into Being, just opened at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The Derbyshire-based artist created pieces for the parks 18th-century chapel, centering around an eponymous piece that extends six meters into the nave and reaches three meters high. Mirroring shapes from nature like seed pods, burrows, and cocoons, the undulating form welcomes visitors to step inside a kind of gentle, organic embrace.The artist with Into BeingJoining a continuum of artists like Andy Goldsworthywho has four works permanently on display ay YSPNicola Turner, and Kate MccGwire who utilize natural materials to create enigmatic in situ installations, Bacons site-specific works respond directly to their surroundings. She constructed Into Being on location at YSP over the course of eight weeks, re-interpreting the space by drawing with willow. About 80 bundles of Dicky Meadow, a variety known for its slender and straight stem, wind their way through the galleryIn Britain, people have been weaving with willow for upwards of 10,000 years, primarily using the material for creating baskets. The thin stems are soft, flexible, and lightweight, making them easy to handle and bend. Bacon has developed her own methods during the past two decades, experimenting with relationships between curves and lines, tightness and looseness, and knots and twists to create contemporary, abstract compositions.Branches that have naturally fallen from beech trees at YSP form part of the sculptures supporting structure, which, through its material and form, conjures up a primal instinct to nest and reconnect with the natural world, says a statement. When the installation is dismantled later this year, the material will be repurposed on the YSP grounds to create wildlife habitats. Into Being continues through September 7 in West Bretton, England. Find more on Bacons website and Instagram.ContactDetail of ContactInto BeingDetail of Into BeingDetail of Into BeingConfidantDetail of Into BeingDetail of Into BeingNext article

The United States national metrology institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is to cease providing updates to tens of thousands of older common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) held within its National Vulnerability Database (NVD).In an announcement posted last week, the standards body said that every CVE with a published date prior to 1 January 2018 would now be marked as deferred within the NVD dataset.We are assigning this status to older CVEs to indicate that we do not plan to prioritise updating NVD enrichment or initial NVD enrichment data due to the CVEs age, NIST said in a statement.NISTs announcement comes as the organisation struggles to deal with a backlog of thousands of CVEs that need to be analysed and processed. At points last year, this backlog hit 18,000 records as new submissions surged by 32%. It has been exploring the use of new technologies, including machine learning, to try to automate its way out of its dilemma.Like most other authorities on the matter, NIST expects that vulnerability submission volumes will continue to rise in 2025.NIST said it would continue to accept and review requests to update the metadata it provides for its CVE records, and should new information come to light that indicates an update to said data is appropriate, it will continue to prioritise this work subject to time and resource availability.It will also continue to prioritise any CVEs added to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencys (CISAs) Known Exploited Vulnerability catalogue, regardless of their age.Tim Mackey, head of software supply chain risk at Black Duck, said: While it may be concerning to see older CVEs, particularly those associated with prominent vulnerabilities, be triaged to a lower priority, the reality is that the CVE remains in the NVD with a recognition that updates to older CVEs are infrequent.For practical purposes, I would view any organisation that hasnt patched or mitigated something now labeled as Deferred as having an underperforming patch management or DevOps cybersecurity programme.Lets make this event a call to action for Product Security Incident Response Teams to inventory all software and then triage all vulnerabilities with a Deferred status, he said.In recent weeks NIST has additionally been subject to a series of cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the new body led by Elon Musk that has been tasked with making thousands of redundancies across the federal government, and it is understood that it plans to fire 20% of the workforce at NISTs parent, the Department of Commerce.Last week, a number of US politicians pressed commerce secretary Howard Lutnick on these cuts and warned that they may threaten NISTs work on developing standards and pose a danger to both industrial and consumer safety and security, as well as damaging American leadership and soft power on the global stage.According to Computer Weeklys sister title Cybersecurity Dive, CISA has lost at least 170 roles through DOGEs cuts to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), while many other staffers at the US national cyber agency which was established by president Trump during his first term have resigned amid cratering morale.Read more about vulnerability managementConfused by the distinctions between penetration testing and vulnerability scanning? You're not alone. Learn the key differences between the two and when to use each.Although patch and vulnerability management are intertwined, they differ in critical ways. It's important to have distinct tools and processes to execute both effectively.Artificial intelligence is improving how enterprises address security vulnerabilities, resulting in stronger security postures and smaller attack surfaces. Learn more.

Four months after the beta release, Android 15 features are finally coming to Samsung phones. But there's a catch.

There was just a weekend blitz of new information about Marathon, including a reveal about when the big drop of information will take place.

In a nutshell: April means one thing for many Americans: tax season stress. And while you're scrambling to file before the deadline, cybercriminals are just as busy working to trick you into handing over your personal and financial information. Now, Microsoft has issued a warning about a new wave of tax-themed phishing scams that are more convincing than ever. It's tax time, and scammers are pulling out all the stops. Their latest schemes include fake IRS emails, malicious PDFs, and even QR codes designed to redirect victims to malware-infested websites.Many of these attacks aim to unleash dangerous payloads such as Latrodectus, BruteRatel C4, and AHKBot on Windows devices along with remote access trojans that can give attackers full control over your system. The ultimate goal is all too familiar: steal your data, drain your accounts, or even open credit cards in your name.The emails might look legitimate, at least at first glance. With subject lines like "Unusual Activity Detected in Your IRS Filing" or "Important Action Required: IRS Audit," they're crafted to scare you into acting fast.Opening any attached documents, such as PDFs, can set off a chain reaction. Victims are often redirected through a maze of shady links, eventually landing on a fake DocuSign page that downloads malware the moment you click "Download."Some scammers are taking a more patient approach, starting with a seemingly harmless email from a fake "potential client" claiming their previous CPA botched their taxes and urgently needs assistance. If you bite and reply, the next message could include a malicious PDF disguised as tax documents. // Related StoriesMicrosoft flagged one such campaign targeting accountants, where the attachment delivered GuLoader a highly evasive malware downloader that uses encrypted shellcode and cloud hosting to bypass security. Once inside, it deploys Remcos, a remote access trojan, giving attackers full control of your system. From there, they can steal sensitive data or manipulate your system at will.As for how to avoid getting scammed, take a deep breath. Scammers thrive on panic, so don't let them rush you. Always double-check sender addresses, avoid clicking links in unexpected emails, and never download attachments unless you're absolutely certain they're safe. Remember: the IRS will never reach out via email, text, or social media to request personal or financial information.Microsoft also confirms that its security tools are actively blocking these scams. Defender for Office 365 automatically flags and blocks phishing emails and malicious attachments, while Defender for Endpoint provides comprehensive protection across devices.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsEvery Switch game that has startup issues on the Switch 2Every Switch game that has compatibility issuesIt is easy to get wrapped up in the excitement over a new console and miss some important fine print details. Nintendo was eager to share all the Switch 2 launch games and a massive list of upcoming Switch 2 games to get everyone excited to get their hands on the console, but it also let us know that most original Switch games would also be playable on the Switch 2. We learned a lot about certain Switch 2 Edition games and how they would perform so much better on the Switch 2 vs. Switch, but that asterisk of most games running on the new hardware was never focused on in any of the presentations. We all have a massive library of Switch games at this point we would like to be able to carry forward, so lets shed some light on all the Switch games that wont work on the Switch 2.Giovanni Colantonio / Digital TrendsNintendo has broken down games that dont work on Switch 2 into two categories, with the larger one being games that have startup issues. These games simply wont boot on the Switch 2 as of now, though Nintendo claims to be working on a solution to get them working. For now, assume you wont be playing any of these titles on your Switch 2:112 OperatorA Boy and His Blob Retro CollectionAbyss Memory Fallen Angel and the Path of MagicACA NeoGeo Art of Fighting 2ACA NeoGeo Samurai Shodown IIACA NeoGeo The King of Fighters 95ACA NeoGeo The King of Fighters 96AirheadAlchemy GardenAnother Crabs TreasureArcade Archives Burger TimeArcade Archives Crime CityArcade Archives Dig DugArcade Archives Gradius IIIArcade Archives New Rally-XArcade Archives Pac-LandArcade Archives XeviousAstral FluxBaron: Fur Is Gonna FlyBatman: The Enemy WithinBeyond the Ice Palace 2Boot Hill BountiesBoot Hill HeroesBotany ManorBus Simulator 2023: City DriverCats Hidden in ItalyCats on DutyCrazy Strike Bowling EXDadish 2Darksiders GenesisDead by DaylightDeath ComingDOOM: EternalEggy PartyEnder Magnolia: Bloom in the MistEverdream ValleyEverspaceFables Mosaic: Snow WhiteFelix the Catfig.Final FantasyFitness BoxingFloor KidsFortniteFRAMED CollectionGal Guardians: Demon PurgeGang BeastsGas Guzzlers ExtremeGRID AutosportGuns Gore and CannoliI Got Isekaid Into A ShmupInferno 2Island Flight SimulatorJurassic Park Classic Games CollectionKids vs ParentsKill la Kill IFKorean Drone Flying Tour Jeju Island-1KosmokratsLibrary of RuinaLittle Nightmares Complete EditionManticore Galaxy on FireMexican Train Dominoes GoldMonster Loves You Too!MODEL Debut #nicolaMonster Energy Supercross The Official VideogameMUSYNXNASCAR RivalsNBA 2K18NBA 2K25Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl FleetNeverwinter Nights: Enhanced EditionNobody Saves the WorldNova-111Oddworld: Strangers WrathOK K.O.! Lets Play HeroesOMG Police Car Chase TV SimulatorOnigo HunterPaliaPerserverance: Complete EditionPineview DrivePizza TowerPlants vs. Zombies: Battle for NeighborvilleRaiden III x MIKADO MANIAXRhapsody: Marl Kingdom ChroniclesRiMS RacingRiver City Girls ZeroRocket LeagueRoller ChampionsSaviors of Sapphire Wings/Stranger of Sword City RevisitedSkulls of the Shogun: Bone-a-fide EditionSlayin 2Soul Dog TDSouth of the CircleSouth Park: The Fractured But WholeSportitions24Star Wars Episode I: RacerStar Wars: Dark Forces RemasterStrania The Stella Machina EXSummer PocketsSuper Mega Baseball 3Super Neptunia RPGTaiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm FestivalTaito MilestonesThe CubeThe Jackbox Party PackThe Jackbox Party Pack 2The Journey Down TrilogyThe Talos Principle: Deluxe EditionTouhou Gouyoku Ibun ~ Sunken Fossil World.Travis Strikes Again: No More HeroesTricky TowersTrip World DXTrouble Witches Final!TroveTrover Saves the UniverseTT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[cl-r]Undernauts: Labyrinth of YomiV-Rally 4Warface: ClutchWarframeWarp ShiftWho Wants to Be a Millionaire?Wolfenstein 2: The New ColussusWolfFang 2001 SkullFang Saturn Tribute BoostedWorld of Tanks BlitzXtreme SportsVictor Vran Overkill EditionLabyrinth of Galleria: The Moon SocietyClosed NightmareKonosuba: Labyrinth of Hope and the Gathering Adventurers PlusSenran Kagura ReflexionsStar Melody Yumemi DreamerFamily TrainerBeyblade Burst: Battle ZeroNights of Azure 2: Bride of the New MoonUndernauts Labyrinth of YomiAssault Suit Leynos 2 Saturn TributeProcess of EliminationTokyo Xanadu eX+Meiji Katsugeki Haikara Ryuuseigumi -Seibai Shimaseu, Yonaoshi Kagyou-Recommended VideosNintendoThe other distinction is games that do technically work on the Switch 2 but have some kind of technical issues. Nintendo isnt clear about what these issues could be, but again claims to be working on fixing them in the future:Alan Wake RemasteredAlien: IsolationArcade Archives OrdyneArcade Archives PheliosArcade Archives Tetris The Absolute The Grand Master 2 PlusArcade Archives Tetris The Grand MasterAsphalt Legends UniteDadishDexDust: An Elysian TailElderandFactorioFall GuysFamily ChessGames Advent Calendar 25 Days 25 SurprisesGodlike BurgerHarvestellaHitman 3 Cloud VersionHot Wheels UnleashedJust Dance 2019Klondike SolitaireLovers in a Dangerous SpacetimeMatchpoint Tennis ChampionshipsMega Man Legacy CollectionMotoGP 21My Brother RabbitNoir Chronicles: City of CrimeOvercooked! All You Can EatPocoyo PartyPort Royale 4Raiden IVxMikado RemixReal Car Driving Simulator & Parking 2022 GamesS.N.I.P.E.R. Hunter ScopeSaints Row 4: Re-ElectedSmileBASIC 4Steven Universe: Save The LightStreet Fighter 30th Anniversary CollectionStumble GuysUta no Prince-sama: All Star for Nintendo SwitchUta no Prince-sama: Amazing Aria & Sweet Serenade LOVE for Nintendo SwitchUta no Prince-sama: Debut for Nintendo SwitchUta no Prince-sama: Repeat LOVE for Nintendo SwitchNicoNicoPilot SportsPuru-Chara Friends: Hoppe-chan and Sanrio CharactersClockwork Ley Lines Wandering Witch in the Heat HazeNeptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja WarsEditors Recommendations

Suzuka, sakura, a snoozer F1 in Japan reminds us a great track might not make for a great race Here's why the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix was so boring. Jonathan M. Gitlin Apr 7, 2025 12:34 pm | 0 Red Bull marked the occasion of its last Japanese race with its engine partner Honda with this livery, which calls back to Honda's first F1 car in the 1960s. Credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images Red Bull marked the occasion of its last Japanese race with its engine partner Honda with this livery, which calls back to Honda's first F1 car in the 1960s. Credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreFormula 1 held the third round of its 2025 season at Suzuka in Japan yesterday. The race used to be held toward the end of the calendar, but F1 now visits while the cherry blossoms are blooming, which certainly makes for some good visuals. With a hefty timezone difference between Suzuka and fans in Europe and the US, a difficult decision must be made: Do I stay up all night to watch it live? Let's just say I was glad I did that for qualifying on Friday nightand I was equally glad I slept in the following night and watched the race on Sunday morning.The circuit at Suzuka is one of the few old-school tracks left on the calendar. Along with places like Monaco, Catalyunya, and Spa-Francorchamps, it's a real driver's track; anyone who's played it in Forza, Gran Turismo, or the racing franchise of your choice will know what I mean. The first corner is flat after a long straight. The left-right-left-right of turns 3-7 might be the best set of esses on any track in the world. It even crosses over itself in a figure-eight.Like Spa, though, some bits have become less of a challenge for modern F1 cars with their immense amounts of power and grip. 130R used to be a test of nerve, but now the cars barely notice it as a corner.The problem is that, like at Monaco and Catalunya, there's not really anywhere to overtake. A lot of what we think of as driver's tracks don't actually race very well, and Suzuka is unfortunately one of them. Your best chance is at the Casio triangle, the chicane between 130R and the final corner that leads onto the start-finish straight. If not there, maybe into turn 1maybebut only if you have a big speed advantage. And in 2025, no one has that big of an advantage, even with the effect of the drag-reduction system down that main straight.Cherry blossoms, grass fires An early race in Japan means beautiful cherry blossoms. Clive Rose/Getty Images An early race in Japan means beautiful cherry blossoms. Clive Rose/Getty Images This year, it also meant grass fires, which caused several red flag periods on Friday and Saturday. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images This year, it also meant grass fires, which caused several red flag periods on Friday and Saturday. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images An early race in Japan means beautiful cherry blossoms. Clive Rose/Getty Images This year, it also meant grass fires, which caused several red flag periods on Friday and Saturday. TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images On Friday and Saturday, the practice sessions and qualifying were frequently brought to a halt in red flag periods. The cause? The dry grass at trackside catching fire as a result of sparks from F1 cars as they passed by. All F1 cars have to be fitted with a synthetic wooden plank on their underbody that is there to detect if the car has been run too close to the groundLewis Hamilton was disqualified after the race in China for violating this rule. But there are titanium skid blocks that poke out a few millimeters from the plank's surface, and these are what make contact with the track surface when a car bottoms out (and before any wear to the plank), giving off a shower of titanium sparks.Titanium skid blocks were common in the 1980s (pre-plank) and were reintroduced in 2015, perhaps with the show in mind as much as anything else. This is the first time I can remember them causing a problemfive problems, in fact.On Friday, the newly swapped Red Bull and RB drivers got their first experience in the cars they will drive for the rest of the season. Liam Lawson looked much more at home in the RB, a team he raced with for part of last year. The Williams might be the fastest car in the midfield right now, but the RB looks to be more exploitable by the drivers. Meanwhile, Yuki Tusnoda was fast in the Red Bull, within a few tenths of a second of his outrageously skilled teammate Max Verstappen.Thats a new track recordSadly for Tsunoda, one of those grass fire red flags interrupted his run plan during the second of three qualifying sessions, and he did not progress to the top 10. With overtaking as difficult as it is in Suzuka, he looked dejected while being interviewed as he contemplated having to start from 14th. Still, he showed much more comfort in the car than Lawson did during the first two rounds, and Red Bull boss Christian Horner had to answer many uncomfortable questions from the media on the topics of Red Bull's car and its driver-selection process.Throughout the practice sessions, the orange and black McLarens had the measure on everyone else, with Mercedes' George Russell looking quite quick, too. But Q3 is where it really counts, and Verstappen's final lap was one of the all-time greats. Whether you like him or not, the Dutch driver is at a level no one else can match right now, and he dragged his Red Bull to a time it shouldn't have been capable of, breaking the overall track record for Suzuka in the process. F1 prevents me from embedding the YouTube video in this post, but you can view it for yourself on YouTube.Speaking of onboards, we're spoiled with both a visorcarm (pioneered by Formula E, to give credit where it's due) and the gyrocam, which might be the most immersive onboard feed yet. It has a wider field of view than the normal onboard camera and is not as well-stabilized, so you get a much better impression of just how much an F1 car vibrates at speed. Only a few cars carry a gyrocam at each race for now, but I'm eager to see it become more widespread.Neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri in the McLarens had perfect laps; Piastri in particular gave up plenty of time in the first sector of the track. Regardless, all three were separated by just 0.044 seconds, with the gap between Verstappen and Norris being a mere 0.012 seconds. All three were faster than Sebastian Vettel's record time set in 2019. Comparing the onboard feeds, it is awe-inspiring how late Verstappen was able to brakesuccessfullyfor the Casio triangle, maybe 20 m after everyone else.Isack Hadjar, in the other RB, put in something of an inspiring performance, too, not just making it into the top 10 but doing so in severe discomfort while his over-tightened lap belts were threatening his reproductive health. I'm more and more impressed with this young French driver, who certainly never seems to have a boring moment.The reputation of Haas rookie Oliver Bearman went up a few points this weekend as well. Haas brought a new floor for its car to Japan that has successfully solved a handling problema self-described "risky move" by team boss Ayo Komatsu that paid off despite no wind tunnel testing ahead of fitting it to the cars, and Bearman used a line around the final corner that he picked up in iRacing to shave a few extra milliseconds. Japan's F1 fans turn out like no others, and of course there's cosplay. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Japan's F1 fans turn out like no others, and of course there's cosplay. Mark Thompson/Getty Images This was probably my favorite among the elaborate fan helmets. Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) This was probably my favorite among the elaborate fan helmets. Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) This fan is paying homage to Art Mezzario. Mark Thompson/Getty Images This fan is paying homage to Art Mezzario. Mark Thompson/Getty Images This was probably my favorite among the elaborate fan helmets. Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) This fan is paying homage to Art Mezzario. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Mezzario-inspired Red Bull and RB fans. Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images Could it be Japan if there were no samurai? Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images Don't mess with Red Bull? Mark Thompson/Getty Images That mask is just disturbing. Mark Thompson/Getty Images I hope these fans enjoyed seeing Yuki in the Red Bull at home. Despite his not-great result, he actually did well in what's a very tricky car. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Sometimes you just need a gigantic head. MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images The hats of Suzuka are something else. Cars with working DRS flaps have been showing up for a few years now. Mark Thompson/Getty Images A pair of McLaren fans get into the spirit. PHILIP FONG/AFP via Getty Images This guy didn't bother with the rest of the car, just the rear wing and DRS flap. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Not only do you get to express your support for the sport or a driver, but you also get to keep the sun and rain off your head. Clive Rose/Getty Images No car at all here, just a big red bull. Mark Thompson/Getty Images Well, it's Japanyou have to include at least a couple of robots, right? Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images I wonder what theyre doing with AI?Sim racing is not uncommon among the F1 drivers, although this might be the first instance I remember of one of them mentioning they tried something they learned while gaming. But it also got me wondering.A few years ago, Sony AI built GT Sophy, an AI agent that could play Gran Turismo at a level high enough to beat the very best human players in the world. In the process, GT Sophy learned faster ways around some corners that had eluded all the humans. I'd love to know if any F1 teams have approached Sony AI to try to use those tools to go fasteror perhaps even built their own. As I learned last year, General Motors is making quite good use of AI/ML in motorsport as it competes in IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, IndyCar, and NASCAR, and I have to imagine F1 teams do something similar, even if it seems unlikely that any of them would go on the record with me.ZzzzzzzzzzThe race itself was perhaps best summarized by McLaren's Piastri in the cool-down room after the event. A video wall played the race highlights for the top three finishers as they awaited the podium ceremony, and it didn't take very long. "That's all that happened in that race?" asked Piastri. "For a race that felt like it was pretty flat out, there was nothing," he said.Ironically, a grass fire would have been the best chance for something unusual to happenperhaps while Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli was in the lead as a result of not having made his pit stop yet. A red flag period during an F1 race allows competitors a free tire change in the pits while the race is suspended, and if the racing fates wanted to make Antonelli the youngest winner in F1 history, yesterday would have been the day to make that happen. Turn 1 at Suzuka is not the best place to overtake. Credit: Clive Rose/Getty Images Maybe in Hollywood, but that's not real life; morning rain made the grass damp enough that nothing went up in flames. A recent repave of the track surface not only increased grip but basically eliminated tire degradation, which in turn meant the drivers could race flat out rather than having to manage their tire wear by driving more slowly than the cars are capable. With everyone on basically the same strategy, in cars that are very closely matched in performance and starting lined up in order of that performance, the end result was a foregone conclusion. In fact, there was more overtaking at last year's Monaco Grand Prix.Piastri appeared to have more speed than his McLaren teammate, but Norris was staying further back from Verstappen on purpose. This ruleset was introduced in part to reduce the wake of dirty air given off by an F1 car at speed, but much of that progress has been reversed as teams have evolved their designs to improve their balance and prevent the aerodynamic-induced oscillations known as porpoising.So the top three finished where they started, as did almost everyone else. Verstappen came first, giving his Honda engine partners a home win in the final year of Honda's association with Red Bull. Norris came second, still one point ahead of Verstappen in a championship that still has more than 20 races left to go. And Piastri had to settle for third on his birthday, a stinging lesson in the importance of stringing together a qualifying lap.A three-way fight for the crown? Max Verstappen (L), Oscar Piastri (M), and Lando Norris (R) compare notes after the race. Credit: Bryn Lennon - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images McLaren might not have been too upset with the finishing order, though. In 2007, it also had two of the fastest drivers on the grid in Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, as well as the fastest car (at times). Either Hamilton or Alonso could have won the world championship that year but took points off each other, allowing Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen to score more than either by year's end. This year, Verstappen and Red Bull appear to be the underdog, but they've also just come off four victorious seasons, and as we saw yesterday, that team makes very few mistakes during the actual races.We won't have long to wait for round four: the sport heads to Bahrain this week. That was the site of its preseason test days, although that event was held in unseasonably cold weather that means much of what the teams learned then may be inapplicable this coming weekend.Jonathan M. GitlinAutomotive EditorJonathan M. GitlinAutomotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 0 Comments