60,000 fans in the capital for race weekend
More than 60,000 Formula One fans will descend on the capital this weekend for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Thousands more tourists and visitors are also due in the emirate on Sunday for the final race of the F1 season.
The last of the almost completely sold-out hotel rooms on Yas Island are going for between six and 20 times the usual average price for the duration of the four-day event that began on Thursday with a Pit Lane Walk.
The website of the Centro Yas Island Rotana reported no rooms available and the Crowne Plaza Yas Island, which usually has rooms for just a few hundred dirhams per night, was on Thursday offering rooms from Dh3,177 per night for Friday night, no rooms for Saturday night and rooms costing from Dh2,628 on Sunday night. The rate drops back down to Dh414 on Monday, once the race weekend is over.
In the case of the Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi, which is positioned right over the track, there are no rooms available for Friday or Saturday but on Thursday afternoon, when The
National last checked, rooms were listed at Dh17,850 for the Sunday night, dropping back down to Dh878 on Monday.
Rotana’s website directed visitors to the Beach Rotana, its only property with any rooms left, where rooms were listed at Dh1,799 per night for Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, dropping back to Dh569 for a room on Monday.
At the Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas on Saadyiat Island, kilometres away from the action, the cheapest room available for Friday night was Dh3,600 per night, Dh3,350 per night for Saturday night and Dh1,700 per night for Sunday night, with high rates persisting into next week.
Marc de Beer, the general manager of the hotel, said he expected the hotel to completely sell out for the Formula One weekend.
“We will be hosting guests from around the world with Britain ranked first, followed by the local UAE market and Germany as well as Italy and America – we can see that stays have been extended to allow
more time to visit Abu Dhabi’s well-known attractions.”
While this year’s championship has already been won by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, F1 fever is descending on the region.
Organisers revealed that grandstand tickets for the 10th Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix sold out in record time this year.
Fans will see some of the world’s most famous drivers, including Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso, in action as well as four days of concerts by some of the biggest names in music.
Rapper Post Malone was the first act at the du Arena on Thursday night, followed on Friday by The Weeknd, with Sam Smith performing on Saturday night.
The final day will feature a performance by Guns N’ Roses.
BUT that is not all. The Mad stage on Yas Island will host performances by American-Moroccan Rapper French Montana on Friday night, Akon on Saturday night and Future will round off on Sunday night.
British R&B artist Craig David, a familiar face in the UAE, will also perform live at the F1 Trackside Yacht Party on Saturday and Sunday.
DJ Sagala will be playing for fans at Yas Links Golf Club on Saturday.
Rapper Tyga will be at Base at F1, Yas Marina on Saturday while the same venue hosts DJ Black Coffee the next day.
DJ David Morales will also be performing on Sunday at the Rich List Abu Dhabi Race Weekend at Yas Hotel.
Two-time world champion Alonso has confirmed that this will be his final race before retiring.