Khaleej Times

When Abu Dhabi said ‘Yas’ to the fast track

- — james@khaleejtim­es.com James Jose

On a sweltering afternoon that day in September 2008, we pulled over at a portable cabin, which was to be the meeting point, after which the select group of media personnel were ushered into a waiting mini bus. Having made our way around after negotiatin­g a few turns and constructi­on blockade barriers, Emirati Kawthar Bin Sulayem, the then regional media manager of the Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM), led us to a beehive of activity.

There were constructi­on workers in their hard hats, busy working; cranes lifted heavy equipment bull dozerswere in play. Philippe Gurdjian, then CEO of ADMM, then gave us updates on where it all stood.

After two years of careful planning and execution, and constructi­on which involved 14,000 workers and a whopping 35 million hours of work, the dust and sand gave rise to an engineerin­g marvel which is now the spectacula­r Yas Marina Circuit.

Ever since being handed over in the third quarter of 2009, the Circuit has lived up to its billing on the prestigiou­s Formula One calendar.

The inaugural running of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November 2009 heralded a new era for motorsport in the region, and especially the UAE.

Bahrain was already there on the F1 calendar but Abu Dhabi lifted the benchmark ever since its entry into Formula One — considered the pinnacle of motorsport. The circuit is unique in more ways than one. Designed by renowned F1 circuit architect Hermann Tilke, whose CV includes giving shape to the magnificen­t A1 Ring in Austria, the testing Sepang Internatio­nal Circuit in Malaysia, the flowing Buddh Internatio­nal Circuit in India, among others, the Yas Marina Circuit has some distinctiv­e features with a hotel nestling inside the track between Turns 18 and 19.

Another feature is the pit lane exit where the drivers have to go through a tunnel beneath the ground before rejoining the rest of the field on the track.

And at 1,200 metres in length, it also boasts of the longest straight in

The constructi­on, which involved 14,000 workers and a whopping 35 million hours of work, the dust and sand, gave rise to an engineerin­g marvel which is now the spectacula­r Yas Marina Circuit

Formula One. Apart from all these features, what sets it apart is that the Grand Prix, is the only twilight race on the calendar. The Circuit features a permanent lighting system by Musco Lighting, who also installed the lights at the Losail Circuit in Qatar, which hosts MotoGP races.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become an integral part of the social fabric and is truly a celebratio­n of motorsport.

It has been the season finale ever since its debut, except for 2011 when it was the penultimat­e race of the season.

And fittingly enough, the Grand Prix has been the stage for many a championsh­ip decider and has also been witness to some memorable winning moments.

German Sebastian Vettel, then with Red Bull Racing, edged out Fernando Alonso, who was with Ferrari then, in Abu Dhabi, to win his first of four world championsh­ip titles.

Later, in 2012, Finnish world champion Kimi Raikkonen, then with LotusF1, won the race, which also became legendary because of his famous quote: “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing.’

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was also the scene of Vettel’s fourth world title after which Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton sealed his second world title in 2014.

And come this weekend, it will be another tussle between Mercedes duo Nico Rosberg and Hamilton for the world championsh­ip.

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