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#1 ·
Abu Dhabi says 'Yas' to the world

Leading property developer ALDAR Properties PJSC today announced plans for Yas Island, one of the largest natural islands in Abu Dhabi.


Marina at night.

Yas Island will be a prestigious world-class leisure destination, with mixed-use tourist attractions including beaches, entertainment, shopping, hotels, residences, golfing, equestrian facilities and motor racing. Yas Island will host the world's first 'Ferrari World'.

Outlining the scale of the project, ALDAR's Chairman Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh commented on its size and ambitions: 'Yas Island will combine the many natural attractions of an island with the world's most popular leisure activities. We have taken mankind's passion for the sea, for racing cars, shopping, golfing, and luxurious living, and designed them all into a single unique setting. Yas Island will be the only destination in the world that combines our desert and maritime traditions with the fascinations of Florida and the elegance of Monte Carlo. It will be the world's most complete leisure destination. "

"At ALDAR Properties, our business model is based on strategically integrated residential and leisure developments, with particular emphasis on infrastructure, planning, and environmental protection. With the launch of Yas Island we are inviting the whole world to our land. We are inviting the world to say 'Yas'," he said.

CEO Ronald Barrott elaborated on Yas Island, and its many attractions: "We have been working to create a unique destination that will present Abu Dhabi to the global tourist market. Our intention is to bring together families, friends and individuals seeking options of entertainment, excitement, nature and peace in one location," he said.

Shopping will be one of the key attractions, with retail areas occupying a staggering 300,000 square metres. Ferrari World will be a major highlight, through ALDAR's rights to a Ferrari-themed park, museum and theatre. These attractions are linked to a top quality motor race track on which visitors can experience the thrill of the exclusive Ferrari Driving School (Pilota Ferrari), kart track and dune buggies. They can also test the limits of their own cars under professional instruction.

More peacefully, located on the island will be two major marinas and yachting facilities; resort hotels, lagoon hotels and hotel apartments; a water park, three golf courses, a polo field and equestrian centre, restaurants and cafes, and mixed type residences. Plans are underway to adapt sensitive and beautiful parts of the island into conservation areas. A number of very select individual homes will be made available on the island, at a later stage.

ALDAR said that more details would be announced in due course, but that Yas Island would feature a range of attractions and activities that will appeal to people of all age groups, and retain the interest of every member of a visiting family. The company also expects most people to stay on Yas Island for a minimum of seven days, and all activities - shopping, sports, leisure, recreation and others - are designed around long-stay visitors.

Yas Island, spread over an impressive area of 2,500 hectares, is roughly one third the size of the island of Abu Dhabi, and features a beach front shoreline of approximately 32 kms. Infrastructure will be developed around the Yas Island project in advance and to the operational benefit of the capital city. A new ten-lane highway will connect Yas Island to the new Abu Dhabi International Airport, the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, and the city of Abu Dhabi at Mina Port. Yas Island will also connect to ALDAR's signature Al Raha Beach development.

Yas Island is easily accessible by road, air and water. International visitors flying into Abu Dhabi will be able to see the bright glow of the red Ferrari World roof from the air, and can reach Yas Island within minutes of disembarking. Just ten minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport and a similar distance from ALDAR's Al Raha Beach, Yas Island is located at the gateway to Abu Dhabi, and will target the 1.6 billion catchment area located within six hours flying time to the UAE.
 
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#156 ·
Grand prix track to teach driver safety


Richard Cregan, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, at his office with a model of the Yas Island development. Stephen Lock / The National

Roland Hughes
Last Updated: July 26. 2009 1:05PM UAE / July 26. 2009 9:05AM GMT

ABU DHABI // Managers of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix say that they are “duty-bound” to use the circuit to improve road safety standards in the country.

The first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be held on November 1, but the Yas Marina Circuit is likely to be put to other uses for 300 days of the year, away from the Formula One race weekend.

Among the initiatives being planned is a driving school for youngsters that will teach them basic road safety skills before they begin driving lessons on the roads.

Richard Cregan, chief executive of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM) who will manage the circuit, said it was crucial that the organisation “put something back into the community in terms of safe driving”. That would be done by making the circuit accessible to the public for most of the year, he said.

Announcing ADMM’s support of The National’s Road to Safety campaign, Mr Cregan said his organisation would be “supporting any campaign to make the roads a safe place to be”.

“One of the projects we are working on internally is the possibility to have a driving school for young people – a pre-driving facility, if you like,” he said.

“What we would like to do is work with various different bodies and authorities to give 14-year-old kids the opportunity to come and drive in a safe, controlled environment and learn how to control a car, and have that as part of the education to achieve a driving licence. Then we would really be contributing to making roads safe.

“It is an issue that needs to be addressed, and we know there are a lot of different bodies, including The National, Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and Salama [doing this].

“The current situation is raising awareness to the public. Everybody is aware of the figures and the sad amount of people lost due to road accidents.

“What we need to do is join up all the various initiatives and do something.”

Last year, 1,071 people died on the roads in the UAE, and 12,273 were injured, according to statistics from the Ministry of Interior.

Talks between ADMM and various authorities about how the circuit can be used as part of wider road safety measures are continuing.

ADMM plans eventually to employ driving instructors to work on the Formula One circuit and on the adjoining 1.2km-long go-kart course.

A 30,000-square-metre facility planned for the circuit on Yas Island will be used to teach driving skills such as controlling a skidding car.

Research conducted for the Ministry of Interior by the British-based Transport Research Laboratory found that 32.5 per cent of serious road accidents in the UAE and 37 per cent of all road accidents over the previous five years were caused by new drivers.

Drivers aged 18 to 27 were also found to be responsible for 35 per cent of all collisions.

In March, the ministry announced that it was to standardise driving tests across the emirates after identifying variations in driving instruction as a factor in accidents. The unified system has yet to be approved by the Cabinet.

As well as working with authorities to improve road safety awareness, Mr Cregan said he hoped some of the biggest names in F1 would be able to co-operate when they visit Abu Dhabi this year.

“We are going to have the cream of the world’s racing drivers on Yas. There are opportunities here to use these key figures to raise awareness. Whatever we can do as individuals or as a group, we are duty-bound to do that.”

This month, Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, the first Arab driver to score points in the World Rally Championship and the face of HAAD’s road safety campaign, said he believed the Yas Marina Circuit would provide a venue for the country’s drivers to harness their skills and to unleash their “speed demons”.

“Packages and programmes could be arranged to allow people to drive around on the track with special cars and release that speed in the right place,” he said.

“Hopefully, that will help reduce accidents.”

Mr Cregan said that, as well as aiming to improve driving standards, ADMM would be putting a five-year strategy in place in the coming months.

One of the aims, he said, was to identify young driving talent in the UAE and train youngsters to a competitive level.

“We will be in a position to take a young driver from a karting situation all the way through Formula racing or rally car racing. There is a huge passion for cars in general, and we need to develop that.

“I am sure that in a couple of years, and we have already seen it in rallying, I don’t see any reason why we won’t see a driver in F1 from the UAE.

“We have the tools to achieve it, we just have to apply the management.”

At the launch of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, the ADMM chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak said future champions would have to be identified at age six or seven.

“Through this, we will have the opportunities to bring young – very young – drivers and develop them in the more classical way,” he said.

Mr Cregan said the key was to develop an interest in motorsport in general in the UAE before young talent could be identified.

“We have to work on the awareness of motorsport. The big thing is the F1. But we have to make sure we go out there to the general public to show them the possibilities there are.”

rhughes@thenational.ae

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090726/NATIONAL/707259850/1010
 
#157 ·
Yas Island's plans for round-the-clock motorsport

Roland Hughes
Last Updated: July 29. 2009 8:14PM UAE / July 29. 2009 4:14PM GMT


Cars race through the night at Le Mans 24 Hours in France last month. The company managing the Yas Marina Circuit hopes to host races in the Le Mans series as well as in other racing categories. Sutton Motorsport Images

ABU DHABI // While all eyes are on November’s Grand Prix in the countdown to the debut race at the Yas Marina Circuit, organisers are working on plans to keep up the momentum with a full calendar of leading motorsport events.

Following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1, the track is likely to be the venue for up to half a dozen different races during 2010, including the world’s best-known endurance series as well as races between supercars such as Aston Martin and Lamborghini.

Other projects include a business park for the motorsport industry and the possibility of using the circuit as potentially the capital’s largest concert venue.

Richard Cregan, the chief executive of Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM), which will manage the circuit, confirmed it was negotiating with the operators of a number of events to bring them to the capital.

“We are looking at having between four and six major motorsport events a year,” he said. “We are in discussions with various different groups to have a GP2 stand-alone race, Le Mans, and FIA GT.

“We are looking at some classic [car] events and then we are looking at club events, satisfying the needs of every sector within motorsport.

“We would very much like to have a motorcycle event, so we are in discussions over those.”

A GP2 race, featuring single-seater cars similar to F1 cars, would bring with it the possibility of seeing future Formula One drivers. Many current F1 drivers graduated through the ranks of GP2, including Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock. The GP2 Asia subdivision has been running for two years.

As well as the 24-hour Le Mans series, which will be possible on Yas Island thanks to floodlights installed around the track, the FIA GT would provide another endurance race, pitching Aston Martins, Lamborghinis and Maseratis against each other in races lasting between two and 24 hours.

Mr Cregan said announcements about the exact events taking place would be made over the coming months, in the run-up to the Grand Prix.


The Yas Island Circuit may also be a venue for go-karting and musical events such as the Womad festival held in the capital earlier this year. Randi Solokoff / The National

“We have to work on them in parallel with the F1, because we have to deliver [them] by 2010,” he added.

GP2 races often take place at the F1 circuits on the same weekends as Grands Prix, capitalising on the ready-made fan base.

While not as high-profile as the F1 itself, support races often prove highly profitable in their own right.

The V8 Australian supercar series, which takes place every October at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), generates US$85million (Dh312m) of income to the kingdom every year.

Martin Whitaker, the chief executive of BIC, which has staged a Grand Prix for the past five years, said the key to the success of a circuit was ensuring it was not used for only one weekend a year.

“It is one of the things we have pushed – it is not just about the Grand Prix, but about attracting international events, whether it is V8 or GP2 Asia. We have held events here for every single global motor manufacturer, pretty much.”

Including the Grand Prix, the Yas Island track is expected to be in use on 300 days of the year.

Mr Cregan said it would not even be off-limits in the midsummer heat – adding that he had already joked with F1 drivers about the opportunity of travelling to Abu Dhabi to undergo endurance training in the humidity.

Apart from the planned events on the 5.55km track, several facilities will be made open to the public, most notably a drag strip that is almost a kilometre in length and a karting circuit that will be used to train young drivers and for corporate events. Both will open soon after the November Grand Prix.

Driving aside, the Yas Marina Circuit is also likely to be opened up for concerts, with each of the five grandstands seating about 10,000 people. Mr Cregan said:

“When it would come to using the facility for something like a concert, we would run the facility but then hand it over to experts to run the concert.

“We don’t want to get into that, there are people [for whom] that is their speciality.”

He added: “We have to open it up to the people, to make sure they have an opportunity to go out there and enjoy the circuit.

“F1 is only one of the events. A very key element is to make sure we serve the community.”

One of the biggest plans being considered is a large business park adjacent to the track. If it goes ahead, Abu Dhabi will follow the lead of other F1 circuits in becoming bases for motorsport manufacturers.

Bahrain is home to the BMW Performance Centre and a Hummer driving academy, while Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, has attracted a Ford Rally Academy as well as the Force India F1 team.

Aldar, the Yas Island site’s developer, said the business park was one of many options being considered.

Mr Cregan, who said there had already been expressions of interest from manufacturers in moving to Yas Island, said: “Our hope will be that it is taken up by teams and manufacturers looking for a development base.

“We will support anybody who comes along and wants to use our facility – it could be Ferrari, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes – by creating a motorsport business park that would give them the opportunity to set up a research and development facility, for example.

“With the track lighting, we have the possibility of 24 hours, and the possibility of doing car launches. There are huge possibilities here.

“The only restriction on our project is our own imagination. We need to think outside the box.”

rhughes@thenational.ae

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090730/NATIONAL/707299928
 
#158 ·
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s new buzz

Roland Hughes
Last Updated: July 31. 2009 12:09AM UAE / July 30. 2009 8:09PM GMT

ABU DHABI // Formula One fans said yesterday that they were excited at the possibility of seeing Michael Schumacher in action in Abu Dhabi in November.

Schumacher, the most decorated driver in Formula One history, announced on Wednesday that he would return to drive for the Ferrari team following an injury to the team driver Felipe Massa at the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend.

The date of Massa’s return from a skull and eye injury is unclear, meaning that Schumacher could race all the way to the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Should he do so, the serial record-breaker would reach another landmark by starting his 257th race, tying for second most starts in Formula One, alongside the Italian Riccardo Patrese.

The Italian team said on Wednesday: “Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa’s car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race.”

Having initially denied being willing to replace Massa, Schumacher said: “Even though I completely wrapped up the subject of Formula One quite a while ago, due to my attachment to the team, I cannot ignore this unfortunate situation. As a competitor, like I am, I’m looking forward to this challenge.”

If Schumacher passes a fitness test, he will race for Ferrari at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.

Paolo Soldevila, a Spanish engineer living in Dubai, bought three tickets for the Abu Dhabi race on the day they went on sale in May.

He said he and a friend who is travelling from Madrid for the race were “crazy, crazy” fans of Schumacher and hoped he would be racing on Yas Island.

“This guy is the best I’ve seen,” he said. “There’s been no one like him; but it’s that attitude that he had; he just wants to win.

“I really hope he’s there. He is F1. I mean, it’s really sad why he is there, because of Massa, but this is maybe amazing for Abu Dhabi.”

Schumacher was also a replacement driver in his first F1 race, standing in for the Jordan-Ford driver Bertrand Gachot at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, while the Belgian was in jail for spraying CS gas at a taxi driver.

After that, driving for Benetton and then Ferrari, Schumacher went on to win 91 races and seven world championships, becoming the most successful F1 driver of all time.

Since his retirement in 2006, he has continued to work as an adviser to Ferrari and would in all likelihood have been in attendance in Abu Dhabi, even had he not been drafted in as a driver.

Last year, the property developer PNYG announced that the Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower, a 400-apartment complex with a marina, would be built on Reem Island.

A spokesman for YallaF1, a new Dubai-based fan website, said: “He is the best known racing driver in the world, a big name whose presence on the grid in Abu Dhabi will attract even more fans to the race, and, of course, the TV audience will be massive.”

Khalid Halabi, a Syrian resident of International City in Dubai, said the chance to witness a piece of sporting history has erased his temptation to sell his ticket.

“With [Jenson] Button so far ahead in the title race, I was starting to lose interest,” Mr Halabi said. “The championship will probably be all over by the Abu Dhabi race. At Dh1,400 for a ticket, I was tempted to try to sell it.

“But now the race will go down in history. It will be a classic whatever the result, and if Schumacher wins, we will be able to say, ‘I was there to see his last ever win’. This will add to the pre-race hype, if it wasn’t hyped enough.”

Damien Reid, the editor of F1 Racing Middle East magazine, said he was taken aback by the announcement. “It was a huge surprise,” he said.

“I did a radio interview on Wednesday saying he was definitely not going to come back and all of a sudden, he announced he was.”

He added that he hoped Massa’s injury would not lead to his having to retire from F1.

“With F1, you need 20-20 vision, and if he doesn’t have that, it doesn’t mean it is the end of his motorsport career; there could be touring cars, for example.”

Massa’s injury, one of the most serious in the sport in recent years after considerable safety improvements to cars, should be cause for everyone in F1 to reflect, Mr Reid said. “It has raised a lot of questions in the sport again.”

rhughes@thenational.ae

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090731/NATIONAL/707309872
 
#159 ·
Khalifa views capital’s future
Melanie Swan

Last Updated: August 04. 2009 11:06PM UAE / August 4. 2009 7:06PM GMT
Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, inspect the main grandstand at the Yas Marina Circuit. Philip Cheung / The National
ABU DHABI // Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, said yesterday that the capital’s biggest developments demonstrated how swiftly it was positioning itself for its future in trade and tourism.

After viewing the Saadiyat and Yas Island projects, he said they not only encouraged foreign investment and co-operation, but proved the country was building itself a bigger place on the world stage.



The state news agency, WAM, said the delegation began the tour from the Abu Dhabi Corniche, now linked to Saadiyat Island by the 10-lane Abu Dhabi-Saadiyat Bridge.

The President was accompanied by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as well as other dignitaries including the National Security Adviser, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed; the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed; and the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon.



The President, named this week by the Arabic-language version of Newsweek as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world, was given a detailed update on the projects’ progress.

The President expressed his happiness over the state of the developments and that of other important projects across the country.

Yas Island, on which construction is under way ahead of the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November, is part of a wider aim of boosting the UAE’s position as an international centre of sport and tourism, said Sheikh Khalifa. He said the developments would also strengthen the links between cities across the country, according to WAM.


The work showed the country’s willingness to diversify its economic activity, the President said.

The visit took the President to what the city envisions as being its future cultural capital, Saadiyat Island. The full cultural district will be spread over 270 hectares, about 10 per cent of the island, and will be completed by 2018.

The Louvre, Guggenheim and the Zayed National Museum will comprise the first phase, with most of the building work on them expected to be completed by 2013.



Saadiyat Bridge will give a bird’s-eye view of some of the district’s most impressive buildings, including the Guggenheim, designed by the architect Frank Gehry, and the Performing Arts Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid.

The openings of the three museums will be staggered over two years, its developer, the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), said this year.

The delegation also visited the site of this year’s Grand Prix, Yas Island, and Al Raha Beach, a small city in its own right stretching over 5.2 million square metres of the mainland.



One of the most high-profile developments in the country, Yas Island will, along with the Yas Marina Circuit, boast Ferrari World, a large, red-roofed dome housing the first Ferrari theme park and the world’s fastest roller-coaster, due to open in 2010.

A Warner Bros theme park is also planned, as well as several new marinas, and is expected to be open by 2013.
 
#161 ·
Yas Island Development

Client: Aldar Properties PJSC
Actual Value: 40bn USD
Contractors: Main Contractor: Drake & Scull International L.L.C.
Main Contractor: Belhasa Six Construct L.L.C.

Project Type: Mixed Use

Project Duration:


From: Q4 2007 Actual
To: Q1 2018 Actual

Status: Construction

Scope: Yas Island occupies a total land area of 25,000,000 million square metres. A 17,000,000 square metres will be claimed for development. The Island will feature attractions such as a world-class motor sports racetrack, signature hotels, the Ferrari theme park, Water Park, and the Abu Dhabi destination retail development of 300,000 sq m retail area, links and parkland golf courses, lagoon hotels, marinas, polo clubs, apartments, villas and numerous food & beverage outlets that will create a unique international tourist destination.

Schedule: The deadline for completion of Ferrari Theme Park is on 1st November 2009.
 
#162 ·
Depa announces $54.4m Ferrari World deal

Interior contractor Depa said on Monday its Abu Dhabi subsidiary and joint venture partner have won a AED200m ($54.4m) contract to complete the fit out for the Ferrari World theme park on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

Depa, which is overseeing the fit-out for the world’s tallest building, the Burj Dubai, said in statement on Monday that work on the Ferrai World Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor theme park, scheduled to open in 2010, would include flooring, walls doors and ceilings.

Aldar BeSix appointed Depa, which has been given a completion date of March 31 2010, the statement added.


Depa’s joint venture partner is Mivan Depa, whose previous projects include The Atlantis Hotel and Museum of Islamic Arts in Doha. Depa Abu Dhabi is Depa's subsidiary.

The theme park will feature 20 rides and attractions including the world’s fastest rollercoaster and a racetrack.

Link:http://www.arabianbusiness.com/565095-depa-announces-544m-ferrari-world-deal
 
#168 ·
Three extra races set for Abu Dhabi F1 circuit


Abu Dhabi’s new Formula One circuit will host three other races on the same weekend as the inaugural Grand Prix, it was confirmed today.

Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, who will manage the Yas Marina Circuit, said that a round of the GP2 Asia championship will also take place on the weekend of October 30 to November 1.

Also scheduled for the same weekend is a round of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup championship and the Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Challenge.



The races will take place in between practice and qualifying rounds for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as well as before the main race.

The National
 
#171 · (Edited)
Infrastructure work on Yas Island completed

Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi's largest real estate developer by market capitalisation, Wednesday said it has completed infrastructure-related work on Yas Island where the 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled to be held on November 1.

Aldar's Director of Planning and Infrastructure Talal Al Dhiyebi told reporters that seven hotels on Yas Island are in the process of being handed over to the operators.

He said the 5.55 kilometre race track is ready and was inspected by Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA) on August 5. "The final FIA check will be in September. We are delivering the race track according to the specifications given to us," said Al Dhiyebi.

He, however, couldn't immediately provide figures of total investment by Aldar in Yas Island.

"The utilities on the Yas Island are in the final stages of testing and commissioning. We are testing and commissioning the assets," said Al Dhiyebi.

Gulf News

Edit: Some pic's







 
#172 ·
those pictures must be very assuring to the public, with 2 more months remaining until the race, all the small bits and pieces will be taken care off. looks like ALDAR will be able to handover the project to ADMM faster than expected. hand over is next week :cheers:

ALDAR reputition as developer will be really boosted by this project, and will reflect on its financial performance. meeting the deadline must been a real challange and is a achivement to ALDAR and Abu Dhabi. hopefully people can "start" changing thier image about Abu Dhabi's projects taking forever to be built :bash:
 
#174 ·
Abu Dhabi GP to be the first day-to-night race!

Abu Dhabi to host F1’s first twilight race

Abu Dhabi will host a twilight Formula One race after the start time was changed with only two months to go.

The race, the season finale, had been due to start at 3pm on November 1, which would have seen it end in daylight.

However, a document issued to television producers at the Belgian Grand Prix today said that the race will instead begin at 5pm.

Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, the race organisers, have since confirmed the new time, which came about after a decision by Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 supremo.

It will mean that, while the race will start in daytime, it will end as the sun goes down, making Abu Dhabi the first race to be held at night and day. Singapore hosted the first full night race last year, with the second taking place next month.

“Yas Marina Circuit has been built from the outset to host day and night-time activities,” said Richard Cregan, the chief executive of ADMM. “Staging Formula 1’s first ever day/night race offers us the unique opportunity to demonstrate the circuit’s inbuilt flexibility and state-of-the-art facilities. It has always been our intention to showcase to the world this spectacular venue and this decision allows just that opportunity.

"It is the best of both worlds, spectators and television viewers will see the stunning architecture of the world’s newest Formula 1 circuit during the afternoon sunlight and then experience what it is like under floodlights. We hope that everyone will be impressed by what they experience and see.”

Both the Australian and Malaysian grands prix, which opened the race calendar, started at 5pm. Abu Dhabi’s location means it is likely to end in dimmer light than those races; sunset in Abu Dhabi on November 1 is expected at 5.43pm, according to a number of meteorological websites.

Floodlights up to 40 metres tall will surround the Yas Marina Circuit, which is still under construction, ensuring that future races could be held at night. As a result, ADMM are confident there would be no visibility issues for a twilight or night race. The Yas Hotel, through which the track travels, will also be fitted with 4,800 LED panels that can change colour at night.

The National

It going to be stunning to watch this in the sunset. :banana:
 
#178 ·
Capital set to host 2010 F1 finale


Yas Marina is likely to host the final grand prix of 2010. Andrew Henderson / The National

Roland Hughes Euan Megson and Alam Khan
* Last Updated: August 30. 2009 12:07AM UAE / August 29. 2009 8:07PM GMT

ABU DHABI // The final Formula One grand prix of next season is likely to be in Abu Dhabi again, although on a slightly later date than the capital’s inaugural event.

Broadcasters and F1 team managers were handed provisional race calendars for 2010 at the Belgian Grand Prix meeting yesterday, with Abu Dhabi scheduled to host its race next year on November 7. This year’s event is on November 1.

It means that the next F1 season will be bookended by races in the Middle East, with Bahrain scheduled to host the opening race on March 14, more than a month earlier than this year’s round at the Sakhir circuit.

The provisional dates were not confirmed by the world motorsport governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, yesterday. They have to be presented formally by the World Motor Sport Council, which meets in Paris.

However, Richard Cregan, the chief executive of the race organiser, Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management, who was in Belgium yesterday, said he hoped that the dates would remain the same.

“I’ve seen the schedule for 2010 this morning,” he said.

“Again, it’s a nice position to be in and it is in keeping with what’s happened this year.

“I can see [the calendar] staying like this and we’ll be in a strong position next year as an established race.

“It’s all dependent on deals being done and contracts being signed. We’ll wait a while and see if the WMC [World Motor Sport Council] ratifies the calendar.

“We’re happy with the current situation and will always support any decision the FIA and Formula One Management [which owns F1’s promotion of content] make,” he said.

Changes to the race calendar are still possible following the first announcement. Abu Dhabi’s race date was moved forwards two weeks after the provisional 2009 calendar was released in June last year, and Canada’s race was dropped entirely.

However, it is rare for the first and last races to be changed, making it highly unlikely at this stage that Abu Dhabi would lose its place as the last race of next season.

Mohammed ben Sulayem, the FIA’s vice president for sport, said: “The calendar has to be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council, but it is just perfect for the Gulf. When we first talked about taking races to the Middle East, we always thought about the conditions to make it the best race possible for drivers to perform and spectators to watch.

“Last year in Bahrain [on April 29], we had stewards who were very dehydrated. The spectators found it difficult in the heat and the drivers too. It was not easy and I spoke to Bernie [Ecclestone, owner of F1’s commercial rights] about this.

“By moving it to the first race in March, it is a great move for Bahrain. The climate will be cooler and I expect to see a lot more people. Everyone will enjoy it better.”

If the dates are confirmed, it will cement Abu Dhabi’s position as the finale to the F1 season, after years in which Brazil hosted the last race.

Two races next year, in Canada and Britain, are provisional. Neither is yet in a position to confirm its participation next season – Canada because of doubts over whether a commercial agreement will be signed with Formula One Management, and the UK owing to uncertainty over the readiness of the circuit.

* The National

http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090830/NATIONAL/708299833/1010
 
#179 ·
New pics from Yas Island

A couple of days ago someone asked for updated pics from Yas Island.
Here a few for those who are interessted: :gossip:

Crown Plaza on Yas Island:


Few other hotels on Yas Island:


And of course a picture from the Marina Hotel:


Further some from the Yacht Club & the Race/Sun Tower:

Sun Tower & Yacht Club


Sun Tower




Yacht Club


Hope you enjoy them!
 
#180 ·
New pics from Yas Island (Aug.29)

A couple of days ago someone asked for updated pics from Yas Island.
Here a few for those who are interessted: :gossip:

Crown Plaza on Yas Island:


Few other hotels on Yas Island:


And of course a picture from the Marina Hotel:


Further some pictures from the Yacht Club & the Race/Sun Tower:

Yacht Club & Sun Tower:


Yacht Club:


Sun Tower:


Sun Tower:


Hope you enjoy them.
 
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