Etihad Airways Formula One Grand Prix – Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi inaugurated the first F1 event in the UAE and the Yas Marina Circuit on the final leg of the 2009 Formula 1 Grand Prix season on November 1st. The race takes place on the new 5.5km Yas Marina Circuit which is located on the magnificent Yas Island on the eastern side of Abu Dhabi.

The track is set to revolutionise the design of future Formula One circuits and boasts top speeds of 320 km/h and average speeds of 198 km/h. The track features 9 right turns and 11 left turns and is one of the few venues on the calendar to run in an anti-clockwise direction. As one of the longest and most demanding tracks in the world which consists of high speed sections, tight corners and even a street circuit style sector, close and competitive racing is most definitely guaranteed each year at the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The scenic waterfront location on Yas Marina is enough to rival the likes of Monaco and Valencia and there is plenty of mooring space available for luxury yachts on the island’s newly built marina. The venue also includes the stunning 5 star, 500-room Yas Marina Hotel which straddles the circuit, and a 60 metre solar powered Sun Tower which will offer guests unrivalled views.

Yas Marina Hotel guests will have access to the Paddock via a purpose-built footbridge and their own entrance to the circuit.

From the Yacht Club to the Media Centre, to the Team Buildings and the Marina, the Karting Centre, the Drag Racing Centre, the Driving School and the Business Park Centre, Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi is built on quality, style and state of the art technology that will operate year round as the world’s premier motor sport venue.


How To Get To The Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix Circuit

Abu Dhabi International Airport lies adjacent to Yas Island and is easily accessible by road or air from the UAE and internationally. Abu Dhabi Airport is well connected around the world and Etihad Airways, the national carrier and title sponsor of the Grand Prix, recently added its 50th international destination.

Situated on a natural island, visitors which are traveling by road from Abu Dhabi city can reach the Yas Marina Circuit in around 30 minutes while Dubai Airport is just over an hour away.

Access to the formula one circuit in Abu Dhabi will be by a purpose built 12 lane highway which can be accessed from the Sheikh Maktoum (E10) highway from Abu Dhabi, or the Sheikh Zayed (E11) highway from Dubai. For overseas visitors, Abu Dhabi International Airport will be just 15 minutes away by road.

View the map below to plan your route to the Yas Marina Circuit and to see where Abu Dhabi International Airport is situated in relation to the Formula 1 venue.

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You can of course get a taxi from Abu Dhabi Airport or the bus which will offer a wider variety of services than normal to accommodate the number of visitors arriving for the event. Car hire is another option and you will find all the corresponding car hire desks at Abu Dhabi Airport located in the arrivals hall.


Useful Information For The Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix

During this particular time of year in Abu Dhabi, the weather conditions should not be too extreme and you can expect to experience midday temperatures of between 25-30 degrees. With this in mind, the grandstands are in fact all covered which is not only a first for a circuit anywhere in the world but does also mean that shade will be easy to come by.

If you want to keep up to speed on all the latest news and activities whilst you are at the Yas Marina F1 circuit then you can hire a fanvision handset which will give you access to a variety of channels of live video, audio and data content.

Abu Dhabi has a very cosmopolitan feel and there is something here for everyone. There is a wide variety of international cuisine to suit all budgets, starting at the Emirates Palace down to the cafe culture that prevails throughout the Middle East. If you are interested in trying some traditional Abu Dhabi cuisine then head to the area surrounding the fish market in Abu Dhabi city.

Apart from the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Formula 1 event, there are plenty of other tourist attractions that you may be interested in such as the camel market in Al Ain or the Abu Dhabi falcon hospital which offers plenty of local culture. There is also the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is the first Louvre museum outside of France.

There is also of course the Ferrari World Theme Park just around the corner from the Yas Marina circuit that covers a 250,000 square metre area and features a G-Force Tower, driving schools for children and adults, high-tech theatres and lots of cars on display.