Abu Dhabi 2009 F1 deal confirmed
3rd February 2007, 12:46 by Keith Collantine No Comments »
A round of the Formula One world championship will be held on the man-made Yas Island of Abu Dhabi from 2009.
Abu Dhabi has a population of 1.6m and is one of the seven Emirates that compose the United Arab Emirates. The UAE gained independence in 1971 and thrived on the wealth of its oil reserves.
Yas Island is 2,500 hectares in size and will feature a Ferrari theme park among other attractions.
No surprises for guessing the identity of the track designer: yes it’s that man Hermann Tilke. He’s planning a 5.8km track with (again, no surprises) a long straight leading into a hairpin.
Is Formula One going to go halfway around the world for a track that could have been built anywhere?
Bernie Ecclestone optimistically suggests that Tilke has “learned lessons” from past tracks that have not always been well received.
But a glance at the track layout at the official Abu Dhabi 2009 Grand Prix site (link below) reveals a predictably tight, technical layout…
Related links
- Tilke’s tracks
- F1 in the news 21
- 2009 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (external)
- Autosport.com – Abu Dhabi GP seven-year deal confirmed (external)
- Yas Island (external)
Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport
