Abu Dhabi Grand Prix launch pictures
Abu Dhabi - the track goes under a hotel, and the pit lane goes under the track...
During the Chinese Grand prix weekend F1 teams were shown pictures of the new venue that will host the first ever Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – the Yas Island Marina circuit. It will hold the final round of the 2009 F1 season.
Here are 33 high-resolution pictures showing the track design, layout, construction work and F1 personalities inspecting the plans.
The circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke but the construction is being handled by Philippe Gurdjian, the man behind the re-design of the Circuit Paul Ricard, now known as the High Tech Test Track.
Gurdjian has kept the layout envisaged by Tilke, but plans for it to be a hybrid road/street course have been dropped – it will be an pure road course instead. However a number of unusual features remain.
Its seating capacity is fairly low – 50,000 spectators, while most F1 tracks can accommodate tens of thousands more.
A hotel is an integral part of the complex and the F1 circuit actually runs through it. F1 personnel can stay at the track and walk into the paddock complex.
The pit lane exit passes underneath the circuit to rejoin the track.
You can see more of these unusual features in the pictures below. Click once to preview, then click the preview for a hi-res version.
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – Grand Prix configurations
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – two configurations
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Circuit Construction – pit and team buildings
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- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Circuit Construction – start/finish straight, pit building and main grandstand
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- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Circuit Construction – tunnels
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- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Circuit Construction – west grandstand
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- Yas Marina Circuit Construction
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- Yas Marina Circuit Construction
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- Yas Marina Circuit Construction
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- Yas Marina Circuit Construction
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- Yas Marina Circuit Construction
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- Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Philippe Gurdjian
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- Yas Marina Circuit Launch
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- Yas Marina Circuit Launch
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- A model of the Yas Marina Circuit
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- Philippe Gurdjian and Bernie Ecclestone
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- Toyota’s Richard Cregan and John Howett
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- Philippe Gurdijan and Felipe Massa
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – ‘The priceless view’
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – hotel
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – hotel
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – hotel
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – hotel
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – start line
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – start line
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit – The Sun Tower
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
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- Abu Dhabi Yas Island Marina Grand Prix circuit
More on the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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Chalky said on 27th October 2008, 13:37
The track goes anti-clockwise according to the arrow on the start-finish straight. I would have thought the layout suited a clockwise direction?
DG said on 27th October 2008, 14:52
To me it brings back memories of the Las Vegas ‘car park’, only this time its a purpose built car park! At least its a bit more interesting than Valencia.
The Pit-Lane is an interesting idea, and slicing through the hotel – will there be seating inside the building? It would have been fun to have the cars dive under the hotel, with a viewing gallery on either side.
I agree that the seating capacity is well below what we’d expect – will the ticket prices be high enough to make it exclusive? Perhaps there will be more grandstands in later years. One thing ‘European’ circuits haven’t learnt from America is putting grandstands all round the track.
And why isn’t the Drag Strip part of a long straight? they won’t have the two going simultaneously – will they?
As for what else could race there – A1GP, Superleague Formula, Japanese Touring Cars, Aussy V8s, and various motorbike series are all candidates for a new circuit in the Middle East.
CarlitosF1 said on 27th October 2008, 18:49
Interesting fast 1st sector and generous back straights. Awful Singapore-like final part with the 90º angled corners (they are a really awkward way to force the track into the hotel and around the dock.) It also looks more suited to go clockwise (that would provide a tighter 1st corner and some more action at the start). Love the triple chicane at the end of the second back straight, it looks like what the triple chicane at Singapore should have been like. Some pictures also seem to suggest gentle gradients, anyone knows how flat is this really?
chunter said on 29th October 2008, 3:59
I still think it’s shaped like a machine gun.
The more tunnels they add, the less “real” the circuits seem. I don’t have any complaints at a glance.
Lisa said on 21st January 2009, 16:40
Does anyone have any idea how I go about making hotel reservations at the newly (maybe not even complete yet) built Yas Marina Hotel in Abu Dhabi??? Please help. I have some VVIP’s looking for the best digs at the best spot on the track. Thanks!
Kenny Ng said on 16th October 2009, 5:16
Journeyer, the pitlane exit via tunnel, I believe it’s the 1st ever pitlane exit with tunnel for all F1 tracks.