ABU DHABI: Work to reconfigure the Yas Marina Circuit is now one third complete, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management has revealed, with the asphalt removed from the three key areas of the track, setting the stage for the new layout.
The revamp, the first time the track has been changed since 2009, has been progressing towards the target of reopening the track in October, two months before of the 13th instalment of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“We are really delighted and excited to see the upgrades progressing through the stages,” Ali Al-Beshir, circuit operations director at Yas Marina Circuit, said. “The team are working exceptionally hard, and we already have the demolition of the asphalt completed, along with the removal of lights and barriers from the key sections.
“With the support of our key partners and stakeholders we continue to progress well and are very much looking forward to the return of motorsport after the summer and, of course, the last race of the season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”
The upgrades are being introduced to enhance motorsports events at Yas Marina Circuit for spectators as well as the drivers, who will enjoy more license to overtake, with the modifications to the track providing additional opportunities for exciting high-speed battles.
“The management team at Yas Marina Circuit and ADMM have really taken on board feedback from the fans and drivers,” said Mark Hughes, managing director of Mrk1 Consultants. “The project is a huge undertaking; nobody should underestimate the effort that goes into this. They’re doing it for the benefits of the fans both in the grandstand and watching on TV by creating faster wheel-to-wheel racing and more opportunities to overtake for more thrilling races. It’s massively exciting.”
On June 30, Yas Marina Circuit hosted its final Car Track Day to give drivers the last opportunity to experience the original track configuration one last time.
