Aside from the F1 drivers and rock stars performing at concerts and after-parties during the Grand Prix weekend, there are sure to be some great celebrity spotting opportunities this weekend Here is who you might expect to find.
Dannii Minogue
Both of the Minogue sisters have attended the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Kylie, 47, as one of the headlining after-race concert performers in 2012), but it is little sis Dannii, 44, who is something of a poster girl for Formula One. She attended the Australian and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, was once engaged to Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve, and is rumoured to have dated Lewis Hamilton. As one of Etihad’s Guest Ambassadors, there’s a good chance she’ll be back again this year. At last year’s Grand Prix, she posted Instagram pictures of herself out and about at Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque, Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and on-board the Etihad super yacht.
Anna Kournikova
The Russian former tennis player has been dating Enrique Iglesias – who will perform at Yas Arena on Friday night – on and off for almost 14 years. She peaked at No 8 in the tennis world rankings – in the process becoming the most googled sportswoman on the planet – before she was forced to retire due to a back injury at the age of 22. Since then, she has appeared as a fitness trainer on reality-TV weight-loss show The Biggest Loser and occasionally plays in charity tennis tournaments.
Iglesias met Kournikova when she appeared in the music video for his song, Escape, in 2001. They consistently avoid commenting on their relationship or rumours that they are engaged. Kournikova competed in the Dubai Tennis Championships in 2002, but this would be her first public appearance in the capital.
George Lucas
It's a little-known fact that the Star Wars creator is also one of Hollywood's biggest F1 fans. Lucas is a regular face at Grand Prix races around the world. He was spotted at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July. At the Italian Grand Prix two months later, drivers Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Felipe Massa were interviewed on the podium by Lucas after the race. As a young man, Lucas harboured dreams of becoming an F1 driver, until he met with an accident that turned his attention towards moviemaking. He was a camera operator on a 1966 film called Grand Prix, and his first success as a director was with the coming-of-age drama American Graffitti (1973), which was in a part a celebration of the cruising culture of young American drivers in the 1960s.
Will Smith
Smith’s eldest son Trey “AcE” Smith will be master of the decks on Friday at Beats on the Beach on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. Will his dad join him? The Smiths often visit the UAE together – Will was spotted at Toko Dubai with Trey and younger son Jaden in February.
Smith, 47, also likes to party in the UAE with his long-time buddy Tyrese Gibson, who has already announced he’ll be at the Grand Prix. Smith recently gave his first musical performance in a decade – of his new track Fiesta at the Latin Grammys. So if he does turn up, Abu Dhabi’s partygoers will be hoping he’ll give them a rendition of the new tune.
Smith will most likely be cheering on Lewis Hamilton, who he can also count as being one of his own fans. At the US Grand Prix last month, the actor cosied up to Hamilton for a picture, which the F1 driver shared on Instagram with the caption: “One of the most inspiring, genuine and wisest people you’ll ever meet.”
Tyrese Gibson
Gibson, 36, seems to spend more time in the Middle East than most expatriates spend in their home countries each year. The last time he was in the region – a mere three weeks ago, was to attend Jordanian billionaire businessman Eyhab Jumean’s wedding – he posted on Instagram as he was flying home: “Inshallah I will return to have fun for the#Formula1 races in #AbuDhabi ... Every time I come to the #UAE I feel blessed and most welcome ... I’m humbled by your love and energy.”
At last year’s Grand Prix, we followed Gibson’s antics on Instagram as he described getting turned away from a club for wearing local dress, taking a selfie with Prince Harry, and celebrating the big win with Hamilton and the driver’s then-girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger. Let’s hope he has just as much fun this year.
Ludacris
According to a tweet by Platinum Dubai, the exclusive provider of yachts, luxury cars, private jets and VVIP hospitality, hip-hop stars Akon and 50 Cent will be joined at the VIP Room Grand Prix party by rapper and actor Ludacris, who performed at various venues during the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson were in Abu Dhabi together last year to film scenes for the blockbuster action movie Furious 7.
Geri Haliwell
Since Halliwell, 43, got together with Christian Horner, 42, the team principal of the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One Team, the former Spice Girl has been a regular at Grand Prix races. At last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix she hung out with Prince Harry, and turned up on stage during Pharell’s after-race concert.
After tying the knot with Horner in May, the newly-weds paused their mega-yachting honeymoon so that Horner could attend the Monaco Grand Prix, with his new wife in tow.
Naomi Campbell
The Podium Lounge, which is holding a party in du Forum during the F1, have already been approached by Naomi Campbell’s management for a VIP hospitality table. The supermodel will be in town for F1, they told us – and she is unlikely to be the only celeb to appear at their venue. “The Podium Lounge always hosts F1 drivers, royalty and celebrities at our international F1 after-parties, from Monaco to Melbourne, and Singapore to Abu Dhabi,” says Podium Lounge’s chief executive Robbie Hoyes-Cock. “It’s always exciting to see who’ll drop in, especially as they normally arrive unannounced.”
Campbell is a regular visitor to Dubai, but this will be her first public appearance in the UAE’s capital.
artslife@thenational.ae