What it takes to make a Formula One weekend tick

A few of the numbers that illustrate the work it takes to stage a Formula One race at Yas Marina Circuit.

Yas Marina Circuit. Robert Cianflone / Getty Images

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend kicks off in full on Friday, with the first official practises. But, of course, it’s an event that’s been in the making for far longer.

Organisers have passed along a few of the facts and figures that illustrate just what it takes to make an F1 weekend happen:

140: Sea freight containers that will have landed at Khalifa Port with the team parts necessary to stage Grand Prix, GP1 and GP2 races.

400: Logistics contractors at Yas Marina Circuit to coordinate the set-up

750: Tonnes of sea and air freight shipped in for the race

60,000: People that will need to eat across the race weekend

1,924: Catering staff that will be on hand to see they get fed

29,670: Meals expected to be served to fans

12,250: Meals expected to be served to staff

59: Gardeners that have been styling up the grounds around Yas Marina Circuit

75: Acres of grass being styled up

715: Palm trees greening up the circuit

150,000: Flowers adding to the ambience

8,550: Litres of paint being applied to freshen up the circuit ... but not just any paint

4,500: Litres of “Yas blue”

720: Litres of ivory

450: Litres of white

26: Kilometres of track to be painted

4: Layers that will be applied

All in all, it adds up to one heck of a preparation process.

Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE