Abu Dhabi F1: city gears up for the best weekend of the year

Tens of thousands of people to descend on the capital

A worker applying paint to Yas Marina Circuit. Courtesy Seven Media

Yas Marina Circuit has been given a fresh coat of paint, its famous canopies shine a pristine white and all the teams are place.

More than 70,000 fans — the majority from abroad — will descend on Abu Dhabi for one of the best weekends of the year along with hundreds of team officials, VIPs, celebrities and the world's best drivers.

Concerts, parties and dramatic fly-pasts will culminate on Sunday with the main race followed by a set by Las Vegas rockers, The Killers. While the championship is a foregone conclusion — Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton has won — the city is still buzzing.

The effects can be seen all around. People's diaries are full, restaurants are busy and staying in one of the city's hotels will cost a pretty penny. It was just revealed that hotel rooms in the capital surge by 50 per cent during race month. A new study showed that average room rates increased to Dh517 in November last year, compared to an average of just over Dh345 for the year. But people are now staying longer. "There are teams of people who came earlier to set up ahead of the event and they are staying beyond the race as well," said a spokesperson for Radisson Blu and Park Inn hotels on Yas Island. "A lot of guests are staying on for another five or six days after the event, the average stay right now is nine to 10 days."

But to stage a Grand Prix is no easy feat. Over the past few days, seven charter flights each loaded with about 100 tonnes of gear have landed at the airport, while Khalifa Port handled 336 containers filled with the kit needed. At Yas Marina Circuit, it will take more than 400 people using 70 forklift trucks to offload the vast amounts of the equipment once it reaches Yas Marina Circuit. This is just a sample of what it takes to ensure a seamless experience for visitors.

It is now ten years on from the first race on Yas Island. Yas, and the city, have been utterly transformed in the years since. Back in 2009 there was just the track, the marina, golf course and hotel. Today there are huge theme parks, malls while the new mega district of Yas Bay rises to the south and can be spotted from the circuit. A reminder that the work that began with F1 has not finished.

The good news is that a limited number of tickets for the race are still available.

What to expect:

Friday 
First practice — 1pm (90 minutes)
Second practice — 5pm (90 minutes)

Performers — Gucci Mane and Future
Gates open: 6pm
Show starts: Between 8:30pm and 9pm

Where: du Arena

Hip-hop stars Future and Gucci Mane were the last minute heroes who stepped in after US rapper Travis Scott unexpectedly cancelled his appearance earlier this week. The lively duo will take the Du Arena Stage on Friday night. Both are seasoned UAE club performers.

Saturday 
Final practice — 2pm (60 minutes)
Qualifying — 5pm (split into three parts over 60 minutes)
Performers — Lana Del Rey
Gates open: 6pm
Show starts: Between 8.30pm and 9pm

Where: du Arena 
Making her UAE debut, Lana Del Rey will grace the stage on Saturday night to thousands of fans. The American singer-songwriter recently won the song of the decade at the Q Awards for her haunting ballad, 'Video Games'.

Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — 5:10pm (55 laps)

Performers — The Killers
Gates open: 6pm
Show starts: Between 8:30pm and 9pm

Where: du Arena

Closing out one of the most anticipated weekends on the UAE’s annual calendar, The Killers will headline the race day concert on Sunday night, fresh from a summer of headlining festivals around the world. The Las Vegas Rockers are no stranger to the Emirates though, having played in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi before.