ABU DHABI // Race fans from all over the world crammed into the pit lane at Yas Marina Circuit yesterday to get a look at some of the most finely tuned and engineered racing machines in the world.
Drenched in the afternoon sunshine, more than 6,000 people got up close to the 24 Formula One cars and watched teams work on the machines that will take to the track today for the first practice run of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Oliver Geske, 27, flew in from Germany on Wednesday to see the circuit up close. An F1 fan, he has attended seven Grands Prix in Europe over 12 years and said after the inaugural Abu Dhabi race four years ago he has always wanted to see Yas Marina Circuit.
"The race looked good and I wanted to see it start in daylight and finish at night," said Mr Geske. Aside from the heat, he was impressed.
Ron Powell, a car enthusiast who lives in Abu Dhabi, said it was interesting to see how each team's car front wings differed.
"The pit lane walk was very colourful," he said. "You get to see the different shapes of all the wings but we didn't see Red Bull's front wings. What was interesting, we saw Lotus wheel out their rain tyres. We asked them if they knew something we didn't."
Mr Powell was making a weekend out of the event, joined by his son, Ritchie, and two friends from the UK, Derrick Hoskins, 65, and Dave Barbin, 65. They have made the trip each year since 2009.
"We ended up getting the bus but it goes all the way around the grandstands and there was no one to drop off," Mr Hoskins said. "It does it for operational days but not a day like today when you're stuck for time to see the pit walk."
Donald McKinnon and his wife came for six days from Scotland to celebrate her 40th birthday. Both avid race fans, Mr McKinnon said it made sense to go to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix because the cost of going to the British Grand Prix would be same.
"Going from Scotland, the traffic is a nightmare and living in Scotland it would cost the same to get down. We thought we may just as well fly away for a couple of hundred more."
He has been to European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain, and said Abu Dhabi was a better operation.
With the F1 Fan Zone and concerts on the Corniche over the weekend, as well as the three post-race concerts at the du Arena, Mr McKinnon said: "The value is amazing."
eharnan@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Company%20Profile
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Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
HOW TO WATCH
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Fixtures
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
