Yas Marina slowly fills with yachts ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Three tonnes of paint and hundreds of plants: Abu Dhabi prepares for Formula 1



Over the next few days, Yas Marina Circuit will be overrun with cleaners, painters and engineers, putting the finishing touches on the grounds ahead of the tens of thousands of spectators, celebrities, teams and drivers expected for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Festivities at Yas Marina Circuit begin on Thursday, ahead of the last race of the season, begin on Thursday, with a pit lane walk and Post Malone concert at the du Arena. Free practice begins on Friday, kicking off race weekend.

Meanwhile, painters are giving a fresh coat, or four to be precise to the 26 kilometres of track and will apply more than 500kg of paint to the circuit’s kerbs every day until Thursday.

By the time painters finish, they will use between two and three tonnes of paint — including 4,500 litres of Yas Blue, the track’s signature colour.

Dust and sand have been swept from the grandstands and the circuit's 228 canopies are being given high-pressure blast so they are gleaming for the swooping aerial shots that will follow the high-speed cars as they whizz around the track.

_______________

Read more:

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: F1 brunches to get revved up about ahead of the big race

Exclusive: Abu Dhabi F1 after party Amber Lounge will feature DJ Sigala and sparkling crystal theme

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Everything you need to know about tickets and the 2018 race weekend

_______________

As a finishing touch, two and a half acres of seasonal flowers were planted.

“In the lead up to the tenth edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix our teams have been very busy, a huge amount of work goes into preparing for the race weekend to make sure the Circuit looks perfect,” said Al Tareq Al Ameri, the chief executive of Yas Marina Circuit. “We want to ensure that the fans in the grandstand and those watching on TV around the world enjoy the best F1 experience.”

With the scene set, Yas Circuit will be ready for the fans.

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.


The UAE Today

The latest news and analysis from the Emirates

      By signing up, I agree to The National's privacy policy
      The UAE Today