Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit

Yes, it’s time for some Formula 1. As the COVID-19 stricken 2020 season draws to a close with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it’s a perfect excuse for a Throwback Thursday to my short visit of Yas Marina Circuit back in 2014.

When I get the chance, I love visiting a racing circuit. Over the years I’ve been able to walk on the tarmac of several grand prix circuits: the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the Circuit de Monaco at Monte-Carlo, the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore, and the Circuit Urbà de València (Circuito Urbano de Valencia) in Spain used for the European Grand Prix. I also drove on parts of the 13.626 km long Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans (Circuit de la Sarthe) used for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. And now past September I walked on the Norisring in Nuremberg in Germany.

After my adventures in Seoul in South Korea I joined my dad in the United Arab Emirates for some desert days. Well I say desert, but I actually mean swimming pool.

As we landed in Abu Dhabi instead of Dubai, we took a few hours to explore Abu Dhabi with a Big Bus by Big Bus Tours. As an F1 fan, I just had to stop for a second or two at the Hermann Tilke designed racetrack.

I obviously forgot the details, but somehow we got inside the Yas Marina Racing School and we could take photos unhindered of their prototype (i.e. Le Mans endurance type) racing cars and their Formula Yas 3000 racing cars. I could even take some close-ups and I spotted a Mika Häkkinen inspired crash helmet.