Related Story Abu Dhabi Dabbles in Auto Racing Last autumn marked two important milestones in Abu Dhabi’s history: the emirate’s inaugural Formula 1 race, and the fifth anniversary of the death of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The two events are not unrelated. Zayed, founding father of the United Arab Emirates, was a visionary. In his own quiet but determined way, he created a sovereign nation by working closely with the leadership of Abu Dhabi’s six neighboring emirates. Within 30 years, Zayed had helped transform a desert backwater into one of the world’s wealthiest countries. That wealth was on display recently for the inauguration of Yas Marina Circuit, the sparking new venue for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Designed by German architect Hermann Tilke, the multibillion-dollar racetrack is located on 25-square-kilometer Yas Island, about 30 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi. It’s actually the second F1 track in the Middle East; the first one was built in nearby Bahrain. But it’s by far the most lavish. Covering a length of 5.5 kilometers and covering 162 hectares, Yas Marina Circuit has seating capacity for more than 41,000 spectators and boasts the largest permanent sports venue lighting project in the world. The track itself permits top speeds of 320 kilometers per hour, with the accompanying marina able to host more than 150 yachts, including up to 20 yachts in excess of 100 feet long, and six 200-foot-long mega-yachts for the super-wealthy. In fact, the Yas Marina Circuit is only the first phase of the $40 billion Yas Island development, which will also include world-class hotels, theme parks, golf courses, shopping malls marinas, apartments and villas. The developer, ALDAR, is the premier property development, investment and management company in Abu Dhabi. At the Formula 1 Festival in January 2007, it was announced that Abu Dhabi had won the right to host a Grand Prix from 2009 to 2016. Later in 2007, Etihad Airways — one of the UAE’s major airlines — negotiated a three-year deal to become the official sponsor of the Grand Prix. Under the leadership of Zayed’s sons and daughters, Abu Dhabi now plays in a global league. Creating the F1 circuit’s top international facility is only the emirate’s most recent commitment to world-class quality — in the same vein as local Abu Dhabi branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums, and a performing arts center designed by Zaha Hadid. Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the driving force behind bringing F1 racing to this largest of the seven emirates comprising the UAE. During the November 2009 event, he personally made the rounds, spending time with F1 drivers and pit crews, offering words of support to local volunteers escorting foreign guests. Abu Dhabi’s ability to create a world-class F1 facility in less than three years testifies to the determination behind the UAE’s aggressive growth. If he were alive today, Zayed would surely be impressed by his mirate’s increasing role in the global community and its never-ending race to the top. — Larry Luxner