Abu Dhabi: “I’m very excited, I couldn’t have hoped for anything better,” Yas Marina Circuit Chief Executive Officer Al Tareq Al Ameri, a beatific grin lighting up his face, told Gulf News on Sunday.
Al Ameri was speaking about the phenomenal success of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which was a record 60,000 sell-out for a thrilling world championship decider between Mercedes rivals Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
How could he hope to surpass Sunday’s scintillating showdown?
Yet, matching the skyscraping ambition of the rulers of the UAE, Al Ameri insists improvements will be made to next year’s event.
“This for us was really, really an epic event,” the 35-year-old added. “I’m planning to relax and see my family, but after a week, I’ll be back [at work] planning for the next one.
“Of course, we have a lot of ideas, me and the team on how to improve things. How? That remains to be disclosed at a later time.”
Yet surely only minor tweaks — and a planned capacity increase, a yearly trend — need to be made to this intoxicating spectacle, a truly joyful assault on the senses.
The setting is sumptuous — the marina rivalling F1’s crown jewel, Monaco, with its picturesque waterfront glistening with yachts.
Then there is the spine-tingling switch from daylight to twilight as the race commences, allowing Yas Marina Circuit to exhibit itself in all its floodlit glory.
During the race, visceral thrills are stirred by hearing the roars of the engines, while afterwards thudding music blares out from partygoers on the yachts and from the nearby du Arena, the venue for after-race concerts.
Formula One has a reputation for being elitist and stuffy — but if you are lucky to have a pass for the paddock, as Gulf News was, you can enjoy unrivalled access to sporting legends.
After Sunday’s race, McLaren driver Jenson Button and his fiancee Jessica Michibata hurriedly pushed suitcases as they prepared to leave the venue — but that did not stop them from posing for selfies and signing autographs for awestruck fans.
Championship runner-up Rosberg did likewise, despite the anguish of falling at the final hurdle in a pulsating title race with Hamilton and finishing 14th following electronic problems with his car.
Racegoers can also enjoy the surreal experience of witnessing past greats, such as former world champions Niki Lauda and Alain Prost, sitting having a drink or casually strolling along with team staff.
Far from being a cosseted and untouchable playground of the rich and famous, being able to mingle freely with teams and their celebrity followers — including the former Dutch footballer Edgar Davids and Britain’s Prince Harry — is irrefutable proof that F1 is anything but unfriendly to its fans.
The only shame is that the whole weekend passes by in a blur of speed and frenzy, much like the star of the show, race winner and world champion Hamilton.
He was simply outstanding with his scorching pace and impressive composure on the track and off it when he wept tears of joy and showed touching humanity in the post-race press conference.
The perception of Hamilton being an aloof and arrogant superstar was obliterated by words such as these: “My message to my fans is I always say we win and we lose together. This weekend I had my guy who does my website put together a collage of different clips of messages from people. And I really didn’t know what to expect when I got it. I got it and there’s something happening in my heart. I can’t really explain it. The love and positive energy that I get from my fans and the support through thick and thin, you know through the good and the bad, they’ve been there. So big thank you to them. They really helped me get through the bad moments and make it even more special being at the top. Seeing them out there today, all the flags, the caps, it really made me believe that I can do anything. So a big thank you to them.”
The 29-year-old Englishman also offered heartfelt and genuine praise for the place which he had graced with his ineffable brilliance and charm.
He said: “Firstly, I love coming here every year, the fifth year of coming to this race. Every year it’s without doubt one of the best grands prix if not the best grand prix in terms of the whole atmosphere. A lot of the Brits came over here, they get to enjoy a holiday at the same time because it’s such a beautiful, peaceful place. I went for a run by the water today, the last time I won I went jet-skiing because it’s so nice on the water here.”
On Monday, Hamilton insisted he could be even better next year.
One wonders how after an astounding 11 wins from 19 grands prix.
But like Al Ameri and his relentlessly driven team have vowed to do with the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, you can be sure he will find a way.
