Abu Dhabi: The Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will remain a fixture of the FIA F1 World Championship calendar beyond 2016, it was announced on Thursday.
This follows Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management’s (ADMM) multi-year extension of the current promoter’s agreement with Formula One World Championship Limited (FOWC).
The current agreement was due to expire after the 2016 race, which has been held at Yas Marina Circuit since 2009, and which is a 60,000 sellout this year,
The weekend welcomes more than 125,000 local and international spectators to Abu Dhabi to watch the grand prix, which is being held between Friday and Sunday.
“This race and the Yas Marina Circuit have introduced Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates to tens of millions of visitors and TV viewers from around the world. We remain committed to continually delivering a better experience for the Formula 1 family and ticket holders,” said Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Abu Dhabi Motor Sports Management (ADMM) Chairman. “It is a mark of the quality of our partnership with Formula One World Championship that we both want to focus on looking forward and on delivering many more successful races.”
Due to growing demand, this year Yas Marina Circuit expanded its capacity to 60,000, a 20 per cent increase since 2009. With a variety of tickets and packages on offer, spectators can choose from a range of options, including, at 7,500 places, the largest Formula One Paddock Club, hospitality at the marina and the relaxed atmosphere of Abu Dhabi Hill, first launched last year.
“Abu Dhabi has played an important part in pioneering the modern era of Formula 1 racing,” said Bernie Ecclestone, Chief Executive Officer of Formula One group of companies. “I said when the Yas Marina Circuit was opened that it may one day be matched, but it will never be bettered. The island has continued to transform each year. We have a wonderful partner here.”