Abu Dhabi: Williams driver Nico Rosberg arrived Tuesday with a fair idea of the Yas Marina Circuit, thanks to the simulator, but the first day-night start is what he is looking forward to.
"Abu Dhabi is going to be a new experience for all of us, so the simulator has been a real help and I'm pleased I had it at my disposal this week," he said commenting on the technical nature of the Yas Marina Circuit.
"There are some things like the bumps and kerbs that you can't completely replicate, but braking, oversteer and understeer are all very similar. It's definitely a big advantage having a simulator like ours, as I will be able to drive out of the pits on Friday and know the track pretty much straightaway," he said.
"The one consideration I'll be interested to see play out is the fact that we will start the race in daylight and then move into the night time," Rosberg said according to a Williams press release.
"I am really looking forward to going to Abu Dhabi. With the amount of time and effort that has gone into building it, I think it's going to be a fantastic venue with stunning facilities and a great experience for Formula One," said Rosberg, who is sixth in the Driver's Championship.
"I've heard it's a sell-out too, so it should be a really exciting race weekend for the teams and the fans and a great way to end the year," Rosberg said.
Teammate Kazuki Nakajima felt the UAE capital was the perfect place to end the championship.
"It's really exciting to be going to a brand new circuit. The organisers certainly look like they've put a lot of thought into developing the track and the facilities. It all looks very impressive and the perfect place to end the championship," said Nakajima.
"As we haven't driven the circuit yet, it's difficult to give an accurate breakdown of the track, but our simulator has provided us with some really invaluable data. It looks like set-up will veer towards a medium to high downforce configuration to cope with the long straight (which will require good top speeds) and tight corners which we expect to see on a street circuit," he said.
"Good grip levels for balance and to cope with the sand will also be crucial. One of the most interesting things for me is that we will drive under a hotel which I can't wait to experience," the Japanese driver said.
