Abu Dhabi: Officials at Yas Marina Circuit, the venue for this weekend’s Formula One Eithad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, have revealed how they operate cutting-edge technology to deliver the most advanced services to everyone present.
The ‘Digiflag’ electronic signalling system, taken by F1’s governing body the FIA to all Grand Prix around the world, is permanently in place at the circuit.
This ensures that it provides support over and above the FIA’s expectations when it comes to safety and efficiency standards, organisers said on Thursday.
The system involves a series of digital screens replacing flag-carrying human marshals at key locations around the track and eliminates human error and reduces delays in the safety communication chain.
The system also functions all year round as Yas Marina Circuit hosts a wide range of home-grown and regional motorsport events such as TRD 86 Cup, Yas Racing Series and the Gulf 12 Hours.
The investment in excellence hasn’t stopped there, with Yas Marina Circuit’s state-of-the-art media centre being one of the largest and most advanced at any circuit. Capable of housing more than 500 media at one time, it has recently been upgraded with three giant Ultra-high definition (UHD) screens that will be used to display live feeds from the races, results and other important information in ‘4K’ resolution.
The media centre also hosts the press during Yas Marina Circuit’s raft of community, health-and-fitness events that take place throughout its busy calendar.
Ali Al Beshr, Head of Sporting at Yas Marina Circuit, said: “We are a forward-thinking circuit, and safety for our clients, guests and race participants is always a top priority. We are very proud to be the only Formula 1 Circuit in the world to use the FIA-approved Marshal Light system all year round and there is no doubt that this assists us in achieving our safety goals. We aim to achieve excellence across every aspect of our business to all our stakeholders.”
“Technology is a very important aspect on delivering the best possible experience and helps us to do just that,” he added. “Our outstanding global reputation as a venue that goes beyond in every possible sense — both on and off the track — in the world of motorsport is something we are very proud of and will always seek to maintain and improve.”
The circuit also offers digital solutions to the public and in order to offer even more engagement for the 60,000 visitors on race weekend, Yas Marina Circuit has recently upgraded its YasHUB smartphone app, available to download from Android and Apple stores.
The upgrade allows users to scan their ticket packages, resulting in an animation of all main seating areas and venues around the island being built up in 3D on their phones. Ticket-holders can then select their seating area and will be shown precisely where their seats are as the animation zooms into their seating zone — allowing the user to understand in three dimensions where exactly they will enjoy the action.
Not only that, but people can use the AR technology to check out the view from their seat through a series of images on the app, offering an immersive, digitally-enhanced experience to ticket-holders.
