Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Circuit	Yas Marina Circuit
Laps	55
Circuit length km	5.554
Circuit length mi	3.451
Race length km	305.470
Race length mi	189.810
First held	2009
Last held	2009
Times held	1
Most wins driver	Sebastian Vettel (1)
Most wins constructor	Red Bull (1)
Current year	2009
Pole driver	Lewis Hamilton
Pole team	McLaren-Mercedes
Pole time	1:40.948
Winner	Sebastian Vettel
Winning team	Red Bull-Renault
Winning time	1:34:03.414
Second	Mark Webber
Second team	Red Bull-Renault
Second time	+ 17.857
Third	Jenson Button
Third team	Brawn GP-Mercedes
Third time	+ 18.467
Fastest lap driver	Sebastian Vettel
Fastest lap team	Red Bull-Renault
Fastest lap	1:40.279

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates. The first race took place on November 1 2009, held at the Hermann Tilke designed Yas Marina Circuit.

On June 25, 2008 the FIA announced the provisional 2009 Formula One calendar including the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the 19th and final race of the season on November 15. On November 5, 2008, however, it was announced that the race would be held as the season finale on November 1, two weeks before the initially planned date, as the 17th and final race.

The race was Formula One's first ever day-night race, starting at 17:00 local time. Floodlights used to illuminate the circuit were switched on from the start of the event to ensure there is a seamless transition from daylight to darkness.

History

Origin

Formula 1 first came to Abu Dhabi in 2007 in the guise of the first ever Formula One Festival. Announced in January 2007, the event which took place on 3 February 2007 was free, and the largest gathering of current Formula One cars and drivers outside of a Grand Prix. At the festival it was announced that Abu Dhabi had won the rights to host a Grand Prix from 2009 until 2016. Later that year, Etihad Airways negotiated a three-year deal for them to become sponsors of the Grand Prix.

Inaugural Grand Prix

For the 2009 Formula One season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was added to the schedule. It was provisionally announced as being held on 15 November 2009, as the 19th and final Grand Prix of the season. Both the Canadian Grand Prix and French Grand Prix were later removed from the provisional schedule, and as a result the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was moved to 1 November 2009 where it would become the last of 17 meetings. In August 2009, it was announced that the start time would be 1700 local time (1300 UTC), and that the race would be floodlit. The inaugural race was won by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull Racing.

Circuit

Yas Marina Circuit

The Yas Marina Circuit is located on Yas Island — a 2550 ha island on the east coast of Abu Dhabi — and the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the first major event to take place on the circuit.

Sponsors

Etihad Airways is the current major sponsor of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2009.

Winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Year	Driver	Constructor	Location	Report
2009	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	Yas Marina	Report

External links

• http://www.ameinfo.com/109577.html
• http://www.huliq.com/9352/abu-dhabi-to-host-formula-1-grand-prix-in-2009
• http://www.formula1.com/news/5604.html
• http://www.abudhabigp.com/english/
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7473748.stm