Just as our breaths are taken away by Abu Dhabi's first Formula One, as we remember that it will be the first to hold races during the night, we are yet to witness another dazzling event to take place at Al Yas Marina Circuit.
Once again, the UAE plans to set a record within the region, with Al Yas Marina Circuit's new deal of hosting Abu Dhabi Classic race. The car race however, is more about remarkable and nostalgic cars that have stamped their image throughout the automotive history, than it is about speed. Officially, the race is an outcome of joint forces between Al Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi and Masters Historic Racing; the name behind races like "Grand Prix Masters", "P78GP", "World Sportscar Masters", "Gentlemen Drivers", "Touring 70s", "Oldies but Goldies", "Stars of the 70s" amongst many others in their race series.
The event will see five different types of racing categories, including the Masters regular 1970s Grand Prix cars and a spectacular grid of 1950s and 1960s Grand Prix cars. To top all of this excitement, races are planned for the ground-shaking endurance World Sportscar Masters Car, which has captured the spirit of Le Mans in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. "These are remarkable cars that have never before raced in the Gulf region, and combined with our Concours d’Elegance, exhibits by car clubs and other displays, will create an exciting new type of event,” said Yas Marina Circuit Chief Executive Officer, Richard Cregan.
Abu Dhabi Classic will be vividly characterized by the specially combined races for GT cars of the 1960s and Le Mans cars of the 1950s. This setting will produce an evenly-matched grid by pitting racing icons such as the GTs, Jaguar E-Types and AC Cobras against prototype stars of the ‘50s, the Jaguar D-Types, Ferrari Testarossas and Maserati 300s. Each grid will race three times over the weekend – including a night race under floodlights for each grid of these historic racing cars. Masters Series Director Christopher Tate said: “We are thrilled to have developed this relationship with Yas Marina Circuit. The circuit itself, with its special variant for historic cars, and the entire facility, is the most impressive I have seen anywhere in the world.”
Masters’ competitors from around the world - and so many others - will hope to join in with this opportunity to race at Yas Marina Circuit and go on and see more of a fascinating country. Historic racing in the sunshine in January is for most owners, a welcome and all-too-rare possibility, so this new event in Abu Dhabi will be a huge boost to historic racing in general.” Alongside the backdrop of beautiful Yas Marina, spectators will be able to enjoy a fabulous combination of experiences including sunset yacht cruises, boutique shopping, gourmet dining and top class entertainment. The green emirate and capital city has scheduled the racing event to take place between the 21st and 23rd of January 2010, just as the weather cools off, and during the country's best and highest season.
