ABU DHABI // Formula One fever really kicked into gear yesterday as more than 1,500 people flocked to the new F1 FanZone on the capital�s Corniche.Crowds had gathered to wait in the sunshine long before 3pm, the moment the attraction officially opened its doors for the first time ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1.
The launch of the FanZone also marked the reopening of the public beach where it is situated. It had been closed for several weeks for redevelopment and expansion.Among the first of the F1 fans to experience the new attraction was Francis Forbes, 24, who had queued for five hours to get in.�I like speed and I like to see dangerous things. I�ve been following F1 since the time of Schumacher, when I was in high school,� said the Filipino civil engineer.
For many of yesterday�s visitors, tickets for the actual race are unaffordable so the chance to get a taste of the F1 experience for free was too good to miss.The FanZone also proved hugely popular with the families of ardent F1 fans.Grand Prix devotee Abdul Qader, 40, has been following the sport since he was a youngster. Yesterday, he and his family travelled to the FanZone from Dubai, where Mr Qader is employed in the Ministry of Public Works.
�We want to participate in F1,� a clearly delighted Mr Qader said. �With our life we cannot afford to go to Europe to see the events. It is wonderful to be here to see this in person. My children have even watched Formula One from an early age,� he added as his two daughters hopped up and down with excitement. �This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance,� said their brother Ansab, 12. �I�ve been watching F1 since I was six. My favourite team is Ferrari because I like the way they modify the cars.�
The FanZone is sponsored by Mubadala, the strategic investment arm of the Abu Dhabi Government, which has a stake in Ferrari and has sponsored the Italian firm�s F1 team since 2007. Within the tents dotting the FanZone, visitors have a wide choice of things to do, from watching road safety demonstrations or enjoying a race around the miniature track to checking out the model cars. In addition, fans can try their hand at F1 simulators or test their pit-crew skills by changing the tyres and �refuelling� a 2006-model F1 Ferrari. One of the more unusual attractions is the artwork created by Jala Luqman whose visually stunning, life-size representation of an F1 car, The Speed Demon, is fashioned from digital images and pieces of industrial metal.
There are several special events planned alongside the FanZone experience that are designed to help everyone in the city feel a part of the F1 atmosphere, such as the Yasalam Brazilian Parade. This event will see local schoolchildren, performers and a marching band take to the beach before the start of the Brazilian Grand Prix tomorrow. �We wanted a big party feeling,� said Mike Fairburn, the marketing director at Flash Entertainment, which organised the FanZone.
�We wanted to get everyone together from different places. We�re hoping to get everyone in Abu Dhabi to come down at some point.�Even if you are not a motorsport fan, or if you can�t afford tickets or simply couldn�t get any there are still lots of things to do [at the FanZone],� Mr Fairburn said.Yesterday, it seemed the most popular attraction for many visitors was inside the F1 simulator tent. The two domes of the tent are visible from the main site entrance and within five minutes there were more than 100 people queuing for a turn on the hi-tech machines.
�The experience of handling the simulator was thrilling,� said Cenon Velasquez, 36, an IT professional from the Philippines and one of the first to have a go on the simulators.�I crashed several times,� he admitted, adding: � The main thing is to stay focused.�As darkness descended on the FanZone, a crowd gathered around the giant television screen set up to let fans watch the opening practice rounds for tomorrow�s penultimate Grand Prix of the season.
Collectively they were, of course, hoping that the winner of this year�s F1 title will not have been decided by the time the chequered flag comes down on the race. It would be the icing on the cake if the outcome of the championship rested on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last of the season, at the Yas Marina Circuit.�The deciding race must happen in the UAE, so it will be special for us in Abu Dhabi,� said Emirati student Naser al Mahri, 22.
And everyone agreed it was thrilling to have the eyes of the world on the city. As Rhoda Al Baloushi, 17, an Emirati student who works as a volunteer at the FanZone, said: �Now the world can see the UAE.�amcmeans@thenational.ae
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