With the fifth annual FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX fast approaching, Yas Marina Circuit today announced the launch of their new, “Community Driven” 2013-2014 Season. Addressing stakeholders and media today at Yas Marina Circuit’s Media Centre, CEO Richard Cregan said that this year’s calendar is exceptional for its breadth, depth and level of community involvement highlighted throughout: “It is the strength of our community engagement that we particularly want to draw your attention to within our 2013–2014 calendar,” said Cregan.
“Success for us is not defined solely by how we engage international and local audiences with the annual Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, importantly it has to be accompanied by our equally strong engagement with the community in which we belong,” added Cregan.
Following a successful 2012-2013 season which included events such as Yas Marina Circuit’s own Yas Racing Series, the Pro Drag Racing Series, the Circuit’s flagship race, the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and a variety of community led events, this year’s calendar will include an exciting mix of motorsport and non-motorsport events, strengthened by the announcement of six key “Community Driven” initiatives.
Motorsports highlights confirmed within the 2013-2014 calendar include four rounds of Yas Racing Series including the FG1000, the Porsche GT3 Middle East Challenge Cup, the AE Radical Winter Cup, the NGK Race Series and UAE Time Attack. The Pro-Drag Racing and the Gulf 12 Hours will both return, as will a a round of the UAE Rotax Max Challenge and a host of Drift competitions. Also included within the season’s motorsports events is the expanded on track racing during this year’s Grand Prix weekend. In addition, to the flagship race on Sunday, F1 fans will also enjoy the excitement of GP2, GP3 and Porsche Mobil SuperCup during this year’s race weekend.
Complementing the motorsport line-up, the 2013-2014 calendar will also see the return of a range of highly popular community health and fitness programs including the weekly TrainYAS and GoYAS training nights; Yas Marina Circuit’s own triathlon, TriYas; the ADNIC Yas Run, as well as the Walk 2013 which is expected to draw 20,000 people as it raises awareness of Diabetes. Along with motorsport and athletics, the Calendar also highlights Yas Marina Circuit’s growing profile as a meetings and conference venue with the upcoming launch of the Yas Events Centre.
“The meetings, incentives, conference and event industry is an increasingly important dimension to our business and we will see events as large as the World Economic Forum and Etihad Airways 10th anniversary to name but two taking place at Yas Marina Circuit this season,” said Cregan.
“Next week, we will launch our Yas Events Centre, underlining the fact that ‘we mean business’.” Underpinning the Community Driven platform, CEO Richard Cregan also announced that the 2013-2014 calendar will also include six new significant community initiatives that both reinforce its commitment to fostering local motorsport talent as well as its responsibility to the wider community.
For motorsport fans and members of the growing motorsport community, Yas Marina Circuit announced that they have confirmed a position for a local driver in the FG1000 series and are working with ATC and the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy to identify the local talent who will sit behind the wheel. The Circuit also confirmed that it will both host GP3 testing after this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as well as sponsor two GP3 cars in the testing event to be driven by two local drivers, both of whom will be eligible to compete in next season’s GP3. Taking a longer view beyond this season, Yas Marina Circuit also announced plans to partner with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council to provide ongoing support and incentives for local motorsport talent, encouraging their long-term development across all forms of motorsports.
Turning to community health and fitness, Yas Marina Circuit announced that they will partner with the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy who will become patron of the popular GoYAS women’s-only training nights. The Circuit also confirmed Activelife by Daman as title sponsor for the 2014 TriYAS triathlon. An announcement that strengthens Daman’s support of the Yas Marina Circuit athletics community as it complements and expands the support that Activelife by Daman already provides across TrainYAS and GoYAS.
Wrapping up the announcements, Yas Marina Circuit concluded by announcing an unprecedented partnership with the Abu Dhabi Police aimed at creating a safer and more structured diving environment for the emirate’s motorists. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the Circuit and the Abu Dhabi Police will work together in joint publicity and education campaigns to foster a more responsible attitude towards speed.
“It is the support of our partners and members of the community that make our initiatives both meaningful and inclusive,” said Cregan. Throughout the 2013-2014 season we look forward to bringing more people to the circuit than ever before and believe strongly that this year’s calendar will ensure that Yas Marina Circuit and its programmes will remain ‘Community Driven’ this season and long into the future.