Has anybody seen that new track that just opened in Abu Dhabi? Totally mind-boggling.....part of the track goes under the entry bridge for a 500-room 5 star hotel that overlooks the track, part of the track runs along side of a marina.....staggeringly opulent......I think that George Barber spent like $40m on his track in Alabama and Larry Miller spent around the same number I think......this track in Abu Dhabi cost $1.32BILLION.....as much as all of the tracks in the AMA series combined and then some.
Two. Million. Square. Feet. I couldn't get over the size of it when it was shown in a helicopter shot in the inaugural F1 race last year. Unreal. That track upstaged Formula One as an institution (such as it is), which I'd never seen done before. Aaaarggh.... (drool)
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2001 996SPS #1548
2001 748RS
2007 BMW R1200GS Adventure
"May the bridges you burn light the way."
-Mcsorleys Old Ale House
Do a search. I'm disappointed that the Aussie V8 supercars went there. So far nobody else has raced there other than F1. Historics were going to race there but pulled out ...
Pete ps: Facilities are great but the track, like all modern tracks, is boring.
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'97 Suzuki GS500E
'90 Suzuki GN250 - Sold 57000 km's later. Cost less than 12c per km to run ...
Grumpy Kiwi.
Why fly when ya can make a lot of noise
The circuit has an absolutely astounding setting. It's ultramodern, it's spotlessly clean and safety features are state of the art (or at least I hope so).
But there's something about it that doesn't "feel right". Maybe it's because it was designed from moment one to host Formula 1, just like Shanghai.
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Shame on me, my heart is black.
That is exactly what I was going to say. Lure poor people from places like Bangladesh with the promise of work and a decent income, then trap them under a burden of debt required for paperwork visas to come to the country. Then pay them a fraction of what was promised before they committed to travel.
So they cannot leave and have no choice but to work in terrible conditions to repay a debt that can never be repaid. Basically all of Dubai/Abu Dhabi was built this way.
The circuit has an absolutely astounding setting. It's ultramodern, it's spotlessly clean and safety features are state of the art (or at least I hope so).
But there's something about it that doesn't "feel right". Maybe it's because it was designed from moment one to host Formula 1, just like Shanghai.
...like maybe the fact that's totally reckless and unsustainable? The thing that gets me fired up is that it's just a bunch of money with no clue as to the real culture behind racing. Then again, that's pretty much F1 these days as a whole. That's why there is no real substance to the whole spectacle. Is it an impressive engineering feat? Maybe to some. Personally, I was pretty bored with the whole event at last years F1 race...
How many true fans can there possibly be packing the stands for any given event? I think it's sad that this is what the "pinnacle" of racing has become...
How many true fans can there possibly be packing the stands for any given event? I think it's sad that this is what the "pinnacle" of racing has become...
How dare you question the passion and lust of Arabs for racing. I was able to accurately count the fans in the stands for the last racing event there and tallied almost 20 people. Most of them got comp tickets I am sure so the official paid attendance was probably closer to 6.
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Only one left not in captivity.
Yea I saw that track venue posted last summer, you cant deny them for being extremely enthusiastic on the project. That price had to include everything, I mean everything, the hotels, etc....
Too bad they didn't have enough foresight is making it safe enough for the 2 wheeled beasts!!!
I caught a bit on television about the circuit, the runoffs have "slightly more grippy" surface, the light blue stripes. Cars can brake safely and get back onto the track, not stuck in a gravel trap. Not something I would want to slide onto... can't see any motorcycle races happening. There is Losail anyway.
Mind boggling new track
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