Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Set To Dazzle

His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak has promised that Abu Dhabi GP will be “an event that will herald a new era in world motor racing”

The founding chairman of Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management is currently overseeing the building of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix infrastructure. The Yas Marina Circuit is said not just any circuit, but at the racing location of Yas Island, it will be a state of the art facility and promise to set new standards in the F1 circle

The track will be a 21 turns anticlockwise and 3.4 mile circuit with the largest 50,000 grandstands seats in the world. The circuit will be solar powered and the accommodation boasts of 500 room hotels, theme parks and a nearby marina.

Renault, Honda, Toyota allowed to improve F1 engines

Renault and Honda have confirmed they will be among the teams authorised to make performance improvements to their engines ahead of the 2009 season.

The FIA declared recently that some teams will be allowed to "equalise engine performance", following the emergence of a situation whereby some frozen-specification V8s have pulled ahead this year.

"We will have to present a project to the FIA with all the changes that we want to do, and they will have to approve them," Renault boss Flavio Briatore confirmed to the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Honda's team CEO Nick Fry, meanwhile, explained that only some teams will get the green light to carry out work.

"For some, like McLaren, Ferrari and BMW, it is probably not necessary. But yes, I can confirm that we (Honda) will be able to do it."

It is believed that Toyota is the other carmaker likely to be approved for engine performance improvements.

Briatore, who argues that Renault has fallen as much as 30 horse power behind in the engine freeze, explained: "It is obvious that we will not be able to change the concept of the engine, but we will be able to modify some internal components.

"This year we are the team that has improved its car the most. With the improvement of our engine, in 2009 we will have a great single seater," the Italian vowed.