Abu Dhabi, the 'diamond in the Formula One crown'

Abu Dhabi - Abu Dhabi holds its own special place in what is the pinnacle of motorsport and is perhaps the 'diamond in the F1 crown.'

 The legendary Sir Jackie Stewart once called Monaco the 'jewel in the F1 crown.' With a heady mixture where top class motor racing blends with glamour, the Monaco Grand Prix, indeed is.
But for close to seven years now, there is one other Grand Prix and circuit that has rivalled and matched the race in the streets of Monte Carlo. Abu Dhabi holds its own special place in what is the pinnacle of motorsport and is perhaps the 'diamond in the F1 crown.'
Nestled in one of the pristine islands of the UAE Capital, the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit is home to only the second Grand Prix in the Middle East - the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. With each passing year, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become bigger and even better. The race has gone on to become a significant part of not just the UAE, but the entire Middle East.
It is the most looked forward to event on the calendar where top notch motor racing meets the glitz and the glamour, yet retaining a traditional and cultural Emirati flavour to it.
The twilight race illuminates a sport which is currently dealing with a number of issues. And it is an apt place for a season-finale after traversing thousands and thousands of miles around the world.
The who's who of F1, past and present, have it as a priority entry in their calendar and so do celebrities from around the globe.
And on Sunday, the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix painted another impressive picture. Over the course of the weekend, the Circuit and the city was buzzing with a lot of activity.
The impressive yachts had docked at the Marina and a privileged few had vantage points, the best seats in the house. Almost every country involved in F1 was represented but the UAE flag outnumbered most.
With the UAE celebrating the 44th National Day, the race was a celebration of the country and had a distinct Emirati flavour to it.
The number 44 was all around the Circuit and in fact, triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, whose car number is coincidentally 44, wore a specially-designed logo in the UAE colours on his racing gloves and helmet.
The Briton was also coincidentally chasing his 44th Grand Prix win but was denied teammate Nico Rosberg, Nonetheless, it was a fitting tribute to the country by the 30-year-old.
Before the lights went out to signal the start of the Grand Prix, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took in the sights and the starting grid along with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. The UAE National Anthem was played after which there was an impressive fly past, first by an Etihad Airways aircraft, before the A380 was joined by the UAE Air Force planes which let out smoke trails in the colours of the UAE flag. And Abu Dhabi served up another thrilling race with Rosberg going on to win his first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
james@khaleejtimes.com