Comments on: A chat with Richard Cregan about Abu Dhabi

By: Malcolm46

Malcolm46 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:43:49 +0000

Apologies! With all these Ferrari theme parks popping up everywhere, I got confused! Thanks James.

By: JBfan

JBfan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:33:57 +0000

There are alot of mis-guided comments here regarding the middle-east. If anyone has ever been the middle-east or the Bahrain GP will know that these people are in love with motorsport. Big time.

“Welcome to the home of motorsport in the middle-east”

Something along the lines of the greeting at the BIC. Will Abu Dhabi be a rival to that title

F1 has hit big in Bahrain and the middle-east, and please understand, when I mean big, I mean big! Only one place have I seen enthusiasm to rival the Arabs for F1, and of course thats Britain .

Just another point, Turkey is used for F1 only I believe.

the BIC is a hugley busy track. They love motorsport and they love F1.

If you have never been to such countries then you have no right to judge, and going by some of the comments, alot of have not.

By: Raz

Raz — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:33:29 +0000

James, as i’m now living in abu dhabi, they loooooove speed here.. there are sooo many petrol heads here it’s crazy.. even the girls in the office i work at have M5′s and AMGs.. it’s unreal! hahah!! trust me, F1 here will be PERFECT!

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:08:38 +0000

I tried the Abu Dhabi virtual circuit and was surprised to see so many trees in the run off areas!!!

By: jw1980

jw1980 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:13:26 +0000

It looks a fantastic facility. However, once year one is out the way will it pull in the crowds?

I’ve read elsewhere today that the Japanese GP could be in doubt from next year onwards (certainly Fuji). Any gain made by the addition of Abu Dhabi will be more than lost by the departure of the Japanese GP, a classic in the European mode but held in Asia.

I agree with another blogger there would certainly be room for two GPs in Britain at present. Both could sell out at 100000. However, look at the attendance figures in 1993 when Britain last staged two GPs. Donington had 30000 on race day, Silverstone had about 60000. Okay British drivers were not doing so well that year. I would be very nervous if I was a Spanish promoter, though. When Alonso retires attendances will fall of the cliff. Why were they ever rewarded with two GPs?

By: Leo Allen

Leo Allen — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:27:58 +0000

Yep….another white elephant erected in the desert at stupendous cost and purely for the vanity and macho of the local tribal leaders.

That’s the way Bernie boy ! Keep the richest 1% per cent of the world population on your string and paying the
( staggeringly expensive ) piper !

The real fans in their ordinary millions in Europe, North and South America who know and love the history and legens of F1 like the backs of their hands? Stuff them, they’re of no value to FOM/CVC !

yeah…that’s the way to do it Bernie boy !

By: Darren M

Darren M — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:24:14 +0000

OK, so I’m not allowed to say that then. I guess there’s just no room for morality in F1.

By: alex hofstetter

alex hofstetter — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:11:23 +0000

Beautiful facility. What will the attendance be? 20,000 like Turkey?

By: Gary Davidson

Gary Davidson — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:47:39 +0000

With Korea next year and India the year after confimed, and very strong rumours of the Rome GP, perhaps Bernie has his fingers in 1 too many pies.

Especially as the teams say they think 19 or 20 races is the absolute maximum, and yet the teams want a return to the US and Canada.

Something is going to have to give, I just hope it isn’t another one of the ‘classic’ tracks.

By: James Allen

James Allen — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:59:32 +0000

No that was the F1 theme park in Dubai. This thing is definitely going ahead.