Coulthard: Abu Dhabi like two different circuits

Next weel’s Abu Dhabi GP will be on a two-part track, half “classic new track” and half “real street circuit,” says Red Bull Racing reserve driver David Coulthard.

According to the team, he’s a guy who has both flown over and driven the course, giving him a unique perspective on the circuit:

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Mr Coulthard’s views on the new Abu Dhabi circuit…

“Having had the opportunity to drive the circuit, what struck me is that it’s a two-stage track; the first half of the lap until corner nine is classic new track. There’s the fast section at the beginning from Turn One to the Turn Four tight hairpin with the grandstand literally overhead, giving great viewing for the spectators. The 1.2 kilometre back straight should give an opportunity for some slip-streaming and over-taking and then the backside of the circuit has a real street circuit feel to it where you come along the section that takes you to the hotel and underneath the hotel via a series of 90 degree right-handers, left-handers before opening out to the end of the lap and a medium speed corner on to the start-finish straight. It’s a very challenging pit in and equally difficult pit out which is actually in a tunnel under the circuit and is going to make it particularly challenging for the drivers coming in and out of pitstops. There are great facilities and air-conditioned garages which will make it a little bit easier and also having an evening race will obviously take some of the heat out of what can be a very hot and humid conditions. I think the twilight aspect of the race will be more of a visual for the spectators and for the TV but I think for the drivers it will be absolutely fine, there is enough overhead lighting it will just blend from day into night, no problem.”

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Red Bull gives some additional information, albeit not much given the track’s being untested at this point.

Here’s the fun part of this release, with my emphasis added:

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Designed by Hermann Tilke (the man who gave us Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Istanbul and, er… Valencia) Yas Marina has been under construction for more than a year and will feature lighting around the track – like Singapore and the MotoGP circuit at Qatar – to cope with that Arabian sunset the season will finish under.

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Er…. indeed.

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