Lewis Hamilton, McLaren-Mercedes
“I love going to new circuits – and the new track in Abu Dhabi looks like becoming one of the very best on the Formula 1 calendar. I’ve only looked at images of Yas Marina Circuit so far, but what’s really impressed me is the variety of the track. It has a bit of everything – fast corners and long straights, tight and twisting corners and even a marina.
“It’s the kind of challenge we drivers love and I can’t wait to get out there and try out the track for real. As the final race of the 2009 season, we couldn’t have asked for a better venue for the conclusion to our year.”
Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren-Mercedes
“What’s really impressive about the Yas Island track is the scope and ambition of the whole project. As a Formula 1 driver, I have seen some impressive facilities, but the organisers in Abu Dhabi have gone the extra mile to make the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix one of the very best in the world. As a driver, I am really looking forward to trying the circuit for the first time – it looks quite demanding – the long straights and the tight corners will put a lot of demands on the drivers and engineers to find the perfect balance for the car, and the track looks like it will have plenty of spots for overtaking – which is fantastic for the fans.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
“The race in Abu Dhabi will be my last Grand Prix with Ferrari. There are many expectations as far as the Yas Marina Circuit is concerned, but it’s difficult making any predictions, because we’re racing there for the first time. As far as we can see the organisers have done some great work and the circuit seems to me very interesting and challenging. Furthermore there will be a very special challenge, given the fact that we’ll start the race in sunlight, while it will end with artificial lights. This will definitely add some suspense.”
Jarno Trulli, Toyota
“Abu Dhabi looks like a really exciting weekend. [Circuit boss] Richard Cregan told me some of the plans for the track last year and it sounds amazing. I expect it to be a spectacular event and I hope the track can give us some good racing as well.”
Kamui Kobayashi, Toyota
“I am really looking forward to my second Grand Prix and I want to make the most of this unexpected chance. I didn’t know the track in Brazil and that was a little bit of a disadvantage because almost all the other drivers had some experience of it. But that’s not the case in Abu Dhabi; this is a new track for everyone so that should help me. I am also more familiar with the car now, as well as other procedures during a race weekend like pit stops and the two tyre compounds, so I expect to be more competitive in Abu Dhabi. I am sure the car will be strong and I will do everything I can to try to score my first points in Formula One. Of course it will be extremely difficult because the field is very strong and this is just my second Grand Prix but I will give my all.”
Mark Webber, Red Bull (right)
“I’m expecting Red Bull Racing to be pretty strong in Abu Dhabi. We’ve been pretty strong since Singapore, so there’s no reason to suggest that we can’t be fighting towards the sharp end again, no question about it. As usual, qualifying will be very important on a street circuit and then we’ll see how the race goes from there.
“We’re looking to finish off on a high for the team. I’ve heard the Yas Marina Circuit has some nice undulations, which sounds good. It’s got a few fast sections to it and a slow section to finish off. I think it will be pretty dusty, but we’ll clean it up pretty quick; it’s always nice to go to a new track.”
Fernando Alonso, Renault
“I always enjoy the challenge of a new circuit and the track in Abu Dhabi looks very impressive. It will be a new experience for everyone so it’s important that we maximise all the sessions and learn as much as we can quickly to try and find an advantage. I think the facility looks amazing and will be great for the people of Abu Dhabi. We went there a few years ago for the street demo and saw how much enthusiasm the fans have for Formula One. I would love to finish the season and my Renault career with a great result. It will be an emotional race because I have enjoyed so many special memories with this team and I am leaving behind a lot of friends. Renault is one of the great teams in Formula One and I look forward to fighting with them on the track in the years ahead.”
Romain Grosjean, Renault
“It will be a new adventure for everyone and I’m very curious to see what it’s like as there has been so much expectation for this track. The photos I’ve seen of the Marina look amazing and I’m sure it will be a great way to end the season. The layout looks like fun: it will be quick as there are some long straights and hopefully some overtaking opportunities. I think it will also feel like a street circuit with the big buildings and the yachts in the harbour. As it’s a new track for all the drivers, things should be easier for me as we all have to learn the circuit. My aim is to try and match Fernando, qualify well and hopefully fight for points in the race.”
Nico Rosberg, Williams
“I am really looking forward to going to Abu Dhabi. With the amount of time and effort that has gone into building it, I think it’s going to be a fantastic venue with stunning facilities and a great experience for Formula One. I’ve heard it’s a sell-out too so it should be a really exciting race weekend for the teams and the fans and a great way to end the year. Abu Dhabi is going to be a new experience for all of us so the simulator at Grove has been a real help and I’m pleased I had it at my disposal this week. There are some things like the bumps and kerbs that you can’t completely replicate, but braking, oversteer and understeer are all very similar. It’s definitely a big advantage having a sim like ours as I will be able to drive out of the pits on Friday and know the track pretty much straightaway. The one consideration I’ll be interested to see play out is the fact that we will start the race in daylight and then move into the night time.”
Kazuki Nakajima, Williams
“It’s really exciting to be going to a brand new circuit. The organisers certainly look like they’ve put a lot of thought into developing the track and the facilities. It all looks very impressive and the perfect place to end the championship. As we haven’t driven the circuit yet, it’s difficult to give an accurate breakdown of the track but our simulator has provided us with some really invaluable data. It looks like set-up will veer towards a medium to high downforce configuration to cope with the long straight (which will require good top speeds) and tight corners which we expect to see on a street circuit. Good grip levels for balance and to cope with the sand will also be crucial. One of the most interesting things for me is that we will drive under a hotel which I can’t wait to experience.”
Adrian Sutil, Force India
“Yas Marina looks like it will be a great facility – very luxurious and a great working environment for the team. However I don’t think the track will be massively challenging. It has a long straight, but there are a lot of second gear corners as well, which might hurt us a little bit. The good thing is everyone is starting from the same platform, so it will be a little bit of a surprise when we arrive. When preparing for a new event, the first step is always to look at the track map and the conditions you can expect at the event. Is there anything that looks different or challenging in the corners, is there something that you need to prepare for physically? I’ll speak to my engineers about what they expect in terms of set-up and then the next step is to put it all together in the simulator. This gives a head start as you can make a basic set-up from this and use as a starting point in practice. You also know what to expect when you get on track.”
Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India (left)
“We really want points – it’s important for the team and for myself. We’ll be giving 100 percent until the end, in practice, qualifying and the race. We have done some laps of Yas Marina in the simulator and it looks like a great facility. The track seems very interesting and could suit the VJM02 very well as there are a few long straights and a tricky middle section. It’s also good to visit new venues so I’m looking forward to this race.”
Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber
“I have not been to the Abu Dhabi circuit so far. As we do not have a simulator I only know the track from the Internet and from a couple of presentations. The track looks very interesting. The facilities and the buildings around the circuit especially seem to be outstanding. However, before having done the first laps on the track with a Formula One car, it is really difficult to judge the circuit itself. But of course I know this situation from the past. In 2008 both Valencia and Singapore were new on the calendar. Fortunately I consider myself a driver who does not need a lot of track time to be on a good pace straight away. I guess that a lot of cars will be out on the track on Friday in order to understand the track and to learn as much as possible. I am really looking forward to going there.”
Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber
“I’m very pleased to be getting another taste of summer and will be flying out to Abu Dhabi a few days early with my family. I’m really excited about the new circuit. Everyone who’s been there already has described it as an incredible place. I think it’s always great to discover a new track. I haven’t found the lack of a simulator to be a disadvantage at other new circuits, and this way it’s even more exciting when you drive out of the garage for the first time.”
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