Yas Marina Circuit Calendar | 2016/17

“We are constantly improving and extending our activities and look forward to welcoming all-comers to the Circuit for this coming season.” Al Tareq Al Ameri, CEO of Yas Marina Circuit

Yas Marina Circuit launched its Yas Calendar for the 2016/17 season this week, announcing an exciting schedule of both new and existing events and experiences. This new season’s calendar offers residents and visitors another action packed programme of health and fitness, cycling, driving experiences and motorsports as well as becoming the new home of eSport in the region.

Thrill seekers will be delighted with the new addition to the DriveYAS programme, a wider range of flexible driving experiences are now available with Jaguar F-Type S Coupe’s joining the existing Mercedes AMG and Aston Martin experiences. I was spun around the F1 track in the powerful British beast by the very capable Dominico, take it from me these cars are fast and furious, braver folk than me took the Jaguars and Mercedes for a spin with an instructor in the passenger seat. You can also burn some rubber in the Chevrolet SS drag racer or try a Drift car experience, Yas Marina Circuit offers a whole range of ‘arrive and drive’ experiences on selected days in one value package, with special packages also available across multiple experiences.

Formula 1 fans don’t have long to wait now as this year’s Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is fast approaching, yet again closing out the F1 season in style at the Yas Marina Circuit from 25th-27th November. Alongside all the on-track action electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers, pop princess Rihanna and music legend Lionel Richie will be entertaining the crowds in this year’s post-race concerts. As an added bonus, the 2016 grand prix tickets include access to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld. Visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com to buy your tickets if you haven’t already to avoid disappointment.

Yas Marina Circuit’s full lineup of health and fitness events offers the community lots of opportunities to get on the track, whatever your age, ability and level of fitness. Alongside the weekly StartYAS, TrainYAS and GoYAS training evenings where residents and visitors are invited to walk, run or cycle around the circuit at their own pace, there are also a wide range of fitness events scheduled over the next twelve months. TriYAS, the day to night triathlon, by Daman’s ActiveLife 2017 will return to the Yas Marina Circuit for the its seventh consecutive year on February 17th. The first leg of the international WTS ITU (ITU World Triathlon Series) will be held in Abu Dhabi from 3rd to 4th March 2017 followed by the Zayed Marathon returning to the track on 18th March, offering a challenging experience over 5K or 10K for total beginners or elite runners alike.

Next month sees our very own Tour de France, the Abu Dhabi Tour returns to the capital. To the delight of the region’s many cycling fans leading personalities from the sport such as Team Sky’s Mark Cavendish and Rio Olympic Gold medal winners Greg Van Avermaet, Elia Viviani and Bradley Wiggins will all be competing. Eighteen teams of six riders will ride throughout the Emirate in four stages (three sprints and one mountain stage) from 20th October with the final leg taking place at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday 23rd October. The Abu Dhabi Tour has been included in the 2017 World Tour Calendar of the international cycling union, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) which will take place from 23rd – 26th February next year.

Yas Marina Circuit continues to be the forefront of motorsport in the region, introducing new events and developing partnerships to enhance the calendar year on year. A new partnership with Automobile & Touring Club UAE (ATCUAE) will launch the Formula 4 UAE Championship to Abu Dhabi on 28th October. The first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, the FIA-accredited Formula 4 UAE championship is a series of eighteen rounds run over six separate weekends open to drivers aged fifteen years and above, created to give UAE drivers opportunities to compete in the motorsport racing and competitions.

(L to R) Ahmed Al Kaabi, Mohammad Bin Sulayem and Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary Aref Al Awani launched the Yas Marina Circuit 2016/17 calendar yesterday .

Local motorsport initiative, The TRD 86 Cup will be hosted for its third consecutive season enabling amateur racers to drive in a professional, competitive environment as part of the four-round Yas Racing Series – see all the information about the series here. The Gulf 12 Hours endurance race is back on 16th December, the Yas Super Street Challenge starts in January and karting enthusiasts will be happy with the return of the UAE Rotax Max Challenge to the circuit in March.

The popularity of video game culture in the region has not gone unnoticed, Yas Events Centre will host a number of high-profile eSports events in association with Power League Gaming (PLG). Call of Duty World League (CWL), and Electronic Arts (EA) FIFA franchise events are among those to be held, Red Bull and Call of Duty will be the first events to kick off the schedule next month.

Yas Marina Circuit is yet again offering a calendar of amazing sporting and entertainment opportunities alongside its regular weekly community fitness sessions for this coming season. If you haven’t already experienced one of the weekly training sessions grab your trainers and give it a go, it’s free, it’s fun and where else in the world do you get the opportunity to walk, run or cycle around an iconic F1 track. If you feel the need for speed, I recommend trying DriveYAS but take it from me don’t go just after you’ve eaten.

Yas Marina Circuit

Location: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Website:visit www.yasmarinacircuit.com for more information on all activities and events available

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I was invited to attend the launch of Yas Calendar. All views are my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated, all photos on this page © Jo Brett 2016. All rights reserved. Additional information and photos used courtesy of www.yasmarinacircuit.com and www.abudhabitour.com