Working Wonders: How Yas Marina Circuit boss gears up for F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix


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Our Working Wonders of the UAE series takes you to some of the country's most recognisable destinations to uncover the daily duties of the talented employees working there

The Formula One season culminates with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend and, as drivers and celebrities flock to Yas Island, Hesham Al Jenaibi’s work goes into overdrive.

As the general manager of Yas Marina Circuit, Al Jenaibi will welcome tens of thousands to the island, from drivers to A-listers and music fans preparing to rock at the Foo Fighters' concert.

Here, the Emirati racing fan tells The National about how he has prepared for another record year, having welcomed 160,000 to last year’s event.

What makes the Abu Dhabi F1 so special?

My first year was back in 2012, so this will be my 12th Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

What I really enjoy about this event is seeing the global fanbase that we welcome to Abu Dhabi every year, with more international fans coming every year.

This is a true testament to how Abu Dhabi comes together to make this event a success so that's what makes this weekend so special to me.

Are you an F1 fan yourself and do you have a favourite driver?

I am a racing fan, but as all the teams are our guests, I can’t pick one for this weekend – it’s like asking who your favourite child is, you can’t choose one.

My personal favourite place to watch the race is from West Grandstand, as you can see the start-finish line as well as a panoramic view of the circuit.

Red Bulls' Max Verstappen won his first Formula One world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021. PA
Red Bulls' Max Verstappen won his first Formula One world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021. PA

It's a really unique place to be on F1 weekend, although, the obvious choice would have to be from the top of the Paddock Club overlooking the Pitlane.

We are looking forward to having the teams and the F1 community back in our paddock.

What are some of your most memorable moments over previous F1 weekends?

It’s been incredible to see the growth of the event year-on-year and how much it’s changed.

With the increase in popularity of the sport in recent years, we’ve found massive increases and build-up in footfall and traffic at the venue, which need anticipating and managing.

Last year on race day, we managed to move close to 40,000 people between 2.30pm and 5pm around Yas Island on approximately 80 buses without issue.

That’s a lot of people moving in a short timeframe, so that for me is a standout memory and source of pride.

There was one year when I met some of my former classmates, several years after we last spoke and what a place to meet again.

That's what's really special about the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend is that our venue is a meeting place for people from around the globe.

What was your favourite aftershow concert?

Our busy schedule means many of the concerts blend together each year.

As a fan, however, Beyonce's show always stands out due to the significance of her performance at the first edition of the event in 2009.

The Foo Fighters will be headlining the Yasalam After-Race Concert at Etihad Park on Sunday night. Photo: Getty Images
The Foo Fighters will be headlining the Yasalam After-Race Concert at Etihad Park on Sunday night. Photo: Getty Images

While all the world-class performers offer something different across the four nights to our diverse audiences.

I think the one that everyone is looking forward to is Foo Fighters on Sunday night. That will be a nice way to end the weekend.

What might surprise people about your role?

It’s definitely how hands-on we are with logistics. You’re thinking about the overall venue but also small things that need to be fixed and how we can solve these, meaning I’m involved with people across all levels of the business.

I often find myself sitting with our junior members and even our student volunteers to work together on this.

Have you tried racing on the track yourself? How do you compare to the professionals?

I've tested out a number of our driving experiences many times, including the Yas 3000, which is as close as it gets to driving an F1 car around the circuit.

Unfortunately, I cannot compare my speed to that of the F1 drivers racing this weekend - their ability to make high-speed turns and overtakes is truly impressive once you take a test drive around the circuit.

What can fans expect this weekend?

For our fans coming from around the world, the journey from the new terminal will be a much easier experience.

Our Yas All In experience, which provides complimentary access to one of Yas Island’s adventure parks as well as Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan, will offer our international fan base a number of incredible experiences for this year’s event.

Around the grounds here at Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Park, our Oasis areas have grown and there will be a lot to look forward to, with new hospitality experiences and new grandstands introduced this year.

Yas Marina Circuit will also be open for longer hours so we are looking forward to welcoming our fans to the region’s biggest weekend this year for our milestone event.

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners: Dubai Hurricanes

Runners up: Bahrain

 

West Asia Premiership

Winners: Bahrain

Runners up: UAE Premiership

 

UAE Premiership

Winners: Dubai Exiles

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

 

UAE Division One

Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens

Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

 

UAE Division Two

Winners: Barrelhouse

Runners up: RAK Rugby

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Squads

Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa

India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh

Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Scoreline

Syria 1-1 Australia

Syria Al Somah 85'

Australia Kruse 40'

THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.

The story of Edge

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.

It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.

Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.

Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab

 

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra

Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa

Rating: 4/5

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Updated: November 23, 2023, 3:00 AM`