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.
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.
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.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
BLACKBERRY
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The five pillars of Islam
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The five pillars of Islam
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%3Cp%3ESix%20of%20the%20eight%20fast%20bowlers%20used%20in%20the%20ILT20%20match%20between%20Desert%20Vipers%20and%20MI%20Emirates%20were%20left-handed.%20So%2075%20per%20cent%20of%20those%20involved.%0D%3Cbr%3EAnd%20that%20despite%20the%20fact%2010-12%20per%20cent%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20population%20is%20said%20to%20be%20left-handed.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20an%20extension%20of%20a%20trend%20which%20has%20seen%20left-arm%20pacers%20become%20highly%20valued%20%E2%80%93%20and%20over-represented%2C%20relative%20to%20other%20formats%20%E2%80%93%20in%20T20%20cricket.%0D%3Cbr%3EIt%20is%20all%20to%20do%20with%20the%20fact%20most%20batters%20are%20naturally%20attuned%20to%20the%20angles%20created%20by%20right-arm%20bowlers%2C%20given%20that%20is%20generally%20what%20they%20grow%20up%20facing%20more%20of.%0D%3Cbr%3EIn%20their%20book%2C%20%3Cem%3EHitting%20Against%20the%20Spin%3C%2Fem%3E%2C%20cricket%20data%20analysts%20Nathan%20Leamon%20and%20Ben%20Jones%20suggest%20the%20advantage%20for%20a%20left-arm%20pace%20bowler%20in%20T20%20is%20amplified%20because%20of%20the%20obligation%20on%20the%20batter%20to%20attack.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThe%20more%20attacking%20the%20batsman%2C%20the%20more%20reliant%20they%20are%20on%20anticipation%2C%E2%80%9D%20they%20write.%0D%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThis%20effectively%20increases%20the%20time%20pressure%20on%20the%20batsman%2C%20so%20increases%20the%20reliance%20on%20anticipation%2C%20and%20therefore%20increases%20the%20left-arm%20bowler%E2%80%99s%20advantage.%E2%80%9D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
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Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
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Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
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