General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, yesterday attended the official handover of Yas Marina Circuit from property developer Aldar Properties PJSC to venue operator Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM).

Accompanied by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Abu Dhabi Motor Sports Management (ADMM) Chairman, and Ahmad Ali Al Sayegh, Aldar Chairman, Shaikh Mohammad went on an inspection tour of the Formula circuit to gain first-hand information about the state-of-the-art track and its facilities.

He expressed satisfaction with the work completed so far and said he was looking forward to seeing the facility operate at a world-class standard during the inaugural Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1.

Al Mubarak congratulated Aldar on a job well done and for completing the project before deadline.

After the Grand Prix, the circuit will operate year-round with a variety of international racing events. "We congratulate Aldar Properties on delivering one of the most sophisticated motor sport circuits ever built anywhere in the world, which will serve as an international centre of motorsport excellence. Yas Marina Circuit is an impressive example of the home-grown initiatives taking place in Abu Dhabi," he said.

It took our 14,000 workers more than 35 million man hours to build the 5.55km circuit. It is covered with 720,000 square metres of asphalt, and was constructed with 225,000 cubic metres of concrete.