Dubai hotels are brimming with motorsport professionals and racing aficionados that have descended on the city for this weekend’s Grand Racing at Dubai Autodrome. Arriving at the airport visitors without hotel bookings are being told that finding a room is a tough ask as team personnel, race officials and fans, some fresh from the Bahrain GP, are in Dubai for Grand Racing.
The combined personnel for GP2 Asia, Speedcar Series, DAMC Saloons, Superstock motorcycles, media, event personnel and international race officials involved with the Grand Racing weekend amount to an estimated 2,000 people. The bulk of these would be members of the various racing teams competing on the weekend.
Drivers from over 30 nations will be in action in what must rate as one of the most multi-national events on the Dubai sporting calendar. Journalists from across Asia will join their counterparts from Europe, Africa, Australia and the Americas to cover the final leg of the inaugural Grand Racing season. Although the majority of drivers are from Europe, an ever increasing contingent from Asia, including India, Pakistan, Japan and Malaysia are using the Grand Racing concept to catapult their careers onto the international stage.
About 40 teams will be setting up tones of high tech equipment in the pit garages which becomes the nerve centre of racing activity on race weekend. Adding to the attraction of the event is the variety of off-track activities, headlined by the must see Privatdrive Supercar Show which will feature 30 of the world’s most exotic and expensive machines on show in the Paddock. Car Club displays, merchandise booths, autograph areas will feature prominently in the Paddock area while the Village, behind the Main Grandstand, will be a hive of activity with food and beverage kiosks, entry stall for the Mitsubishi Galant cars which will be given to a lucky winner on each day, a display of artworks sent in to the Grand Racing Drawing Competition by children and a host of other activities to keep race goers entertained throughout the day.
Dubai Autodrome Chairman Saeed Khalfan said, “Grand Racing is a fantastic concept bringing thousands of people to Dubai to experience our great city while taking in what is one of the premier motorsport events in the region. We are proud to host GP2 Asia and Speedcar to showcase our circuit to an international audience. I predict that the racing and other activities will be of the highest quality throughout the two days. We are always looking to improve the experience for race fans, team personnel, race officials and the media at our venue. I predict this will be a most enjoyable weekend for everyone concerned.”
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