Yas Marina Circuit North CCW
The Yas Marina Circuit is an FIA Grade 1 raceway designed by the famous German track architect Hermann Tilke and operating since 2009 in Yas Island, the purpose-built leisure, shopping, entertainment center, and tourist attraction pole in Abu Dhabi, one of the United Arab Arab Emirates. Yas Marina has hosted the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from its inception in 2009, being also the last race in the F1 calendar, usually run in mid-November to cope with the extremely high temperatures of the hot Arabian desert. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the only Formula 1 race starting at dusk for the same reason, but the lighting and scenery of the track are ideal for providing top-notch entertainment for the audience at the venue and on TV.
The 3.45-mile (5.55-km), 21 turn Grand Prix circuit runs counterclockwise and results from the combination of two independent 1.47-mile (2.36-km) layouts, one at the northern half and the other at the southern half, that can host races simultaneously. The Yas Marina Circuit is technically demanding for drivers, with several multi-apex turns, sharp bents, and heavy braking sectors on its eastern part. The longest straightaway ends abruptly on a tight left-right turn combination leading to a long sweeper. Racing on this circuit rewards patient drivers who wait the right moments to overtake their opponents, as errors can easily lead to being left behind.
The North Counterclockwise configuration at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi utilizes the northern sections in reversed direction, creating different corner approaches at UAE's flagship motorsport venue on Yas Island. Running the northern routing counterclockwise transforms braking references and apex sighting across sections emphasizing the circuit's dramatic elevation transitions through the signature corkscrew feature. This variant serves events seeking specific directional characteristics on the northern routing distinct from standard GP layout flow.
Operating the North CCW showcases Yas Marina's configuration versatility beyond the standard GP layout that hosts Formula One's season finale, serving diverse event requirements for driving experiences and corporate programs. UAE's desert climate creates extreme temperatures with the facility's twilight-to-night racing format reducing track temperatures from daytime peaks above 45C to more manageable evening conditions. The North counterclockwise configuration provides variety for driving experience customers and corporate events, utilizing the circuit's signature elevation features while offering alternative directional flow at Abu Dhabi's premier motorsport destination.
