So, mixed emotions as I passed through the gates of the gob-smacking Yas Marina Circuit on the desert island of the same name in the early hours of Monday morning. A fascinating, if too often acrimonious season had just ended; on the plus side the signing of a new Concorde Agreement (the tripartite document which governs F1 by binding teams, FIA and Bernie Ecclestone’s companies) in July, and the election of Jean Todt as FIA president in place of Max Mosley, there is no doubt that F1 faces an exciting new era.
In Jenson Button Formula 1 has an unexpected champion, one driving for a team which a year ago did not even exist – as a privateer team with Mercedes power – and this season saw the rise and rise of yet another German superstar, namely Sebastian Vettel, who delivered Red Bull Racing’s first win (as he had for Toro Rosso last year) and went on to finish second in the title hunt in only his second full season after giving the team its sixth win in Abu Dhabi.
On the downside, in August BMW gave notice of its exit after failing to sign Concorde - a myopic decision by any standard, for failing to put pen to paper left the team without a guaranteed entry, and is thus for sale without that crucial asset. Whether the former Sauber team, which has a conditional purchase offer from a mysterious Middle Eastern syndicate, makes the 2010 grid depends on various factors, including either a waiver from all other outfits or the withdrawal of one of four newcomers.
Talking of which, next year F1 welcomes three new names, plus heralds the return of the ionic Lotus brand. The latter company, now owned by Malaysian motor manufacturer Proton – in turn partially owned by long time Sauber/BMW sponsor Petronas – is expected to have a sponsor portfolio with a strong Malay flavour, including budget airline Air Asia (a co-owner of the team) and, of course, Petronas.
Then there are USF1, exclusively featured in topCar a month ago, Campos Meta F1 – headed by former driver Adrian Campos, and Manor F1, said to be wholly sponsored by and likely to be renamed ‘Virgin F1’. So, F1 (likely) loses one team, but welcomes four for a net gain of three, making it 13 teams and 26 cars on the Bahrain grid when the new season opens on 14 March.
Back, though, to Abu Dhabi and the 2 500 hectare Yas Island. Exactly a year ago, rather than return to Europe between the Singapore and Japanese grands prix, I headed for the emirate to investigate the progress made with construction of what promised to be the most spectacular circuit in the history of F1 (and, at $1bn – R800m – the most expensive).
In three words – zero, zilch, nothing. Well, not factually true, but certainly so in relative terms, for, although I was not granted access to the island due to it being a construction site, it was clear from my vantage point beside the Abu Dhabi-Dubai motorway that workers were working and cranes were craning, but there was little visible progress. Shots taken from a helicopter later that week confirmed my observations.
En route to Bahrain in April this year I again drove the 100 kilometres south from Dubai, and was simply astounded by the progress made: skeletons of hotels and the massive mall stood out like Twiggy at a BBW party, as were outlines of pit and other buildings. Still, seven months remained to the season finale...