[jenny]

Hi, wondering if anyone that has been before can help me with some questions: (we have never been to any GP before)

1) Clothes- how dressy is it at the actual GP/ or at the evening concerts? Smart casual or more dressy? As a woman I was intending to take only maxi dresses to avoid offending but is that a concern inside the track/yas hotels/restaurants?

2) Weather- it looks like 22-28 degrees forecast, but it is hard to picture that when in England wearing a big jumper. Is it unpleasantly warm during the day? Is it warm enough to eat outside at night?

3) Restaurant costs: I know it is going to be expensive but I have read tripadvisor posts citing 40aed for a can of coke! With the terrible GBP at the mo that is £9! We are staying on Yas island (booked on points ages ago) so is it right to assume everywhere will be running a special menu at double the normal cost? Is there anywhere cheap to eat? Any idea of prices trackside would also be useful

4) Finally, any hints or tips- things to bring or not bring? Binoculars? Radio?

TIA

[Triples]

1- smart casual :bearing in mind that’s it’s very warm and humid during the day so wear cotton clothes ( no polyester ) or else you will be sweating like hell.
You won’t offend anyone if you don’t wear maxi either inside or outside the track / Yas. Bring comfortable shoes as there is lots of walking to be done.
2- weather is fine at night and ok during the day as long as you are in the shade ( I hope you didn’t buy the general admission ticket ? ) it’s a good idea to put on sunscreen but there is a big possibility that the security guards will confiscate it as well as any liquids on you so buy a small sizes bottle just in case .
3- Food variety is fairly good and prices are reasonable for a grandprix. Taxis are cheap and there is a huge shopping mall just 5/10 minutes from the circuit with lots of restaurants. Warning! Taxis take cash only !
4- buy a local SIM card at the airport on landing. Wifi should be available at the circuit but I’m not sure how good !
5- no need for radio ! There is a free app for the F1 Yas ( YASHUB ) with lots of info and updates : speakers at the circuit are excellent with both Arabic and English commentary
6- hotels on the Yas island quadruple their prices during the grandprix : the ones down town Abu Dhabi are far better priced and are only a 25 minutes drive to the circuit : there is also a complimentary shuttle bus from down town. For those on a tighter budget can stay in dubai which is 1 hour and 5 minutes drive to the circuit but I guess all this is too late for you now !
7- it’s unlikely you will need binoculars since there are huge screens installed in most areas around the circuit. ALso no need to buy ear plugs or water bottles since those are provided free of charge in unlimited quantities.
8- F1 racing can be a bit too complex and technical to understand if you don’t read about it before hand – all the different variables that can come into play that affect the car’s performance and race strategy: you will enjoy it more if you understand the basics.
Where are you seated ? Some stands are partially exposed to the sun even though there are classified as ” covered ”

[jenny]

Triples, thanks for the really thorough response!

We are seated in the west grandstand, block 8. I did lots of research and contacted the circuit to try and get good seats so fingers crossed!
We are also going to the brunch in the marina suites on friday as it is my birthday.

We are only staying on the island as we booked with hotel points, otherwise it would have been thousands just for that! However, it does sound like the bar and restaurant prices might be rather inflated and there is probably no getting away from that.

[Mike]

I’ve been to several GPs, and for the evening concerts, smart casual is usually perfect! Maxi dresses are a great choice; you’ll fit right in.”

[Author]

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