While the attention of
the world was firmly focused on state security forces
opening fire on crowds of protestors seeking democracy
just 250 miles away in Bahrain, in Abu Dhabi Ferrari
owners and enthusiasts gathered at the Yas Marina
circuit for two day motorsports festival.
The Arab world has really
lit up in popular revolts against long-serving
and oppressive regimes over the last month, and the Gulf
region has been no different, with the bulk of protests
taking place in Bahrain and Yemen, with the respective state
apparatuses for the most part hitting back ruthlessly.
Following the bloodshed in Bahrain the grand prix, the
opening round of the new season, as well as the final
test of the pre-season which is scheduled to take place
on the island, both hang in the balance. The GP2 round
has been cancelled.
While events were
spiralling out of control in Bahrain last Wednesday and
Thursday, on the mainland in its near-neighbour Abu
Dhabi, the Yas Marina circuit hosted the first two days of
Ferrari Corse Clienti testing this year. This was reserved for owners entered
in the non-competitive programmes organised by the
Maranello Corse Clienti Department, as part of the
Ferrari Festival events, organised in the United Arab Emirates,
in conjunction with Ferrari Middle East & Africa.
A crowd of Ferrari owners and fans of the marque
were present to see the entire range of Maranello cars,
lined up in the pits and to watch the action featuring
fifteen cars on track. The test programme saw the owners
getting behind the wheel of a number of Corse Clienti
department cars. A much smaller number of racing cars
than is usual at a typical 'Ferrari Festival' event took
to the track - just 15 sports cars and single seaters,
but there was quality however on show: seven Ferrari
599XXs, five FXXs and three historic Formula 1 cars.
The two day event was
split up into six track sessions on the circuit which
located on the same island
which is the home to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the newly
opened theme
park that is dedicated to the Maranello marque. The
Ferrari owners visited the park during the event, while the circuit also
hosted a meeting for local media with the Scuderia's Marc Gené, who was
able to talk about his duel role as a test and
development driver for the Formula 1 team and as a trainer
for the owners.
