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7DAYS
WEDNESDAY MAY 13, 2009 29
“They’re very strong teams, and we’ll see them being competitive throughout
the year, they will definitely bounce back” - Even though he’s won four out of five
races this season Jenson Button knows not to write off McLaren and Ferrari...
Motorsport
Abu Dhabi GP developers calm fears they won’t be ready for the F1 finale
Yas Island
ON THE HOME
STRAIGHT: The pit lane
of the world-class Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix venue is
nearing completion
circuit on
SUPPORT: Rubens Barrichello
track for
BRAZILIAN
ACE BACKED
BY BRAWN
ROSS BRAWN has backed
green light
Rubens Barrichello to give
his team-mate Jenson
Button a serious challenge
in the race for the title.
The Brazilian was
outspoken after the end
of Sunday’s Spanish
Grand Prix when the
Brawn GP team’s decision
to switch Button from a
FEARS that the inaugural insisting the first Etihad Airways even if that wish did ignore the good relationship with the And MacAskill added: “We three-stop strategy to two
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will get fact that temperatures rarely Formula One teams, that period want to take Formula One stops prevented his first
stall before drivers even the green light. gets above four degrees in could be reduced to 60 days.” circuits to a higher level. win of the season.
start their engines in the “We are working 24 hours a November across Canada. The circuit is beginning to take “It will be the first circuit in the Barrichello told Brawn that
UAE have been rubbished day and everything will be MacAskill though does admit shape, with access roads world with such facilities.” if he suspected favouritism
by event organisers. ready on time, I have no doubt that he and his 11,000 completed and the 5.55km Meanwhile, it remains to be towards Button he would
The biggest day in the UAE’s about that,” MacAskill said. workers, helping to construct track marked out, some of it seen whether the Abu Dhabi leave the new outfit.
sporting history is all set to rev Such news will come as great F1’s newest arena, are up already covered by a first layer GP will be Ferarri’s swansong Team boss Brawn though
up for action on November 1, relief to the horde of against the clock. of asphalt. after the famous outfit issued is happy to see such anger
the final race in what is petrolheads in the Gulf who ALDAR, charged with the The most privileged fans will an ultimatum to the FIA. in his ranks.
already proving to be a have either had to fly to work, must hand over the be able to follow the race from The team, which have won 16 He said: “Any driver who
fascinating season. Bahrain or tune into the TV to circuit to race organisers three the comfort of their hotel constructor’s titles and 15 gets beaten and is happy
But with plenty of get their F1 fix. months before the race, but rooms, with a five-star, 500- driver’s titles, are against the is not a driver I want in
construction still to do at the But the claim will come as a MacAskill hinted that deadline room establishment set to proposed new cost-cutting the team.
Yas Marina circuit, rumours blow to the legion of Canadian is unlikely to be met. overlook the track. measures due for next year. “So the fact Rubens is
have surfaced that the F1 fans. Earlier this year they However, he asked fans not to In an echo of Monte Carlo, And late last night they issued unhappy is a healthy sign
world-class track may not be were beavering away on read too much into that. F1’s most glamourous a statement saying: “If the because I would see it as
ready in time. various F1 blogs hoping any He said: “According to the rules, location, yacht-owners will be rules do not change Ferrari very strange if he was
However, the project’s deputy hiccups in the UAE capital we have to hand over the able to take in the excitement does not intend to register quite content to finish
director Douglas MacAskill has would see the return of their circuit three months before the from the decks of their vessels cars for the 2010 F1 world second behind Jenson.”
put the brakes on such stories, cherished Montreal Grand Prix, race, but seeing as we have a moored in the marina. championship.” Button has won four of this
season’s five races.
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