F1 fans were out in full force on Thursday as Yas Marina Circuit opened its gates to the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
 
With a record crowd of 55,000 expected for the sold-out race weekend, the Pit Lane Walk drew over 6,000 fans who turned up to get a behind-the-scenes look at F1 teams’ preparations for the weekend ahead.
 
Along with excitement, love was also in the air with one F1 fan dropping on bended knee to propose to his girlfriend.

Now in its fifth year, this year’s Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the most international to date with over 40 per cent of non-UAE residents in attendance. 

Two such fans making the journey to Abu Dhabi for the F1 weekend were Ruth and Tony Oliver who made the trip from their home in Ireland. 

The couple had first visited Yas Marina Circuit for the inaugural Grand Prix in 2009 and had now returned for the fifth anniversary: “Yas Marina Circuit is amazing, from the facilities to the staff, everything is great,” said Tony.
 
“Sunday is my birthday and as I’m a big Mark Webber fan it would be great to see him on the podium,” added Ruth.
 
Also down at the public Pit Lane Walk, enjoying a turbocharged school outing, was a group of students from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Secondary School. For most of them it was their first time at Yas Marina Circuit.
 
“I love Formula 1, it’s the best sport in the world,” said 14 year-old Anas Mohammed, from Egypt. “I want to see Sebastian Vettel and I want to see Mark Webber win in his final season.”
 
Fans were also given the opportunity to meet F1 teams Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes AMG Petronas at two of the first F1 driver autograph sessions of the weekend.
 
Elsewhere at Yas Marina Circuit, fans also took a first look at the expanded off-track entertainment programme in the Oasis Areas of the Circuit which, this year includes themed areas such as the South Beach Oasis and the F1 Village.

With fans taking in an array of off-track entertainment, Friday will see the kick-off of on-track action with the first F1 practice session as well as practice sessions for support races GP2, GP3 and Porsche Mobil Supercup.