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Ferrari has grown from a racing team to one of the most recognized brand names in the world over the past few decades, and after targeting the likes of McLaren and Renault on the race track, Ferrari is setting its sights on Disney with its latest project. As we've reported before, the sheiks of Abu Dhabi – who happen to own part of Ferrari – are preparing to begin construction of the Ferrari World theme park. More details are emerging and it's our pleasure to bring you the latest on what promises to be the biggest automotive attraction in the world.

Ferrari World, as it has now been revealed, will include some 24 attractions. Among them will be an F1-themed roller-coaster with two tracks that will race one grid of cars against the other. There'll also be a 70-meter high g-force tower, go kart and dune buggy racing and some sort of pitlane experience.

The project is being built on the Yas Island development, along with the new FIA-spec race track that will host the recently-announced Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, plus beaches, night clubs, restaurants, premium stores, luxury hotels, condos, two marinas, a golf course, a polo field and equestrian facilities.

It may be a bit too soon to start packing your bags – the doors aren't scheduled to open until 2009 – but freeing up your vacation time in advance wouldn't be premature.

Follow the link for more images.

[Source: Car magazine]

Click on the image above to view more pictures from the event.

As promised, organizers put on quite the spectacle on Saturday when the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was officially announced. Tens of thousands of people reportedly turned out for an F1 demonstration on the streets of the gulf emirate that featured all the big-name drivers, including Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. No big surprise that Ferrari sent both its driving aces to the event, but Spyker's absence seems conspicuous. Abu Dhabi crown corporation Mubadala Development is a minority shareholder in both teams.

Follow the jump for the rest of the story plus the official press release.

Related posts:

• Bahrain is still in the race, and the race is still in Bahrain
• Update: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix announcement may come Feb1
• F1 circuit to join Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
• Abu Dhabi to build Ferrari World theme park
• Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi

[Source: AbuDhabiGP.com]

With Abu Dhabi expected to announce its contract for a grand prix this coming Saturday, you'd be forgiven for thinking Bahrain was off the grid. You'd be forgiven, but you'd be wrong.

The small Gulf state has hosted the Bahrain Grand Prix since 2004 with an exclusive contract for the only F1 race in the entire Middle East & North Africa region, and though nobody outside the organization knows the precise terms of the contract – namely, when the exclusivity clause expires – insiders estimate that it runs out in 2008, leaving the door open for Abu Dhabi to host its own race as early as 2009. But that doesn't mean the Bahrain Grand Prix is history – they spent $150 million to build the Sakhir track and have yet to recuperate all the costs. Casting a shadow over the impending festivities in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain has announced its extending its contract with Bernie Ecclestone, possibly all the way through 2019.

The question remains over how many F1 races the region can support. With a small population, Bahrain was banking on attracting spectators (read: tourists) from all over the Middle East, but the grandstands have been conspicuously empty. And though the geo-political debate continues over Turkey's situation in Europe or the Middle East, either way it's not far away, bordering Syria, Iran and Iraq. Abu Dhabi is banking on its grand prix becoming just one part of the Yas Island development, but with that many races in a region where F1 is still an emerging field, it may be too much too fast. Then again, that's what F1 is all about.

Related posts:

• F1 circuit to join Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
• Update: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix announcement may come Feb1
  

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Looks like the oil-rich sheiks of Abu Dhabi are getting more serious about the prospect of hosting a Formula One grand prix than we thought. Last week we reported that they're adding an FIA-regulation race track to the Yas Island project that will also host the Ferrari World theme park, and with big question marks rounding off the one main restriction, they could be planning on hosting a grand prix very soon.

Word is there will be an event on February 1st where an official announcement may be made. If it happens, expect some teams and cars to be in attendance, along with the sport's most irresistible force, McLaren's newest driver, the inimitable Fernando Alonso.

[Source: Grandprix.com]