FIA vice president welcomes record number of UAE nationals to marshals pool
A record 130 UAE nationals were among the first batch of 420 volunteers who began intensive training at the weekend to become marshals for the 2012 Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 4th November.
This is a marked increase in numbers from the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009 when more than half of the 700 marshals had to be brought in from the UK because of a shortage of UAE-based volunteers with sufficient motor racing experience.
It also represents a significant milestone for the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, in the successful drive to become fully self-sufficient in providing the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a completely local-based team of marshals.
“It will be three years to the day that we staged our very first training session for marshals, and I’m proud of everything that we have achieved since then,” said Sulayem. “It’s particularly pleasing to see that more and more Emiratis are now playing their part in making sure the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and all the other motor sport events that we stage, are run safely and efficiently.”
Apart from the main group of track marshals, volunteers are also trained to join the pit lane, rescue, recovery and medical teams during the Grand Prix.
In addition to the four further major training sessions that will be staged in the build-up to the event, the specialist groups are also brought together for regular additional instruction, with the recovery team assembling every Wednesday evening at Yas Marina Circuit.
