Dubai Autodrome


The Dubai Autodrome is an FIA sanctioned 5.39 km (3.349 mi) motorsports circuit located in Dubailand, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The architects of the project were Populous and the circuit was designed by Clive Bowen of Apex Circuit Design.

Dubai Autodrome
Dubai Autodrome
LocationDubai, United Arab Emirates
Time zoneGMT +4
FIA Grade1
OpenedOctober 2004
ArchitectPopulous
Major eventsFIA GT Championship (2004-2006)
A1 Grand Prix (2005)
Dubai 24 Hour (2006-)
Asian Le Mans (2021-)
Grand Prix layout
Length5.39 km (3.349 mi)
Race lap record1:41.220 (Kamui Kobayashi, DAMS, 2008, GP2 Asia)
Club Course
Length4.14 km (2.5743 mi)
International Course
Length4.32 km (2.6897 mi)
National Course
Length3.58 km (2.2304 mi)
Websitedubaiautodrome.ae

Opened in October 2004 with the final round of the LG Super Racing Weekend[1] featuring the final rounds of the FIA GT Championship, European Touring Car Championship and 2004 Formula Renault V6 Eurocup season, Dubai Autodrome was the first part of the Dubai Motor City development that was available for use.[2] The venue hosted the December 2005 A1 Grand Prix and the FIA GT Championship from 2004 to 2006. The track record at the longest configuration was set by Kamui Kobayashi (DAMS) with a time of 1:41.220 in a GP2 Asia car.

Since 2006 the Autodrome has been home to the Dubai 24 Hour, a GT, sports car and touring car automobile endurance race open to both professional and semi-professional teams. The circuit has FIA Grade 1 license, which means that it has all the requirements to host a Formula One race (though Abu Dhabi currently hosts F1 races in the UAE).[3]

Some of the world's most famous drivers have driven competitively or visited the circuit including Formula One world champions Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, Nico Rosberg, and Jenson Button.

Role in UAE motorsport

Dubai Autodrome has deliberately positioned itself as the home of UAE national motorsport. The goal to develop and promote UAE motor racing at national level. Through the DAMC the venue has hosted races for:[4] UAE Touring Car Championship, UAE GT Championship, NGK Racing Series, UAE Clio Cup and UAE Sportbikes Championship. Other local and regional race series that have visited the circuit include: Trofeo Maserati, Radical Cup, Porsche Cup Middle East, Suzuki Swift Cup and Formula Gulf 1000. The highlight of the motorsport calendar for local racing has been the Dubai Motorsport Festival, at the circuit which takes, on a distinctly local flavour with the catch phrase being: a celebration of UAE motorsport.

Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai

The Hankook 24 Hour of Dubai[5] endurance race has become a mainstay of the international motorsport calendar and is the first major road racing event on the global calendar of any given year. Hosted at Dubai Autodrome the round attracts teams and drivers including a number of teams and drivers from the UAE.

Dubai Kartdrome

The Kartdrome[6] - which is part of the Autodrome complex - is an international standard karting track situated across the boulevard from the Dubai Autodrome main straight. The venue hosts Arrive & Drive sessions every day in both the outdoor track and the adjoining indoor venue

The venue also hosts UAE championship karting [7] rounds featuring Cadet, Rotax Max Junior, Rotax Max Senior categories and the SWS Sprint Series, Also on the calendar is the Dubai Kartdrome Endurance Challenge - a series of four endurance races ranging from 12 to 24 hours which attracts karting teams from around the globe.

The Kartdrome has in the past hosted rounds of the Biland World Finals and the Middle East Karting Championship.

The Sodi World Finals 2020 has been postponed due to the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) and will be held at the Dubai Kartdrome in February 2021 rather than April 2020

The biggest karting race in the Middle East (Dubai O Plate) is held there.

Track configurations & facilities

The circuit - which has four racing configurations and two additional non-racing sections - was designed to meet the strictest safety requirements and is the first FIA-sanctioned circuit to incorporate wide asphalt run-off areas. The digital surveillance system provides complete coverage of all areas of the track and is linked to the Race/Safety control room for monitoring and saving on hard disk recorders. This means that every incident along the track during a race or event can be viewed by the clerk of the course. Most facilities are housed in a two-storey ultra modern complex facing the grandstand.

These facilities include Pit Complex, Race/Safety Control Room, Timekeeping Room, Media Centre, VIP Suite and Stewards Room. A Medical Centre is situated behind the Pit area for track emergencies during major events. At the rear of the Pits is a traditional racing paddock for team staff and hospitality.

These are the courses with access to the pit area.

  • Grand Prix course
  • Club Course
  • International Course
  • National Course

Handling courses
  • Hill Handling Course
  • Oval Handling Course

Fatal accidents
No. Competitor Date Course Section Race Event Machine
1 Christophe Hissette April 2010 Turn 16 Qualifying session Radical SR3
2 Pascal Grosjean[8] 27 Nov 2010 Finish 2010 Sportsbike Championship race UAE Sportbike 600cc championship Sportbike 600cc
3 Federico Fratelli January 2018 Turn 14 2018 Sportsbike Championship race UAE Sportbike 600cc championship Sportbike 600cc

References
  1. Report, Staff (2004-07-15). "Super Weekend to launch the autodrome". GulfNews. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  2. "MotorCity - Dubai Autrdrome". Archived from the original on 2007-09-13.
  3. "LIST OF FIA LICENSED CIRCUITS" (PDF). FIA. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  4. "Motorsport - Dubai Autodrome". Dubai Autodrome. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  5. "24H SERIES powered by Hankook". 24H SERIES. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  6. "Arrive & Drive Karting - Dubai Autodrome". Dubai Autodrome. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-08-12. Retrieved 2013-09-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Pascal Grosjean dies after race win".


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