Dubai Autodrome

The Dubai Autodrome is an FIA sanctioned 5.390 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 Ltd.

Dubai Autodrome
Dubai Autodrome
LocationDubai Motor City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Time zoneUTC+04:00
FIA Grade1 (2 layouts)
3 (2 layouts)
OpenedOctober 2004
ArchitectPopulous
Major eventsCurrent:
Asian Le Mans Series
4 Hours of Dubai (2021–present)
FR Asia (2020–present)
F4 UAE (2016–present)
Dubai 24 Hour (2006–present)
Former:
TCR International Series (2017)
FIA GT (2004–2006)
GP2 Asia (2008)
A1 Grand Prix (2005)
Grand Prix Circuit
Length5.390 km (3.349 miles)
Turns17
Race lap record1:41.220 ( Kamui Kobayashi, Dallara GP2/05, 2008, GP2 Asia)
International Circuit
Length4.290 km (2.666 miles)
Turns12
Race lap record1:22.453 ( Romain Grosjean, Dallara GP2/05, 2008, GP2 Asia)
National Circuit
Length3.560 km (2.212 miles)
Turns16
Race lap record1:21.997 ( Jonathan Aberdein, Tatuus F4-T014, 2016, Formula 4)
Club Circuit
Length2.460 km (1.529 miles)
Turns11
Hill Handling Circuit
Length1.620 km (1.007 miles)
Oval Handling Circuit
Length1.120 km (0.696 miles)
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.

Events
Current
Former

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
  • International Course
  • National Course
  • Club Course

Handling courses
  • Hill Handling Course
  • Oval Handling Course

Lap records

The official fastest race lap records at the Dubai Autodrome are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEventCircuit Map
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.390 km (2004–present)
GP2 Asia1:41.220[8]Kamui KobayashiDallara GP2/052008 2nd Dubai GP2 Asia Series round
LMP21:46.306[9]Franco ColapintoAurus 012021 4 Hours of Dubai Race 2
A1 GP1:46.497Adam CarrollLola B05/522005–06 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, United Arab Emirates
LMP31:53.651[10]Kay van BerloLigier JS P32018 3x3H Dubai Race 2
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup1:54.926[11]Christian MontanariTatuus FRV62004 Dubai Formula Renault V6 Eurocup round
GT11:55.621[12]Jean-Denis DelétrazAston Martin DBR92006 FIA GT Dubai 500km
FR Asia1:55.854[13]Jake HughesTatuus F.3 T-3182020 Dubai F3 Asian Championship round
GT31:56.358[14]Ben BarnicoatMcLaren 720S GT32022 4 Hours of Dubai Race 2
MRF Challenge1:57.038[15]Max DefournyDallara Formulino Pro2018 Dubai MRF Challenge round
Formula 42:00.536[16]Dilano van 't HoffTatuus F4-T0142021 3rd Dubai Formula 4 UAE round
GT22:01.387[12]Tim MullenFerrari F430 GT22006 FIA GT Dubai 500km
N-GT2:03.426[17]Sascha MaassenPorsche 911 (996) GT3-RSR2004 FIA GT Dubai 500km
GT42:09.019[18]Khaled AlahmadiPorsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport2021–2022 Dubai Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East round
TCR Touring Car2:10.674[19]Maťo HomolaVolkswagen Golf GTI TCR2017 Dubai TCR Middle East Series round
ETCC2:12.285[20][21]Augusto Farfus[lower-alpha 1]
Gabriele Tarquini[lower-alpha 1]		Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Super 20002004 Dubai ETCC round
International Circuit: 4.290 km (2004–present)
GP2 Asia1:22.453[8]Romain GrosjeanDallara GP2/052008 1st Dubai GP2 Asia Series round
FR Asia1:35.055[22]Hadrien DavidTatuus F.3 T-3182022 1st Dubai FR Asia round
Formula 41:37.839[23]Logan SargeantTatuus F4-T0142016–2017 2nd Dubai Formula 4 UAE round
National Circuit: 3.560 km (2004–present)
Formula 41:21.997[24]Jonathan AberdeinTatuus F4-T0142016–2017 1st Dubai Formula 4 UAE round
TCR Touring Car1:28.733Pepe OriolaSEAT León TCR2017 TCR International Series Dubai round

Fatal accidents
No. Competitor Date Course Section Race Event Machine
1 Christophe Hissette April 2010 Turn 16 Qualifying session Radical SR3
2 Pascal Grosjean[25] 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

Notes
  1. Both drivers take the same lap time in both races of this round.

References
  1. Staff Report (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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Dubai Autodrome". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  9. "4 Hours of Dubai Best laptimes per driver - Race 2" (PDF). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  10. "Hankook 3x3H Dubai - Proto Race 2 Race Result per Class" (PDF). Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. "2004 Dubai Formula Renault V6". Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  12. "FIA GT Championship Dubai 2006". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  13. "2019–20 F3 Asian Championship Round 2 Race 1 Results". Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  14. "2022 RACE 2: 4H OF DUBAI 13 Feb 2022 Results". Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  15. "MRF Challenge 2018 Round 1 Race 3 Results". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  16. "4H of Dubai Race 1 and Race 2 - Asian Le Mans Series 2020-2021 Formula 4 UAE Race 3 Final Results" (PDF). Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  17. "FIA GT Championship Dubai 2004". Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  18. "2022 Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East Dubai Autodrome Final result Race 2" (PDF). Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  19. "Hankook 24H Dubai 2017 TCR Middle East Race 1 Result" (PDF). Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  20. "ETCC 2004 » Dubai Autodrome Round 19 Results". Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  21. "ETCC 2004 » Dubai Autodrome Round 20 Results". Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  22. "2021-22 National Race Days, Round 2 Formula Regional Asian Championship - Race 1". Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  23. "UAE National Race Day 28 January 2017 Formula 4 UAE Race 3 Results" (PDF). Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  24. "UAE National Race Day 19 November 2016 Formula 4 UAE Race 2 Results" (PDF). Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  25. "Pascal Grosjean dies after race win".

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