At first glance, it could be a picture of any construction site that dots the country.
But on closer inspection, we can see the berths that will make up a marina, the iconic exterior of what is now the Yas Viceroy hotel and a grandstand emerging with a racetrack down the middle.
It is February 2009 on Yas Island. And the construction of Yas Marina Circuit is entering the final straight.
It’s a testament to everyone involved that just a few months later, the circuit would be ready to welcome racing fans as it hosted its first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
The November event was Formula 1’s first twilight race and was won under the floodlights by Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull Racing. Seven years on, Formula 1 is back in town.
Yas Island is now an entertainment destination that includes a golf course and a waterpark, with a Warner Bros theme park to come, and this year, Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will duel in the desert for the 2016 racing crown.
* John Dennehy
