F1 fans get new hope over tickets

ABU DHABI // Some seats for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that were declared sold on Monday became available again yesterday. Customers who tried to buy seats in the west grandstand of the Yas Marina Circuit when they went on sale were told by noon that they were no longer available. But the race website said yesterday there was now "limited availability" for the section, which gives views of the start-finish straight and one of the most difficult corners. Some buyers had not take up their allocation or completed purchases. No seats are available in the main grandstand; they were all gone within the first hour of going on sale.

Although tickets are selling quickly, there is a chance some seats may become available in the most popular sections, either through tour operators or corporate allocations that are not be taken up. According to the website, good availability remains for the pit support grandstand tickets, the cheapest at Dh1,280 (US$348) for the three days of the race from Oct 30 to Nov 1. Only single seats are available in three of the five sections in the U-shaped north grandstand, with limited availability in one and no availability in the other.

Good availability remains for four out of five sections in the south grandstand, near the yacht club. A limited number of seats are on sale in the other section. @Email:[e-mail]