The Formula Rossa rollercoaster

 A year after its first Formula One race, Abu Dhabi hopes to lure even more tourists with “Ferrari World” — a grandiose theme park that is the first of its kind for the iconic Italian carmaker.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi announced on Monday, the 19th of July, that the park will open in 100 days featuring a record-breaking roller coaster ride meant to emulate the feeling of being in a Ferrari F1 car.

Sitting next to the futuristic Yas Marina circuit that hosted Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Grand Prix race in November 2009, the sprawling complex will be the world’s largest indoor theme park.

Due to open on October 28, little more than two weeks before this year’s Abu Dhabi GP, it will be housed under a massive triangular red roof on the 40-billion-dollar Yas Island development.

“It is an indoor thing with an outdoor feeling,” said Claus Frimand, the general manager of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.

“You forget that you are inside a building because the roof is between 35 and 50 metres (115 and 165 feet) above you and there are no support structures, except the funnel in the middle and one row of columns,” he added.

Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital, hopes the park will help to draw tourists from around the globe along with several other ambitious projects including state-of-the-art branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim museums.

Ferrari World spreads over 86,000 square metres (925,696 square feet), while the red roof bearing the world’s largest logo of Ferrari’s prancing horse stretches over 200,000 square metres (2.15 million square feet).

Among its 20 attractions are two roller coasters, including the F1-themed Formula Rossa which is set to be the fastest ever reaching a top speed of 240 kilometres (150 miles) per hour.

“It gives you the feel of driving in a F1 car very close to the ground,” said park manager Andy Keeling.

The second of the roller coasters, which stretch beyond the building’s perimeter, features two tracks with Ferrari-shaped trains.

“The unique feature is that it has two tracks, two trains side by side and depending on the weight of the passengers, one will cross the finish line first,” said Frimand.

Right in the centre of the building, out of a big funnel which is the only area with daylight, visitors can experience the space-shot G-force Tower.

“That is the highest we could build on the island,” said Frimand. “We can shoot people up through the roof where they can look over the whole island.

“It gives you the G-force that the drivers are experiencing during the race,” he added.

Elsewhere, a Ferrari California Spyder convertible takes visitors through Bell’Italia, a reproduction of the Italian countryside with model villages and tourist highlights like the lagoon of Venice, the Colosseum, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

A large replica of the Maranello factory demonstrates the manufacturing process from the design stage to the finished product.

Motoring enthusiasts will even be able to experience the inside of a Ferrari V12 engine in another ride.

Abu Dhabi hopes such features will boost tourism in the desert emirate.

“It is a good thing for the tourism offering in Abu Dhabi as there is not all that much to see,” said Grant Salter, general manager of the leisure consultancy Grant Thornton.

“But in isolation, it is not going to drive a huge volume to the capital. It will rather create an additional activity for people who are visiting the emirate anyway,” he added.

Premjit Bangara, manager at Sharaf Travel, sounded more upbeat about the impact of Ferrari World on tourism, saying it will stimulate interest from neighbouring countries where people are passionate about racing.

Another challenge will be profitability.

“Very few theme parks in the world are financially sustainable,” said Salter. “Generally the number of visitors coming in is never enough to cover the costs.”

Rides and attractions:

* Formula Rossa – The world’s fastest roller coaster, reaching speeds of 240 kmph.

* Speed of Magic – A fantasy 4-D journey following the adventures of a young boy as he travels through a kaleidoscopic dreamscape of natural and phenomenal environments, where no Ferrari has gone before.

* Made in Maranello – A virtual trip behind the walls of the famous Ferrari factory in Maranello, taking guests through the intricate process of making the world’s most sought after car.

* V12 - An exciting flume ride to the heart of a 12 cylinders engine.

* G-Force – A thrilling tower ride that will shoot thrill-seekers through the red roof and 62 meters in the air before plummeting back to Earth, experiencing the actual G-force of a Ferrari, in a seat directly inspired by the Ferrari Enzo.

* Scuderia Challenge – Cutting edge racing simulators similar to those used by the drivers of the Scuderia Ferrari in training.

* Viaggio in Italia – A virtual aerial voyage over Italy’s cities and their main monuments, mountains and coasts pursuing a Ferrari.

* Fiorano GT Challenge – A unique dueling rollercoaster with Ferrari F430 Spiders twisting and turning through tight corners on a sprint to the finish line.

* Bell’Italia - A miniature recreation of Italy’s most famous locations, from the picturesque Portofino and the Amalfi Coast to Monza racetrack, the Colosseum in Roma, Venezia and Maranello, the heartland and home of Ferrari.

* Paddock – A re-creation of the Ferrari motor home including garages, transporters & hospitality suites with interactive shows offering fans a taste of the true action behind the scenes on a Grand Prix race day.

* The Pit Wall – An interactive theatre that allows guests to test their judgment in realistic racing scenarios.

* Galleria Ferrari - The world’s largest Ferrari gallery outside Maranello, showcasing the most exclusive range of classic and contemporary Ferrari’s from all over the world.

* Junior GT - A driving school for children with expert instruction where they will drive reduced scale F430 GT Spiders on an equipped driving course.

* Junior Grand Prix - After the Junior GT driving experience, budding F1TM drivers can enjoy the race track in scaled down Ferrari F1TM racers.

* The Racing Legends - A ride through Ferrari’s greatest racing moments starting from the first races all the way to today’s F1 victories.

* Driving with Champions – An interactive 3-D show which follows the adventures of a young engineer who is taken on the ride of a lifetime with a racing champion on his first day working at the Ferrari factory

* Cinema Maranello - Ferrari World’s own theatre showing ‘Coppa di Sicilia’, a short film that tells one of the many inspiring stories from the life of the legendary Enzo Ferrari.

* Junior Training Camp – An interactive play area for children where they can engage with a waterless car wash, become custom ‘constructors’, climb up the grandstand, pilot remote cars, peddle their own miniature Ferrari and play with an F1TM car made of soft, guest-friendly foam.

* Carousel - Featuring never-before-seen Ferrari prototypes based on winning designs from a Ferrari competition.

* Dining and Shopping – A range of concept restaurants and cafes offering authentic Italian dining experiences, in addition to unique shopping locations.

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Source: FerrariWorld via news.yahoo.com and nitrobahn.com

Ferrari World Theme Park

The world’s first Ferrari theme park, inspired by the luxury Italian sports car and racing teams, opened its gates in Abu Dhabi about a month ago for a sneak preview before its official opening in October.

What currently looks like a big construction site will become Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in just over three months, home to 20 Ferrari-inspired attractions including rides, a 4D fantasy adventure, a racing academy, children’s play area, restaurants offering Italian cuisines and various shops.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, described as the world’s biggest indoor theme park, will be home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster ride which developers say will reach a speed of 149mph (240 km/h), giving its riders the sensation of being in a Formula One car.

The park’s manager Andy Keeling said he expects the park on Yas Island will attract a variety of visitors and not just fans of Ferrari, particularly as it is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates.

“We give you the brand and our interpretation of the brand Ferrari, but we are not going to give it a Ferrari price tag. We are going to give it a very affordable price tag,” Keeling said.

Currently, the most visible element of the park is its 200,000 square meter, sleek red roof, which is inspired by the double curve side profile of the Ferrari GT car body and carries the largest Ferrari logo created.

The theme park, being built by Abu Dhabi property developer Aldar Properties and to be managed by a joint venture of Aldar and international leisure company ProFun Management Group, is due to open to the public on October 28, 2010.

The theme park is located next to the Yas Marina circuit that hosts the season-ending Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix on November 14, 2010.

Abu Dhabi’s government-owned investment fund Mubadala has a five percent stake in Ferrari whose Formula One team has won more championships and races than any rivals.

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Source: reuters.com

What Ferrari claims to be its largest store in the world with more than 1,000 square meters of single-story floor space entirely devoted to the Prancing Horse company, was officially inaugurated Thursday, June 3, 2010 in Dubai. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted by Ferrari drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlo Fisichella, together with Shafqat Malik, CFO Aldar Properties and Chairman of Fadar Retail, and Edwin Fenech, General Manager Ferrari Middle East & Africa. The Ferrari drivers also performed the now-traditional signing of the store counter. A Ferrari California showcased in the front windows, and right outside the new Ferrari Store, a selection of both new and classic cars was displayed.

Today there was a parade of Ferrari cars that started from Dubai, went to Abu Dhabi through Corniche and ended at the Yas Marina F1 circuit. The parade included nearly 100 historic Prancing Horse models and was opened by a number of new Ferrari Californias.

This event had been organized in collaboration with Al Tayer, the official Ferrari dealer in the UAE and the local Ferrari Owner’s Club.

Located in the prestigious Dubai Festival City Center, the new Ferrari Store was developed entirely by the Studio Iosa Ghini and is as much a homage to the history and spirit of Ferrari’s twin souls of racing and luxury as a straightforward retail outlet. Each area of the Store has thus been carefully designed as a special, once-off space in which shoppers can truly embrace the Ferrari experience.

The Dubai Store will stock a wide selection from the entire range of Prancing Horse products for enthusiasts and fans of the GT cars and Formula 1 tifosi alike. In addition to the display areas, there will also be a lounge, meeting rooms, video projection room and a Photo Gallery with a specially designed lighting system that can host photographic exhibitions. There will also be a fan interaction area, in which tifosi can test their skills on virtual versions of several different F1 circuits. A replica of the F1 car and a Ferrari California will also be showcased. Photographs of the new Store are available at www.ferrari.com.

Dubai is the 29th Ferrari Store and joins others in prestigious locations such as Rome and Milan (Italy), London (UK), Barcelona (Spain), San Francisco and Miami (USA), and Macao (China), as well, of course, as Abu Dhabi, where it opened in 2007. The Ferrari Store development program includes plans for the next two openings in Jeddah and Bahrain, and bringing the number of retail locations to 50 over the next two years in Europe, America, and the Middle and Far East. The official opening of the world’s largest Ferrari Store also marks the start of a rich calendar of events planned for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, closing the F1 season.

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Source: machinespider.com and pursuitist.com

Ferrari's Formula One drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, and the team principal, Stefano Domenicali, center, sit in a Ferrari Rossa roller coaster car at the Spanish Grand Prix last week.

Last month, Ferrari’s 599XX, a racecar derived from the stunning 599, lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in Germany in less than seven minutes. At the same time, the 599 GTO made its debut as the brand’s fastest production car ever.

Last week, those two wild horses welcomed a new stablemate, the Formula Rossa roller coaster. It was bred not in the foothills of Maranello, Italy, but in the Arabian desert.

According to Ferrari, the ride moves from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just two seconds. It also inflicts 1.7 g’s of lateral acceleration through 70-degree corners and tops out at nearly 150 mph (241 km/h), sufficient numbers to take away world’s-fastest-coaster bragging rights from Kingda Ka, the marquee thrill at Six Flags Great Adventure and Wild Safari in New Jersey.

Formula Rossa, designed by Jack Rouse Associates, is the latest attraction at Ferrari World, the multibillion-dollar theme park, heritage museum and resort amalgam opening this fall on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island.

“The idea is to bring the sensation to people of what a Formula One driver is experiencing,” said Ferrari World’s general manager, Claus Frimand, in a video on the Ferrari World Web site.

Formula One racing is central to the ride’s concept. Ferrari emphasized that connection by introducing the roller coaster’s train during last weekend’s grand prix at Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya, outside Barcelona, with its two drivers, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. However, where their cars only accommodate one person, the coaster seats eight.

Park visitors are propelled from an air-conditioned loading area to the desert beyond via a 20,800-hp (15,500 kW) winch and reaches a maximum height in less than 5 seconds as it climbs out of the Ferrari World’s main dome roof.

Wayne Meadows, Ferrari World’s director of maintenance, said that passengers would be pulled along a launch area of 400 meters, “very similar in the way a carrier launches a jet aircraft.” Over the 1.3-mile (2.07 km) track, the coaster also tops a 171.6-foot (52 meters) rise and barrels through a series of sweepers.

The dramatic performance mandates certain precautions. Because of the speed and that Abu Dhabi is “subject to heavy sand and dust storms,” Mr. Meadows explained, Ferrari World “made the decision that all our guests will wear goggles.”

At Ferrari World, the roller coaster joins a side-by-side Ferrari F430 race simulator, a free-fall plunge and a flume ride that courses through the plumbing of a 599′s V-12 engine.

Ferrari World is scheduled to open to the public on October 28, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which will run at the neighboring Yas Marina Circuit on November 14.

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Source: wheels.blogs.nytimes.com, stuff.co.nz and carmiddleeast.com

Image Released: Ferrari World has released an image of the cars for the dual launched GT coaster named Emotion Coaster

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has been under construction for two years now, and is finally set to open its doors to the public sometime later in 2010 around the same time as the second Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. And when it does, it will not only be the first theme park in the region, but the first of its kind in the world. Recently, Ferrari World has released an image of the Emotion Coaster, a Ferrari F430 Spider themed, twin tracked rolling coaster cars which each hold four passengers and will run on tracks parallel to another car, effectively “racing” it around the nearly-completed Ferrari World theme park in Abu Dhabi.

The twin tracks of Emotion Coaster will be fairly unbanked like a road would be. (You don’t find many roads banked at 45 degrees.) The result will be an awesome experience full of lateral G forces and fun Ferrari action. The tracks have a few strategically placed LSM boosters so that the two trains will constantly pass and overtake each other for a truly exciting racing experience.

As with almost everything Dubai does, this park will be breaking some records. Ferrari World will be the largest indoor theme park in the world when it opens. It also will feature the fastest roller coaster in the world, the F1.

The Emotion Coaster and the F1 will depart from inside the air-conditioned red dome of the park before flying into the hot desert air outside.

The park claims about the F1, “… the coaster is capable of 150 miles per hour, but may be operated at lower speeds.” This can mean two things:

A. The coaster will be a record breaker or…

B. The coaster will follow the same path as Ring Racer and not fulfill the claims that were originally made (and consequently let us down).

Ferrari World will feature about 20 rides including the F1 coaster. Other attractions include: A flume ride through a massive Ferrari engine, a 203 foot tall drop tower ride in the center of the park, racing simulators, a 4D theater, a double tracked LSM launched racing coaster, several go cart tracks, and an aerial simulation ride similar to Walt Disney World’s Soarin’ where riders trail a Ferrari through Italy. Ferrari World will also house several places to shop and dine as well as driving schools for junior drivers and training for experts.

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Source: coaster-net.com, autoblog.com, and jalopnik.com

The Yas Marina Island is a man made island designed especially to boost UAE’s (United Arab Emirates) tourism. It’s just off the mainland of UAE’s capital city, Abu Dhabi, and within 30 minutes driving distance of the UAE capital, 50-minute drive from Dubai and 10 minutes from the Abu Dhabi International Airport. This multi-use entertainment destination spans 2,500 hectares and will play host to a multitude of featured attractions, such as a world-class motor sports race track, signature hotels, the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi Theme Park, a water park, a Warner Bros. Theme Park and the Abu Dhabi destination retail development of 300,000 sq. meters retail area, links and parkland golf courses, lagoon hotels, marinas, polo clubs, apartments, villas and numerous food and beverage outlets that will create a unique international tourist destination.

The Yas Marina Island is on its way to become an icon in the history of the UAE with its very first launch, the Yas Marina Circuit, designed especially for the final F1 race of the season, the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Yas Marina Circuit: A stunning development in progress, the Yas Circuit will wind its way around an extravagant marina and spectacular island landscape. Yas Island and Abu Dhabi are preparing to host the inaugural 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Designed as an Arabian version of Monaco, the twenty-one corners will twist through this island, passing the marina and winding its way through sand dunes, with several long straights and tight corners. The circuit has four planned grandstand areas (Main Grandstand, West Grandstand, North Grandstand, and South Grandstand) and has part of its pit lane exit running underneath the track. It also houses a team building behind the pit building, Media Center, Dragster Track, VIP Tower and a Ferrari Building. Additionally, one of the gravel traps runs underneath the West Grandstand. The pit exit of circuit also runs under the actual track through one of the on site hotels, making hotel guests there the luckiest viewers of the 2009 final F1 race.

Mr. Bernie Ecclestone, President of the Formula One, has described the Yas Marina Circuit as “one of the most exciting tracks I have ever seen,” which is high praise coming from an expert. From the twisting Singapore-style street sections to the Monaco-style marina, the Yas Marina Circuit will serve up an array of driving challenges for the world’s best drivers. When the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race is over, this will not spell the end for motoring enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi. The Yas Marina Island offers many other possibilities including a 1km long drag strip and an adrenaline-fuelled go-karting complex for those seeking a personalized racing experience.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi: Destined to become the world’s largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will offer a variety of attractions to keep children and adults more than entertained. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE is the main supporter of Ferrari within the UAE. They have worked closely with the brand to make the 2009 Grand Prix possible in addition to promoting the brand throughout their network. From food and beverage courts to heart-racing experiences, such as the electrifying G-force tower, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will have something for everyone.

Warner Bros: Warner Bros. & ALDAR announced a long term multi-faceted alliance including a theme park, multiplex cinemas and development of feature films and video games.

The Warner Bros. Theme Park will include many of your Looney Tunes, Hanna Barbara & DC Comic characters. This exciting theme park will be the 1st Warner Bros. Theme Park in the Middle East.

Yas Island Water Park: The Yas Island Water Park will set the benchmark for family fun on the island, where you’ll be able to spend a few hours, or the whole day. The park will include a variety of relaxing and thrilling attractions, such as a giant lazy river to entertain even the most sluggish family member.

YASRetail: The Super Regional Yas mall will feature name-brand stores from around the world, along with the world’s most dazzling video and water displays. As well as being the central meeting place for the broad community, Yas Mall will also play host to a variety of tastes and budgets, special events, exclusive exhibitions and cinema premieres.

Over 20 hotels are planned for the Yas Island. Designed amd operated by some of the biggest names in the business, they will feature state-of-the-art facilities such as spas, health clubs, restaurants and lounges. The flagship project is the Yas Hotel, which looms majestically over the Yas Marina Circuit Opening seven hotels by November 2009 for the inaugural F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This will include the Yas Hotel, a 499 room signature 5 star hotel operated by Aldar Hotels & Hospitality. Providing 2,250 rooms for race day and beyond.

It is a must see experience for the 2009 F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix scheduled for November 2009 as it is going to be the event of the year!

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Source: dailytimes.com.pk

Ferrari World Theme Park October 2007

The highly anticipated world premier of the Ferrari World Theme Park, located on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, will be ” an unique oasis of discovery, hospitality and beauty that captures culture, flavor and the true spirit of Italian country, as well as the legendary automotive history, feeling and heritage of Ferrari cars and racing.”

The project is a joint venture between Ferrari and ALDAR Properties PJSC. This particular project involves the construction of a Formula 1 racing circuit and a “Ferrari Experience” theme park. The theme park is going to be 250,000 sqm. The theme park will have a theater, kart track, motor museum, dune buggies and a Ferrari driving school.

Upon completion in November 2009 Ferrari World will feature a driving course for visitors. This driving course is the same circuit that will host the first 2009 Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix in November called YAS MARINA CIRCUIT designed by Hermann Tilke.

Checkout all the pictures below of the build over the last 2 years, they have 3 months left to complete the track for the first Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix on November 15th, 2009.

During the 2007 foundation building ceremony a time capsule was buried, which contains a connecting rod and a piston from the 2007 World Champion F1 Ferrari Car along with an artist first impression of the theme park. The capsule will be opened in 2047, when Ferrari celebrates its 100th anniversary!

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February 2008

May 2008

July 2008

September 2008

November 2008

January 2009

March 2009

Ferrari Theme Park Abu Dhabi Completed Rendered Picture

Abu Dhabi F1 Track March 2009

Rendering of the 2009 Abu Dhabi F1 Track

Source: carzi.com and craneblogger.com