Abu Dhabi, June 2011: This summer Yas Marina Circuit, in collaboration with the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT), will host ‘Backstage Yas’, a three-week summer school programme for school students aged from 14 to 18.  The programme, a new initiative developed to educate the younger generation about motorsports, will enable students to experience first-hand what drives the industry in the UAE and how they can be part of it.

Backstage Yas will accommodate up to 75 students from schools across the UAE.  Over the three weeks, the students will take part in a diverse range of activities and workshops from mechanics and marketing to road safety and facilities management.

“We are committed to diversifying the skill set of our next generation, who are the future of motorsports in the UAE,” said Richard Cregan, Chief Executive Officer of Yas Marina Circuit.   “We are confident that Backstage Yas will give students a genuine opportunity to gain a solid understanding of the sport and what goes on behind the scenes of a world-class motorsport facility like Yas Marina Circuit.”
 
Cregan will be hosting a one-hour session for the students, where he will discuss his experiences of working in motorsports and provide guidance on the various career paths the industry has to offer. 

The sessions of the programme will include among other topics an introduction to the history of motorsports; F1TM 101 - Rules and Regulations; Marketing; Communications; and event logistics.

Dr Abdullatif Al Shamsi, Managing Director of the IAT said "We are pleased to be working with Yas Marina Circuit again this summer, in offering a unique and exciting opportunity to youngsters in Abu Dhabi who may be interested in pursuing careers in motorsports, automotive engineering or allied industries." 

Practical workshops will see the students learn to service a racing car, build a Yas Supersports SST racing car from scratch, partake in road safety exercises and race against the clock to change a tyre in a true pit-stop experience.

Backstage Yas will look beyond F1, helping to broaden students’ exposure to the industry as a whole, and furthering Yas Marina Circuit’s efforts to create a sustainable motorsport industry in the UAE.