Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Yes, YAS has a lot going for it. A coach took me on a 30-minute trek from Abu Dhabi airport to the new race island and on the journey to the stadium partly-built bridges and neatly-parked construction equipment were easily spotted.
But that was soon forgotten by the awe-inspiring sight of the new Formula One venue. A stunning sporting arena has certainly been delivered to the Gulf.
The media centre was very close to the jetty and some of the boats moored were almost in the same class. A big screen had been erected to allow the yacht-set to settle down and watch the track action waterside amid the roar of the cars racing close-by.
The impressive hotel attached to the track is elegant and oozes class too as I slipped in for a little mosey around before making my way back along the paddock where I bumped into Martin Whitaker, Bahrain International Circuit's chief executive officer.
He cannot have failed to have been impressed by the 'wow factor 'of the Gulf's new motorsport facility and he and the BIC team will have a tough task on their hands impressing the paying public at the start of next season.
The Yas Circuit organisers stole a few tricks from the original Bahrain game plan such as the march of the trolley dollies before the start of the race, a fly pass by the airline race sponsor and a host of big-name music concerts in the wings. The latter two attractions slipped off the agenda in Bahrain in April for budget reasons.
Bahrain's pockets may not run as deep as its wealthier neighbour but that does not disguise the fact that we have to 'raise our game', use all the wealth of six years F1 experience, not underestimate the pulling power of our 'friendly face' and ensure the start to the 2010 season reaches even greater heights.
Even before the sand has had the chance to settle in the UAE the expectation of drivers and fans is more prevalent the ever.
World champion Jenson Button, who owns a property at Durrat Al Bahrain, said Ferrari and McLaren have the resources and the capability to be quicker and Brawn and Red Bull will aim to carry on as they left off.
"You'll have four teams battling for the front - eight drivers looking to win - and it will all start in Bahrain," he said.
Lewis Hamilton's late-season surge came far too late to defend his world championship, but the driver believes his McLaren team - partly owned by Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat - is primed for a 2010 title shot.
Hamilton had secured a top-three place in either qualifying, or a race, for seven of the last eight races and can't wait for next season to begin.
Ferrari and Renault long ago turned their attentions to developing the 2010 car, stopping work on the current model. While McLaren had continued to put development funds and effort into its 2009 car, Hamilton did not feel that would put them at a disadvantage next year.
"Sure you can always start earlier, but we had to understand and work with this year's car to know where we were going." Hamilton said. "If you start making a new car but don't know where you've been or where you are coming from, then you cannot work on it. We have been focusing on next year's car for some time now so we should be quite strong."
Bahrain must focus on 2010 too and come out stronger. The competition is red hot.
