Yas V8 400 The first event at Yas Marina Circuit was won by Jamie Whincup, who dominated the weekend, winning both of the races. Whincup also was the overall winner of the second event in 2011, taking one race win with James Courtney taking the other following a fortuitous safety car. Whincup again dominated in the final year of the event in 2012, winning all three races. For 2010 and 2011, the race used a shorter version of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix track used for Formula One, with a "corkscrew" section between Turn 3 and halfway down the back straight. This shortened
Circuit of the Americas The circuit was the first in the United States to be purpose-built for Formula One. The layout was conceived by promoter Tavo Hellmund and 1993 Motorcycle World Champion Kevin Schwantz with the assistance of German architect and circuit designer Hermann Tilke, who has also designed the Sepang, Shanghai, Yas Marina, Istanbul, Bahrain, Yeongam, and Buddh circuits, as well as the reprofiling of the Hockenheimring and Fuji Speedway. The circuit has FIA Grade 1 license. In a news conference on July 27, 2010, Tavo Hellmund announced plans to build the track on about of undeveloped land in southeastern Travis County. The