Formula Rossa

Part of the allure of cars at the pinnacle of motorsports, such as Formula One, WRC and drag racers, is that one could never experience the feeling of driving one, let alone sit in one. That was until October 28 of 2010.

Today marks the first anniversary of the official opening of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and, with it, the world's fastest roller coaster. The Formula Rossa was designed to simulate the F1 driving experience and is able to carry 16 passengers at a time. It  has a top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph),  accelerates from 1-100 km/h in 2.0 seconds and can climb to a maximum height of 52 meters (almost as high as our Juliana brug).  To top it off, one can experience a maximum of 1.7 Gs during the 2.07 km long course, which features a series of sharp turns (70 degrees) and sudden drops. 

According to Claus Frimand, GM of the ultimate theme park, the roller coaster's goal is ""to bring the sensation (to people) of what a Formula One driver is experiencing. The incredible speed you'll be taken to, you'll be flying through the landscape. Starting in an air conditioned environment, shot outside the building, running around and coming back inside the building again."

Below you can watch the official video which explains the ins and outs of one of the most important attraction of the theme park.

None other than Stefano Domenicali and Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa were present at the unveiling of the Formula Rossa. Below you can watch the duo's video. I suspect something happened cause the video has been cut right at the crest and resumes half way down. And what's up with Felipe's "ai-ai-ai-ai" (seriously).



For those who have been on it, here is a reminder of that fun-filled ride:



From what I can remember, it felt like being shot out of a canon (read: P/S) and then slowing down a tad before shooting straight skywards. Best advice is to push your head against the head rest and take in a deep breath (both of which yours truly didn't do) and enjoy the ride. The lines will be long so go early in the morning.

By the way, as we stood in line waiting for our turn we saw many get off with funny green faces. My brother thought of telling the operators to hang sign above the waiting line that read "Caution: unintentional bowel movements."

Located on Yas Island, Ferrari World is only a 10-minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, 30 minutes from the city of Abu Dhabi, or if you are coming from Dubai it is some 75 minutes.

Source: Ferrari World, Worldcarfans.com.
Picture own collection.