Abu Dhabi F1 advisors fall out

A row has erupted between top level advisors working on the prestigious Abu Dhabi F1 track, Arabian Business can reveal.

A dozen staff from construction consultants ODC have walked out of the company, amid claims of a row with their client, Abu Dhabi F1 sub-contractors, Hamilton International.

According to sources familiar with the situation, Hamilton was infuriated when staff at ODC refused to work because they had not been receiving full pay. Some former ODC employees have been on a reduced salary for months and are owed thousands of dirhams by their company.

ODC were advising Hamilton on the fit out of the F1 track such as the grandstand, pit and team buildings. Hamilton were sub-contracted by construction firm Cebarco WCT, who are building the circuit, to handle everything from painting and tiling.

Hamilton no longer employs ODC’s full team of advisers.

It is not clear whether this will delay the handover of the F1 circuit, which is due to be ready for the inaugural F1 race on Nov 1.

Richard Hamilton, chief executive of Hamilton International, when contacted by Arabian Business, said: “We have not sacked our advisors. It’s absolute tosh. You’ll have to speak to ODC about that.”

When pushed for a further comment he added: “ODC finished their responsibilities and roles of obligations to us on this contract and our contracts continued no further. They were paid up to completion on what they did for us and were employed as a consultant.”

Garth Martin, managing director of ODC, who is now working as a consultant for Hamilton, said it was his employees’ decision to leave the company because they were not getting paid.

He denied Hamilton had sacked his team and said ODC was owed a large chunk of cash from previous clients and that was reason why he could not afford to pay his staff.

“We have downsized due to the current market conditions. It’s just been a result of cashflow. It was because of the lack of cash we had in the business,” he said.

“We had banked on money coming in earlier [from previous clients]. The money just wasn’t coming through, and as a result, the guys couldn’t afford to come to work,” Martin added.

Hamilton strenuously denies it owes money to ODC. “ODC have been paid in full by Hamilton International for everything they have ever done for us. I think we have overpaid them for what they have done for us, to be frank,” Hamilton said.

There has been intense media speculation over whether the F1 track, called the Yas Marina Circuit, will be ready for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November. In March, the Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management (ADMM) put out a statement strenuously denying reports that there were was any delay to the track.

Hamilton insisted it has the money and the project management expertise to complete the fit out of the track.

Cerbarco are due to start of the handover of the buildings to Hamilton on June 30.

A spokesman for Aldar, the master developer who is developing the whole Formula 1 project, said on Wednesday: “Everything is on schedule. We are happy with the progress on the track. We don’t comment on minor issues between sub-contractors.”

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