During the final round of the «Formula 1» season, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative launched a new awareness campaign called «The Final Lap» at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which concluded last Sunday. It was announced that the world is entering the critical final stretch in the race to completely eradicate the disease. The campaign's concept is inspired by one of the most famous symbols in racing: the chequered flag at the finish line. However, in the «Final Lap» campaign, one of the black squares is replaced with a red one, symbolizing the remaining 0.1% of polio cases that have not yet been eradicated. Overcoming this small percentage means protecting every child in the world from this disease forever. The campaign's ambassadors are racing drivers Amina Al Qubaisi and Mika Hakkinen, whose names have been associated with the finish line flag for years, making it a symbol of resolution and determination for them. They are using their voice and sporting influence to bring this symbol to a broader humanitarian race: the race to end polio forever. Emirati racing driver Amina Al Qubaisi stated: «We have come a long way, and I am incredibly proud of the role that my country, the UAE, has played in reaching this stage in the journey to eradicate polio. Today, we are closer than ever to winning this race for children all over the world». Former «Formula 1» driver and two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen said: «Polio is a cruel disease that affects the most vulnerable children in the world. We are on the verge of eradicating it completely, but this final lap reminds us of the 0.1% that we must stop». According to a press release, both Al Qubaisi and Hakkinen appear in a series of short films where they recall moments of seeing the checkered flag in races and the personal meaning it holds for each of them. But this time, the flag takes on a new meaning, becoming the finish line in a humanitarian race against a disease that threatens children's lives. Following the atmosphere of enthusiasm that filled the Yas Marina Circuit during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the head of the Gates Foundation and one of the main partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Bill Gates, moved to a different part of the track, where he joined Amina Al Qubaisi at the «Yas Kart Zone» circuit within the Yas Marina complex for a special race between them.
