World champion Jenson Button led praise of the new Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi after the drivers got their first taste of it in practice today - but not everyone was completely taken with the layout.
Button reckoned the track was more rewarding for the drivers than it appeared from the outside.
"When you look at the layout, it doesn't seem that exciting but when you actually drive it, it's fantastic," he said.
"The track has a bit of everything with high and low speed corners, positive and negative camber and the walls are pretty close to you most of the way round."
His erstwhile title rivals were also impressed, with Sebastian Vettel describing it as "quite a thrill to drive" and Rubens Barrichello saying it "looks sensational and is quite challenging to drive, which makes it a lot more fun for the drivers."
BMW driver Nick Heidfeld was another to hail the variety offered by the circuit.
"The track offers everything you can ask for," he enthused.
"The Tarmac is good and the lay-out is quite good with the first sector having the fast corners, the second sector providing this endless straight and a possibility for overtaking, and the third one being rather narrow and windy, but flowing nicely."
Lewis Hamilton added his voice to the praise.
"They've done an incredible job here," said the outgoing champion.
"It's a really nice circuit to drive – there are a lot of technical corners, where braking stability is important.
"It's a great track and I really enjoy driving it.
"The only bit I don't like is the tunnel – but it's a challenge!"
His McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh reckons the whole venue has raised the bar for Formula 1.
"I think everybody in the Formula 1 paddock has been overwhelmed by the scale and ambition of the Yas Marina circuit – it sets standards within our sport that I think will be almost impossible to eclipse," he said.
"It is a truly fantastic facility, and a fine testament to the incredible vision of our hosts here in Abu Dhabi."
But there were some dissenting voices, with Adrian Sutil underwhelmed by the layout.
"The circuit is okay, but I miss some of the high speed sections you find in other tracks," he said.
"There are a lot of second gear slow sections and the flow is not really there, but it's still a big challenge as it's very slippery so you are always fighting with oversteer."
Kimi Raikkonen reckoned it was not much of a drivers' circuit.
"There are only a few corners where you can make a difference, near the start of the lap," he suggested.
"Then there are so many heavy braking points and slow speed corners, where stability on entry and acceleration on exit are the important factors."
The ever honest Mark Webber wasn't getting carried away with enthusiasm, but felt the circuit was just fine.
"The track's pretty good – it's not Spa, but it's also not Bahrain!" he said.
"It's not bad."