Facts & History – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Components 1’s first twilight race joined the calendar in 2009 on the newly-built Yas Marina Circuit exterior Abu Dhabi, and has change into firmly established as the ultimate race of the season.

2025 Abu Dhabi F1 Tickets / F1 Experiences / Abu Dhabi Resorts / Abu Dhabi Fb Group

The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled for December 5-7

Dates are additionally confirmed for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 4-6

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The Hermann Tilke-designed circuit is a part of the multi-billion greenback Yas Island growth, which additionally features a marina, Ferrari World theme park, Yas Water World and the Du Area live performance venue. Procuring facilities, golf programs and accommodations have additionally been developed on the man-made island. The circuit itself was modified forward of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in an try to spice up overtaking alternatives.

In late 2014, the organizers agreed a brand new multi-year settlement to maintain Abu Dhabi on the Components 1 calendar for the foreseeable future, although the precise size of the contract was not disclosed. In 2021, the contract was prolonged by to 2030.

The Yas Marina Circuit has capability for about 60,000 spectators and tickets do promote out, regardless of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix being one of the vital costly to attend on the present F1 calendar. In 2022, additional grandstand capability was added. The weekend attendance determine hit 160,000 in 2022 – 7,000 greater than within the earlier 12 months. Race organisers reported a sell-out attendance once more in 2023, with the determine rising to 190,000 in 2024 – the most important in seven years.

Because of calendar modifications caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix occurred on December 13, making it the third newest date on which a season-closing Grand Prix has been held. As a result of pandemic, the race was held behind closed doorways with out spectators within the grandstands.

Mercedes dominated the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix between 2014 and 2019, however Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen gained from pole place within the 2020 race. His pole place was the one non-Mercedes-powered pole of the 12 months, and his win one among solely two for Pink Bull within the 2020 season.

One 12 months later, Verstappen returned to Yas Marina Circuit because the championship chief forward of the ultimate race of the 12 months. The Dutchman went on to win the race – and the title – in controversial circumstances, overtaking title rival Lewis Hamilton on the ultimate lap of the Grand Prix.

Verstappen dominated the race in each 2022 and 2023, capping off his second and third title-winning years with victories. The 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was Verstappen’s nineteenth win of the season: a report for many wins in a single 12 months. In 2024, Lando Norris ended Verstappen’s four-year successful streak at Yas Marina Circuit, clinching his first victory on the monitor. The end result noticed McLaren topped Constructors’ Champions for the primary time since 1998. Verstappen returned to the highest step of the rostrum in 2025 – however his efforts weren’t sufficient to clinch the title in a three-way title-decider. Norris secured his first championship on account of a 3rd place end within the season-ending race.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Info: Did You Know?

Yas Marina has a sophisticated monitor design with six completely different configurations to swimsuit completely different racing collection.

The monitor has various distinctive options: a tunnel is a part of the pit-lane exit and the W Abu Dhabi Resort straddles the circuit between turns 18-19.

Abu Dhabi was the one present F1 race which is called after its host metropolis slightly than its host nation – although it was joined by each the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix and the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in 2021, by the Miami Grand Prix in 2022 and by the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023.

The drivers are on full energy for 69% of a lap at Yas Marina, together with over 14 seconds on the again straight (one of many longest straights in Components 1). Drivers make a mean of 68 gear modifications per lap or 3740 gear modifications over the complete 58-lap race distance.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are probably the most profitable driver on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, every with 5 wins. Pink Bull grew to become the primary group to report eight wins on the occasion in 2025.

READ MORE: F1’s Season Ending Locations

Kimi Raikkonen as soon as mentioned of Yas Marina: “The primary few turns are fairly good, however the remainder of it’s shit.”

Raikkonen’s 2012 victory right here is the one time the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been gained away from the entrance row of the grid. The Finn began fourth in a race which supplied some memorable radio transmissions.

Etihad, the nationwide airline of the United Arab Emirates, is the primary title sponsor of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and you may as well see their planes taking off from the close by airport when at Yas Marina.

Pink Bull have by no means didn’t get each of their automobiles by to the ultimate a part of qualifying on all of their appearances on the Yas Marina Circuit.

In three of the primary 4 Abu Dhabi Grands Prix, the polesitter failed to complete the race. Within the final eleven years, the polesitter has by no means didn’t win.

Memorable Moments within the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Right down to the wire

A report 4 drivers – Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton – have been in competition for the motive force’s World Championshp coming into the decider at Yas Marina in 2010. Regardless of being 15 factors adrift of championship chief Fernando Alonso earlier than the race, Sebastian Vettel saved his cool to take the win and change into the youngest ever F1 World Champion aged 23 years, 134 days. Watch the highlights.

2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: He Is aware of What To Do

Kimi Raikkonen returned to F1 in 2012 after a two-year hiatus and took a preferred win for Lotus at Yas Marina. It was his first win for the reason that 2009 Belgian Grand Prix and got here after a chaotic race, which noticed a sizeable accident between Nico Rosberg and Narain Karthikeyan, plus Sebastian Vettel pulling off an important comeback drive from a pit-lane begin to third. Over group radio on his technique to victory, Raikkonen uttered the immortal line, “Simply go away me alone, I do know what to do.” Watch the highlights.

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Desert Duel

Lewis Hamilton gained his second Components 1 World Championship at Yas Marina in 2014 from group mate Nico Rosberg. For the one and solely time, double factors have been awarded for the season-decider in 2014. The 2 Mercedes group mates additionally settled the drivers championship at Abu Dhabi two years later, however this time Rosberg emerged the victor (…and promptly introduced his retirement!) Watch the highlights.

2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Verstappen vs Hamilton

The 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was absolutely one of the vital anticipated races in Components 1 historical past, with title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton beginning the ultimate race of the 12 months race stage on factors.

After close to contact between the pair on the opening lap, Hamilton led for almost all of the Grand Prix till a late race Security Automotive interval. Verstappen pitted for recent tyres, whereas Hamilton stayed out on his older rubber. Controversially, because the warning interval neared its conclusion, race director Michael Masi allowed just some automobiles – those between Hamilton and Verstappen on monitor – to unlap themselves.

A remaining lap shoot-out adopted, with Verstappen in a position to overtake Hamilton with relative ease. Regardless of Mercedes’ post-race protests, the end result stood and Verstappen was topped World Champion for the primary time. Masi was later faraway from his function as race director. Watch the highlights.