The sun will set on another Formula 1 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place on December 7.
1149th F1 GRAND PRIX | 17th ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX | 17th GRAND PRIX AT YAS MARINA CIRCUIT
2024 POLESITTER: LANDO NORRIS | 2024 WINNER: LANDO NORRIS
2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday December 5
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 9:30am UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 5:00pm Local Time / 1:00pm UK Time
Saturday December 6
Free Practice 3 – 2:30pm Local Time / 10:30am UK Time
Qualifying- 6:00pm Local Time / 2:00pm UK Time
Sunday December 7
The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 5:00pm Local Time / 1:00pm UK Time
2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most Abu Dhabi Grand Prix victories, with five. Hamilton could extend that record at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, or his tally of wins at Yas Marina Circuit could be equalled by Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris could become the fourth driver to win multiple races at Yas Marina Circuit.
With seven wins, Red Bull are the team with the most victories at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Mercedes could equal that record this weekend.
Mercedes have 14 podium finishes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which is the record for most top three finishes for a team at the event. Their tally could be equalled or overtaken this weekend by Red Bull – with 13 podiums to date – or equalled by Ferrari, who’ve recorded 12 top three results so far at Yas Marina Circuit.
Nobody has more pole positions at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix than Lewis Hamilton, with five. His record tally could be equalled this weekend by Max Verstappen, if he takes pole for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Changes to the circuit since last year’s race will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Last year. There are usually two activation zones, located on the circuit’s two longest straights.
YAS MARINA TRACK GUIDE
The now traditional venue for Formula 1’s season finale, the sleek and futuristic Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi holds a Grand Prix which starts at dusk and ends under floodlights.
The Yas Island is a man-made island located to the east of Abu Dhabi’s main island. Work on the Yas Island began in 2006 at a cost of $40 billion. The Yas Island is a leisure complex, which houses a golf course, shopping centres, hotels, a Ferrari-themed theme park and, of course, the Yas Marina Circuit.
After a circuit had been built in Dubai and had unsuccessfully bid to host a Formula One race, Abu Dhabi – the lead emirate in the United Arab Emirates – put plans together for their own circuit. The deal was formally announced in early 2007 at a special ‘Formula One Festival’ held in Abu Dhabi.
Building of the circuit began in May 2007. As was the case when the Bahrain International Circuit was built, the track surface was shipped from Shropshire, England, as the aggregate offers the best grip available to F1 cars. In June 2008, Abu Dhabi’s place as the season-closing event was confirmed when the FIA revealed the calendar for the 2009 F1 season. The oil-rich country wanted a Grand Prix event to boost its identity, and hosting the season closing event has certainly helped that.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Rui Marques will be the race director at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2025 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have not yet announced which tyre compounds will be used at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The C3, C4 and C5 compounds were used in 2024.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Lando Norris led every lap of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with a driver that secured McLaren’s first Constructors’ Championship win since 1998.
The first practice session at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw the usual host of young drivers getting a chance to make F1 appearances. Most notably, Arthur Leclerc made history when he stepped in Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari for the opening practice session. It made him and Charles Leclerc the first brothers to compete at the same team in an official F1 session.
Jack Doohan made his Grand Prix debut at Yas Marina Circuit, replacing Esteban Ocon at Alpine for the final race of the year. He set the slowest time in qualifying. On his final appearance with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1, while future team-mate Leclerc was eliminated in Q2.
McLaren locked-out the front row of the grid as they hunted for their first Constructors’ Championship title since 1998. The team’s chances were harmed slightly at the first turn when Max Verstappen made contact with Oscar Piastri, spinning both drivers to the back of the field. Later in the opening lap, Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez spun following contact with Valtteri Bottas on what would turn out to be his final Red Bull outing.
Piastri made contact with the rear of Franco Colapinto’s Williams, seeing him pick up a penalty. Verstappen also received a penalty for his first lap incident with the McLaren driver. Leclerc, who had started 19th after a ten-place grid penalty, made progress through the field and ran fifth just 12 laps into the race. Liam Lawson also picked up a penalty at his pit stop, after his car was released in an unsafe condition when not all of the wheels were fitted correctly.
In their final F1 appearances, Bottas and Kevin Magnussen made contact after a lock-up for the Sauber driver. The Haas driver picked up damage, while the Sauber suffered a puncture. Leclerc and Hamilton made progress throughout the race, with Hamilton overtaking George Russell on the final lap to finish fourth.
Lando Norris led every lap of the race having started from pole position, which was enough to secure the first Constructors’ Championship for McLaren in 26 years. Ferrari put up a valiant fight, with Carlos Sainz finishing runner-up on his final outing with the Scuderia and Leclerc gaining 16 positions to complete the podium. The customary end of season donuts followed on the pit straight as the chequered flag fell on another year of Formula 1.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Yas Marina Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.