The polesitter has won all of the last nine Yas Marina races, while a pit lane starter has finished on the podium at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Here’s everything you need to know about the history of each grid slot at the Yas Marina Circuit!
ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX GRID STATS IN BRIEF
- Last 9 races won from pole
- No wins from further back than fourth
- 3rd has never won but has always scored
- 3rd and 6th have never retired
- 60% of pit lane starters have scored
- 19th has never scored
ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX RESULTS: GRID OVERVIEW
| Grid Slot | Last Win | Last Podium | Last Points | Last Non Finish | Best Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 | 2012 | 1st |
| 2 | 2014 | 2023 | 2023 | 2012 | 1st |
| 3 | - | 2022 | 2023 | - | 2nd |
| 4 | 2012 | 2023 | 2023 | 2021 | 1st |
| 5 | - | 2021 | 2023 | 2022 | 2nd |
| 6 | - | 2018 | 2023 | - | 2nd |
| 7 | - | - | 2023 | 2012 | 6th |
| 8 | - | - | 2022 | 2010 | 4th |
| 9 | - | - | 2023 | 2018 | 4th |
| 10 | - | - | 2020 | 2022 | 5th |
| 11 | - | - | 2023 | 2015 | 5th |
| 12 | - | - | 2021 | 2019 | 5th |
| 13 | - | - | 2023 | 2015 | 9th |
| 14 | - | - | 2022 | 2021 | 8th |
| 15 | - | - | 2015 | 2014 | 4th |
| 16 | - | - | 2012 | 2023 | 10th |
| 17 | - | - | 2013 | 2021 | 9th |
| 18 | - | - | 2015 | 2021 | 9th |
| 19 | - | - | - | 2020 | 13th |
| 20 | - | - | 2019 | 2022 | 4th |
- Polesitter has won all of the last nine races
- Just one win from pole before 2015
- Three DNFs in total
- Last non-score in 2014
The polesitter at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has gone on to win all of the last nine races. That’s quite a turn around from the first six races at Yas Marina Circuit, which the polesitter won only once.
Before 2015, Sebastian Vettel’s win in 2010 was the only victory which came from pole position at the Yas Marina track. Mark Webber’s second place in 2013 is the only time the polesitter here has finished on the podium without winning the race.
Pole is one of few grid slots at Yas Marina which has recorded as many as three non-finishes, with Lewis Hamilton recording two DNFs having started from pole in 2009 and 2012, and Vettel being eliminated on the first lap in 2011.
Aside from the retirements, Nico Rosberg is the only other driver to have failed to score from pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The German finished 14th with car issues in 2014.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM POLE POSITION AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
- Only three finishes outside of the top two
- Four wins in total, none since 2014
- Finished second in seven of the last nine races
Sergio Perez’s third place in 2022 was a rare occasion on which the driver starting second has not finished in the top two at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The only other times the driver starting here has not finished in the top two were in 2012, when Mark Webber was eliminated in a mid-race collision, and in 2018, when Valtteri Bottas finished fifth.
This grid slot is the only one other than pole to have provided multiple wins, with four victories in total, the most recent being for Lewis Hamilton in 2014. The driver starting second has finished second at seven of the last nine Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekends.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 2ND ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
- Holds a 100% finish rate
- Only grid slot to score in every race to date
- Has never previously won
Third is one of two grid slots to have had a 100% finish rate at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and is the only one to have picked up points in every race at the track.
Though the driver starting here has never won the race, third on the grid has given ten podium finishes, the second most of any grid slot, with three runner-up finishes and six third place finishes.
The driver starting here has always scored points, with seventh place finishes for Fernando Alonso in 2010 and Lando Norris in 2021 being the lowest finishing position so far.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 3RD ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 6 |
- Three DNFs in the last seven races
- Furthest back win from here in 2012
- Two podium finishes in the last decade
The driver starting from fourth has retired from three of the last seven Abu Dhabi Grands Prix with mechanical failures. Daniel Ricciardo was out in 2017 with a hydraulics failure, Kimi Raikkonen lost power in 2018 and Sergio Perez suffered an oil pressure issue in 2021.
Raikkonen has also enjoyed good times from this grid slot. Fourth on the grid provided the Finn with the first victory of his comeback stint in 2012, which is also the furthest back win at the circuit so far.
Fourth on the grid has supplied two podium finishes since Raikkonen’s 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win: second place for Felipe Massa in 2014 and third for George Russell in 2023.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 4TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 2 | 5 | 6 | DNF | DNF | 5 | 5 | DNF | 4 | 3 |
- Scored in 12 of the 15 Abu Dhabi races
- Four podium finishes
- Three retirements in total
From the 15 races here, there are only three in which the driver starting fifth has failed to score at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Those occasions were a 14th place finish for Nico Hulkenberg in 2013, a retirement for Daniil Kvyat in 2014 and a late race retirement for Lewis Hamilton in 2022.
There have been four podium finishes from this position: three third places in 2009, 2016 and 2021, plus the runner-up spot for Fernando Alonso in 2011.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 5TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| DNF | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 5 |
- Has a 100% finish rate
- 2015 is the only non-score
- Two podium finishes
Sixth on the grid at Yas Marina has never recorded a retirement and has scored in all but one race at the track.
Valtteri Bottas’ 13th place finish in 2015 is the only time that sixth on the grid has failed to score so far in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The position has provided two podium finishes: the runner-up spot for Fernando Alonso in 2012 and third place in 2018 for Max Verstappen.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 6TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 5 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 |
- Scored every year from 2013 to 2019
- A single DNF to date, in 2012
- Yet to finish in the top five
In 2019, Daniel Ricciardo ended a six year streak of drivers scoring from seventh on the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Before 2019, the last time a driver failed to score here was in 2012, when Nico Rosberg recorded the only retirement so far from seventh on the grid.
No driver starting seventh has gained more than one position. The best finish from here is sixth, recorded in 2011, 2017 and 2022.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 7TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
- Schumacher’s 2010 DNF is the only retierement
- 2023 is the only other nons-score
- Best result of fourth
Michael Schumacher memorably retired from the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His race ended with Vitantonio Liuzzi’s Force India parked on top of his Mercedes. That’s the only time a driver starting from eighth has retired from a race at this circuit.
Schumacher’s retirement in 2010 is also one of only two races at Yas Marina Circuit in which the driver starting eighth has failed to score. The other is the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, in which Nico Hulkenberg started eighth and finished only 15th.
In every other year, the driver starting eighth has scored points. From those points-scoring races, there have been only four occasions that the driver starting here has finished in a worse position than where they lined up on the grid.
Yuki Tsunoda recorded a new best result from this grid slot in 2021, coming home in fourth place.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 8TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 15 |
- Scored points in every season since 2020
- Two retirements; latest in 2018
- Two top four finishes to date
With eighth place in 2020, Pierre Gasly became the first driver to score having started ninth on the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2017. The grid slot has scored in every race since then.
There have been two retirements from this grid slot, for Romain Grosjean in 2012 and Esteban Ocon in 2018. The best finish from this position is fourth place, recorded by Nico Rosberg in 2010 and Sergio Perez in 2023.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 9TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 | DNF | 12 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 4 |
- One top five finish
- No points finishes since 2020
- Three retirements in total
There has been only one top five finish from tenth on the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso finishing fifth in 2013. No points have been scored from tenth on the grid at Yas Marina Circuit since 2020.
Seven races have resulted in non-scores for the driver lining up tenth on the grid, with three of those being retirements in 2012, 2018 and 2022
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 10TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | DNF | 7 | 9 | 12 | DNF | 13 |
- Scored in over half of the races at Yas Marina
- 2016 is the only retirement to date
The driver starting 11th has scored eight times in the 15 Abu Dhabi Grands Prix so far. The best result from this grid slot is fifth, recorded by Robert Kubica back in 2010.
Valtteri Bottas’ retirement in 2016 is the only time that the driver starting here has failed to finish. The grid slot has scored points five times in the last seven seasons.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 11TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 7 | 16 | DNF | 9 | 6 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 9 |
- A single top five finish, in 2021
- Four consecutive retirements from 2016 to 2019
- Scored points only once since 2015
In 2021, Pierre Gasly recorded the best result from 12th on the grid to date with fifth place. It was the first time the grid slot scored since 2014.
Charles Leclerc’s 13th place in the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marked the first time that the driver starting 12th finished the Yas Marina race since 2015.
Jenson Button retired with suspension issues from what was supposed to be his final Grand Prix in 2016, Carlos Sainz and Marcus Ericsson both had early ends to their seasons in 2017 and 2018, and in 2019 Lance Stroll was the only retirement of the race.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 12TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 6 | 12 | DNF | DNF | DNF | DNF | 13 | 5 | 16 | 12 |
- Scored four times in the last six races
- Never finished above ninth
Until 2017, the driver starting 13th had never scored a point at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But in both the 2018 and 2019 Yas Marina races, the driver starting 13th finished in the top ten. Kevin Magnussen finished tenth in 2018, while Daniil Kvyat finished ninth in 2019.
Daniel Ricciardo gave this grid slot its third points-scoring race in 2022, finishing in ninth place, while Lance Stroll became the fourth driver to score having started 13th with a tenth place finish at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
There have been two retirements from 13th on the grid at Yas Marina Circuit, in 2012 and 2015.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 13TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 16 | DNF | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 10 |
- Finished eighth three times
- Only two retirements
There have been only two retirements from 14th on the grid at the Yas Marina Circuit. Jaime Alguersuari retired having started here in the very first race at the circuit, while Anotnio Giovinazzi retired in 2021.
There have been three points-scoring races for the 14th grid slot in Abu Dhabi. All three points-scoring races were eighth place finishes, for Bruno Senna in 2012, Sergio Perez in 2018 and Lance Stroll in 2022.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 14TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 15 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 14 | 16 | DNF | 8 | 14 |
- No points scored since 2015
- Best result of fourth; one of two top six finishes
15th on the grid has not provided a points finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2015. In 2015, Sebastian Vettel recorded the best finish from this grid slot with fourth.
Kamui Kobayashi’s sixth place in 2012 is the only other time that the driver starting here has scored, while Pastor Maldonado’s retirement in 2014 is the only occasion that the driver starting here has failed to finish.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 15TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| DNF | 4 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 11 |
- Two points scored in Yas Marina history
- Recorded fourth DNF in 2023
16th on the grid has scored just two points in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s 15-year history.
The driver starting here finished tenth in both 2011 and 2012, those being the only points-scoring races for this grid slot.
There have been four retirements from here: in 2010, 2014, 2021 and 2023.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 16TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| DNF | 17 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 15 | DNF | 12 | 18 |
- Last scored a point in 2013
- 2012 is the only other points-scoring race
Ten seasons have passed since the driver starting 17th last scored at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. During that time, there have been three retirements from this grid slot, in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
The driver starting here has scored points twice, with ninth place for Jaime Alguerasuari in 2010 and tenth for Adrian Sutil in 2013.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 17TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 17 | 14 | DNF | 16 | DNF | 13 | 19 | DNF | 17 | 20 |
- 2015 is the only points-scoring year
- Only two retirements
18th on the grid has supplied a points finish only once at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Romain Grosjean’s ninth place in 2015 are the only two points scored from this position.
There has been little to write home about from 18th on the grid, with every other race bar one ending with a finish below 11th place.
The only two retirements from this position were for Kevin Magnussen in 2016 and Kimi Raikkonen, on his final F1 outing, in 2021.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 18TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| 13 | 9 | DNF | 14 | 14 | 17 | 17 | DNF | 15 | 19 |
- No points scored from 19th
- Never finished higher than 13th
The driver starting from 19th at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has never scored a point. Alex Albon recorded the grid slot’s best result to date with 13th place in 2022.
This position has recorded only two retirements – the latest being for Sergio Perez in 2020.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 19TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| – | 18 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 19 | DNF | 14 | 13 | 17 |
- Fourth place in 2020 is the only points-scoring race
- Low DNF rate
In 2019, Valtteri Bottas became the first driver to score points having started from 20th on the grid at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He moved up through the order in the race to finish fourth, blitzing the grid slot’s previous best result of 13th.
20th has a low DNF rate, with Daniel Ricciardo’s retirement in his final race with HRT in 2011 and Nicholas Latifi’s retirement in his final race with Williams in 2022 being the only non-finishes from the slot so far.
LAST 10 RESULTS FROM 20TH ON THE GRID AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| – | – | 13 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 18 | – | 19 | 16 |
There have been five pit lane starts at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and three of those have scored points. The pit lane provided the furthest back podium finish in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Sebastian Vettel finishing third after being excluded from qualifying in 2012.
Meanwhile, both Red Bull drivers started from the pit lane in 2014 following an exclusion for illegal front wings. Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth in the race, while Vettel finished eighth.
No one has retired having started from the pit lane at the Yas Marina Circuit.