Formula 1 visits Yas Marina Circuit for the final round of the 2025 season. Here’s everything you need to know about attending the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place on December 5-7
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In 2021, Formula 1 headed to Yas Marina Circuit for an eagerly anticipated final race championship showdown between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Since then, Verstappen has claimed three title victories, with him and his Red Bull team wrapping up both the 2022 and 2023 championships well in advance of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Things are a little different in 2024, however, as McLaren and Ferrari are out-performing Red Bull as the season nears its closing stages. Verstappen’s hopes of a fourth consecutive title seem somewhat at risk – and Yas Marina racegoers will be hoping that the championship fight remains open until the final race of the season for the first time since the dramatic 2021 title decider.
Weekend attendances have been on the rise in recent years at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 153,000 attended over the race weekend in 2021, with that figure growing to 160,000 in 2022. Last year, the addition of two new grandstands and new viewing platforms saw the figure rise to a reported 170,000. The figure is still some way off peak attendances in 2016 and 2017, when the Abu Dhabi race attracted close to 200,000 spectators over the three-day event.
Heading to Yas Marina for the first time? All the essential travel information you need is in Travel Basics.
2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Tickets Not Yet On Sale, Packages Available
Tickets for recent editions of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix have sold out ahead of race weekend, and 2024 continued that trend. Most tickets grandstands were sold out around two months before the race. The promoter did launch a very short early bird promotion on race weekend for 2025, but these tickets are now sold. The general on-sale date for 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tickets should be in January.
Ticket Packages from F1 Experiences are now available for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Prices start from $1,259 USD with 3-day grandstand seats and access to special trackside activities such as a pit lane walk and guided track tour. A range of hospitality packages are also available, including the F1 Experiences Lounge at Yas Premium Suites, Turn 1 Suite, Champions Club and the exclusive Formula 1 Paddock Club.
Click the buttons below to learn more and secure your 2025 access
Getting to Abu Dhabi & Finding a Place to Stay
Abu Dhabi International Airport is just 10km from Yas Marina Circuit and is served by flights from Etihad, as well as British Airways, Turkish Airlines and several low-cost carriers (notably Wizz Air). Alternatively, you may consider flying into Dubai International Airport, which is also easily accessible and has a better selection of flights, notably with Emirates. Taxis and ride sharing are the most popular ways of getting around over the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. We have all the details you need to know about transport for the race in this post: How to Get to Yas Marina Circuit
The best place to stay for race weekend is on Yas Island itself, though it can be difficult to get rooms at the best hotels and prices are high. The iconic W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island is an incredible hotel that forms part of the track itself. Selected packages from F1 Experiences offers rooms at the W Abu Dhabi during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race weekend. A short walk from the paddock area of the circuit, you’ll also find a cluster of hotels favored by the teams on race weekend. Prices are high and rooms can be hard to get on race weekend, but these hotels (Centro, Rotana, Staybridge Suite, Crowne Plaza, Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson) are probably the most convenient place to stay.
Away from Yas Island, there’s plenty of high-standard hotels in downtown Abu Dhabi, and also closer to the track. Local hotels are always cheaper than international brand hotels. Learn More: Where to Stay for the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Night Racing in Abu Dhabi
Formula 1 first visited Abu Dhabi in 2009. The unique race, which starts just before sunset and ends under floodlights, has established itself as the now traditional last race of the season. Six drivers have previously won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including current drivers Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas.
It will be a weekend of farewells for some drivers. Perhaps most notably, the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will mark the end of Formula 1’s most successful partnership, as Lewis Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes after 12 seasons at the team. His move to Ferrari next year means that this will also be Carlos Sainz’s last outing with the Scuderia, ahead of his move to Williams in 2025. Meanwhile, this is likely to be the last appearance for Kevin Magnussen, Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas. Franco Colapinto, who replaced Logan Sargeant at Williams mid-season, also doesn’t have a drive for 2025 but is likely to find his way back to the F1 grid in the near future.
How Much Does it Cost to Attend the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Before the covid pandemic, Abu Dhabi was the most expensive race to attend on the F1 calendar. In 2024, it was the eighth most expensive race to attend across the season. We estimate that the average fan spent around $1,800 USD on a trip to the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including 3-day grandstand seats, a 3-night hotel stay and daily spending money. Please note that tickets are not yet on sale for 2025. For a detailed breakdown on what you can expect to spend in Abu Dhabi, read this post: How Much Does it Cost to Attend the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
On-Track Action, Pit Lane Walk & Trackside Experience at Yas Marina
In addition to about 6 hours of Formula 1 action on the track, there is always plenty of additional racing during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. In 2024, support categories were Formula 2, F1 Academy and FIA Formula 4 UAE. Formula 2 is already confirmed for 2025. It’s also been announced that F1 Academy will not race at Yas Marina in 2025.
Since 2019, Yas Marina Circuit has been using a cashless trackside payment option called ‘Yas Pay’. Note that you are not allowed to bring food and drink into the circuit. Some of the Marina area is accessible to the public, where you’ll find bars and restaurants. Be sure to download the YasHub app for lots of useful information such as the schedule, maps, concert information and more.
Usually, a public pit-lane walk takes place on Thursday, as well as a team and driver Q&A in the F1 Fanzone behind the Main Grandstand. Details are not yet confirmed for 2024. You can find all the vital information about watching the race, including session times, in Trackside.
2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Concerts
As always at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the end of the season is celebrated in style with four headline concerts across the weekend, from Thursday to Sunday nights.
The concerts take place at Etihad Park, a mainly outdoor concert venue situated between the North Grandstand and Ferrari World (which is not to be confused with Etihad Arena, a different enclosed concert venue south of the circuit). You will need to pick up a wristband at an AskYAS information point inside the circuit on the day in order to enter the concert area. More information about attending the concerts can be found in Trackside.
In 2024, the Yasalam concert series features performances by Peggy Gou, Teddy Swims, Muse, Eminem and Maroon 5. Golden circle upgrades for the concerts will be available at a later date. These upgraded tickets give you priority access to the concerts, as well as the best seats in the house. Please note that many fans were left disappointed on Saturday at this year’s race when wristbands for the Eminem concert ran out during the afternoon. The digital tickets do not guarantee entry to Etihad Park, and it’s vital to get your wristband as early as possible if you want to attend that day’s concert, especially when it’s a popular performer like Eminem.
Concert headliners have not yet been confirmed for 2025.
Exploring the Emirates
The Emirates is a great place to spend a few days enjoying your time away from the track. Must-see sights in Abu Dhabi include the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (pictured above) and the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum (free entry from December 4-9 for holders of 3 or 4-day race tickets). Taking part in a desert safari will also allow you to learn more about the region’s local culture. Should you decide to extend your trip by a few days, Dubai is only 1-2 hours by road from Abu Dhabi. From experiencing the area’s luxurious lifestyle, to browsing the massive shopping malls and even camel racing, we’ve rounded up the best places to visit on your Abu Dhabi Grand Prix trip in this post: What to See & Do in the UAE – 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
