Thursday 3 December
Gates on your ticket
- Fan zones at the Main and West OasisFan event
- After-race concert: free for 3- and 4-day ticket holdersMusic
When to arrive: No F1 track action, but a good day to explore the fan zones before the crowds.
Circuit guides
Abu Dhabi F1 circuit guide
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit
Last updated 29 Oct 2026Photo: Shubham Darlinge/Unsplash
01Quick overview
- Race weekend
- 3 to 6 December 2026
- Circuit
- Yas Marina Circuit
- Where
- Yas Island, about 30 minutes by car from central Abu Dhabi and about an hour from Dubai
- Race
- Sunday 6 December, 5pm
- Time zone
- Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4)
- Lap length
- 5.281 km (3.281 miles)
- Laps
- 58 (306.188 km)
- Direction
- Anticlockwise
Thursday to Sunday: the F1 sessions are Friday to Sunday, and the season finale is on Sunday 6 December.
Is this race for you?
Pick Abu Dhabi for the season finale as a four-day party: after-race concerts on every ticket, free shuttles around Yas Island, alcohol on sale, and a free theme park day and museum entries with three- and four-day tickets. Think twice if you're on a budget: grandstands start at AED 1,895 (about US$520), hotels on Yas Island fill up early, and getting a taxi after the race can take hours.
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: 2026 tickets (official) · Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official) · Formula 1: Abu Dhabi GP 2026
02Circuit map
Interactive map. Use the buttons to show or hide each layer, and tap a numbered square to see what's in each Oasis. Your gate is shown on your ticket in the Abu Dhabi GP app.
Swipe sideways to see the whole map.
Best viewing spots
- ATurn 5 hairpin: A tight hairpin and a favourite overtaking spot, in front of the North Grandstand.
- BTurn 6: Hard braking at the end of the 1.14 km straight, the longest on the lap. The West Grandstand looks over it.
- CTurn 9: The braking zone at the end of the run along the marina, by the South Grandstand.
- DThe main straight: The start, the pit stops, the finish and the podium.
What's in each Oasis
- 1F1 Fan Zone (Main Oasis)F1 Fan Zone · Food · Bar · Merch · Toilets · First aid · Live entertainment · Prayer room
- 2West OasisFood · Bar · Merch · Toilets · First aid · Live entertainment · Prayer room
- 3Abu Dhabi Hill OasisFood · Bar · Merch · Toilets · First aid · Live entertainment · Prayer room
- 4North OasisFood · Bar · Merch · Toilets · First aid · Live entertainment · Prayer room · Walkway to the after-race concerts
- 5South and Marina OasisFood · Bar · Merch · Toilets · First aid · Live entertainment · Prayer room
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: 2025 wayfinding map (gates, Oases, car parks) · Yas Island: where to watch the race · North Straight Grandstand (official) · F1 Tickets: Abu Dhabi general admission · Streets and track outline: © OpenStreetMap contributors
03Day by day
All times are local (UTC+4). Formula 2 and Formula 4 UAE also race over the weekend. Every night ends with an after-race concert at Etihad Live, next to the circuit.
Friday 4 December
Gates on your ticket
- F1 Practice 1F1
- F1 Practice 2F1
When to arrive: Practice 2 runs into the evening, at about the same time of day as the race.
Saturday 5 December
Gates on your ticket
- F1 Practice 3F1
- F1 QualifyingF1
When to arrive: Qualifying is under the floodlights. Head to the concert straight after if you want a good spot.
Sunday 6 December
Gates on your ticket
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (58 laps)F1
When to arrive: The race starts around sunset and finishes under the lights. The shuttles and roads are at their busiest afterwards.
After-race concert gates at Etihad Live open at 6pm. Entry is first come, first served, and big-name nights can fill up and close their gates, so go early or buy a Golden Circle upgrade for guaranteed entry. Walk there from the North Oasis.
Sources:Formula 1: Abu Dhabi GP 2026 · Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official)
04Getting there
There's no metro on Yas Island, so most fans drive, take a taxi or use the free shuttles that loop round the island. Tap an option for the details.
Free shuttles on Yas Island
In 2025 the Circuit Circular shuttle ran every 15 minutes to the South, Marina, West and North Grandstands, from 9am to 1am (10:30am on Sunday), and the Yas Courtesy shuttle linked the East and West Gates. Find your nearest stop under Wayfinding in the Abu Dhabi GP app.
Driving and parking
The usual plan is to park at Yas Mall and take the free shuttle. In 2025 that went wrong: signs said only the first three hours were free, some fans were charged by camera and others weren't. Check the app before you go. Fans who arrived at 9 or 10am found spaces easily; one who came three hours before qualifying gave up. The UAE has zero tolerance for drink-driving.
Taxis and ride apps
Careem, Uber and Yango all work, and Uber even runs driverless taxis on Yas Island. Getting there is easy, getting back isn't: fans have waited up to two hours for a cab after the race. Take a shuttle to Yas Mall or Ferrari World and book your ride from there.
From Dubai
It's about an hour by car. In 2025 fans paid AED 190 to 230 each way with Careem from Dubai Marina, or hired a car and parked at Yas Mall. By bus, the E100 and E101 run from Al Ghubaiba to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, then it's a taxi to Yas.
From the airport
Zayed International Airport (AUH) is about 8 km from the circuit, a short taxi ride.
From Abu Dhabi city
About 30 minutes by taxi. Bus 190 runs from the main bus station near Al Wahda Mall in 40 to 60 minutes, then change to a shuttle.
Crowds grow from Friday to Sunday, so leave earlier each day. And if you're going to the concert after the race, you avoid the worst of the traffic too.
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official) · The F1 Spectator: getting to Yas Marina · What's On: getting to the Abu Dhabi GP (2025) · r/GrandPrixTravel: is parking at Yas Mall free? (2025) · r/GrandPrixTravel: Dubai to the Abu Dhabi GP (2025)
05Where to stay
Yas Island is the closest and the dearest. Saadiyat and the city are a short drive away, and plenty of fans stay in Dubai and drive in each day.
Find a place for race week
We earn a small commission if you book through these maps, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support.
Closest
Yas Island
Hotels next to the circuit, including the W Abu Dhabi that the track runs under, plus Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and Yas Mall.
To the track: The free Circuit Circular shuttle, or walk.
See hotels in Yas Island →
Beach + culture
Saadiyat Island
Beach resorts and the Louvre Abu Dhabi, between Yas and the city.
To the track: About 20 minutes by taxi.
See hotels in Saadiyat Island →
Better value
Abu Dhabi city and the Corniche
Cheaper hotels, the seafront Corniche and the city's restaurants.
To the track: About 30 minutes by taxi, or bus 190.
See hotels in Abu Dhabi city and the Corniche →
Most choice
Dubai
Thousands more hotels and a bigger nightlife scene, if you don't mind the drive.
To the track: About an hour by car each way.
See hotels in Dubai →Sources:The F1 Spectator: getting to Yas Marina · r/GrandPrixTravel: Dubai to the Abu Dhabi GP (2025)
06Food and drink
You can't bring your own food or drink, apart from baby food and food you need for medical reasons (bring a prescription or doctor's letter). Food and drink are on sale in every Oasis area around the circuit.
Alcohol
Alcohol is sold in designated areas across the circuit. You must be over 21 and show valid photo ID.
Water
Bottles and cans aren't allowed in, but refillable water containers are. Bring one and keep drinking: afternoons are warm even in December.
Fan zones
Each grandstand has its own Oasis area with food from around the world, merchandise, DJs and driver Q&As.
Outside the circuit
Yas Bay's waterfront restaurants are a short ride away. For Emirati food, try machboos (spiced rice with meat) and luqaimat, sweet fried dumplings with date syrup.
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official)
07What to bring and rules
Large backpacks, cool boxes and anything that won't fit under your seat aren't allowed. A small bag is fine.
Allowed
- A refillable water container
- Baby food
- Food for medical reasons, with a prescription or doctor's letter
- Cameras with lenses up to 30 cm
- Service animals for guests with disabilities
Not allowed
- Outside food and drink, alcohol, bottles and cans
- Large backpacks, cool boxes and picnic hampers
- Umbrellas (unless bought at the circuit)
- Chairs and stools
- Video cameras and GoPros
- Lenses over 30 cm
- Drones, lasers, fireworks and flares
- Air horns, loudhailers and musical instruments
- Scooters, bicycles, skateboards and hoverboards
- Flags with poles over 1 m
Must bring
- The Abu Dhabi GP app with your tickets loaded, logged in with the email you bought them with
- Photo ID if you want to buy alcohol
- Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen lotion for the afternoons
- A light layer for the evenings
- A refillable water bottle
- One charged power bank: your ticket is on your phone
- Earplugs, for the cars and the concerts
- An eSIM with data, set up before you fly
Amazon shop: sunscreen · water bottle · power bank · earplugs (affiliate links)
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official)
08Tickets
Tickets are sold on the official site abudhabigp.com, through Ticketmaster UAE and through authorised onsellers. Grandstand tickets are four-day passes, Thursday to Sunday. Children aged 2 and under get in free; everyone aged 3 and over needs a ticket. Tickets only work in the Abu Dhabi GP app: screenshots and printouts aren't accepted.
| Ticket | Where it is | From (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| General admission, Abu Dhabi Hill | A grassy hill in the infield, looking towards Turns 2 to 6 | AED 745 (about US$200), one day |
| North Straight Grandstand | Outside the long straight, just after the Turn 5 hairpin | AED 1,895 (about US$520) |
| Marina Grandstand | Beside the marina, between Turns 8 and 9 | AED 2,395 (about US$650) |
| South Grandstand | Braking into Turn 9, with views over the marina | AED 2,495 (about US$680) |
| West Club | The West Grandstand at Turn 6, with club access | AED 3,695 (about US$1,010) |
Official 2026 prices on 29 October, four-day tickets unless stated. The Main, North and West Grandstands weren't on sale on the official site when we checked. Every ticket includes the fan zones and general admission to the after-race concerts on the days it's valid.
Where to sit, and who it suits
Best for start + pit stops
Main Grandstand
On the main straight, opposite the team garages: the start, the pit stops, the finish and the podium celebrations. Not on sale on the official site at the time of writing.
Best for overtakes
North Grandstand
Wrapped around the Turn 5 hairpin, a favourite overtaking spot, and the closest stand to the concert venue. One fan who sat here says you don't see the end-of-race fireworks from this side of the track.
Best for value
North Straight Grandstand
The cheapest grandstand, on the outside of the long straight as cars accelerate out of the hairpin.
Best for overtakes
West Grandstand
At Turn 6, where cars brake hard at the end of the 1.14 km straight: the best place to see a pass. On sale as the West Club.
Best for views
Marina Grandstand
Cars blast past towards Turn 9, with the yachts of Yas Marina behind you.
Best for overtakes
South Grandstand
At Turn 9, the heavy braking zone after the run along the marina, with panoramic views of the harbour.
Best for cheapest
Abu Dhabi Hill (GA)
The only general admission area: a hill in the middle of the circuit with distant views from Turn 2 to Turn 6. You have to stay on the hill, and fans say the view is limited.
Buy official
Avoid scams
- Reselling is banned unless you're an approved onseller, and tickets from unauthorised sources may not get you in. Check the official list of authorised onsellers first.
- All tickets live in the Abu Dhabi GP app. Nobody can sell you a valid PDF, screenshot or printout.
- Even approved agents can let you down: in 2025 one fan who bought hospitality from a third-party agent was given Abu Dhabi Hill tickets a week before the race. Buying direct is safest.
- Refunds are only given if the event is cancelled. If you can't go, transfer your tickets to family or friends in the app.
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: 2026 tickets (official) · Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official) · Abu Dhabi GP: authorised onsellers · North Straight Grandstand (official) · F1 Tickets: Abu Dhabi general admission · Yas Island: where to watch the race · r/GrandPrixTravel: North Grandstand worth it? · r/GrandPrixTravel: a reseller downgrade story (2025)
09Fan tips
Claim the free extras
Three- and four-day tickets include a day at one Yas Island theme park (or teamLab Phenomena) plus entry to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan, the Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum, from 2 to 7 December. Find them in the app.
Don't skip Thursday
Four-day tickets start on Thursday, with the fan zones open and a free after-race concert for three- and four-day ticket holders.
Buy direct
Third-party agents have let fans down here. Buy on the official site or Ticketmaster UAE, and check the onseller list if you buy anywhere else.
Load your tickets early
Tickets take up to 24 hours to appear in the app, and you need a Ticketmaster account set to the UAE region to log in. Sort it out before you fly.
Plan your exit
Taxis are scarce after the race. Stay for the concert, or take a shuttle to Yas Mall or Ferrari World before you book a ride.
Dress respectfully
The UAE is relaxed in hotels and on Yas Island, but cover shoulders and knees in malls and public places, and dress fully covered to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Accessibility
- The Main and North Grandstands have the most suitable wheelchair areas, and one companion gets in free there. Book by calling 800-YAS (927) or +971 2 497 9000, or on WhatsApp at +971 800 927.
- Abu Dhabi Hill, the North Straight, West, Marina and South Grandstands are reached by stairs only.
- All the shuttles from Yas Mall have wheelchair ramps, and there's a mobility service inside the circuit: ask at an AskYAS point. Bring your own wheelchair; the circuit doesn't lend them.
Sources:Abu Dhabi GP: FAQ (official) · r/GrandPrixTravel: a reseller downgrade story (2025) · The F1 Spectator: getting to Yas Marina
10Circuit stats
Race lap record1:25.637Kevin Magnussen, Haas, 2024
Most wins (driver)5Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
Most wins (team)8Red Bull
Longest straight1.14 kmFrom the Turn 5 hairpin to Turn 6
Corners16Anticlockwise, since the 2021 redesign
Capacity60,000Spectators
- A mix of tight corners and long straights, reshaped in 2021 to make overtaking easier.
- Almost flat: the whole lap rises and falls by only about 11 m.
- The race starts in daylight and finishes under floodlights, so the track cools as the race goes on.
Every winner at this circuit
| Year | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2024 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 2023 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
Sources:Wikipedia: Yas Marina Circuit · Wikipedia: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix · Abu Dhabi GP: the circuit (official) · Formula 1: Abu Dhabi GP 2026
11Fun facts
- The title has been decided here five times: 2010, 2014, 2016, 2021 and 2025. Lando Norris won his first title here last year by finishing third.
- The 2021 final, decided on the last lap after a controversial safety car restart, gave Max Verstappen his first world title.
- The track runs under the W Abu Dhabi hotel, and the pit lane exit goes through a tunnel under the track.
- The first race here, in 2009, was F1's first race to start in daylight and finish in the dark.
- The surface is made of stone shipped from a quarry in Shropshire, England, the same material used in Bahrain.
- The 2021 redesign cut the lap from 5.554 km and 21 corners to 5.281 km and 16.
- Kimi Antonelli still holds the Formula 4 lap record here, set in 2022.
Sources:Wikipedia: Yas Marina Circuit · Wikipedia: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Still need somewhere to stay?
Live race-week prices in the two most popular areas.
Yas Island
Saadiyat Island
We check every rule, price and time against official sources. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected].