The 24-race 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship draws to a close this weekend at the spectacular Yas Marina Circuit. F1Technical’s senior writer Balázs Szabó picks out some vital facts, stats and trivia ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Long history – Today’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the 17th FIA Formula One race at Abu Dhabi, all of which have taken place at the modern Yas Marina Circuit. The race first appeared on the calendar in 2009 and has been ever-present since. The race was the season-closing event except 2011, 2012 and 2013.
A relatively long circuit – The Yas Marina Circuit is a relatively long circuit with a length of 5.281km. Drivers will need to complete a total of 58 laps to cover the race distance of 306.183km. There is a 115m offset between the start and finish lines.
Track changes – There have been several modifications to the Abu Dhabi Circuit for this sesason. The track has been resurfaced between Turn 1 and Turn 4, and a new patch of asphalt has been placed to eliminate a bump at the exit of Turn 6 on the right-hand side.
In addition, kerbs have been ground at the apex of Turn 4 and Turn 6 and the debris Fences have been extended at the exit of Turn 1 (left side) while a new debris fence has been installed at Turn 16 (left side).
Moreover, the Tecpro barrier at the exit of Turn 3 (left side) has been extended, and the guardrail after Turn 5 (left side) has also been extended.
Record – The lap record belongs to Danish driver Kevin Magnussen, who posted a time of 1m 25.637s at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The three softest – Pirelli has nominated the following three compoundsfor the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: C3 as the P Zero White hard, C4 as the P Zero Yellow medium and C5 as the P Zero Red soft.
Pole #8 of the season for Lando Norris 👏
Ride onboard with the McLaren driver as he dazzles under the lights in Abu Dhabi ✨#F1 #AbuDhabiGP @pirellisport pic.twitter.com/N9d8nWYZ7m
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2024
Difficult for overtaking – The Yas Marina Circuit is notoriously difficult for overtaking. There will be two DRS zones to help drivers to execute an overtaking manoeuvre in today’s race. The first zone’s detection point will be 250m before Turn 5, with an activation point 260m after Turn 5. The second detection point is 50m after Turn 7 and the second activation point is located 165m after Turn 7.
The most successful – Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most wins at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. with five wins in total. Max Verstappen is the second most successful driver around the Yas Marina Circuit with four wins to their names, while Sebastian Vettel has clinched three triumphs. The only other winners are Kimi Räikkönen, Valtteri Bottas and Nico Rosberg.
Only three teams – McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull are the only repeat winners at Abu Dhabi. The Anglo-German outfit has won on six occasions, all of which were recorded in the hybrid era.
The energy drink-owned team also won seven times, courtesy of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. McLaren have clinched two victories so far while Lotus is also a winning outfit in Abu Dhabi thanks from a sensational victory from Kimi Räikkönen.
Stewards – Garry Connelly, Mathieu Remmerie, Derek Warwick, and Mohamed Al Hashmi will act as stewards at today’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Spectacular venue – Abu Dhabi has established itself as a tourist destination in its own right over the past years. The Ferrari World is one of the most thrilling locations at the Yas Marina island. The Ferrari theme park offers unique experiences where spectators can feel the same acceleration as a Formula 1 driver does off the grid, thanks to a special rollercoaster ride.
Moreover, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has been opened recently, which is a sister organisation to the celebrated art museum in Paris. The popular resort of Saadiyat Island offers some winter sun, sandy beaches, and water sports at a time when Europe is shivering.