TheAbuDhabiGrandPrixhascarvedoutaspecialplaceforitselfwithitsMiddleEasternflavourprovidingthebackdroptotheF1seasonfinaleeveryyear.TherehavebeentenAbuDhabiGPssinceitfirstappearedonthecalendarin2009.
Formula One has seen plenty of new circuits come and go over the past decade but few have made an impact as significant as Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina track. Ultra-modern in every way, in some ways it sets a standard for all newcomers to aspire to.
Constructed around a new marina on a man-made island, the circuit features air-conditioned garages, a pitlane exit through a tunnel and a track-spanning hotel with a roof that changes colour.
The track itself starts with a couple of high-speed corners before giving way to a second sector featuring two long straights. The last third is a tight and twisty section that demands good traction and braking stability.
Yuki
“The Qatar weekend was a tough one and in the few days since then, the team has been flat out to find why our performance dropped so much after the first few laps on Sunday when I’d managed to get up into the points positions. I think at least part of it was track specific, so I am more optimistic about Abu Dhabi, a circuit where I qualified sixth and finished eighth last year. Our championship situation is more complicated now, but I will be pushing as hard as I can to finish the season in a good way.“
I will be pushing as hard as I can to finish the season in a good way.
Yuki Tsunoda Liam
"It’s the last race of the season, which is weird to say as it feels like it’s only just started. I’m looking forward to racing in Abu Dhabi, it’s a track that I’ve raced in the past in F2. I made my debut in an F1 car back in 2021 in the young driver tests, so I’m excited to be back on the track. It’s a fun one to drive, especially with the new layout and the team has had success here in the past, so I’m optimistic. I’ve had a tough couple of races, so I’m hoping to finish the season on a high.”