The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 will again close the season at Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, with the main race set for Sunday 7 December 2025 in the late afternoon twilight. Across Friday 5 December, Saturday 6 December and Sunday 7 December, the circuit will host Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 4 UAE and historic support races, together with fan zones, Yasalam concerts and closing fireworks. Saturday 6 December is the key build-up day, with practice, qualifying and late-night entertainment creating a race-day atmosphere even before lights go out on Sunday. The main Grand Prix itself is planned for early evening on Sunday, but the experience for many fans effectively stretches from Friday morning to late Sunday night.
History and character of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Since 2009, Yas Marina Circuit has hosted the season-ending Grand Prix on a 5.281-kilometre layout that combines long straights, tight hairpins and sweeping fast corners beside the marina. Designed with fully covered grandstands and dramatic lighting, the track produces a distinctive day-to-night transition as the sun sets over Yas Island. Over time, Abu Dhabi has become known not just for the championship decider, but also for its festival-style programme of concerts and fan experiences around the circuit. In recent years the track has been reprofiled to improve overtaking, which has added more on-track drama for fans watching from the Main, West, North, South and Marina grandstands. Because of this mix of modern facilities and twilight racing, many visitors now see Abu Dhabi as the most polished season finale on the calendar (children/family-friendly, couples, solo).
What to expect on Saturday 6 December 2025 at the circuit
On Saturday 6 December 2025, the focus shifts to performance, with teams fine-tuning their cars in the third free practice session and then fighting for grid positions in qualifying. According to the current timetable, you can expect Formula 1 third practice around mid-afternoon, followed by a Formula 2 sprint race and then F1 qualifying from approximately 18:00 to 19:00 local time. Meanwhile, support categories such as Masters Historic and Formula 4 UAE add additional sessions through the day, which keeps the track active almost continuously. Away from the grandstands, Oasis areas and fan zones open from late morning, offering simulators, merchandise, live music and Q&A sessions with drivers. Qualifying on Saturday evening is often the most intense on-track session of the weekend, so arriving early and staying through sunset is strongly recommended (children/family-friendly, couples, solo).
Main race schedule on Sunday 7 December 2025
Race day on Sunday 7 December 2025 starts well before the lights go out, with support races and build-up activities filling the timetable. Typically, Formula 2 runs its feature race early afternoon, followed by pit lane walks for some hospitality guests, the drivers’ parade around 15:00 and the national anthem ceremony shortly before the start. Most current guides indicate a race start at approximately 17:00 local time, with the 58-lap Grand Prix running for around one hour and forty minutes to two hours depending on safety cars. Because the race begins in daylight and finishes under full floodlights, spectators see both the visual spectacle of sunset and the drama of night racing. The key detail for planning is that the main Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025 race itself is scheduled for Sunday 7 December in early evening, so Saturday 6 December serves as the intense build-up rather than the actual race.
Fan zones, Oasis areas and circuit entertainment options
Around the circuit, multiple Oasis areas sit behind the main grandstands, providing food, drink, shaded seating and stages for DJs and roaming performers. The largest zone sits behind the Main Grandstand, while additional Oasis areas support the West, North, South and Marina grandstands and the Abu Dhabi Hill general admission area. In the central F1 Fan Zone you will usually find team show cars, simulators, changing sponsor activations and live broadcasts from the paddock. In addition, driver interviews and fan forums commonly happen on stage on Friday and Saturday late morning, which rewards early arrivals. Most Fan Zone activities are designed to be family-friendly, although some evening performances will feel more suitable for adults and older teenagers (children/family-friendly, couples, solo).
Yasalam After-Race Concerts, parties and fireworks
Each evening from Thursday to Sunday, the Yasalam After-Race Concerts at Etihad Park bring global artists to the stage exclusively for F1 ticket-holders. For 2025, the announced headline line-up currently features Benson Boone on Thursday 4 December, Post Malone with Elyanna on Friday 5 December, Metallica on Saturday 6 December and Katy Perry on Sunday 7 December, with access included in eligible two-day and three-day Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tickets. Typically, gates open around 18:00, support acts warm up the crowd from about 20:30 and the headliner plays for 90 to 120 minutes, often accompanied by pyrotechnics and synchronised lighting. After the race on Sunday evening, closing fireworks over Yas Marina and the circuit usually cap the season in front of packed grandstands. For adults, additional after-parties at venues on Yas Island offer late-night DJ sets and club-style entertainment, often with 21+ age limits and separate ticketing. Entrance to the Yasalam After-Race Concerts is usually free for F1 ticket-holders once they activate their concert access, so checking your ticket category and registration requirements in advance is essential (couples, groups of friends, solo; some areas 21+).
Ticket categories and approximate prices in AED
Ticket options generally range from grass general admission to premium hospitality suites, with prices varying depending on view and inclusions. Abu Dhabi Hill general admission tickets for multi-day access typically start from approximately 600 to 1,000 AED, while reserved grandstand seats often begin around 3,900 AED for the weekend and rise for better views and hospitality extras. In addition, some hospitality lounges and VIP boxes can run into several thousand AED per person per day, especially packages that include gourmet dining, open-air terraces and exclusive paddock experiences. Separate after-party tickets, when offered, can start from approximately 295 AED for standing access, with table reservations significantly higher. All of these prices are approximate and may change closer to race weekend, so you should always treat any figures as guidance rather than fixed door prices (children/family-friendly areas, couples, solo).
Getting to Yas Marina from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah
Reaching Yas Marina Circuit is straightforward, but race weekend traffic can be heavy if you do not plan ahead. From central Abu Dhabi, the drive to Yas Island usually takes around 25 to 30 minutes in normal conditions, while Abu Dhabi International Airport sits about 10 to 15 minutes away by taxi or ride-hailing. From Dubai, you should expect around 60 to 90 minutes by car depending on traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road, and from Sharjah the journey can easily stretch to 90 minutes or longer, particularly if you travel at peak times. Many visitors from Dubai or Sharjah drive down late morning on Saturday 6 December and Sunday 7 December, park at Yas Mall and then return after the concerts, although some prefer to stay overnight on Yas Island to avoid late-night driving. Plan generous buffer time for your arrival and return, because congestion around Yas Island’s bridges and exits can build quickly after qualifying on Saturday and especially after the race and fireworks on Sunday (children/family-friendly, couples, solo).
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