Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ready for another record-breaking finale of F1 season

Race organiser Saif Al Noaimi hopes both the driver's and constructor's titles will be decided at the Yas Marina Circuit on December 8

Fly past and aerobatic display during the Abu Dhabi GP last year. Victor Besa / The National

The season-ending Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a few weeks away and preparations are in full swing to provide fans with a memorable finish to the campaign.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen seems set to secure his fourth Formula One title before arriving in the UAE, possibly denying F1 fans a thrilling fight until the end. However, there will still be a lot in play when the carnival arrives in Abu Dhabi for the final race of the championship at the Yas Marina Circuit on December 8.

Overseeing preparations for the race weekend is Saif Al Noaimi, CEO of Ethara – the management company of the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi GP.

The race week activities kick off with the National Day celebrations on December 2 at Yas Marina Circuit that will be open to the public, both visitors and ticket holders alike, and which will include entertainment, cultural activities and fireworks.

Thereafter, the final race of the World Supercross Championship will take place on December 4. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders can upgrade their tickets and get access to watch two season finales just days apart.

Then, it will be all F1 with Yasalam race concerts, on-track and off-track entertainment from Thursday onwards leading up to the final race day on Sunday.

“Last year, a record 170,000 fans attended and the numbers are set to be more than that this year with the tickets for the final race already sold out,” Al Noaimi said, urging fans to purchase their tickets as early as June in future to avoid disappointment .

“The sport is growing, and the demand and interest in the sport is growing, attendance at Grand Prix events around the world is growing and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has seen record numbers year on year.

“Our ticket sales and our demands have been unprecedented. We sold out most of our products as early as June, which is six months before the Grand Prix weekend. So, the demand is unprecedented.”

Sustainability is a key focus for Abu Dhabi and Ethara is aiming to host the most sustainable race so far. Al Noaimi is really proud of how they have gone about achieving their vision .

“Sustainability has been a pillar of ours and part of our plans early on for the last few years,” he said.

“The 2023 race was the biggest event we delivered. We had the highest attendance, yet we were able to reduce our carbon footprint compared to the previous years through our sustainability initiatives - conversion of the track lights to LED, solar panels that we installed last year. Currently, we are covering over 30 per cent of our power from the solar panels.

“This year we have a sustainability partner to help us transition to more sustainable fuels, focus more on renewable energy and also identify energy efficiency opportunities.”

Al Noaimi still hopes that both the driver’s and constructor’s championships will be decided at the final race in Abu Dhabi.

The driver’s title race appears to be heavily in favour of Verstappen after his victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen, on 393 points, has a substantial lead on McLaren’s Lando Norris (331) and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (307).

The constructor’s title could go to the wire with McLaren (593), Ferrari (557) and Red Bull (544) in a close battle that could be decided in Abu Dhabi.

“The championship is very exciting this year and it's very much alive with both the driver’s and constructor’s championship up for grabs still, and hopefully they would be decided in Abu Dhabi,” Al Noaimi added.

“McLaren haven't won a constructor’s title since 1998. Ferrari in second place in the constructors and they haven't won it since 2008. And with Red Bull challenging them in third, it is very much an exciting season.

“They're going to be pushing up to the finish line in Abu Dhabi. This is also the longest season we've had, with 24 races, and it all points to a strong ending in Abu Dhabi.

“This year is a step forward for us. We have the Formula 1 race, we have the Formula 2 support race, and we also have F1 Academy ending the season in Abu Dhabi. So, there’s a lot to look forward to for the race fans.”

The championship turns into the final corner with the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend, followed by Qatar GP on December 1 and Abu Dhabi the following weekend.