Circuit info
Yas Marina Circuit
Interesting facts
Yas Marina is the only venue on the calendar where the sun genuinely sets during the race itself: the start happens in daylight, the finish under full floodlights, a format that debuted as the season finale in 2009. The marina alongside the pit straight and the bridge running over it, tucked beneath the W hotel, make it one of the most visually striking venues in Formula 1. It cost $1.3 billion to build, designed by Hermann Tilke, with construction running from 2007 to 2009. The track surface is made of graywacke rock imported from a quarry in Shropshire, England, prized for its grip but known for chewing through tyres faster. Ahead of the 2021 season, several slow corners were reshaped or removed specifically to open up overtaking. At the 2021 finale, Verstappen and Hamilton arrived tied on points, only the second time that has happened in F1 history; a controversial late safety-car restart let Verstappen pass Hamilton on the final lap for the title, triggering a full overhaul of the FIA's race-direction rules and the removal of race director Michael Masi. The circuit is located in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Formula 1 has raced here since 2009, with 17 races held so far, most recently in 2025. The first race here was won by Sebastian Vettel, in 2009. The most recent winner here was Max Verstappen, in 2025. Lewis Hamilton has won here more than anyone else, 5 times. Among constructors, Red Bull has been the most successful here, with 8 wins. The lap record here is held by Kevin Magnussen, at 1:25.637 (Haas F1 Team, 2024).