Why the Yas Marina Circuit makes for a great F1 season finale

Every season since 2014 – and from 2009-10 – the chequered flag waving at the Yas Marina Circuit has signalled the end of another epic season of F1 racing. As the sun dips below the horizon, floodlights bring one of the most spectacular tracks on the calendar to life, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix gives us one last celebration of Formula 1 before the winter break.

Abu Dhabi will serve as the F1 season finale for the 14th time in 2025 – and with a contract extension signed in 2021, its position as the last race on the calendar until 2030 is secure.

This week marks the midway point of that deal, as we approach this season’s three-way fight for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship. It’s a perfect time to explore the Abu Dhabi venue, some of its iconic races, and everything that makes it the perfect season finale.

Legendary showdowns under the floodlights

Yas Marina has delivered some of F1's most unforgettable moments. The 2010 race was the only time in history that four drivers entered the final race with a chance to become champion.

Sebastian Vettel was 15 points behind Fernando Alonso heading into the 19th round of the season, with Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton also in contention.

The German took pole and the race win, while Ferrari’s Alonso got stuck behind the Renault of Vitaly Petrov. As Vettel crossed the line to secure his first title, his race engineer produced the iconic line, “Du bist Weltmeister,” cueing wild celebrations on the podium and into the night.

The 2014 finale saw Hamilton secure his second championship, as he bagged a whopping 50 points from his final race win, as there were double points on offer.

In 2016, the two childhood friends and team mates Hamilton and Nico Rosberg faced off for the championship. Needing to overturn a 12-point deficit, the Brit threw everything at Rosberg, backing him up into the chasing Ferrari of Vettel and Red Bull of Max Verstappen. But Rosberg held on, winning his one and only title, before retiring a week later on the highest of highs.

And then there was 2021. Verstappen and Hamilton had given us one of the great F1 seasons, culminating in an Abu Dhabi showdown with both drivers tied on 369.5 points.

The Mercedes driver had taken the lead from the Dutchman early on, and looked in control until a late Safety Car with five laps to go.

Red Bull gambled with a pit stop, and following a controversial Safety Car procedure, Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap of the season to win the first of his World Championships.

Most recently, in the 2024 race, Lando Norris delivered a commanding victory that secured McLaren's first Constructors' Championship in 26 years. Can the boys in papaya make history two years in a row by claiming the Drivers' title trophy this weekend?

World-class facilities on a purpose-built island

Designed by legendary track designer Hermann Tilke, the circuit is located on Yas Island, an artificial 25 km² piece of reclaimed land on the east coast of Abu Dhabi.

Starting in 2006, the island was developed from a blank canvas, with the Yas Marina Circuit completed by October 2009 at a reported cost exceeding $1.32 billion. The original layout was adjusted for the 2021 race to improve track flow and provide more overtaking opportunities.

All this investment has produced a track with impressive facilities, highlighted by F1 choosing Yas Marina to host the post-season test, where new Pirelli tyres are trialled by a variety of drivers.

But Yas Island offers far more than just the circuit. Walking around the island, you’ll discover seven hotels, the Ferrari World indoor theme park, a mall, a water park, a golf course, a beach, a concert arena and a nightclub.

The iconic W Abu Dhabi hotel, with its distinctive whale-shaped architecture, even straddles the track. The island certainly isn’t a bad place to celebrate a title.

The ultimate end-of-season celebration

Abu Dhabi has become synonymous with celebration, both on and off the track. Whether it’s a championship victory, a surprise podium, or a driver farewell, there’s plenty to celebrate at Yas Marina. And drivers have a favourite way to enjoy their last outing in the car for the year – the donut. Spinning cars producing a smokescreen in front of the grandstands is always a crowd favourite, no matter the occasion.

The 2024 race had plenty of tear-jerking fond farewells. Hamilton competed in his final race as a Mercedes driver before his 2025 move to Ferrari, and he shared a special moment on the grid with his car after the race. Carlos Sainz ran his last race for Ferrari before joining Williams, while Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu completed their final racing laps in an F1 car, for now.

Yas Marina has also seen the retirements of many other drivers over the years. Vettel called time on his career in 2022, with the whole weekend featuring tributes to the four-time Champion, including “Danke Seb” shirts all over the paddock.

The 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen retired at the 2021 race, Felipe Massa finished his career in 2017 with 11 race victories and 41 podiums, and 2009 saw the final race in Giancarlo Fisichella’s 14-year career. These emotional moments add layers of meaning beyond championship battles, making the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix feel that much more special.

The original day-to-night race

The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was F1’s first day-night race, differentiating Yas Marina from the six total night races on the calendar. Drivers must adapt their vision as the race progresses, aided by around 4,700 light fixtures illuminating the circuit. There's something almost poetic about watching the sun set on both the race and the entire F1 season simultaneously.

The visual spectacle doesn't stop there. The Main Grandstand offers prime views of Abu Dhabi's famed pyrotechnics, with firework displays lighting up the desert sky to celebrate the season's conclusion, and this year, the newly crowned World Champion.

Entertainment and fashion take over

Recently, the season finale atmosphere has brought out the best fashion and entertainment. Abu Dhabi has elevated the race weekend into a festival – welcoming over 125,000 spectators.

This weekend, Katy Perry, Benson Boone, Post Malone and Metallica will all take to the stage for post-race concerts. Plus, after-parties featuring DJ sets from Idris Elba and Calvin Harris will transform the event into a week-long celebration that attracts music lovers alongside motorsport fans.

There’s a long tradition of iconic post-race concerts, including the likes of Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, Eminem, Beyonce, Maroon 5, Guns N’ Roses, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams and many more. Plus, who could forget the final scenes of F1 The Movie being filmed on the Abu Dhabi podium? With A-list actors and world-class drivers on the podium together, it was an iconic image that captured the uniqueness of Yas Marina.

Attendees also go all out for the final race weekend – as it’s the last chance to make a statement before the off-season.

Abu Dhabi is host to some spectacular fashion moments, including stunning guest looks, but none more so than Hamilton’s fits from 2024. His fashion choices reflected the transition from his Mercedes era to his Ferrari beginning.

He entered the paddock on Thursday in an all-white Willy Chavarria look, slowly transitioning to an all-red Ferrari-inspired outfit by the end of the weekend – a fitting way to say goodbye to his former team and welcome in the new Ferrari era.