F1 SEASON FINALE MARKS ANOTHER GLOBAL SPORTING EVENT HOSTED ON YAS ISLAND IN 2020
THIS YEAR’S EVENT WILL BE CLOSED TO SPECTATORS
World-class motorsport action will return to the UAE when Yas Marina Circuit hosts the FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2020 on Sunday 13 December, bringing the curtain down on the 2020 season.
The 12th instalment of the event will take place without spectators due to the continued global situation with Covid-19, and will wrap up a highly anticipated and exciting season, with potentially plenty at stake in terms of both driver and constructor standings.
Yas Island will transform into an ‘F1 biosphere’, creating one of the largest ‘safe zones’ in the region with access restricted to essential F1 staff, drivers and teams. With significant stakeholder collaboration and planning across UAE government entities and in alignment with F1 management, the precautionary health measures in place during the F1 weekend on Yas Island prioritize the wellbeing of the F1 community while maintaining the competitive integrity of the final race of the season.
This year’s race weekend will run until 13 December, with the sport’s biggest stars, including Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas expected to take part. Lewis Hamilton will be aiming for a third consecutive Abu Dhabi triumph, and sixth in total, having surged to victory at the two most recent races, while his Mercedes team have been even more dominant, finishing top of the constructor standings for the past six years in a row.
Saif Al Noaimi, Acting CEO, Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management (ADMM), said to this year’s weekend: “We are grateful for the commitment of F1 management, the teams and our Abu Dhabi partners whose innovative collaboration during these unprecedented times allows us to host a safe and competitive final race of the season. Special thanks also go to our committed sponsors ADNOC and Etihad Airways, who continue to support this important sporting spectacle on Yas Island.”
Chase Carey, CEO of the Formula One Group added: “We are delighted that we will be upholding our traditional end of season race with our valued and special partners at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. While this season has been challenging for everyone, we can think of no better place to bring the 2020 season to an end and look forward to completing our seventeen-race calendar.”
The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2020 is another global sporting event being hosted on Yas Island during the Covid-19 pandemic, using the innovative ‘safe zone’ model. Last month, UFC held its two-week Fight Island on Yas Island, adding to Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a respected and safe destination for elite sporting events.
The ‘safe zone’ on Yas Island is made possible through close collaboration between public and private stakeholders in Abu Dhabi, with organisations across a wide range of sectors from health to travel coming together to deliver a world-class event experience amid a global pandemic and enable fans around the world to savour a spectacular finale to the 2020 F1 season.
The FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX 2020 will conclude a season that began in Austria at the start of July, a race in which Bottas finished first. Further events have followed, with Hamilton showing his class to emerge triumphant in Styria, Hungary, Britain and, most recently, Spain.
ABOUT YAS MARINA CIRCUIT
Yas Marina Circuit is the United Arab Emirates’ most exciting sporting and entertainment multi-purpose venue. Located on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the circuit is home to the annual FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX and much more. In addition to the extensive year-round program of professional and grassroots motorsport events and experiences including Drag and Yas Track Nights, the circuit has emerged as a thriving hub for entertainment and community events in the UAE. As the region’s most technologically advanced facility, the circuit is also a leading MICE venue, regularly hosting a diverse range of corporate meetings, conferences and events. Whether you want to experience the thrill of karting at our Kartzone, driving an Aston Martin GT4 at over 200km/hour on an F1 circuit, work towards your racing license at the Yas Racing School, get fit at TrainYas, participate in one of our many sporting events, or simply catch up with friends at Yas Central, Yas Marina Circuit truly is The Meeting Place of Champions
