Planning for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix “never stopped for one day”, according to Saif Al Noaimi, chief executive of organisers Ethara.
The F1 season finale is now 50 days away, and preparations for the race have clicked up a gear at Yas Marina Circuit. Eleven artists, including Andrea Bocelli, Lewis Capaldi and The Script, have been booked for the after-race concerts, with the final headline act set to be announced next week.
Doubts were raised earlier this year when the Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled because of the Iran war.
However, F1 president Stefano Domenicali has said they intend to finish the season as planned, with “everything confirmed for [us to stay in] Qatar and Abu Dhabi”.
The season finale will take place in the UAE capital from December 3-6, and Al Noaimi spoke to The National at Yas Marina Circuit as the days tick down to the 18th Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Q: Given some of the speculation we have seen about the race, what assurances can you give about the 2026 event?
A: We are delivering the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the same high standard we deliver every year. We are delivering a safe event, just like we do every year. We are planning and preparing ourselves just like we do every year.
And from a readiness point of view, we are 100 per cent ready to deliver the Grand Prix this year. Everything is on schedule, the date has not changed. We're really excited to be hosting the season finale on December 6.
Q: You are used to seeing a rise in demand every year, so how have ticket sales been this year?
We are 50 days away from the Grand Prix, and if you compare where we were last year, 50 days away, we're actually ahead in terms of ticket volume and sales. So, demand is unprecedented. We are fortunate our customers know they're going to come because it's such an important event. Every year, early on, as soon as we go on sale, we see a huge spike in sales. And, you know, the last few weeks we've seen a spike in international sales also. So, interest in inbound tourism is growing, and we're starting to see that in the sales numbers.
Q: Considering what happened with the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix, was there ever a fear that this wasn't going to go ahead?
To be honest, we haven't stopped planning for the 2026 Grand Prix for one day. We've been full speed ahead since the beginning of the year. Since we delivered the Grand Prix last year, we've been completely full speed ahead. Obviously, being the last race of the season, early on in the year, we were in the planning period and the planning phase. September is when we start to see the venue transform and the build start. But this is our schedule every single year. We haven't had to make any changes to the planning and the execution.
Q: Can you give a message to fans thinking about buying a ticket?
Come and see Abu Dhabi, come and visit Abu Dhabi.
We are seeing a huge growth in international visitations over the last few months. As you can see, everything's functioning normally over here.
It's an exciting time to be here. And yeah, we're very, very happy to start welcoming the world back.
Q: Are you a little bit worried that Kimi Antonelli is going to win the title before we get to Abu Dhabi? It was very fun last year …
It was fun last year; we had the three-way fight. I mean, look, we can't have a three-way fight every year. But what I can assure you is these guys are going to fight till the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi, regardless of the championship. It's great to see someone young like Kimi taking that position. But also, like I said earlier, you can't write off the championship yet. You have Max Verstappen winning the last two races out of nowhere. Six different drivers have won races in 2026. So, regardless, it's still going to be an exciting race.
ADGP 2025 – in pictures
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McLaren driver Lando Norris celebrates winning the world championship at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen during the race at Yas Marina Circuit -
McLaren driver Lando Norris finished third in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to win the 2025 drivers' championship at the Yas Marina Circuit -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen celebrates winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
Max Verstappen en route to winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit -
McLaren's Lando Norris during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit. All images Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Start of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit -
Max Verstappen at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has his picture taken with the rest of the team at the Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
A flypast before the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
McLaren driver Lando Norris at the drivers' parade at Yas Marina Circuit -
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc -
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen with the rest of the team in Abu Dhabi -
Mercedes driver George Russell before the drivers' parade -
Aston Matin's Fernando Alonso and Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli -
Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto and Haas driver Oliver Bearman -
The Red Bull team move Max Verstappen's car on race day at Yas Marina Circuit -
McLaren engineers work on the car on Sunday -
Visitors arrive for race day at the Yas Marina Circuit -
A fan looks at the world championship trophy at Yas Marina Circuit -
Fans arrive for the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -
Nico Rosberg and Martin Brundle -
Oscar Piastri ahead of the race -
Social media creator Khaby Lame in the paddock at Yas Marina Circuit -
Terry Crews and Ronaldinho in Abu Dhabi
Q: Can you talk about the enhancements the venue has undergone this year?
So, we are upping the capacity for the event this year. We have unprecedented demand. We are expanding our Paddock Club (hospitality) offering. We already have the biggest Paddock Club, but we're actually increasing it to surpass 12,000 in 2026. There's a completely new Paddock Club offering that we're building on the west side also. And, you know, every year we look at additions and enhancements.
We have a few new exciting products that we have launched already for 2026. And, you know, from a hospitality point of view, we have 16/360 (hospitality) expanding. We launched it last year for the first time, and we're making some additions to that product, which has been very, very popular. And then, in terms of other branded hospitality offerings, we announced our partnership with Nammos at Turn 9. And then we have a few other new branded hospitality experiences that we're launching this year.
Q: Today we heard that Rashid Al Dhaheri will race in F3 next season. How long until we see him here?
It's really exciting having Rashid and Keanu [Al Azhari] now both representing the UAE in the FIA Formula 3 championship. It really shows how strong our grassroots motorsports programme and our academy are. Both of them came through the Yas Heat Academy.
They both raced in Formula Four UAE for Yas Heat. They're both Yas Heat ambassadors. And today they're both participating in the FIA Formula 3 World Championship.
It's a huge, huge achievement for us. Huge achievement for them and for their families, who have dedicated so much over the years.
And look, it's very, very promising, you know, maybe one or hopefully both of them could be in Formula One in as little as two years. So we're excited to see that. Congratulations to them.
