The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become one of the defining events of the modern Formula 1 era. First held on 1 November 2009 at the Yas Marina Circuit, the race brought a new level of spectacle to the calendar with its day-to-night format and waterfront setting on Yas Island.
Designed by Hermann Tilke, the circuit winds around the marina and passes beneath the striking W Abu Dhabi hotel. From the outset, it has been positioned as a season finale and has often delivered title drama, breakthrough wins, and moments that shaped both championships. With a long-term contract keeping it on the calendar until at least 2030, Abu Dhabi remains a cornerstone of Formula 1’s global expansion.
What To Know?
- Most wins at Yas Marina: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen share the record for the most Abu Dhabi victories in the event’s history, showcasing two eras of dominance at the season finale.
- First ever day to night race in F1: The 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit was Formula 1’s first twilight event, starting in daylight and finishing under floodlights.
- Frequent title decider: The championship has been decided in Abu Dhabi on multiple occasions, most notably in 2010, 2014, 2016 and the dramatic 2021 finale, with the most recent in 2025.
- Red Bull and Mercedes stronghold: Since 2010, every Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been won by either Red Bull or Mercedes-powered machinery, highlighting the dominance of those two teams in the modern era.
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List of Every Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winner
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners: 2009 to 2013
Making its debut in 2009, the inaugural winner was Sebastian Vettel, who delivered a controlled performance for Red Bull to seal victory at Formula 1’s first twilight race. One year later, Vettel returned to write an even more important chapter. In 2010, he arrived as an outside contender in a four way title fight and left as World Champion. Victory from pole position secured both the race and his first drivers’ crown in one of the most dramatic season finales in modern F1 history.
In 2011, Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Abu Dhabi win with McLaren, interrupting Red Bull’s dominance with a measured drive from the front.
The 2012 race went to Kimi Räikkönen for Lotus F1. Calm under pressure despite safety car interruptions, Räikkönen sealed his comeback victory and produced one of the event’s most memorable radio exchanges along the way.
Vettel completed his Abu Dhabi hat trick in 2013, winning comfortably during a season that underlined Red Bull’s supremacy in the V8 era.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners: 2014 to 2016
The arrival of the hybrid era in 2014 shifted the competitive balance decisively towards Mercedes, and Abu Dhabi often became the stage for intra-team title battles.
Hamilton won the 2014 race in a straight fight with team mate Nico Rosberg, securing his second World Championship in a winner-takes-all finale.
Rosberg responded strongly in 2015. Starting from pole position, he controlled the race and capped a late-season resurgence with victory under the lights.
The 2016 finale was another title decider between the two Mercedes drivers. Hamilton won the race after deliberately backing Rosberg into the chasing pack in a bid to swing the championship. Rosberg finished second, which was enough to clinch the title despite Hamilton’s tactical effort.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners: 2017 to 2019
Mercedes remained the benchmark as the decade drew to a close.
In 2017, Valtteri Bottas secured victory from pole position, holding off Hamilton to end his first season with the team on a high. Hamilton returned to the top step in 2018 with a commanding performance, adding another Abu Dhabi triumph to his growing tally.
He repeated the feat in 2019, once again controlling proceedings from the front and strengthening Mercedes’ dominance of the hybrid era.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners: 2020 to 2023
A new chapter began in 2020 when Max Verstappen took a decisive victory for Red Bull. Starting from pole, he managed the race expertly to secure his first Abu Dhabi win.
The 2021 race became one of the most controversial and dramatic finales in Formula 1 history. Verstappen and Hamilton arrived level on points. A late safety car intervention transformed the outcome, and Verstappen seized the opportunity to overtake on the final lap, claiming both the race and his maiden World Championship in extraordinary circumstances.
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In 2022 and 2023, Verstappen returned as a dominant champion. He won both races with authority as Red Bull set new performance standards in the ground-effect era, turning Abu Dhabi into a showcase of their technical and strategic strength.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Winners: 2024 to Today
The next generation then added their names to the Yas Marina roll of honour. In 2024, Lando Norris converted pole position into a controlled victory for McLaren, signalling the team’s resurgence and his growing maturity as a race winner.
Verstappen reclaimed the top step in 2025, once again demonstrating his consistency at Yas Marina and reinforcing his status as the most successful driver of the circuit’s modern era. But it was Norris who claimed the Drivers’ Championship.
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From Vettel’s breakthrough title in 2010 to Verstappen’s dramatic 2021 decider and the rise of new drivers, every winner of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has mastered the unique challenge of racing from sunset into night. As long as the championship continues to visit Yas Island, the season finale in Abu Dhabi will remain a stage for defining moments.
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