1101st F1 GRAND PRIX | 15th ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX | 15th GRAND PRIX AT YAS MARINA CIRCUIT
2022 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2022 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
The sun sets on another Formula 1 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set to take place on November 24-26.
2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday 24th November
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 9:30am UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 5:00pm Local Time / 1:00pm UK Time
Saturday 25th November
Free Practice 3 – 2:30pm Local Time / 10:30am UK Time
Qualifying- 6:00pm Local Time / 2:00pm UK Time
Sunday 26th November
The 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 5:00pm Local Time / 1:00pm UK Time
2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
This weekend, Yas Marina Circuit overtakes Adelaide as the circuit at which the most season-ending Formula 1 races have been held. This will be the 12th time that the season finale has been held in Abu Dhabi.
With the Las Vegas Grand Prix having taken place last Saturday, the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the first time that there has been eight days separating two races taking place since the 1966 Dutch Grand Prix, which followed eight days after the 1966 British Grand Prix.
As Sebastian Vettel is not on the grid in 2023, Lewis Hamilton will become the only driver to have started every Formula 1 race held to date at Yas Marina Circuit. This will be Hamilton’s 15th appearance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The 24th lap of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the 800th Grand Prix racing lap to take place at Yas Marina Circuit.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
There have been a few minor changes at Yas Marina Circuit since the last Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The track has been resurfaced between Turns 6 & 7 and Turns 10 & 11. Debris fences at various points around the circuit have been extended and light panels have been upgraded, including the addition of new pit exit lights.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
There will be two DRS detection points and activation zones at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Activation zones are located on the circuit’s two longest straights. There were also two DRS zones at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
YAS MARINA TRACK GUIDE
The now traditional venue for Formula 1’s season finale, the sleek and futuristic Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi holds a Grand Prix which starts at dusk and ends under floodlights.
The Yas Island is a man-made island located to the east of Abu Dhabi’s main island. Work on the Yas Island began in 2006 at a cost of $40 billion. The Yas Island is a leisure complex, which houses a golf course, shopping centres, hotels, a Ferrari-themed theme park and, of course, the Yas Marina Circuit.
After a circuit had been built in Dubai and had unsuccessfully bid to host a Formula One race, Abu Dhabi – the lead emirate in the United Arab Emirates – put plans together for their own circuit. The deal was formally announced in early 2007 at a special ‘Formula One Festival’ held in Abu Dhabi.
Building of the circuit began in May 2007. As was the case when the Bahrain International Circuit was built, the track surface was shipped from Shropshire, England, as the aggregate offers the best grip available to F1 cars. In June 2008, Abu Dhabi’s place as the season-closing event was confirmed when the FIA revealed the calendar for the 2009 F1 season. The oil-rich country wanted a Grand Prix event to boost its identity, and hosting the season closing event has certainly helped that.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers on Thursday before the opening practice session. The drivers appearing in the press conference are:
Group 1
Daniel Ricciardo (AlphaTauri)
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Logan Sargeant (Williams)
Group 2
Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams on Friday. The team members appearing in the press conference are: Mike Krack (Aston Martin), Andrea Stella (McLaren), Christian Horner (Red Bull), Franz Tost (AlphaTauri), Bruno Famin (Alpine) and Guenther Steiner (Haas).
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is Vitantonio Liuzzi.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2023 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have announced that the C3, C4 and C5 tyre compounds will be used at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The C3, C4 and C5 compounds were also used in 2022.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Vettel’s glittering Formula 1 career came to an end at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Verstappen rounded out a dominant season with his 15th win of the year.
It was set to be a weekend of farewells at Yas Marina Circuit in 2022 – the biggest of all being for 4-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel. This was also the last race weekend for Nicholas Latifi and Mick Schumacher, while Daniel Ricciardo stepped aside from his McLaren seat to move to a third driver role at Red Bull in 2023.
Already having broken the record for most wins in a single season, Max Verstappen sealed pole position for the last race of the year. All eyes were on Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez, who headed to the season finale level on points in their fight for second in the Drivers’ Championship. Perez qualified ahead, on the front row, while Leclerc started just behind in third place.
Verstappen stayed ahead of his team-mate at the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix, while Leclerc challenged Perez for second – the Red Bull able to stay ahead. Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz went wheel to wheel in the battle for fourth place, Hamilton bouncing over the kerbs and cutting the chicane in the process. Hamilton later gave the position back to Sainz; but was able to take the position back again on Lap 5 – only for Sainz to come past once more three laps later.
Hamilton lost another position on the next lap to team-mate George Russell. At his pit stop, Russell picked up a time penalty for an unsafe release, with the Mercedes mechanics releasing him into the path of an oncoming McLaren.
On his final appearance with Alpine, Fernando Alonso retired from the race as it passed its halfway point and he was joined on the sidelines by Nicholas Latifi on Lap 56, who had collided with Mick Schumacher earlier in the race. The German picked up a penalty for the incident.
A lock up for Perez allowed Hamilton to maintain third place for a few more laps than the Red Bull would have liked, costing him time in his mission to catch Leclerc ahead. A hydraulic issue put Hamilton on the sidelines towards the end of the race.
Verstappen took an easy victory – his 15th of the year – and Leclerc secured second in the Drivers’ Championship with Perez unable to catch him. Vettel crossed the finish line for the final time in his career in tenth place and completed donuts along with the podium finishers on the main straight at the end of the race.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Yas Marina Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
