The Formula 1 season finale lands at Yas Marina Circuit from December 3 to 6, 2026, and there's still time to grab tickets — though prices climb and categories sell out as race day approaches. The main race starts at 5pm on Sunday, December 6, with practice sessions on Friday, qualifying at 6pm Saturday, and the traditional driver's parade roughly two hours before lights out.
Tickets start at Dhs745 for general admission, but note that GA holders watch the racing on screens in the Oasis fan zones — the trade-off is access to the after-race concerts, which for many is the real draw. If you want cars in front of your eyes, four-day grandstand seats run from about Dhs2,395 (Marina), Dhs2,400 (North Straight) and Dhs2,495 (South). Premium terraces sit between Dhs3,495 and Dhs5,995, while hospitality packages range from Dhs7,995 up to Dhs13,995 for the Deck at Two.
The five Oasis areas circling the circuit — Main, Abu Dhabi Hill, North, West and South & Marina — are where the festival side happens: food stalls, merch, art installations, DJ stages and space to flop down in the shade.
Music is a big part of the weekend. Andrea Bocelli opens proceedings with a Yasalam Classics show at Etihad Arena on Wednesday, December 2, backed by the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra (separately ticketed, from Dhs295). Then come the Yasalam After-Race Concerts at Etihad Live, all included with a Grand Prix ticket: Zara Larsson and Lewis Capaldi on Thursday, Alex Warren on Friday, Imagine Dragons on Saturday, and a Sunday double-bill of The Chainsmokers (their Abu Dhabi debut) and The Script (their first capital show). You can't buy concert-only tickets — you need a race ticket.
Getting there: public transport beats driving, since queues are inevitable. From Dubai, intercity buses run from Al Ghubaiba or Ibn Battuta to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station, then a local bus to Yas Island. If you must drive, carpool — parking zones are signposted.
Pack smart: your ticket on your phone, a charged battery pack, Emirates ID, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses and earplugs for kids. Everything must fit in a small bag that slides under a grandstand seat. No outside food or drink, umbrellas, chairs, drones, scooters or laser pointers.
Why bother if the championships may already be settled? Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings and Mercedes dominate the constructors', so titles could be wrapped up before December. But it's still the last race before the long winter break (F1 returns in Bahrain in March 2027), drivers battle for final podiums and points, and the concert-plus-race combo makes it a proper long weekend. The 2027 edition adds a sprint race, if you want a reason to plan ahead instead.
