Why Abu Dhabi F1 GP keeps attracting foreign fans every year

Thursdays in a Formula One week can be a bit of a lull — teams making the final preparations to get the cars up and running for Friday’s practice sessions ahead of Saturday’s qualifying rounds and the big race on Sunday.

Drivers stroll into the media zone, taking questions on the race ahead and how the season has panned out for them.

There is no action, no drama and, of course, no F1 car whizzing on the Yas Marina Circuit.

And yet fans made a beeline at Yas Mall to take the shuttle buses to the circuit on Thursday as people, young and old, and of all backgrounds, wanted to soak up the atmosphere at the majestic circuit.

For the past 16 years, the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix has not only delivered world-class races but has also given a great boost to the country’s tourism and economy.

According to the official data released by the organisers, 65 per cent of 170,000 spectators at the Yas Marina last year were tourists.

On Thursday, as we were waiting for security clearance to enter the media centre, some fans were getting desperate outside the gates, pleading for tickets.

It seemed to have mattered nothing to them that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has already clinched the driver’s championship this season, the fourth straight world championship title for the ‘Flying Dutchman’.

For these fans, the appeal of attending a Formula One race at Yas Marina is simply irresistible.

Saif Rashid Al-Noaimi, CEO of Ethara, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix organisers, opened up about how this F1 race continues to fascinate fans from all over the world, contributing immensely to the country's economy.

“We have seen record demands to be honest this year. Previously 2023 was the record year. We had 170,000 attendees over the entire weekend, we had close to 70 per cent of spectators coming from outside of the UAE,” Al-Noaimi told the Khaleej Times.

“The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become a main pillar, supporting the tourism strategy of Abu Dhabi and also supporting the economy of Abu Dhabi. Last year, those who came to Abu Dhabi and attended the Grand Prix spent more than one billion dirhams. Those are significant numbers, supporting the economy of Abu Dhabi.”

The Gulf region has four races in the F1 season now, but it’s the Abu Dhabi GP that has remained the most popular.

Al-Noaimi says the big reason for the huge popularity of the race is the organisers’ refusal to get carried away by past success.

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