Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team rounds off its debut F1 campaign at the season-ending 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Ahead of the weekend's action, we’re bringing you the all-important facts and stats from the Yas Marina Circuit.
Designed by renowned F1 circuit architect, Hermann Tilke, the Yas Marina Circuit was the second track to be built in the Middle East, following the Bahrain International Circuit.
The concept of a race in Abu Dhabi was first discussed in 2007, with the UAE capital city hosting a Formula One Festival in January of that year, featuring the largest gathering of F1 cars and drivers outside of a Grand Prix.
During the festival, it was announced that Abu Dhabi was to host a Grand Prix from 2009 – 16. An extension to that contract was announced in 2014, with the venue hosting the season-ending Grand Prix every year since.
The Yas Marina Circuit, which has a capacity of 60,000, attracts more than 125,000 spectators over the course of the weekend, and became Formula One's first twilight race when it made its debut in 2009.
For 2021, several corners around the circuit have been reprofiled to create higher speeds and the potential for more wheel-to-wheel racing.
The Yas Marina Circuit has played host to some iconic F1 moments right from the off, with Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team driver Sebastian Vettel sealing his first World Drivers' Championship at the 2010 season finale
Sebastian came out on top of a four-way title battle between himself, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton, to become the youngest World Champion at just 23 years and 134 days old.
In 2014, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix featured a controversial decision to award double points at the season finale for the first (and to date last) time in the history of the championship.
The race was dominated by Mercedes, with team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg both in contention for the title as the lights went out. Hamilton would eventually win his second title, with Rosberg suffering engine issues in the race.
There would be a dramatic rematch in 2016, as Rosberg and Hamilton once again went head-to-head again in Abu Dhabi's fourth title decider, with Rosberg claiming his first and only title before announcing his retirement from F1 one week later.
All in. All welcome. All celebrated. Sign up to open up a world of I / AM benefits and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
