Abu Dhabi would surprise many Australian travellers who have not visited the Middle East before. Not only is this a very modern and clean city, but it is also another very safe place for tourists.
The city of Abu Dhabi itself is a 30-minute ride from the incredible Yas Marina circuit, so we were staying in Yas Plaza, a complex of 6 adjacent hotels overlooking one corner of the circuit itself. Even more so than Doha, this country takes a great deal of pride in showcasing its attractions to the watching F1 world. What better way than to integrate the circuit with Ferrari World – a wonderful, entertaining and expansive building containing rides, restaurants, shops, and, of course, Ferraris!
Next to the circuit you will find Warner Brother’s Theme Park, a massive Water Park, the Etihad Arena, and Sea World. A huge shopping mall is attached to Ferrari World.
The Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi is very popular and this year was a sell-out, with many people anticipating the Driver and Constructor championships would still to be decided. Max dampened this anticipation somewhat by doing what Max does, and winning the Driver’s championship well before this final race of the year. However, the Constructor’s title would be decided at this race.
I was in Abu Dhabi in 2023 and decided that I would show my husband Phil why I was so enthused about this race. The Champions Club at Abu Dhabi is one of, if not, the best Champions Club on the whole race calendar. This remarkable 7-story tower provides panoramic views of about one-third of the track as well as equally impressive views of a large portion of Yas Island.
The first floor of the building is the dining area with an outdoor seating and dining deck area adjacent to the track. Air-conditioned inside dining and bar facilities are also available on this floor.
The seventh floor is the covered open-air viewing deck with plenty of room, a variety of seating options and a bar. Views from three sides of this rooftop are spectacular and even more so during racing when the broadcasting helicopter flies past at a height of around 8 floors!!
This great package also includes a Grid Walk and Trophy Photo and a 30-minute guided tour of the Paddock where you may be lucky enough to see drivers, team principals, media personalities and other celebrities.
Another great option for this race is the Hero ‘fan experience’ package which includes experiences on the Thursday evening. There is a Pit Lane walk, a Track Tour, Grid Walk and the Inside F1 experience which takes place ON the turn 1 run-off area itself, with special guests, and hospitality.
The racing on Sunday was terrific and after a few anxious moments with Oscar Piastri being ‘shunted’ on the first lap, we were relieved that McLaren took out the Constructor’s Championship with Lando winning the race (we were both wearing McLaren merchandise!).
At the conclusion of the race we witnessed the spectacular fireworks display on all four sides of the Champions Club.
The entertainment at Yas Marina Circuit, both at the track and after each day’s racing has concluded, is nothing short of spectacular. The concerts each evening included Teddy Swims, Maroon 5, Eminem and Muse!! We attended the Muse concert after the end of the race on the Sunday (at the track, in the ‘claws’ of the Ferrari World building), a short walk from the Champions Club. Muse put on a great show.
