The 2024 Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix drew record crowds and generated Dh1.25 billion in visitor spending, organisers Ethara announced on Wednesday.

The race, which serves as the annual F1 season finale, has gone from strength to strength since its first staging in 2009.

That was evident in numbers showing a sharp increase in visitors in 2024 – and with it a financial bump for Abu Dhabi’s leisure and tourism sector.

Attendances grew across all four days of last December’s event, resulting in an overall jump from 170,000 to 192,000 – an increase of 12.9 per cent.

Ethara says 70 per cent of those spectators came from abroad, and that racegoers parted with Dh1.25 billion over the four days, a 6.8 per cent increase in visitor spending from the previous year.

The 2025 event, set to be held at Yas Marina Circuit from December 4-7, is expected to be even bigger still, with Ethara confirming “the majority of tickets” have already been sold.

“The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix continues to raise the bar, generating Dh1.25 billion across four unforgettable days,” said Saif Al Noaimi, CEO of Ethara.

“This figure demonstrates how we’ve evolved the event into an entertainment and tourism destination that transcends sport.

“With an unprecedented level of advance sales for the 2025 race, fans are telling us they trust in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix experience and everything that it brings both on and off the track. That excitement drives us to keep pushing boundaries and deliver extraordinary moments for fans and visitors every year.”

The event’s signature Yasalam after-race concerts also experienced record crowds, with 110,000 attending four nights of shows at Etihad Park.

The race itself drew a huge broadcast audience, with 62 million watching last year’s championship finale on TV and streaming platforms.

That was further enhanced by F1 teams, drivers and celebrities sharing their experience on social media, giving the event an online reach of 4.6 billion, according to Ethara.

Organisers also revealed that in 2024 some 85 per cent of international visitors arrived by air. More than half were visiting Abu Dhabi for the first time and many turned their stays into full holidays.

Alongside the racing, fans filled Yas Island’s theme parks and visited cultural landmarks like Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan. Over 30,000 visits were recorded across these sights during the 2024 race weekend, with a Grand Prix ticket granting complimentary access.

In 2025, ticket benefits have been extended and now include teamLab Phenomena on Saadiyat Island.

Besides tourism, the event contributes to the local economy by generating jobs. Notably, 88 per cent of staff on-site at Yas Marina Circuit last year were UAE-based.

The Formula One season resumes in Singapore this weekend. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri leads the drivers’ championship from teammate Lando Norris, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen gaining momentum after wins in Azerbaijan and Italy.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsGYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT

2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals

2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals

2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals

Champions League Last 16

 Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER) 

Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG) 

Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED) 

Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA) 

Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG) 

Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA) 

Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG) 

Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)  

More from Neighbourhood Watch:UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsCryopreservation: A timeline

  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months

Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisMore on animal traffickingUAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsICC men’s cricketer of the year

2004 – Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 – Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 – Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 – Ricky Ponting; 2008 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 – Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 – Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 – Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 – Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 – Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 – Mitchell Johnson; 2015 – Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 – Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 – Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 – Virat Kohli; 2019 – Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 – Shaheen Afridi

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

More coverage from the Future ForumMATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

Zayed Sustainability PrizeVolvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Read more about the coronavirusTop goalscorers in Europe

34 goals – Robert Lewandowski (68 points)

34 – Ciro Immobile (68)

31 – Cristiano Ronaldo (62)

28 – Timo Werner (56)

25 – Lionel Messi (50)

*29 – Erling Haaland (50)

23 – Romelu Lukaku (46)

23 – Jamie Vardy (46)

*NOTE: Haaland’s goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.

Killing of Qassem SuleimaniMATCH INFO

Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE

Company%20profile%20

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYodawy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKarim%20Khashaba%2C%20Sherief%20El-Feky%20and%20Yasser%20AbdelGawad%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2424.5%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlgebra%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20MEVP%20and%20Delivery%20Hero%20Ventures%2C%20among%20others%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20500%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

What are the influencer academy modules?

  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.

The five pillars of IslamHow to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

More on animal traffickingRACECARD

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (PA) $50,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
6.35pm: Festival City Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
7.10pm: Dubai Racing Club Classic – Listed (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.45pm: Jumeirah Classic Trial – Conditions (TB) $150,000 (T) 1,400m
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (D) 1,600m
8.55pm: Cape Verdi – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,600m
9.30pm: Dubai Dash – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,000m

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsMohammed bin Zayed MajlisKILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANIHow to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Royal wedding inspired menu

Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea

Avocado ranch dip with crudites

Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches

Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue

MATCH INFO

League Cup, last 16

Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)

More on Quran memorisation:The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Killing of Qassem SuleimaniThe Voice of Hind Rajab

Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

Rating: 4/5

Mohammed bin Zayed MajlisMore from Neighbourhood Watch:WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA

FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).

FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.

FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.

FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds.  Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.

FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg’s White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)

FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

The years Ramadan fell in MayThe years Ramadan fell in MayZayed Sustainability PrizeKilling of Qassem SuleimaniKey figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate’s increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The five pillars of IslamKilling of Qassem SuleimaniThe specs: 2018 Renault Megane

Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200

Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder

Transmission Continuously variable transmission

Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km

Ticket prices

  • Golden circle – Dh995
  • Floor Standing – Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum – Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium – Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus – Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium – Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard – Dh295

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.

– Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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