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Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, CEO of Ethara—the promoter behind the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix—has insisted that the race will go ahead as scheduled on December 6, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty across the Middle East.
He emphasized that preparations at the Yas Marina Circuit, set to host the Formula 1 season finale once again, remain fully on track as organizers gear up for the biggest event in their history. His comments come amid reports of renewed attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Qatar—which hosts the penultimate round of the season before the finale in Abu Dhabi—lies roughly 150 kilometres from the affected regions and shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia.
Formula 1 has maintained that the season will conclude as scheduled in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, rebuffing suggestions of a venue change. Behind the scenes, however, organizers have reportedly explored Italy's Imola circuit as a contingency option, with permits already granted for temporary grandstands should the Middle Eastern races fall through. Under that backup plan, Imola would host a single race on December 6, resulting in the cancellation of one round from the original calendar.
"The race will go ahead. We have always been on track for December 6 to close the season here at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi," Al Noaimi stated on Dubai Eye radio. "As you can see, work on-site is in full swing and structures are going up. This year, we will offer our largest-ever Paddock Club with a capacity for over 12,000 guests. Around 40,000 workforce accreditations have been issued for an operation of this magnitude. "We have 1,500 volunteers, 90% of whom are UAE nationals. Over 220 local suppliers and contractors are involved in building and delivering the race weekend, and none of this would be possible without them. Over the years, we've seen this local ecosystem grow and mature incomparably since the inaugural race," Al Noaimi added.
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