What are the exact start times for each session of the 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend?
The 2026 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix runs across three days in early December, with practice, qualifying, and the main race spread across the weekend.
Session dates confirmed
📅 December 4 — Practice 1 and Practice 2 📅 December 5 — Practice 3 and Qualifying 📅 December 6 — Race at 13:00
The race start time is confirmed at 13:00 on December 6. However, the specific start times for practice and qualifying sessions aren’t detailed in the publicly available context—you’ll need to check the official F1 site for exact session times.
How to plan your viewing
If you’re planning to watch live or attend in person, the official Formula1.com race page will have the full session schedule with start times for each practice, qualifying, and practice session. F1 TV also offers live coverage of the weekend if you have a subscription.
The December dates mean these sessions fall during the Northern Hemisphere winter, so depending on your location, you may need to adjust for time zone differences from Abu Dhabi’s local time.
What changed at Yas Marina Circuit’s Turn 9 ahead of the 2021 race, and how did it affect the lap?
Yas Marina Circuit has evolved since it first hosted Formula 1. One significant change came just before the 2021 race.
What changed at Turn 9
Ahead of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the circuit underwent modifications that included adding banking at Turn 9. Banking—the tilt of the track surface—affects how drivers experience corners at high speed and influences aerodynamic loads.
Current circuit specifications
Today, the Yas Marina lap measures 5.281 kilometers. The Grand Prix distance is 58 laps, totaling 306.188 kilometers. However, the available context doesn’t specify the lap length before the 2021 modification, so the exact impact of the Turn 9 banking change on overall lap distance isn’t detailed here.
The circuit has been hosting Formula 1 since 2009, and the 2021 banking addition was part of ongoing track evolution to refine the racing experience.
For more detail on how the banking specifically affected lap times and cornering behavior at Turn 9, check the official F1 site—they may have published technical analysis of the 2021 modifications.
Sources / Learn more
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