2024 has been a record-breaking F1 season with the most GPs (24) ever raced in a calendar year. So, with 23 races done and dusted, we’ve just got one more to go. Following last week’s Qatar Grand Prix in Doha, the F1 teams and drivers make the short trip across the Persian Gulf to the United Arab Emirates for the season finale on Sunday, December 8.
Despite being one of the newest additions to the F1 schedule, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has rapidly become one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the motor racing calendar each year, with the night-time finish adding a touch of spice and wonderment to the occasion.
Max Verstappen may have wrapped up his fourth successive F1 driver’s title already, but the Red Bull maestro won’t be resting on his laurels just yet and is guaranteed to keep his foot firmly on the gas around the Yas Marina Circuit.
Verstappen looked to be cruising to the 2024 F1 title after winning 7 of the first ten races this year, but a mid-season dip gave his title rivals a glimmer of hope. However, after a 5-month wait for a win, a stunning victory in Sao Paulo (after starting 17th on the grid) helped settle Verstappen’s (and Red Bull’s) nerves.
Getty ImagesMax Verstappen has also recently dominated during the season curtain-closer, winning four times in Abu Dhabi. If Verstappen retakes the chequered flag at Yas Island, he will become the top-joint most successful driver in Abu Dhabi history with five wins, the exact total as British F1 legend Lewis Hamilton.
Charles Leclerc finished second to Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in 2022 and 2023. He will be one of the leading contenders again, along with Britain’s Lando Norris, who has finished on the podium numerous times this year.
Let GOAL guide you through everything you need to know to watch the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, including the weekend schedule, channels and more.
Where can I watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Getty ImagesThe Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be available to watch live and exclusively on Sky Sports F1 (and Main Event) in the UK like all the previous F1 races have been this year. Sky Sports coverage includes the primary race, additional practice sessions, and qualifying periods across the weekend, offering round-the-clock coverage from Friday to Sunday.
You can add Sky Sports online or through the My Sky app anytime if you're an existing Sky customer. The package starts from £20 per month with Sky Stream. Sky Sports+ is free, allowing viewers to watch more live events across various sports. The Sky Sports app allows subscribers to download and watch live sports on the go and is available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.
NOW TV offers a variety of sign-ups for the avid sports watcher, including the ‘Sports Day Membership, which allows access to all 12 Sky Sports channels for a 24-hour period for £14.99. NOW’s ‘Fully Flexible Sports Month Membership’ again gives unlimited Sky Sports access over a 30-day period instead. That costs £29.99 a month and auto-renews unless cancelled before the end of the month.
There’s also a ‘6-month Saver’ package, where you are charged £25% less and only pay £26 a month, but you need to sign up for a 6-month minimum term. After the 6-month minimum term, Sports Membership auto-renews at £34.99 a month unless cancelled.
Where is the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix?
Getty ImagesThe Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been held at the stunningly impressive and most expensive F1 venue ever built, Yas Marina Circuit, every year since the race was added to the F1 schedule in 2009. The Yas Marina is just one of the many landmarks on the man-made Yas Island. The island has become a highly sought-after area for tourists and travellers, including numerous hotels, golf courses, shopping malls, and Ferrari’s indoor theme park.
The demanding Hermann Tilke-designed track set-up at Yas Marina, which includes the longest straight on the F1 schedule, always produces races that amaze the global audience viewing on TV and those lucky spectators watching live at the track.
If the race isn’t thrilling enough, the entertainment continues into the night at Yas Marina, with exclusive concerts for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders. Maroon 5 & Muse will perform this year during the F1 race weekend.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Weekend Schedule
| Date | Phase | Time (GMT) | Watch | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, December 6 | Practice 1 | 9:30 am | Sky Sports F1 | NOW TV |
| Practice 2 | 1:00 pm | Sky Sports F1 | NOW TV | |
| Saturday, December 7 | Practice 3 | 10:30 am | Sky Sports F1 | NOW TV |
| Qualifying | 2:00 pm | Sky Sports F1 | NOW TV | |
| Sunday, December 8 | Grand Prix | 1:00 pm | Sky Sports F1 | NOW TV |
Can I watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on F1 TV?
F1 TV is the over-the-top streaming package operated by Formula One Management (FOM), the provider of the world feed for F1 broadcasts throughout each season. The service offers commercial-free coverage of all races as part of a single package. Due to rights deals, F1 TV is limited to the countries it is allowed to operate in.
The service is unavailable in the United Kingdom, meaning fans hoping to use it would need a VPN to access it and watch the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. However, you can still purchase F1 TV in the UK to access bonus content, such as live timing, map and leaderboard features, as well as access to team radios and other statistics. You can also view pre- and post-race shows with in-depth analysis and behind-the-scenes facts.
Can I watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on demand?
Getty ImagesIf you have a Sky Sports F1 subscription, you can watch a re-run of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on demand after the race has finished through the channel’s digital and online options. The Sky Go app, for mobile devices and personal tablets, will allow viewers to watch the race in full, while those with a Sky+ subscription will also be able to record the game and catch it retroactively.
Additionally, those with NOW TV can also draw upon the Sky Sports F1 coverage. However, their ability to access on-demand replay broadcasts will be limited due to the nature of the package.
How to watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from anywhere with a VPN
You may need a different way to watch the race if you cannot view the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix locally. That's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on race day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're travelling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network. You want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to Grand Prix. Most VPNs make it really easy to do this. We recommend NordVPN if you're unsure which VPN to choose, but you can also check out our in-depth VPN guide to determine which one is best for you.
