2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix preview

The Yas Marina Circuit once again will held the final race of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton will enter the round as the championship leader who secured his seventh F1 drivers world title at the Turkish Grand Prix. The battle for 2nd place in the standings is being decided between Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen, while Sergio Perez battles Daniel Ricciardo and Charles Leclerc for fourth place in the drivers championship as well.

George Russell (left), Lewis Hamilton (middle) and Fernando Alonso (right) during the pre-race press conference of the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

- History of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Formula 1 first came to Abu Dhabi in 2007 in the guise of the first ever Formula One Festival. Announced in January 2007, the event which took place on 3 February 2007 was free, and the largest gathering of current Formula One cars and drivers outside of a Grand Prix. At the festival it was announced that Abu Dhabi had won the rights to host a Grand Prix from 2009 until 2016. Later that year, Etihad Airways negotiated a three-year deal for them to become sponsors of the Grand Prix. 

Title deciders have been occasionally held in 2010, 2014 and 2016.

WATCH: Formula 1 2010 drivers title-deciding moments at 2010 Abu Dhabi GP

Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver of the Abu Dhabi GP, having won five times (one with McLaren in 2011, and four with Mercedes in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019), while Sebastian Vettel who has won three times each with Red Bull Racing in 2009, 2010 and 2013. Kimi Raikkonen (2012), Nico Rosberg (2015) and Valtteri Bottas (2017) were the one-time winners of Abu Dhabi GP so far. 

None of Ferrari drivers who ever won the Abu Dhabi GP. The team's best finish in Abu Dhabi was 2nd place which achieved by Fernando Alonso in 2011 and 2012 and Sebastian Vettel in 2018.

WATCH: Unusual moments from the Abu Dhabi GP since 2009

- Yas Marina Circuit

The Yas Marina Circuit was designed by Hermann Tilke and is located on Yas Island – a 2,550 hectares (25.5 km2) island on the east coast of Abu Dhabi – and the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the first major event to take place on the circuit.

Yas Marina Circuit info

- Length: 5.55 km

- Turns: 21

- Longest straight: 1.14 km

- Elevation changes: 10.7 m

- DRS activation zones: 2

- Outright circuit record: 1:34.779 (Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+ 2019)

- Race lap record: 1:39.283 (Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+ 2019)