Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix 2026 is happening, confirms Ethara CEO: ‘Nothing has changed’

Abu Dhabi: Saif Rashid Al Noaimi has an unusual way of measuring the success of one of the world's most glamorous sporting events. Not by the number of celebrities in the paddock, the demand for premium hospitality or even the crowds streaming into Yas Marina Circuit.

For the CEO of Ethara, the company behind the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the answer is considerably less complicated.

“To me, it's the smiles in the venue on race day,” Al Noaimi told Gulf News in an interview in Abu Dhabi.

“Just walking around and seeing people enjoying themselves and experiencing what Abu Dhabi has to offer. So smiles is the KPI that we look at, and it's important.”

It's an unexpectedly personal answer from a man whose job involves overseeing an event where almost every detail is measured and scrutinised. But Al Noaimi believes a spectator's expression can reveal more about the success of a Grand Prix than a spreadsheet.

“It's how was their experience? How was their arrival journey? Did they feel like they got value for money? Were they entertained? Did they feel like they were looked after? So for me that's the one measure that you can see on everyone's face.”

That philosophy sits at the heart of Abu Dhabi's ambitions as it prepares to host the 18th edition of its Formula 1 Grand Prix this December.

But first, there was a more pressing question.

Will the Grand Prix go ahead as planned?

It was a question I put directly to Al Noaimi, given the uncertainty and speculation surrounding the event.

“It's happening. It's been planned. Nothing has changed. We're very excited. We're very much ready, and yeah, it's going to be hopefully another record-breaking year for us.”

When I asked whether he was secretly nervous about delivering one of the UAE's biggest sporting weekends, he replied: “Not at all. Excited, very excited.”

For an executive who rarely sits down for extended media conversations, the assurance was significant. He did not elaborate on the reasons behind the uncertainty, preferring to focus on preparations already underway.

The biggest challenge isn't always on the track

For those watching from the grandstands or enjoying the concerts, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix can seem like a remarkably polished operation. Cars race beneath the lights, spectators move between hospitality suites and entertainment venues, and the Formula 1 season concludes against the backdrop of Yas Marina Circuit.

Behind that spectacle lies a far less glamorous operation.

Traffic, parking, shuttle buses and queues occupy a considerable amount of the organisers' attention.

“We spend a lot of our time on traffic and transport planning, whether it's parking, whether it's shuttles, whether it's queuing at the gates,” Al Noaimi said.

“We take that feedback very, very seriously because that's your first experience or your last experience coming and leaving the venue, so we want to make it as seamless as possible.”

During our conversation, I pointed out that Abu Dhabi's Grand Prix can feel considerably easier to navigate than some other international racing events. Yet Al Noaimi showed little interest in declaring the job done.

Instead, he revealed that organisers are exploring a potential partnership with Etihad Rail.

“We are looking at partnering with Etihad Rail and finding solutions where someone coming from Dubai or from Fujairah can arrive on the station and take a shuttle directly to the racetrack,” he said.

For the organisers, the challenge isn't simply attracting more visitors. It's ensuring they can enjoy the weekend without spending a disproportionate amount of time worrying about how to get there, where to park or how to get home.

A Paddock Club that has surpassed 12,000

At the luxury end of the spectrum, Abu Dhabi is expanding aggressively.

“We're expanding our Paddock Club. We've surpassed 12,000, which is the biggest Paddock Club on the calendar right now, and we have huge, huge demand for Paddock Club sales,” Al Noaimi said.

It's a striking indication of the appetite for premium Formula 1 experiences in Abu Dhabi, where the Grand Prix has long combined sport, hospitality and entertainment.

The 16/360 hospitality experience, introduced last year, is also getting an upgrade.

“We launched [16/360] last year for the first time. We are expanding that, and we're enhancing it, and we're including more entertainment offering in that product.”

There are new dining partnerships, too.

“We announced Nammos at Deck at Nine, which is the first time for them to participate at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. We have a few other branded food and beverage offerings as well, so there's always new things.”

But the expansion of luxury hospitality raises an obvious question.

As Formula 1 becomes increasingly associated with expensive experiences, celebrity culture and exclusive access, is there a danger of leaving ordinary families behind?

Is Formula 1 becoming too exclusive?

I asked Al Noaimi whether the introduction of family packages was part of a deliberate attempt to challenge the perception that Formula 1 is primarily an expensive pursuit for the wealthy.

“We have to cater to everyone. We have to cater to all the different audiences and age groups, interests,” he said.

That includes visitors who don't have the budget for a premium hospitality suite.

“We're bringing back our Kids Go Free on Friday. We have our new family pass, so a family that wants to buy a ticket for two adults and two kids, for example, there's a specific pass and a product,” he said.

Abu Dhabi Hill will also include a family-focused area.

For an event that combines a Grand Prix with concerts, dining and family activities, appealing to audiences with different budgets and interests is no small undertaking.

“We need to cater to everybody, and we need to look after every single demographic of guests that comes to us,” Al Noaimi said.

Why Andrea Bocelli belongs at a Formula 1 weekend

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has become almost as well known for its international music acts as for the racing itself.

This year's line-up includes Imagine Dragons and Lewis Capaldi, but one of the more unexpected additions is Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, who will perform at Etihad Arena as part of the new Yasalam Classics offering.

At first glance, Bocelli might seem an unusual choice for a weekend traditionally associated with high-energy pop and rock performances.

For Al Noaimi, that is precisely the point.

“We are selective in who we bring because we want something for everybody,” he said.

“So this year, for example, we have the addition of Yasalam Classics, Andrea Bocelli, coming to participate on Wednesday in the Etihad Arena. It's a new offering we've never had it before, catering to a specific audience.”

When I asked whether he had a personal wish list of performers, Al Noaimi declined to name anyone.

“It's not about me. It's about catering to everyone that's coming,” he said.

He did, however, leave the door open for further announcements.

“We still have a few more surprises.”

He wasn't prepared to say what those surprises might be.

In 2027, Abu Dhabi gets two races in one weekend

While much of the immediate attention is on December, Al Noaimi is already looking towards a significant change in 2027.

“So the sprint is for 2027,” he explained. “For the first time Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in '27 is going to host a sprint round.”

The format will alter the rhythm of the weekend. Friday will feature sprint qualifying, while Saturday will include the shorter sprint race as well as qualifying for Sunday's Grand Prix.

“So basically, three days of very exciting action on the track,” Al Noaimi said.

Because Abu Dhabi hosts the season finale, the additional points available during a sprint weekend could prove particularly consequential if the championship remains undecided.

“It's a different format. It's shorter. It's exciting, and there's going to be more points on the table,” he said.

“The last race of the season, so you're going to have a total of over 30 points, potentially leading to a championship-deciding race.”

The prospect is intriguing. A championship battle that might otherwise have been settled before the final Sunday could remain alive for longer.

He won't tell you who should win

For all his enthusiasm about the competition, Al Noaimi is unwilling to declare allegiance to any particular driver.

I asked him who he was rooting for this season.

“I don't have favourites. I don't. I want an exciting race,” he said.

His preference is for a closely contested finale, regardless of whether the championship is still up for grabs.

“We just want wheel-to-wheel racing, which we know we will get, regardless of the championship being decided,” he said.

“Those guys are participating at the highest level. They want to end the season in the highest position possible.”

It's a diplomatic answer, perhaps, but also a reminder that the appeal of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix cannot depend entirely on the championship standings.

A title may already have been decided by the time Formula 1 arrives at Yas Marina Circuit. The race must still deliver a compelling spectacle.

What 18 editions have taught Abu Dhabi

When Abu Dhabi first joined the Formula 1 calendar, the Grand Prix was an opportunity to showcase a new circuit and establish the emirate as an international motorsport destination.

Eighteen editions later, the challenge is keeping an established event fresh.

“We learn so much from every single edition,” Al Noaimi said.

“First thing we do back from the Grand Prix, we get together as a team. We go through customer surveys. We go through feedback. We go around the table. Everyone provides input: what worked, what didn't work, what are the ideas, what are the enhancements we can do.”

“We immediately keep iterating and improving year on year.”

And as the Grand Prix grows, so does the range of expectations it must satisfy.

Some visitors want close racing. Others want an evening with their favourite musician. Families may be concerned about cost and convenience. Premium guests expect an experience commensurate with what they have paid.

Al Noaimi's job is to make all of those experiences work simultaneously.

Which brings the conversation back to the smiles.

And when the conversation returned to the uncertainty surrounding this year's race, he offered a final assurance.

“It's happening. It's been planned. Nothing has changed.”

He is hoping for another record-breaking year. But when the final car crosses the finish line and the last concert ends, the measure he says he will be looking for is much simpler.

Whether the people who came to Abu Dhabi enjoyed themselves enough to leave smiling.