The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by Yacht

What does this guide cover?

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix closes the Formula 1 season, and a private yacht is one of the most comfortable ways to spend a race day with your own group. This guide sets out the official dates and venue for 2026, what our race-weekend charters cost and include, which yachts suit which groups, and how to plan and book.

If you only need the essentials: the race weekend runs from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 December 2026 at Yas Marina Circuit, our race-weekend charters take place at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, and hospitality charters start from AED 25,000 per day.

What are the race-weekend dates for 2026?

The official Formula 1 calendar puts the Abu Dhabi round on 4 to 6 December 2026, a Friday to a Sunday. It is Round 23, so the championship ends there. The Visit Abu Dhabi event page gives a slightly longer window, 4 to 7 December, for the wider programme.

Race-weekend yachts are limited, so fixing your dates early is the single most useful thing you can do.

Which venue hosts it?

Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, according to Visit Abu Dhabi. Our race-weekend charters take place at Yas Marina, and your group has a private yacht to itself for the day.

What does a race-weekend charter cost?

Hospitality charters for the race weekend start from AED 25,000 per day. Longer arrangements across the weekend are quoted on request. For comparison, our standard hourly rates in Dubai run from AED 800 to AED 18,000, depending on the yacht.

Every F1 race-weekend package is fully bespoke. Once you send the booking form on our F1 page, our team confirms the pricing and details with you on WhatsApp, so you see the complete quote for your yacht, day and group before you commit.

If you are new to yacht pricing in the UAE, our guide to Dubai yacht charter prices explains how rates differ by yacht size.

What does the race-day package cover?

As set out on our Abu Dhabi F1 yacht charter page, the package price includes a private yacht at Yas Marina for the day, a licensed captain, an experienced crew, fuel on the standard route, soft drinks and ice.

Everything else, from the size of the yacht to the guest list, is tailored to your group. If you have a particular plan in mind, such as hosting clients or celebrating a birthday on race day, tell us at the start so it is built into the quote.

What should you decide before you enquire?

Four things make the conversation quick: how many people are coming, whether anyone needs a cabin, which of the race days you want, and your budget.

Group size comes first. Our yachts take from 12 to 120 guests, and each yacht's page lists the most guests it can carry. Our own yachts take up to 120 guests; larger groups of up to 800 can be arranged on request. Cabins come next: our yachts have between 2 and 6 cabins each, so if some of your group want a cabin on board, that narrows the choice quickly.

Then choose your day or days. The race weekend runs Friday to Sunday and charters are priced per day, so tell us whether you want a single day or more than one. Finally, a budget range lets us suggest the right yacht straight away instead of sending options that do not fit.

One day or more than one?

Because race-weekend charters are priced per day, the number of days is one of the biggest decisions in your budget. A single day suits a group that wants one shared occasion, such as a celebration or a client day. More than one day suits a group that wants to come back across the weekend, or several smaller groups who would each like their own day on board.

If you are unsure, tell us what the group wants from the weekend and we will suggest the yachts and days that fit. Arrangements across more than one day are quoted on request, so there is no need to decide everything before the first conversation.

Hosting clients on race day

If you are hosting clients on race day, two details help us plan the day well: the number of guests and how many of them are senior hosts, and whether you want time set aside for a welcome or a short speech.

Give us those details when you enquire and they become part of the bespoke package. For corporate charters at other times of the year, see our corporate yacht events page.

Which yachts have the most cabins?

Monaliza Thunder, with 6, Monaliza Finesse, with 5 and Monaliza AK Royalty, with 5 cabins. Monaliza Thunder is 164ft and takes up to 50 guests, Monaliza Finesse is 150ft and takes up to 120, and Monaliza AK Royalty is 136ft and takes up to 50.

For the biggest parties, Monaliza AK and Monaliza Finesse each take up to 120 guests. Larger groups can compare options on our superyacht for F1 page or across the whole fleet.

How should you plan the day?

Agree your guest list early, because it decides which yachts are open to you. Every guest needs a valid Emirates ID or passport for boarding registration, so ask your group to have theirs ready on the day.

Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your boarding time. Wear flat shoes, since heels are not suitable on deck. Every charter begins with a short safety briefing from the crew, and it is worth having the whole group there for it.

If this will be your first time on a yacht, our first-time yacht charter guide covers boarding, the crew and life on board in more detail.

Before or after the race weekend

If your group is in the UAE for longer than the race weekend, you can add a standard charter in Dubai. Those charters sail from Pier 7, Yacht Club, Dubai Marina, and our hourly rates run from AED 800 to AED 18,000 depending on the yacht. See our Dubai Marina yacht charter page for the details.

How far ahead should you book?

Four to six months is a sensible target: yachts for the race weekend are limited and typically sell out 4 to 6 months before the race.

December is also New Year's Eve month in Dubai. If you are staying on for the celebrations on Thursday 31 December 2026, read our guide to watching Dubai's New Year's Eve fireworks from a yacht, or see our New Year's Eve yacht charter page.

What are the booking terms?

To confirm a charter we take a 50% deposit, with full payment due 48 hours before departure. Cancel 72 hours or more before departure for a full refund; between 24 and 72 hours, 50% is refunded; under 24 hours or a no-show is non-refundable. If weather or the authorities stop a charter, we reschedule or refund in full.

Read our full booking terms before you confirm.

How do you enquire?

Send us your group size, whether you need cabins, the day or days you want and your budget, either on WhatsApp or through the booking form on our Abu Dhabi F1 yacht charter page. Our team will come back with the yachts that fit and a full quote for your package.

You can also browse all our yacht events if the Grand Prix is one of several occasions you are planning.