Nine months and 22 races after we first rocked up in the F1 paddock for pre-season testing in Bahrain and endured a difficult start to the season, we’re in Abu Dhabi for the season finale with nine podiums to our name, our highest tally since 2012.

It’s been a season of two halves, but our patience during a tough start to the campaign has been rewarded as an excellent second half of the season has put us in the hunt for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, with an 11-point advantage over Aston Martin. The end of any season is always an emotional one, but before we reflect on another year of highs and lows, the team will be giving it all they’ve got in the fight for fourth with one race to go.

One year on from his competitive Formula 1 debut, Pato will be back in our car for free practice 1 in Abu Dhabi, working with the team to gather data and increase his experience. He’ll be looking after Lando’s car in the session, before handing the reigns back over to the British driver.

We’ve got the thoughts of Lando, Oscar and Team Principal Andrea Stella, along with a circuit guide, key stats, some tips on how to spend your time in Abu Dhabi and what to wear. For the final time this year, here’s your guide to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix…

Critical info

Round	23
Where	Yas Marina Circuit
When	24 - 26 November
Lights out	13:00 MTC / 17:00 local
Follow	The website and the McLaren App for LIVE commentary and team radio

“The season finale is here! The Las Vegas GP didn’t end how I wanted it to end, but I’m feeling good and excited to go racing again. Thank you once again to everyone who’s worked hard to ensure I have a car to drive this weekend, and thanks to all the fans who’ve sent me messages over the last few days.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a season. From where we started to where we are is all the result of a lot of people’s hard work. It’s only right for us to go and do our best to finish the season with more points for the team. Let’s go.”

“I’m looking forward to returning to Abu Dhabi. I have some great memories of racing in the junior categories there and, of course, it’s where I did my first rookie test with McLaren last year. 2023 has been fast paced in so many ways and it’s been a great year of steep learning for me. Some of the results I’ve had will remain with me forever, and the team and I are looking forward to finishing off the season with the best result possible. It’s the final push and the sensational spirit within the racing team and back at the factory will get us over the line.”

The sun sets on the season

The sight of a McLaren winding its way around the marina and under a hotel during sunset in Abu Dhabi is one of F1’s most stunning. As well as being visually appealing, the fact the race takes place at sunset also makes for a unique challenge for the team and drivers. As the sun goes down, the temperature drops, and the track cools, which impacts grips and balance and makes understeer much more likely.

With FP1 and FP3 taking place in daylight, the drivers also don’t spend all of their practice time in comparable conditions to the race. For the more experienced drivers and staff, the impact of this has cooled somewhat, with the team having now raced at this circuit for 14 years. For the first time since the Italian Grand Prix, we’ll be racing on a circuit where both Lando and Oscar have prior experience, with the Australian having raced here in his junior days.

From a racing point of view, the circuit’s defining feature and its greatest overtaking opportunity is its 1.2km straight, which is sandwiched between slow-speed corners. There are several slow corners in the first sector of the track, which helps to bunch up the pack and promotes close racing.

The design of the Yas Marina Circuit has changed in recent years, with remodelling work done ahead of the race in 2021 to create more overtaking opportunities. The lap was shortened to 5.281km, and five corners were removed, including the chicane and Turns 11 to 14, while several other corners were widened.

Driven By Change

Vuse's Driven By Change platform champions and gives opportunities to underrepresented artists through the global platform of motorsport, including the canvas of McLaren’s F1 cars.

The platform is in its third year, and artist Nujood Al-Otaibi will follow in the brushstrokes of Anna Tangles, who designed our car’s livery for the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and Rabab Tantawy, whose artwork featured on the car at the same race in 2021.

When the platform was launched, it marked the first time a piece of original art had appeared on a livery in an F1 grand prix.

Last time out

The Las Vegas Grand Prix provided an excellent spectacle on and off track, but proved to be one of our tougher races of late. For the first time since the Miami Grand Prix, Lando and Oscar both exited at Q1 in qualifying, but still had their eyes set on climbing up the order in the race.

However, Lando suffered a nasty crash at the start of Saturday night’s grand prix after he bottomed out at the restart, lost the rear and hit the wall. Thankfully, the British driver walked away unscathed and will be back in the cockpit for this weekend’s season finale. Lando is currently sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, five points off Carlos Sainz in fourth and seven ahead of Charles Leclerc in seventh.

Oscar enjoyed a more fruitful afternoon, firing his way up the order to fight from 18th to 10th and taking the Fastest Lap, earning the team much-needed points in the fight for fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. Oscar is ninth in the Drivers’ standings, 15 ahead of Lance Stroll in 10th.

“We’ve arrived at the end of a long season of racing. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is an important event for us, as we finish off our battle in the Constructors’ Championship. We go into the weekend more positively than the previous one, as the Yas Marina Circuit should suit our car better.

“As we approach the end of the season, I have to say that I’m so proud of every single person at McLaren, both trackside and back in Woking. The entire team has worked incredibly hard from the challenging start we had in Bahrain, right through to being in a position where we can fight not only for good points, but also for podiums. We’ll take this final opportunity to do our best to finish the season on a high.”

Stat pack

• Abu Dhabi has hosted a grand prix since 2009
• The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the first F1 race to take place at sunset
• The Yas Marina Circuit has six possible layouts
• Drivers race at full power for 69% of the lap
• Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button both finished on the podium in our second Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• Hamilton won our first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2011
• Hamilton has scored both of our poles in Abu Dhabi, qualifying first in 2009 and 2012
• Our highest finish in the Constructors’ Championship since 2012 was clinched in the 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as we finished third in the standings
• Lando has never finished lower than eighth in Abu Dhabi
• With seven podiums this season, Lando is one away from doubling his highest tally in a single season of F1
• Oscar raced in Abu Dhabi in Formula Renault Eurocup, winning in 2019, and in Formula 2, winning the Feature Race in 2021
• Oscar was crowned Formula 2 champion on his last visit to Abu Dhabi in 2021

Set your alarms

Free Practice 1	04:30 ET / 09:30 GMT / 20:30 AET
Free Practice 2	08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT / 00:00 AET
Free Practice 3	05:30 ET / 10:30 GMT / 21:30 AET
Qualifying	01:00 ET / 14:00 GMT / 01:00 AET
Race	08:00 ET / 13:00 GMT / 00:00 AET

Setting the scene

Located on an island in the Persian Gulf, Abu Dhabi is a modern city full of heritage and history. In this sense, Abu Dhabi offers the best of both worlds. It’s the capital of the United Arab Emirates and offers a luxurious and beautiful location for a grand prix, lined with white sandy beaches.

The city’s defining feature is undoubtedly the breathtaking Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, an architectural masterpiece featuring more than 1,000 columns, 82 domes, 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers and the world’s largest hand-knotted carpet. If you only have time to do one thing whilst you’re in Abu Dhabi, then you’ll want to make it this. But if you’re lucky enough to have more spare time, then plenty more awaits.

If you’re hungry for more culture, then the Louvre Abu Dhabi should be next on your list, or if you’re actually hungry, then Abu Dhabi is full of amazing restaurants and interesting food, from Sola Café and Restaurant’s avocado waffle to Punjab Highway’s chilli gobhi. After eating, you’ll probably want something a little more relaxing, in which case we’d recommend a casual stroll along the Corniche, a five-mile stretch of beaches, artwork and gardens.

The Fit: You’re the boss

This weekend’s fit can be whatever you want it to be, with up to 60% off on the McLaren Store. We’re always boasting to our friends about our uber-creative fanbase, and that’s why we’re giving you complete control over your Abu Dhabi fits. It’s time to get on the McLaren store and make the most of the massive savings on offer to create your coolest and wackiest looks.

And once you’ve concocted your outfit, don’t forget to show it off using #FansLikeNoOther.