Yas Marina Circuit Grand Prix Chicane
Yas Marina Circuit Grand Prix Chicane is 5.3 km, 19 turns, counter-clockwise. Fastest recorded lap: 1:34.794 (Mercedes W09 2018).
The Yas Marina Circuit is an FIA Grade 1 raceway designed by the famous German track architect Hermann Tilke and operating since 2009 in Yas Island, the purpose-built leisure, shopping, entertainment center, and tourist attraction pole in Abu Dhabi, one of the United Arab Arab Emirates. Yas Marina has hosted the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from its inception in 2009, being also the last race in the F1 calendar, usually run in mid-November to cope with the extremely high temperatures of the hot Arabian desert. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the only Formula 1 race starting at dusk for the same reason, but the lighting and scenery of the track are ideal for providing top-notch entertainment for the audience at the venue and on TV.
The 3.45-mile (5.55-km), 21 turn Grand Prix circuit runs counterclockwise and results from the combination of two independent 1.47-mile (2.36-km) layouts, one at the northern half and the other at the southern half, that can host races simultaneously. The Yas Marina Circuit is technically demanding for drivers, with several multi-apex turns, sharp bents, and heavy braking sectors on its eastern part. The longest straightaway ends abruptly on a tight left-right turn combination leading to a long sweeper. Racing on this circuit rewards patient drivers who wait the right moments to overtake their opponents, as errors can easily lead to being left behind.
The Grand Prix Chicane configuration at Yas Marina Circuit represents a specific GP layout variant incorporating particular chicane elements, likely created during the comprehensive 2021 redesign that transformed the circuit. This configuration emphasizes the championship-grade layout with defined chicane sequences that distinguish it from non-chicane or alternative routing variants. The GP Chicane serves as Yas Marina's flagship Formula One hosting configuration.
Operating the GP Chicane showcases Yas Marina's evolution following 2021 modifications that improved racing spectacle while maintaining FIA Grade 1 certification. The specific chicane designations create technical braking zones essential for overtaking opportunities. UAE's extreme desert heat makes the twilight-to-night race format essential. The GP Chicane configuration positions Yas Marina as Abu Dhabi's premier motorsport venue hosting Formula One's season finale across the modernized layout.
Yas Marina Circuit averages 42°C highs in August and 15°C lows in January, and little rain. The driest, most reliable track-day weather runs November–March.
10-yr monthly averages Rain days Driving season
