Max Verstappen's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix record: five wins at Yas Marina, all from pole
Verstappen shares the record for most Abu Dhabi wins with Lewis Hamilton. Here is his Yas Marina story year by year.
Max Verstappen has won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix five times, in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. That equals Lewis Hamilton's record of five wins at Yas Marina, and Formula One History's results table shows each of Verstappen's wins came from pole position.
The first came in 2020, when he took pole by 0.025 seconds, the smallest pole margin at the track according to Lights Out. The second was the most famous: in 2021 he arrived level on points with Hamilton and passed him on the final lap, after a late safety car, to win his first world title.
That 2021 weekend also produced the fastest lap ever recorded on the current layout, his 1:22.109 for pole. He won again in 2022 and 2023, making it four Abu Dhabi wins in a row.
The run ended in 2024. Verstappen made contact with Oscar Piastri at Turn 1 on the opening lap, took a 10-second penalty and recovered to sixth. He told his official website: “It's never ideal to make contact, but it is what it is.”
In 2025 he won from pole again, finishing 12.594 seconds ahead of Oscar Piastri. Lando Norris's third place, though, meant Verstappen missed a fifth straight title by two points.
He comes into the 2026 run-in fourth in the standings on 221 points, after wins at Sepang and Singapore with the new Red Bull Ford power unit. Kimi Antonelli is 119 points ahead, so the title is a long shot, but no driver has won more often at Yas Marina.
Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix4 to 6 Dec · Yas Marina Circuit See ticketsSource: Formula One History, Lights Out, Sports Illustrated, Verstappen.com, Silverstone, Yahoo Sports
