Abu Dhabi GP Wins Coveted F1 Promoter of the Year Award

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promoter Ethara has won the coveted Promoter of the Year Award at the annual Formula 1 Promoter Awards.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promoter Ethara has been awarded the coveted Promoter of the Year trophy at a ceremony in London. Attended by leaders from all 24 races on the Formula 1 calendar, the ceremony celebrated all aspects of Formula 1 race weekend organisation, from fan experience to sustainability.

While the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix won the top award, races and promoters in Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Japan and China were among the other award winners recognised in the ceremony.

Abu Dhabi wins Promoter of the Year Award

A year on from the Miami Grand Prix and promoter South Florida Motorsports win in 2024, Ethara – promoter of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – took home the top prize at the 2026 F1 Promoter Awards. They were awarded the prize as a result of their “commitment to evolving their event”, having “welcomed new hospitality concepts, innovative on-site activations and sustainability initiatives”.

The 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a three-way title decider – the first time the title could be won by any one of three drivers at the final race since 2010. As well as the dramatic on-track battle, fans were entertained off track with a series of world class concerts from Benson Boone, Post Malone, Metallica and Katy Perry.

Celebrating their success in a social media post, the official Abu Dhabi Grand Prix account noted that 339,000 fans had visited Yas Island over the season-closing race weekend – despite the official attendance figure being only 203,000. The total visitor figure of 339,000 includes 136,000 fans who attended the four after-race concerts and post-race parties, for which access was only available to race attendees. The Yas Marina race has one of the lowest attendance figures of the season, with only numbers in Qatar, Bahrain and Azerbaijan believed to be smaller.

Speaking about the win, Saif Rashid Al-Noaimi, CEO of Ethara, said:

“We are proud to be recognised as Promoter of the Year in such a competitive field of promoters. This award is a testament to the strength of the Ethara team, who are delivering our vision to become a regional powerhouse in live entertainment. We will continue to pioneer the delivery of unforgettable experiences for the fans from around the world.”

Saudi Arabia, Hungary, Japan and China Among Other Award Winners

Elsewhere, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was awarded with the Event Spectacle award, honouring its impressive pre and post-race ceremonies, as well as other off-track activations, including concerts from international headliners Usher, Jennifer Lopez and Major Lazer.

The Hungarian Grand Prix won the award for Fan Experience. The Hungaroring upgraded its grandstand and paddock facilities ahead of the 2025 race weekend, in a €195 million project. Staff at the event were also recognised for their “friendly and helpful nature”.

The Japanese Grand Prix was awarded the ESG Changemaker Award for the promoter’s approach to environmental, social and governance issues. As well as decreasing the event’s carbon footprint by optimising the use of low-carbon transport, a new initiative was launched for 2025 which saw 4,000 families, children and students given access to the race weekend through a lottery program. In 2025, fan attendance increased by 37,000 in total compared to the 2024 figure.

The award for Outstanding Cultural Identity was handed to the Chinese Grand Prix, which showcased its unique cultural heritage with a range of artistic elements throughout the race weekend, including with a downtown festival in Shanghai.

Speaking about the awards, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said:

“2025 was another incredible year from start to finish for Formula 1, and at the heart of this success were our 24 promoters, who worked tirelessly to deliver the ultimate race weekend experience for our fans. As the sport enters its next generation in 2026, we have a responsibility to continue breaking barriers and setting a high standard for others to follow. I want to thank all our promoters for their hard work and innovation and encourage them to keep developing their events in 2026 and beyond. Congratulations to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as well as to all the other winners and nominees at today’s awards.”

The 2026 Formula 1 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 5-8.