What happened for the last time on Lap 42 of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Which drivers have had the most retirements at the circuit? And what unique occurrence will happen at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Here’s the Yas Marina Circuit in Numbers!
All images © Andrew Balfour / motorsportguides.com
1
The number 1 was last used on a Formula 1 car during a Grand Prix at this track in 2014. It was Sebastian Vettel who had the number 1 on his car during that race. The number has not appeared in a race since. There have been only two different World Champions since Vettel was last able to carry the number 1. Lewis Hamilton elects to run the number 44, and Nico Rosberg retired after winning the title in 2016. However, the number 1 did make a brief appearance at this circuit in 2018, as Hamilton chose to run it during the first Free Practice session.
2
Pastor Maldonado and Carlos Sainz are the only two drivers to record DNFs in consecutive years at the Yas Marina Circuit. While they’re the only drivers to record retirements in consecutive seasons, Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg have also recorded two DNFs at the track.
4th
Only one Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been won from lower than second on the grid. That happened in 2012, when Kimi Raikkonen won from fourth. Seven races here have been won from pole, while four have been won from second.
9
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most podium finishes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.He has finished in the top three on nine occasions. Hamilton has had five wins at the Yas Marina circuit.
10
Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton have scored points on more appearances at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix than any other drivers. Each driver has appeared in all twelve Abu Dhabi races so far, and both have failed to score only twice.
12
Mercedes have more podiums at the Yas Marina Circuit than any other team. They’ve finished on the podium twelve times and scored three consecutive 1-2 results between 2015 and 2017.
19
Of the 36 podium places in the twelve years in which the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been held, a Mercedes-powered car has finished in nineteen of those positions.
22
This year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be the 22nd round of the 2021 season. It will be the first time a season has had 22 rounds.
42
On the 42nd lap of the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Jarno Trulli pitted for fuel. The significance of this was that it was the last ever refuelling stop in F1 history. This was also the last race for Trulli’s team, Toyota, as well as the last race in which only the top eight finishers scored points.
50
Lewis Hamilton picked up 50 points with his victory at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. It’s the most points a driver has scored at a Grand Prix, a result of the race offering double points. Double points for the final race have not been awarded again since.
100%
Felipe Massa scored points on all of his eight Abu Dhabi Grand Prix appearances. The only other drivers with a 100% points scoring rate at the track are Paul di Resta, Alex Albon and Lando Norris. Meanwhile, Jerome d’Ambrosio and Narain Karthikeyan are the only drivers with a 100% DNF rate at the circuit.
312
Fernando Alonso made his 312th and final Formula 1 start at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Spaniard’s tally of starts was equalled at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix by Kimi Raikkonen. Rubens Barrichello is the only other driver to have started more races than Alonso.
1,000
Lewis Hamilton led his 1,000th Grand Prix lap at the Yas Marina Circuit in 2011. He reached the milestone on the fourth lap of the race.
2,500
The man-made Yas Island, where the Yas Marina Circuit is located occupies a total area of 2500 Hectares. The development was announced in 2006 and officially opened in November 2009, just before the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.