Race preview: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Here’s everything you need to know about Alex’s final race of the season

Published

03 DEC 2025

Est. reading time

3 min

Alex will be hoping to cap a successful season by securing a top-ten finish in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

The 29-year-old has amassed a total of 73 points across the campaign — helping Atlassian Williams Racing to P5 in the Constructors’ Championship and placing him eighth in the Drivers’ Standings.

AA23 can confirm that position on Sunday, but may need to put points on the board to ensure he remains ahead of the chasing pack.

A thrilling conclusion of the Formula 1 season looks set to be in store, then, when Round 24 gets underway at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Previous stints in Abu Dhabi

Alex’s best performances in Abu Dhabi came during the formative stages of his F1 career.

Our Thai racer claimed a P6 finish there in his maiden season with Red Bull back in 2019, then placed P4 the following year.

Albono is still awaiting his first points on Yas Island with Williams, but came remarkably close last term — narrowly missing out on a top-ten berth after coming P11.

That was after mounting a remarkable climb from 18th on the grid following a five-place penalty, and driving on hard tyres for a lengthy 45 laps.

“With ten laps to go, I thought it would be hard to hold on,” he explained after the race.

“The tyres’ grip stayed quite strong, but the temperatures just dropped off.

Once the track started to cool down, I couldn’t drive quickly enough to keep the temperature in the tyres, so it felt like qualifying laps from about 25 laps in until the end, making it a very physical race.”

Reflecting on the 2024 season as a whole, Alex added: “In the end, I’m not too upset because I’m here for the long term and I know as a team we’re not interested in being the best of the midfield, we’re putting in the work now for the future to be back fighting for wins and championships and I believe in this journey we’re on.”

That journey has certainly begun in 2025, with AA23 already a whole 61 points better off than he was at the conclusion of last year’s campaign.

Track guide

The Yas Marina Circuit’s state-of-the-art facilities make for an enjoyable visit to Abu Dhabi — for drivers and fans alive.

Relatively recent upgrades to the track have resulted in better racing, too, with higher speeds and more wheel-to-wheel action as a result.

Throw in some unique features like a drive under the imposing Yas Hotel and it’s easy to see why this venue is befitting of the season’s final round.

Stretching across 5.281 km (3.281 miles) and containing 16 turns, a lap of the circuit begins with a dash around four corners in Sector 1, before Sector 2’s notably tight hairpin.

Two DRS zones then follow across a pair of straights, ahead of a series of twists and turns around the Marina in Sector 3.

Keep up to date

After the season’s final Sprint last weekend, we’re back to some more regular session times in Abu Dhabi.

Free Practice 1 begins at 1.30pm local time (GST) — though Alex won’t be in the car for that one, as Williams Racing Driver Academy prospect Luke Browning gets another opportunity to pilot the FW47.

However, he’ll be back for FP2 at 5pm, as well as Free Practice 3 on Saturday at 2.30pm.

The real business then gets underway with Qualifying later that day (6pm), before the final race of 2025 at 5pm GST on Sunday.

Claim your Abu Dhabi GP Fan Passport stamp

Alex’s supporters have been amassing Fan Passport stamps throughout the year, but there’s still time for one more Grand Prix-related Albono to add to your collection.

You can claim this week’s edition now via the link below, but make sure to do so before the campaign wraps up on Sunday to avoid missing out!

The Abu Dhabi Albono 2025 is ready to collect!