Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026: Race Time by Time Zone on Sunday, Dec. 6, and Full Schedule

The Formula 1 (F1) Abu Dhabi Grand Prix starts Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026, at 5 p.m. Gulf Standard Time (GST), which is 8 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), 5 a.m. Pacific Time (PT) and 1 p.m. in the UK, at Yas Marina Circuit, according to Formula 1’s official timetable. It is the final round, Round 23 of 23, of the 2026 season. Below: all five sessions in eight time zones, the race length, last year’s result and how to watch in the U.S.

What is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 schedule?

F1’s race page for the meeting of Dec. 4 to 6 gives session starts in GST, the circuit’s offset of UTC+04:00 (Coordinated Universal Time, UTC). The other columns are our conversion, not an official schedule. In December the U.S. is on standard time: ET is UTC-5, Central Time (CT) is UTC-6, Mountain Time (MT) is UTC-7 and PT is UTC-8. The UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), equal to UTC, and Central European Time (CET) is UTC+1.

Session	Abu Dhabi (GST)	UTC	ET	CT	MT	PT	UK (GMT)	CET
Practice 1, Fri., Dec. 4	1:30 p.m.	09:30	4:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	2:30 a.m.	1:30 a.m.	9:30 a.m.	10:30 a.m.
Practice 2, Fri., Dec. 4	5 p.m.	13:00	8 a.m.	7 a.m.	6 a.m.	5 a.m.	1 p.m.	2 p.m.
Practice 3, Sat., Dec. 5	2:30 p.m.	10:30	5:30 a.m.	4:30 a.m.	3:30 a.m.	2:30 a.m.	10:30 a.m.	11:30 a.m.
Qualifying, Sat., Dec. 5	6 p.m.	14:00	9 a.m.	8 a.m.	7 a.m.	6 a.m.	2 p.m.	3 p.m.
Race, Sun., Dec. 6	5 p.m.	13:00	8 a.m.	7 a.m.	6 a.m.	5 a.m.	1 p.m.	2 p.m.

All times are start times on the same calendar day in every column. Our printable below repeats this table on one page.

What time does the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix start on Sunday?

The race starts at 5 p.m. in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Dec. 6. By our conversion that is 8 a.m. ET, 7 a.m. CT, 6 a.m. MT and 5 a.m. PT. In the UK it is 1 p.m. GMT, and in Central Europe it is 2 p.m. CET. F1’s race page lists 58 laps and a race distance of 306.188 km at Yas Marina Circuit.

What time is Abu Dhabi qualifying at Yas Marina?

Qualifying is on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m. GST, which is 9 a.m. ET and 6 a.m. PT. Practice 3 starts earlier that day at 2:30 p.m. GST, 5:30 a.m. ET. On Friday, Dec. 4, Practice 1 starts at 1:30 p.m. GST (4:30 a.m. ET) and Practice 2 at 5 p.m. GST (8 a.m. ET).

How did the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix end?

In 2025, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) reported on Dec. 7 that Max Verstappen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his 71st career win, and that Lando Norris was crowned the 2025 drivers’ world champion. This story does not cover the 2026 title situation.

Where can you watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the U.S.?

Formula 1 announced on Oct. 17, 2025 a five-year partnership with Apple to become the sport’s exclusive U.S. broadcast partner from 2026, with Apple TV hosting all Free Practice, Qualifying, Sprint sessions and Grands Prix. Coverage details outside the U.S. were not confirmed on an official page for this story.

Where does Abu Dhabi fall in the 2026 F1 season?

F1’s 2026 calendar lists Abu Dhabi last, as Round 23 of 23. Our Qatar Grand Prix 2026 race time story covers Round 22, which is Nov. 27 to 29, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2026 story covers Round 21. The São Paulo story covers an earlier round.

Free Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 weekend times printable

The printable lists the five sessions with weekday and times in GST, ET, PT, GMT and CET on one page. Mark the finale on your December 2026 printable calendar, or plan the early-morning sessions on a printable weekly calendar.