The Yas Marina Circuit race control room has received a multi-million-dirham upgrade ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The room is the nerve centre of the circuit during practice sessions, qualifying and the race itself. It’s where officials start and end the Grand Prix, enforce rules and oversee every aspect of track operations to ensure safety for drivers, staff, and the thousands of fans in attendance.
For 2025, the race control room has undergone a major revamp, making it one of the most cutting edge in global motorsport and bolstering Yas Marina Circuit’s status as one of the most technologically advanced F1 tracks in the world.
“As host of the F1 season finale, Yas Marina Circuit is the stage for historic moments, be it a title-deciding race or a driver’s farewell. That raises the stakes and motivates us to continuously innovate our infrastructure so the sport can be experienced at its absolute best. This upgraded control room gives officials the technology and environment to make split-second decisions with confidence, so the racing itself can shine,” shared Ali Al Beshr, General Manager of Yas Marina Circuit at Ethara
Optimal performance
At the heart of the upgrade is a suite of smart systems designed to make the race control faster, more flexible and future-proofed.
Operators can route any of 55 circuit camera feeds, timing systems, race logs, car trackers, or broadcast feeds to any of workstation monitors instantly via tablet control. No additional equipment, no IT callouts.
The speed and adaptability extends to how different championships are able to integrate with the circuit. International fly-in championships, including Formula 1, can full use of the circuit’s infrastructure without shipping hardware which cuts set-up time, costs and complexity.
Beneath the surface, the infrastructure has been overhauled. New underfloor cabling, concealed access panels, and integrated sound systems create a cleaner, more efficient environment that allows easy rigging and de-rigging between events.
Human-centric design
During the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, 28 people will be working in the race control room, some for shifts lasting up to 12 hours. They see every angle of the track, communicate with everyone from team principals to track marshals, and analyse immense amounts of information in real time. The human-centric design puts their needs first, keeping them comfortable, focused, and calm under pressure.
The theatre-style tiered layout gives every workstation unobstructed views of the main display screens. A darker room palette and dimmable LED strip lighting reduces glare and eye strain, creating an immersive atmosphere where officials can maintain focus during extended shifts.
Custom-made workstations are a distinctive feature designed to reduce fatigue and improve communication in the room. Ergonomic desks include embedded comms panels, connectivity and wireless charging, eliminating visual clutter and preserving clear sightlines. When officials are overseeing racing at 300 km/h, precision and clarity make all the difference.
“The Yas Marina Circuit control room has been years in the making, and we’re proud of the result. We didn’t just meet FIA standards – we exceeded them. Every detail creates a working environment built for the world’s greatest motorsport championships. Simply put, it’s one of the most technologically advanced race control facilities in world motorsport.” said Stuart Latham, Yas Marina Circuit Circuit Safety & Operations Director.
The new control room made its operational debut during the first round of the Yas Racing Series on October 31-November 2.
During the 2025/26 motorsports season it will oversee a busy calendar of world-class racing, including: Autonomous Racing Series, Lenovo Gulf 12 hours, Asian Le Mans Series, Formula 4 Middle East, Formula Regional Middle East and more.
The 2025 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix takes place at Yas Marina Circuit from December 5-7.
