What F1 teams do well at Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Red Bull successful at Yas Marina

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Formula 1 has seen a number of teams do well at and win races plus titles at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since the maiden running in 2009, so who are the most successful?

Success has often come in streaks for teams at the Yas Marina Circuit, with only a handful to date failing to secure repeat victories at the Abu Dhabi GP after winning the round. Red Bull also won back-to-back at Yas Marina over the first two editions of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The introduction of the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid power units in 2014 even catapulted Mercedes to the front of the Formula 1 field and to great success at various runnings of the Abu Dhabi GP. Yas Marina was a bona fide Mercedes track with six successful visits on the spin to 2019.

Red Bull won the first Abu Dhabi GP with Sebastian Vettel in 2009

A 2.4L V8 Mercedes engine even powered Lewis Hamilton, whilst driving for McLaren, to the first pole position at the Abu Dhabi GP in 2009. The Briton beat Red Bull ace Sebastian Vettel to P1 on the grid by a massive 0.667 seconds but he would not win due to his brakes failing.

Hamilton retiring from the maiden Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Lap 20/55 left Vettel in the clear to make Red Bull the first Formula 1 team to win at Yas Marina in 2009. The German also led Mark Webber home for a one-two as the Australian just held off Jenson Button of Brawn GP.

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Vettel would return to Yas Marina in 2010 and secure Red Bull another Abu Dhabi Grand Prix win, along with his first of four F1 drivers’ titles, too. But while the German would win at Yas Marina again in 2013, Red Bull had to wait until 2020 with Max Verstappen for a fourth win.

Red Bull are the most successful F1 team at the Abu Dhabi GP

The success Verstappen has had at Yas Marina, including sealing his first drivers’ title at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix also re-established Red Bull as Formula 1’s most successful team in the race’s history. Red Bull rose back in front of Mercedes with their seventh win in 2023.

Mercedes dominated at Yas Marina in the first six years of the 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid power units era. Their success even came in stark contrast to the final three editions featuring V8 engines as McLaren and Lotus interrupted Red Bull’s early dominance with single victories.

Mercedes are the most successful engine manufacturer at the Abu Dhabi GP

McLaren helped Mercedes disrupt the dominance of Renault engines at Yas Marina in 2011 as Hamilton won his first Abu Dhabi GP. Red Bull had won the race using Renault engines in 2009 plus 2010, and Lotus with Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull added more in 2012 plus 2013.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 drivers at the Abu Dhabi GP including Lewis Hamilton

The introduction of 1.6L V6 turbo-hybrid power units in 2014 and Mercedes perfecting the engine then saw the Silver Arrows’ engine emerge as the most successful at the Abu Dhabi GP until 2019. Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas won the Abu Dhabi GP in that run.

But since the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Honda power unit has been the best engine at Yas Marina. Red Bull and Verstappen reeled off four successive wins with the Honda engine, albeit badged as a Red Bull Powertrains unit in 2022 plus 2023 due to a naming rights deal.