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ABU DHABI: Ethara, the organizers of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, have revealed that 2024 was their biggest year yet, with $340 million in visitor spend from 192,000 fans over the four days.

Announced at the Sport Industry Forum recently, the 2024 results highlight the race’s growing global sport, cultural and tourism impact.

The figure represents a 6.8 percent increase on the previous record of $320 million. Attendance grew by 12.9 percent from 170,000 to 192,000, with 70 percent of spectators coming from abroad.

That increasing demand has continued ahead of the 2025 edition — at Yas Marina Circuit from Dec. 4 to 7 — with most of the tickets already sold.

The results highlight the event’s role in leading Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s tourism ambitions, reflecting how in the 16 years since its debut, it has grown into a global showpiece.

Saif Al-Noaimi, CEO of Ethara, said the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix “continues to raise the bar” which “demonstrates how we’ve evolved the event into an entertainment and tourism destination that transcends sport.

“With an unprecedented level of advance sales for the 2025 race, fans are telling us they trust in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix experience and everything that it brings both on and off the track.”

The 2024 results also showed that 85 percent of international visitors arrived by air. More than half came to Abu Dhabi for the first time and many turned their stays into full holidays.

Alongside the racing, fans ventured beyond the circuit with their Abu Dhabi tickets to access Yas Island’s theme parks, and also cultural landmarks including Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al-Watan.

Over 30,000 visits were recorded across these sights during the 2024 race weekend. In 2025, ticket benefits have been further extended and include teamLab Phenomena, adding more value to the experience.

The event’s signature Yasalam entertainment proposition, presented by e& and After-Race Concerts, had a record 110,000 attending over four nights at Etihad Park.

The event also drew a huge broadcast audience, with 62 million watching last year’s championship finale on TV and streaming platforms.

That was further enhanced by F1 teams, drivers and celebrities sharing their experience on social media, giving the event an online reach of 4.6 billion.

Besides tourism, the event contributed to the local economy by generating jobs and bringing opportunities to the community.

Notably, 88 percent of staff on-site at Yas Marina Circuit last year were UAE-based, offering valuable experience and opportunities, especially for young professionals and temporary workers, as well as small-and-medium businesses and suppliers.

Roma missed three attempts at an equalizing penalty, Celtic had an equalizer ruled out after a “baffling” VAR decision and Nottingham Forest remained winless under Ange Postecoglou after a dispiriting loss in the Europa League on Thursday.

Aston Villa seem to have firmly shaken off their early-season struggles, though, as captain John McGinn scored again in a 2-0 win over Feyenoord for the English team’s third straight victory in all competitions.

Celtic were left to rue a strange VAR decision as they lost 2-0 to Braga after an earlier equalizer was ruled out for handball, even though replays seemed to clearly show that Kelechi Iheanacho had scored the goal without any use of his arm. The VAR took several minutes to review the incident before upholding the referee’s initial decision to disallow the goal, which Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers lamented as “baffling.”

An even stranger scene took place in Rome, where the home team lost 1-0 to Lille even though it was given three tries to equalize from the penalty spot late in the game. The first two efforts from Artem Dovbyk were both saved by goalkeeper Berke Ozer — only for the referee to order the penalty to be retaken each time because of encroachment.

Roma then switched penalty takers to Matias Soule, but Ozer saved that one as well, diving to his right to punch the ball away in the 85th minute — nearly four minutes after Dovbyk had made his first attempt.

Hakon Arnar Haraldsson had put Lille ahead with an angled shot in the sixth minute at Stadio Olimpico, which was enough for the French club to earn a second win in two games.

Pressure grows on Postecoglou

Nottingham Forest lost 3-2 to Danish club Midtjylland in their first home game in a European competition in almost 30 years, leaving recently hired manager Ange Postecoglou without a win after six games in charge.

Some Forest fans seemed to be running out of patience with the Australian, chanting for him to be sacked during the final minutes of the game.

Midtjylland led 3-1 after substitute Valdemar Andreasen scored in the 88th minute, before Chris Wood reduced the deficit from the spot in stoppage time.

Rangers also lost 2-1 at Sturm Graz, while Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv fell to a 3-1 “home” defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in a game played in Serbia. Dinamo fans were banned from the game by UEFA after a “thorough risk analysis.”

Villa win again

McGinn scored on a fast counter in the 79th minute to seal the win for Aston Villa after Emiliano Buendía had put the team ahead from the edge of the area on the hour mark.

Until the goal, the hosts wasted a number of decent chances.

Still, it was a fitting return for Villa to Feyenoord’s De Kuip Stadium where the club triumphed 1-0 over Bayern Munich in 1982 to become the European champion.

McGinn has now scored in each of Villa’s three wins — against Bologna in the Europa League and Fulham in the Premier League — after the team opened the season with two losses and three draws domestically.

In other early games, a precise strike by Giovani Lo Celso from the edge of the area and an own goal from Spanish defender Son gave Real Betis a 2-0 win away at Ludogorets.

Fenerbahce forward Kerem Akturkoglu scored when one-on-one with goalkeeper Yehvann Diouf early in the game and added the second with a deflected shot en route to a 2-1 win over Nice.

Bologna drew 1-1 at home against Freiburg after Riccardo Orsolini scored for the hosts on a rebound before Junior Adamu equalized from the spot.

Milan Smit scored two late goals as Go Ahead Eagles came from behind to beat Panathinaikos 2-1 in Athens.

Crystal Palace shine in European debut

Crystal Palace marked their first game in a major European competition by beating Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 in the Conference League. The victory extended the London team’s unbeaten run to a club record 19 games, stretching back to April.

Daniel Muñoz headed in Yeremy Pino’s cross and substitute Eddie Nketiah doubled the advantage in the 58th. Palace finished the game with 10 men after midfielder Borna Sosa received his second yellow card in the 76th minute, but it was another impressive performance for Oliver Glasner’s side which remains the last unbeaten team in the Premier League after beating defending champion Liverpool 2-1 on Saturday.

The FA cup winner was demoted to to the third-tier Conference League for breaching UEFA rules on club ownership.

Also, Rayo Vallecano celebrated their return to Europe after 25 years with a 2-0 win over newcomer Shkëndija from North Macedonia.

The Conference League uses the same 36-team league format as the Champions League and the Europa League. But teams play only six, not eight different opponents during the league phase.