The finale is more than a race for those who keep it safe
As the Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix returns to Yas Marina Circuit for the 2025 season finale, a highly trained community in their distinctive orange uniforms will once again take their positions around the track. These are the volunteer marshals mobilised by the Emirates Motorsports Organization (EMSO) and working seamlessly with Ethara, who safeguard every on-track moment and underpin the delivery of the global finale.
The marshal operation at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is coordinated by EMSO in close collaboration with Ethara, bringing together hundreds of trained volunteers who support race control and on-track safety throughout the weekend. Positioned around the 5.281-kilometre circuit, the team works as a unified network linked directly to Race Control and trained to respond instantly to any scenario. This year’s roster includes more than 750 marshals and reflects the UAE’s diverse community, with 22 percent Emiratis contributing alongside volunteers from across the country’s multicultural population. Notably, one-third of the marshal team are female.
Among those returning is Flag Official Maha Faez Younes, now in her fifth season. “You quickly realise the scale of preparation behind this, the effort, organisation and months of training needed to ensure safety and smooth operation. I feel proud to represent the UAE and to show young people that volunteering in motorsport lets you be part of something big, learn and serve your country.” She added that EMSO’s training “covers rapid intervention, fire handling, rescue and communication, preparing us to work under pressure with accuracy and focus.”
Also returning this year is Sector Chief Mohamed Malek AlHammadi, who shares a similar sense of pride. “Being part of such a major global event in Abu Dhabi feels exciting and rewarding, and I’m proud to help make it run safely and smoothly.”
The marshal community is built on experience. Many have spent three to five seasons in their roles, returning each year for the 50 to 75 hours of EMSO-led training that prepares them for race week. The team spans generations, with the largest groups between 21 and 30 years old at 30 percent, and those 41 and above close behind at 28 percent. A retention rate of up to 85 percent ensures that this collective knowledge carries forward, strengthening the operation with every edition of the Grand Prix.
As the world’s attention turns to Yas Marina Circuit, the marshal community stands ready, trained, disciplined, and essential to every safe lap of the 2025 season finale.
Their work supports one of the UAE’s biggest annual sports and entertainment weekends, attracting hundreds of thousands of fans, global broadcasters, and a worldwide audience, a scale that makes their role even more critical.