Abu Dhabi is gearing up for another high-tech motorsport showdown as the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) returns to Yas Marina Circuit on Friday, November 15, 2025. After drawing over 10,000 spectators and more than a million virtual viewers last year, the driverless car race is back with even higher stakes – a prize pool exceeding AED 8 million.
For 2025, the league introduces A2RL SIM-Sprint, a virtual global racing series designed to help teams to train AI algorithms in dynamic, simulated environments and test edge cases that don’t often arise in real-world conditions. In the future, SIM-Sprint aims to open its digital circuit to indie developers, university teams, and motorsport gamers – potentially creating a path from screen to speedway.
This second edition brings new faces and features to the autonomous racing scene. Here’s what to expect:
- Expanded international roster: research teams from ten countries, including newcomers France and Japan, will join the action alongside returning competitors from the USA, Germany, China, Singapore, Italy, and the UAE.
- Upgraded race cars: all vehicles are based on the Super Formula SF23 chassis, the fastest open-wheel race car outside of F1 – now enhanced for autonomous control.
- New model debut: the EAV-24 capable of reaching speeds up to 300 km/h without a driver, which includes next-generation sensors, smarter AI control systems, eco-friendly materials.
Planning to watch autonomous race? Here are the event details:
Location: Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi
Date: Friday, November 15, 2025
