Dubai Autodrome
Dubai Autodrome at a glance
- Location
- Dubai, Dubai
- Type
- road course
- Length
- 5.39 km (3.349 mi)
- Turns
- 17
- Direction
- clockwise
- Surface
- asphalt
- Opened
- 2004
- Owner
- Union Properties
- Website
- dubaiautodrome.ae
Track map and layout
Dubai Autodrome is a purpose-built, FIA Grade 1-certified circuit at the heart of the Motor City development in Dubailand, designed by Clive Bowen of Apex Circuit Design with Populous handling the surrounding architecture. It offers six configurable layouts from the full 5.390 km, 17-turn Grand Prix circuit down to shorter International, National and Club circuits, plus separate Hill and Oval handling courses, giving it unusual flexibility for hosting everything from endurance racing to driving schools and karting on the same site. The full circuit mixes a long pit straight with a technical, flowing infield, and sits alongside an on-site karting facility, the Dubai Kartdrome.
Configurations
| Layout | Length | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit | 5.39 km | full 17-turn layout, used for 24H Dubai and Asian Le Mans Series |
| International circuit | — | 12-turn configuration |
| National circuit | — | 16-turn configuration |
| Club circuit | — | 11-turn configuration used for club racing and track days |
| Hill handling course | — | 9-turn handling/driver-training course |
| Oval handling course | — | 6-turn handling/driver-training course |
Events and race weekends
Dubai Autodrome's marquee event is the Dubai 24 Hour endurance race, run every January since 2006 and one of the best-attended GT and touring car endurance events outside Europe. The Asian Le Mans Series holds its 4 Hours of Dubai round here in February, alongside a Formula Regional Middle East Championship round, with Gulf ProCar, Gulf Radical Cup and superbike championships filling out the rest of the calendar through the cooler months.
| Event | Series | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai 24 Hour | GT / touring car endurance | January | run annually since 2006 |
| 4 Hours of Dubai | Asian Le Mans Series | February | endurance round |
| Formula Regional Middle East Championship | Formula Regional | February | junior single-seater series |
Getting there and parking
There is no direct Dubai Metro station at Motor City; visitors typically take the Metro Red Line to Mall of the Emirates or Nakheel station and continue by taxi or bus into the Motor City district, or use ride-hailing apps for a direct trip from most parts of Dubai. On-site parking is available for those driving.
- Dubai International Airport (DXB) · about 35 min drive
- Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) · about 30 min drive
Parking
Free on-site parking is available at the circuit.
Taxis or ride-hailing apps are the most direct way to reach Motor City, since the nearest Dubai Metro stations (Mall of the Emirates or Nakheel) still require a further taxi or bus connection.
Hotels and camping near Dubai Autodrome
Motor City itself has limited hotel stock, so most visitors stay elsewhere in Dubai and drive or taxi in; nearby areas such as Dubai Sports City and Arabian Ranches offer some options, while the wider Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina and JBR districts give the largest choice of hotels, typically 25-40 minutes away by road.
Where to look
Motor City / Dubai Sports City (closest to the circuit, limited hotel supply); Dubai Marina and JBR (larger hotel selection, 25-35 minutes away); Downtown Dubai (widest choice, 30-40 minutes away).
Track days, driving experiences and lap records
Dubai Autodrome runs an active public program of driving experiences, including karting at the on-site Kartdrome, supercar and single-seater/Formula drives, passenger rides and drifting sessions, alongside dedicated Track Test Days: open pit-lane sessions for race and track cars with medical cover on site. A valid driving licence or competition licence is required for the car-based experiences.
Who runs days here
Typical cost: Karting from around AED 115-145 per session; supercar drives from around AED 825-4,880; single-seater/Formula drives from around AED 1,350-9,995; Track Test Day pit-lane sessions from around AED 3,500 per car
Lap records
| Category | Time | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Prix circuit outright | 1:41.220 | Kamui Kobayashi | GP2 Asia car | 2008 |
Spectator guide
The circuit's Grandstand Retail Plaza and main grandstand overlook the pit straight and start-finish line, giving good views of the opening and closing stages of races such as the Dubai 24 Hour, which runs through the night and is a popular event to watch across multiple sessions.
Seating
Main grandstand seating overlooks the pit straight and start-finish area; specific stand names beyond this are not well documented in public sources.
Best places to watch
The main grandstand by the pit straight is the primary spectator vantage point for the Dubai 24 Hour and other headline events.
Weather
- January (Dubai 24 Hour): cool by Gulf standards, daytime highs around 24°C, cold overnight during the endurance race
History of Dubai Autodrome
Building Motor City's centrepiece
Dubai Autodrome opened in October 2004 as the centrepiece of the Dubai Motor City development in Dubailand, one of several themed districts built during Dubai's rapid 2000s expansion. Designed by circuit architect Clive Bowen of Apex Circuit Design with Populous responsible for the surrounding buildings, the venue was conceived from the outset as a multi-layout facility rather than a single fixed track, offering up to six configurations to suit everything from top-level endurance racing to driving schools and karting.
An endurance racing hub
The circuit quickly established itself as a home for GT and touring car racing in the Gulf, hosting rounds of the FIA GT Championship and Formula Renault in its early years. Its best-known fixture, the Dubai 24 Hour, began in 2006 and has run every January since, growing into one of the most competitive production-based endurance races outside Europe and a fixture on many international GT teams' calendars. The Asian Le Mans Series added a round here in the following years, and the venue holds FIA Grade 1 certification on its principal layouts.
A public motorsport destination
Alongside its racing calendar, Dubai Autodrome built out an extensive public-facing side of the business, including the Dubai Kartdrome karting facility, a driving school, and a wide range of paid driving experiences from karting through to supercar and single-seater drives and dedicated open pit-lane Track Test Days. This combination of top-level competitive racing and accessible public track time has made it one of the most-used motorsport venues in the UAE outside the country's two Formula 1-grade circuits.
Frequently asked questions
How long is Dubai Autodrome?+
The full Grand Prix circuit is 5.390 km (3.349 miles) long with 17 turns, and the venue offers five shorter configurations as well.
What is the Dubai 24 Hour?+
It is the circuit's flagship event, a GT and touring car endurance race run every January since 2006, one of the best-attended endurance races held outside Europe.
Can the public drive Dubai Autodrome?+
Yes. The circuit offers karting, supercar and single-seater driving experiences, drifting sessions and passenger rides, plus dedicated Track Test Days with open pit-lane sessions for race and track cars, though a valid driving licence or competition licence is required.
How do you get to Dubai Autodrome?+
There is no direct metro station at Motor City; the usual route is the Dubai Metro Red Line to Mall of the Emirates or Nakheel station, then a taxi or bus, or a direct taxi/ride-hailing trip from elsewhere in Dubai.
What series race at Dubai Autodrome?+
Besides the Dubai 24 Hour, the circuit hosts the Asian Le Mans Series' 4 Hours of Dubai, the Formula Regional Middle East Championship, and various Gulf regional touring car, GT and superbike series.
Where do visitors stay near Dubai Autodrome?+
Motor City itself has limited hotel stock, so most visitors base themselves in Dubai Marina, JBR or Downtown Dubai, roughly 25-40 minutes away by road.
Other tracks nearby
- Yas Marina Circuit · 91 km · road course
- Lusail International Circuit · 384 km · road course
- Bahrain International Circuit · 487 km · road course
- Kuwait Motor Town · 825 km · road course
- Riyadh Street Circuit, Diriyah · 873 km · historic circuit (defunct)
- Reem International Circuit · 938 km · road course
Facts checked against 3 sources including the official circuit website. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.