His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has attended the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) Season 2 Grand Final, held at Yas Marina Circuit, as part of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, organised by the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council (SASC), from 10-15 November 2025.
His Highness followed the Human vs AI Race showcase, which featured former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat competing against TUM’s fully autonomous racecar. The on-track demonstration highlighted the precision, rapid responsiveness and operational sophistication achieved by these technologies, underscoring the significant progress of A2RL in its second season.
His Highness also attended the Grand Final, which brought together the six qualified teams: UAE-based teams Kinetiz and TII Racing; Germany’s TUM (Technical University of Munich) and Constructor University; and Italy’s Unimore (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) and PoliMOVE (Politecnico di Milano). The autonomous racecars delivered standout performances that reflected the rapid advancements in their engineered systems, reaffirming A2RL’s status as a world-leading platform for autonomous racing.
Following the conclusion of the competition, His Highness congratulated the Grand Final winners, commending the performance of all participating teams and their commitment to advancing innovative technologies powered by cutting-edge artificial intelligence and autonomous mobility systems.
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan underscored that A2RL has become a fully integrated global platform showcasing the latest breakthroughs in AI, robotics and autonomous systems within motorsport. His Highness highlighted the advanced technologies demonstrated throughout Season 2, from precision algorithms to high-speed decision-making, reflecting the league’s growing role in accelerating innovation in autonomous mobility.
His Excellency Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council, said: “Today’s Grand Final demonstrates what happens when you turn a city into a living laboratory for advanced technologies. A2RL is not just a race – it is where AI, autonomy and engineering excellence are pushed to their limits in full view of the world. The progress we witnessed on track reflects the UAE’s commitment to building sovereign capabilities, attracting top global talent, and accelerating technologies that will shape the future of mobility.”
Also in attendance were Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Chairman of the UAE Marine Sports Federation and Chairman of the Board of Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club; His Excellency Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs and Secretary-General of the Advanced Technology Research Council; His Excellency Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government; Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary-General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi; His Excellency Professor Ebrahim Saeed Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, and several senior officials.
A total of 11 teams from around the world participated in A2RL Season 2, competing for a US$2.25 million prize pool. The event showcased cutting-edge developments in artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous driving systems, and featured drone showcases alongside diverse fan activations, attracting a large public audience eager to experience the latest innovations shaping the future of autonomous motorsport.
