There’s nothing quite like race day. You could sit at home, sure, with the TV on and snacks lined up but it’s just not the same as being surrounded by fans who gasp, cheer, and groan at the exact same time you do. In Dubai, Formula 1 weekends have become a full-on social experience. Cafés and sports bars across the city have turned into gathering spots where the sound of engines blends with laughter, good food, and that unmistakable race-day buzz.
If you’re loyal to Mercedes, this café is almost a shrine. Named after the founders of AMG, it’s a sleek space where fans rally behind George Russell and the next generation of drivers. The vibe is upscale but relaxed think good coffee, light bites, and massive screens looping the race. Plus, they’ve got AMG merch for sale, which feels like a subtle way of saying: “You’re not just a fan, you’re part of the team.”
Sometimes you don’t want fancy, you just want wings, beer, and a room full of people yelling at the screen with you. That’s Buffalo Wild Wings in DIFC and JLT. The place is packed with screens, so no matter where you sit, you’re locked into the action. Sundays are even better with their “Slider Sunday” deal tiny burgers that somehow taste better when Verstappen’s gunning down the straight. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s fun. Isn’t that what race day should feel like?
Tucked inside the 25hours Hotel, Ernst feels like a little slice of Germany. Long tables, pretzels bigger than your head, schnitzels straight out of Bavaria it’s all there. On race days, the whole place comes alive with fans glued to big screens scattered around the garden-style space. It’s less about watching quietly and more about sharing the chaos of overtakes and pit stops with strangers who suddenly feel like teammates.
Flat12 isn’t just about the race on screen it’s about the cars parked around you. The café doubles as a gallery, rotating classic and exotic cars that set the mood before the lights go out. Add industrial-style interiors, solid coffee, and a menu of pizzas and burgers, and you’ve got a place that feels built for gearheads. Even if you show up alone, you’ll probably leave after debating lap times with someone across the table.
When Media One Hotel decides to go all-in, it doesn’t hold back. garden on 8 turns into a proper fan zone during race weekends, complete with simulators, flags, and themed parties that roll from day into night. The atmosphere is part race-watching, part festival. One minute you’re focused on qualifying, the next you’re pulled into a garden party with DJs and happy hour specials. It’s chaotic, but in the best way possible just like Formula 1 itself.
Started my career in Automotive Journalism in 2015. Even though I'm a pharmacist, hanging around cars all the time has created a passion for the automotive industry since day 1.
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