Dubai: Get ready to crank it up to eleven! Global rock legends Metallica are crashing Yas Island on December 6, headlining the After-Race Concerts at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — and yes, it’s going to be loud. Following the glossy glam of Katy Perry and the smooth vocals of Benson Boone, Metallica is the third and fiercest act confirmed. And let’s be real — nothing says “Grand Prix weekend” like shredding guitars and thunderous drums under the Abu Dhabi night sky.
“Metallica deliver life-changing shows,” said David Powell, Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at Ethara. “They’re the ultimate addition to this year’s lineup. Saturday is going to be a headbanger’s dream — F1 fans, brace yourselves.” With 125 million albums sold and nine Grammys, Metallica’s no stranger to melting faces. Formed in 1981, these rock legends — James, Lars, Kirk, and Rob — are bringing their A-game and then some. Expect classics like Master of Puppets and Enter Sandman, alongside tracks from their Grammy-winning latest album, 72 Seasons.
And these guys aren’t just about the music — their All Within My Hands Foundation has raised over $20 million for everything from hunger relief to education. Rock and roll and heart? We love a band with layers. Concert access? Only for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders. Want to be really close to the action? Golden Circle upgrades are your VIP pass to the madness. Get them now before they vanish faster than a Formula 1 pit stop at www.abudhabigp.com.
Nothing else matters… Goodbye, Sandman – because this is not a dream, it’s a dream come true. The one, the only, evergreen heavy metal supergroup Metallica has just been confirmed to perform on Saturday, December 6 at the Yasalam After-Race Concerts, as part of the 2025 Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend. In what looks certain to be arguably the biggest and most impactful live performance that Abu Dhabi and the UAE have seen in a long time, James Hetfield and Co. will unleash a rip-roaring set of some of their most electrifying hits.
With a catalogue of multi-platinum studio albums, nine Grammy awards, 125 million albums sold globally, over 17 billion streams worldwide, and an induction in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the legendary band needs no introduction, no matter what genre you gravitate towards. While Metallica is known for iconic singles like Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, Master of Puppets, I Disappear, Fade to Black and many others, theirs is a legacy with origins in the City of Angels, and one that’s gained unstoppable momentum over four hit-soaked decades of no-holds-barred growls, riffs and beats that have been etched in music history.
If you hold a ticket to the 2025 Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, get ready for what will undoubtedly be the show of a lifetime. Over the past two weeks, it was announced that pop superstar Katy Perry, and Benson Boone of TikTok fame would perform during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend in December. While many of the band’s army of fans might’ve believed that experiencing a Metallica show live would be a “day that never comes”, this announcement changes all that and more.
Abu Dhabi continues to raise the bar as a regional leader in live experiences, with the most recent of its historic achievements being January’s glittering series of Coldplay shows following weeks and months of announcement-induced mayhem. Last December’s Grand Prix weekend included a highly-anticipated concert by rap legend Eminem which took Etihad Park by storm, and how. Fasten your seatbelts and stay tuned to whatson.ae for all the updates in the lead-up to a blockbuster weekend of on-track and on-stage entertainment.
Rock legends Metallica will take the stage at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, performing at Etihad Park on Saturday, December 6, 2025, organisers Ethara announced today. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees will perform as part of the Yasalam entertainment programme presented by e&, which spans four days and is available exclusively to Grand Prix ticket holders.
“Metallica deliver life-changing shows. They are the perfect addition to the 2025 F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and Yasalam offering. Saturday will be a day not to miss for F1 and rock fans alike,” said David Powell. Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, with guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo completing the current lineup, Metallica has sold nearly 125 million albums worldwide and generated more than 17 billion streams.
The band has performed on all seven continents to millions of fans, including over 1.3 million members of their Fifth Member fan club. Their extensive discography includes multi-platinum albums such as Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and their most recent Grammy-winning release 72 Seasons, which debuted in April 2023 under their own Blackened Recordings label.
The band’s accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, and Sweden’s Polar Music Prize. In 2017, Metallica established the All Within My Hands Foundation, which has raised more than $20 million for various causes, including $11.4 million for workforce education, $7.4 million to combat hunger globally, and $4.7 million for critical local services worldwide.
The announcement follows confirmation that Benson Boone will open the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix entertainment programme on Thursday, December 4, while Katy Perry will close the weekend as Sunday’s headline act. Access to the after-race concerts is reserved for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix ticket holders, with Golden Circle upgrades available for those seeking premium positioning near the stage. Organisers report high demand and encourage ticket holders to secure their upgrades via the website.
Metallica will perform as part of the Yasalam After-Race Concerts at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6, 2025. This performance is part of Metallica's M72 World Tour, supporting their 2023 album. Whether you’ve been a fan since the 80s or just discovered them recently, there’s something timeless about Metallica’s music that speaks to the rebel in all of us. Air guitars at the ready. We’ll see you there!
