There’s now just one week to go until SailGP’s first ever visit to the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi for the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

SailGP’s 10-strong F50 fleet will go head to head across five fleet races before the all-important three-boat showdown when the seventh event of Season 4 gets underway on January 13-14.

The event follows the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix in December, which saw a dramatic three-boat-wide race to the finish line, with New Zealand pipping Australia and Canada to the event win.

The SailGP fleet races in front of the Taranto shoreline

Abu Dhabi will see the return of Australia driver Tom Slingsby, who missed Dubai for the birth of his first child. Despite not winning an event this season, Australia remains at the top of the leaderboard, followed by ROCKWOOL DEN and New Zealand.

Season 4 // Emirates GBR leading the fleet in Dubai

Elsewhere, Abu Dhabi will mark the racing debut of incoming Emirates GBR driver Giles Scott, who replaces Ben Ainslie with immediate effect. Scott, who has been helming team training sessions, will take charge of the team for the first time, going head to head against the F50 fleet.

Season 4 // Australia leads the fleet on the first day of racing in Taranto

The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council takes place on January 13-14, with racing from 14:00 GST.