The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has, in recent years, closed the Formula 1 season, in late November or early December; the exact date for any year is worth confirming well in advance. Its signature is the hour of the race itself: the cars start in the last of the afternoon light and finish under floodlights, as the sky over Yas Island turns from gold to deep blue. Dressing for the weekend means dressing for that change, and for a long day on foot. Choosing what to wear to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is less about the race than about the hours around it.

The Yas Marina Circuit runs around the marina and beneath the hotel that straddles the track, its glass canopy lit in shifting colours after dark. Yachts tie up along the quay, within sight of the cars. Around the race there are grandstands, hospitality suites, the paddock, a grassy hill for general admission, and concerts after the racing on most nights of the weekend. A spectator may pass through three or four of these in a single day.

The weather in late autumn is the Gulf at its kindest. Afternoons are warm, typically in the high twenties, and the sun on an open grandstand is still strong; evenings fall into the low twenties, with a breeze off the water. That is linen weather. A natural cloth that breathes in the afternoon sun and does not turn clammy in the evening air covers both halves of the day without a change of clothes.

In the grandstands, comfort leads. A man in the Laos Linen Shirt in Blue with PP Casual Linen Trousers in Roosewood Pink, or PP linen shorts in Navy Blue on the hottest afternoon, a cap or a hat, sunglasses and shoes made for walking, is ready for the queues, the stairs and the long hours in the seat. For women, the Linen Ladies Set in Mint Green gives the same freedom, with a light scarf for the shoulders as the sun drops.

Hospitality and the paddock ask for more polish. The expected standard there is smart casual, which in practice means long trousers and a collared shirt for men, and something considered for women; it is worth checking the specific guidance for each suite. The Male Linen Shirt in Pink with PP Trousers 100% Linen in White strikes the right note in the afternoon. For women, the Amelia linen dress shirt in Lemon, with a flat sandal or a low heel that can survive a long walk across the paddock, is light and composed.

Many of the most enjoyable hours are spent in the marina. Guests on yachts moored alongside the circuit watch the race from the deck, and the decks stay busy long after the flag. On deck, a linen shirt and long linen trousers are right; PP linen shorts stay on land, and anyone going into the water from the tender wears PP swim shorts. The Bliss Linen Shirt in Grey, long sleeved, with PP Trousers 100% Linen in Sapphire Blue, carries a man from the late-afternoon start to the last drink on board.

After the race, the concerts begin, and the evening shifts again. It is cooler now, the crowd is dense, and the walk out at the end of the night can be long. For women, the PP linen blouse in Sky Blue keeps the arms covered as the breeze comes in off the water, without adding weight. For men, the long sleeve already worn since the afternoon is enough; a light cotton jumper in the bag covers any wind off the water.

Ear protection for the race itself is wise, and it takes up no room. The floodlit hours are also kinder to some colours than others: White, Oyster and pale blue glow under the lights, while Dark Blue and Grey read as evening clothes in photographs. Handmade natural cloth is a quiet counterpoint to a weekend built around engineering.

When the last car crosses the line and the lights of the hotel canopy turn, the weekend is not over; it simply moves to the marina. The clothes that started the day should still be fit to finish it.

Read more: What to Wear to the Monaco Grand Prix  ·  What to Wear in Abu Dhabi for Men  ·  What to Wear on Race Day