Formula Rossa is the hydraulic-launch roller coaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi that made history in 2010 by catapulting riders to 149.1 mph (240 km/h) in under five seconds, instantly becoming the fastest roller coaster on the planet. More than a decade later it’s still the signature ride of the world’s only Ferrari-branded theme park, and one of only a handful of coasters on Earth built around a hydraulic catapult instead of a chain lift or magnetic launch.
It’s also a ride with a complicated recent history: extended maintenance shutdowns, a title finally lost to a newer coaster, and a new record earned in a different category. Here’s what’s actually true about Formula Rossa right now, including whether it’s currently running.
Quick Answer
Formula Rossa is a hydraulic-launch Intamin Accelerator Coaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi that reaches 149.1 mph (240 km/h) in 4.9 seconds and stands about 170.6 feet (52 m) tall. It is no longer the world’s fastest roller coaster overall — Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya took that title on December 31, 2025 — but Formula Rossa holds a separate, newer Guinness World Records title for the fastest hydraulic launch. As of this writing, Ferrari World’s own website lists the ride as closed for maintenance, with no fixed reopening date announced.
Is Formula Rossa Open Right Now?
Formula Rossa’s operating status changes periodically for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and it is currently listed as “closed for maintenance” on Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s official ride-availability page, checked directly for this article. The park doesn’t always publish an exact reopening date in advance. During the ride’s longest recent shutdown, from January 2024 to December 2024, Ferrari World initially said only that the ride was closed “until further notice,” and confirmed the December 23, 2024 reopening only once the hydraulic-system refurbishment was actually finished. A shorter, scheduled maintenance closure also took the ride offline from mid-October to mid-November 2025.
Because Formula Rossa has gone dark more than once for launch-system work and inspections, the most reliable way to check whether it has reopened is Ferrari World’s own listings rather than older articles or forum threads. Check the official Formula Rossa ride page or the park’s ride-availability page before building a visit around this one attraction, especially if you’re traveling specifically to ride it.
Formula Rossa Stats at a Glance
Park: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Manufacturer: Intamin (Accelerator Coaster). Opened: November 4, 2010. Height: about 170.6 ft (52 m). Top speed: 149.1 mph (240 km/h), reached in 4.9 seconds from a standing start (0-100 km/h in about 2 seconds). Length: about 6,804 ft (2,074 m). Inversions: 0. G-force: up to 4.8 g. Ride duration: roughly 90 seconds. Minimum rider height: about 4’7″ (140 cm), with an upper height limit around 6’5″ (195 cm) per the park’s official restrictions.
At 170.6 feet, Formula Rossa isn’t tall by big-drop standards — plenty of hypercoasters clear it by well over 100 feet. Its height exists to serve the launch, not a first drop: the layout is essentially a runway for the hydraulic catapult, topped by a single camelback hill that delivers a burst of airtime once the train crests it, followed by sweeping high-speed turns rather than any inversions.
The Ride Experience
Formula Rossa’s defining moment happens in the first five seconds: a hydraulic launch system rated at roughly 20,800 horsepower fires the Ferrari-styled cars down the launch track, building forces up to 4.8 g as the train accelerates faster than a Formula One car off the grid. Because the sensation of wind at nearly 150 mph is intense, and Abu Dhabi’s climate brings occasional blowing sand, every rider is required to wear protective goggles supplied by the park before boarding — this isn’t optional, and loose items like hats, glasses, and phones aren’t allowed in the launch cars either.
Despite the extreme speed, the layout has zero inversions, relying on that single camelback hill and a series of banked turns across the roughly 6,800-foot circuit to deliver airtime and lateral g-forces instead of loops. The entire experience, launch included, lasts under two minutes, which is part of why Formula Rossa reads more as a raw speed showcase than a traditional, multi-element coaster ride.
A Record-Setting Legacy
When Formula Rossa opened in November 2010, it dethroned Kingda Ka to become the world’s fastest roller coaster, a title it held for roughly 15 years. That reign ended on December 31, 2025, when Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia opened with a top speed around 155 mph using a linear synchronous motor launch instead of hydraulics.
Formula Rossa didn’t leave the record books, though. In January 2026, Guinness World Records recognized the ride with a new, separate title — the highest speed achieved by a roller coaster launch — for accelerating from a standstill to 149.1 mph (240 km/h) in just 4.9 seconds. That’s a distinct category from outright top speed: Falcon’s Flight now goes faster overall, but Formula Rossa’s hydraulic catapult still launches harder and quicker off the line than any other coaster launch system on record — a nuance worth knowing if you’re wondering why the ride still shows up in “world’s fastest” headlines even after losing its original crown.
Planning Your Visit
Formula Rossa is the headline ride at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, an indoor theme park on Yas Island built around Ferrari’s road and racing heritage, alongside attractions like a drop tower and racing simulators. Tickets to Formula Rossa aren’t sold separately; access is included with general park admission, which is typically tiered by age and sometimes bundled with neighboring Yas Island parks. Because pricing, opening hours, and ride availability all shift seasonally and around events like Abu Dhabi’s Formula 1 race weekend, check the official Ferrari World Abu Dhabi site for current admission prices, park hours, and same-day ride status before you go.
If Formula Rossa specifically is the reason for your visit, it’s worth confirming the ride is open on the official site the same week you travel, given its history of unannounced maintenance closures — and having a backup plan among the park’s other rides in case it’s down.
Formula Rossa FAQs
Is Formula Rossa closed right now?
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s own ride-availability page currently lists Formula Rossa as closed for maintenance. The park has a history of taking the ride offline for both short scheduled maintenance and longer refurbishments, so check the official site for the latest status before visiting.
When is Formula Rossa reopening?
No fixed reopening date has been announced. During its longest recent closure (January 2024 to December 2024), Ferrari World only confirmed the reopening once work was complete rather than announcing a date in advance, so the official Formula Rossa page is the best source for real-time updates.
Is Formula Rossa still the fastest roller coaster in the world?
No, not for outright top speed. It held that record from its 2010 opening until December 31, 2025, when Falcon’s Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya in Saudi Arabia surpassed it. However, Formula Rossa holds a separate Guinness World Records title, earned in January 2026, for the fastest roller coaster launch.
How tall is Formula Rossa?
Formula Rossa stands about 170.6 feet (52 meters) tall. It’s not a big-drop coaster — the height mainly supports the hydraulic launch track and a single camelback hill rather than a traditional lift hill and first drop.
How fast does Formula Rossa go and how quickly does it get there?
It reaches a top speed of 149.1 mph (240 km/h), hitting 100 km/h in about 2 seconds and its full top speed in about 4.9 seconds via a hydraulic launch system rated at roughly 20,800 horsepower.
Is there a Ferrari roller coaster you can actually ride?
Yes — Formula Rossa, at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island, UAE. It’s a Formula One-themed launch coaster with Ferrari-styled ride vehicles and is the park’s flagship attraction, alongside other Ferrari-branded rides and simulators.
Why do riders have to wear goggles on Formula Rossa?
The park provides safety goggles because the combination of high speed and Abu Dhabi’s windy, sandy climate can make riding without eye protection uncomfortable or unsafe. Wearing them is mandatory, not optional.
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