F1’s Abu Dhabi post-season test: who’s driving in 2024 and more

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is ​​set to kick off the 2024 Formula 1 campaign, but teams and drivers will still have to work hard with post-season testing.

On 10 December, just two days after the Grand Prix, F1 cars will once again take to the Yas Marina Circuit for one last shakedown before the winter break.

Post-season testing dates back several years to 2009, when it was held at Jerez, and despite the cars never being raced competitively again, serves an important purpose. So why does this happen?

What is the Abu Dhabi post-season test in F1?

F1’s post-season testing is the final portion of scheduled track action for the year and takes place the week following the conclusion of each campaign in Abu Dhabi since 2010.

Post-season testing runs throughout the day with separate sessions in the morning and afternoon, as teams attempt to glean the last bits of knowledge from that year’s car before the next campaign.

However, not all 20 F1 drivers must participate, as each team nominates one of its cars to a young driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts. But, given that the second car is for those with a valid Superlicense and designated for Pirelli tire testing, teams can also run both of its full-time drivers, with track time split between the pair throughout the day.

For example, in 2023, fernando alonso And lance stroll Split track time for Aston Martin while 2022 Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich drove the other car.

Among the rookies involved in last year’s testing was recent Formula 2 graduate Frederic Vesti (mercedes) and Jack Doohan (alpine), while Zak O’Sullivan had not yet made his F2 debut and made the jump from F3 to drive WilliamsSportscar driver Robert Schwartzman (ferrari) and Pietro Fittipaldi (Haas) also turned out mclaren IndyCar race winner Patricio O’Ward ran.

O’Ward impressed during testing, clocking the second fastest time, just 0.269 seconds behind the pace setter esteban ocon For Alpine, 2023 F2 runner-up Westie completes the top three. sergio perez (Red Bull) and carlos saenz (Ferrari) finished in the top five, but as always in testing the timesheets only tell part of the story. mercedes driver george russell Was 20th with McLaren oscar piastri Just two places up.

In essence, the Abu Dhabi post-season testing is a normal testing session with teams running different schedules, allowing drivers to react.

Why does F1 hold post-season testing in Abu Dhabi?

The Abu Dhabi post-season test still holds great importance, despite all the grands prix having been held for the year and F1 teams knowing where they stand in the pecking order.

Its main functions are to help drivers in their adaptation process to joining a new team. For example, Alonso Drove for Aston Martin just two days after the season finale with Alpine in 2022, while Pierre Gasly switches from AlphaTauri to make his move to the French team,

Drivers moving to a new environment can go into the winter with some understanding of their new team and complete seat fitting formalities so they can settle into the unfamiliar machinery.

While limited, the track time provides the driver with an early impression of the car’s characteristics, and gives the team an understanding of its new hire’s approach, which could be mutually useful before finalizing its upcoming challenger. Is.

Although exams often mirror the last day of school, every second of track time counts. Specifically, this is because pre-season testing in Bahrain is limited to three days, scheduled for February 26-28.

This test will therefore be an important introduction process for those who will be making their F1 debut next season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Gabriele Bortoletto (Sauber) will make his F1 race debut in the 2025 Melbourne season opener, so the upcoming Abu Dhabi test is one of the few opportunities he will have to get to grips with contemporary F1 machinery before the pressure of competition.

For those who will not be in the new team in the meantime, this is an opportunity to test the Pirelli tyres. This could result in important information that could help F1 improve its compounds.

How to watch F1’s Abu Dhabi post-season test

The Abu Dhabi post-season Tests will not be televised live. Autosport is the best way to follow the action from Yes Martina as teams and drivers conclude the 2024 F1 campaign.

Who is driving in the Abu Dhabi test after F1’s 2024 season?

Many of the young drivers taking part in this year’s post-season tests have already driven on the F1 weekend during free practice.

Those in the category include 2022 F2 champion Drugovich, who has regularly participated in FP1 sessions for Aston Martin from 2023. O’Ward is another rookie testing regular, as is Doohan, who is making his F1 race debut with Alpine this weekend. Antonelli, meanwhile, has made two FP1 cameos for Mercedes this year ahead of his promotion to the race seat next season.

2023 Macau Grand Prix winner Luke Browning and 2022 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Ryo Hirakawa made their respective FP1 debuts on Friday in Abu Dhabi before joining Williams and Haas for rookie tests respectively.

But for others, the rookie test will mark their debut in the F1 season. This applies to current F2 points leader Bortoletto, who will get his first miles with Sauber, while F2 racer Jack Crawford, who will share track time with Drugovich in the Aston Martin.

The 19-year-old American joined the team’s development program this year and currently sits fifth in the standings with two races remaining.

Meanwhile many drivers will take their first laps in unfamiliar machinery in post-season testing. After leaving Ferrari, Carlos Sainz to join Browning at Williams Nico Hulkenberg Will return to Sauber for the first time since 2013 after leaving Haas.

The German will be replaced by Esteban Ocon, Who lost his seat to Doohan in Alpine this weekend,

However, Lewis Hamilton Unable to start the next chapter of his career with Ferrari in testing, he leaves Mercedes after 12 years of racing Received six degrees.

That’s because Mercedes has A series of promotional farewell events planned For the 39-year-old in December, that means he is not available for the Scuderia. Hamilton said that he was in a dilemma about leaving the examBecause it provided an important opportunity to familiarize himself with Ferrari but “driving a red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi doesn’t excite me”.

A driver who may be excited for the test yuki tsunodaWho is ready for his first innings in contemporary Red Bull machinery He hopes to get a seat in the team next year,

The 24-year-old has been with sister team RB/AlphaTauri since his F1 debut in 2021. Japanese manufacturer Honda, which supports Tsunuda, strongly urged Red Bull to eventually give Tsunuda a chance in one of their cars.