Jak Crawford tops Abu Dhabi F1 take a look at, Mercedes quickest of mule vehicles

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Two days after the conclusion of the 2025 season, F1 groups switched all focus to 2026’s new period. At Yas Marina Circuit, the standard post-season take a look at had a twin goal this time.

Every group took to the observe with one mule automobile to check Pirelli’s new 2026 tyres. The mule vehicles are nonetheless ground-effect equipment, however have been modified to imitate subsequent 12 months’s downforce ranges – primarily by altering the wing ranges (Monza type) and experience peak. The opposite 10 vehicles have been allotted to rookies within the younger drivers’ take a look at.

Max Verstappen and George Russell have been “luckily” allowed to skip the post-season take a look at, to make use of the Dutchman’s personal phrases. As an alternative, Purple Bull put Isack Hadjar within the mule automobile to offer him an early really feel for the 2026 rubber, with Ayumu Iwasa serving as its rookie. Subsequent 12 months’s F1 debutant Arvid Lindblad obtained his likelihood with sister squad Racing Bulls.

At McLaren and Ferrari, all common drivers have been current, every finishing half a day of operating. Andrea Kimi Antonelli dealt with the total Tuesday for Mercedes – the group that attracted probably the most consideration within the pitlane as soon as the sunshine went inexperienced.

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Mercedes examined lively aerodynamics on its entrance wing for the primary time, providing a preview of what’s to come back in 2026. The Silver Arrow featured a prototype that had been accredited by the FIA, permitting Antonelli’s entrance wing to modify right into a low-downforce and low-drag mode alongside the straights, precisely as will occur subsequent 12 months.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs

The variations between the mule vehicles and the rookie vehicles – which, along with operating extra downforce, have been nonetheless on 2025 tyres – meant that the younger drivers locked out the quickest occasions. Luke Browning set the tempo within the morning with a 1m23.920s in his Williams. That focus on time stood till the solar had nearly set in Abu Dhabi and temperatures dropped.

Aston Martin junior Jak Crawford took full benefit of the cooler circumstances, clocking a 1m23.766s to go to the highest. The American beat Alpine’s Paul Aron, who stepped into the Sauber for this event, and Browning. Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti and Iwasa rounded out the highest 5.

Antonelli adopted in sixth place because the quickest mule-car driver. With a greatest lap of 1m25.170s, he was nearly one-and-a-half seconds slower than Crawford. The Italian was additionally almost a second faster than the following mule-car driver: Oscar Piastri in P10.

As a result of Antonelli ran with lively aerodynamics, he didn’t have to stick to the 300km/h straightline velocity restrict imposed by Pirelli as the masses on the tyres shall be completely different on the straights subsequent 12 months. Antonelli was additionally the best driver of the day, finishing 157 laps.

The take a look at ran with out vital points other than a crash by Ryo Hirakawa. His incident at Flip 1 precipitated a crimson flag and harm to the rear wing, though the Japanese driver was in a position to return to the observe quickly after. Esteban Ocon accomplished solely 4 laps within the afternoon as a consequence of obvious technical points at Haas.