What the groups needed to say following at present’s take a look at on the Yas Marina Circuit.
Mercedes
Common race driver Kimi Antonelli together with Reserve Driver Fred Vesti had been on monitor in Abu Dhabi at present. Kimi was behind the wheel of the staff’s ‘mule automobile’ for the Pirelli Tyre Check aimed toward evaluating 2026 tyre compounds together with simulating among the new components of 2026 F1 together with lively aerodynamics. Fred in the meantime was driving an unmodified W16 on the 2025 tyre compounds within the Younger Driver Check. Kimi accomplished 156 laps of working with Fred becoming in 145 laps of the 5.281km Yas Marina Circuit. The take a look at noticed the ultimate aggressive working of the present turbo-hybrid period Energy Models and the bottom impact guidelines vehicles earlier than the subsequent technology of F1 beckons in 2026.
Kimi Antonelli: I’m pleased with our day’s work right here in Abu Dhabi. All of it went very easily, and we had been capable of full practically 160 laps of working. That’s helpful information that we now have gathered concerning the 2026 tyres that we’ll consider and utilise forward of subsequent season.
I wish to say an enormous thanks to the entire staff, each right here trackside and people colleagues on the factories in Brackley and Brixworth too, for all their exhausting work. Despite the fact that we have simply completed this yr, and my very own rookie season, I can not wait to get began on what’s forward. We have got an enormous few months forward of us with the thrilling problem that subsequent yr presents and it is one all of us are trying ahead to.
Fred Vesti: That’s the Younger Driver Check full and, at 145 laps, probably the most working I’ve ever performed in an F1 automobile in in the future! We labored via eight units of tyres and accomplished our complete programme. It has been a constructive day with a lot of good work achieved by the staff. I used to be within the simulator final week, obtained to drive the automobile at present, and will probably be within the simulator subsequent week so that’s helpful for my very own studying but additionally the broader work we’re doing within the digital world.
We now transfer on to 2026 which will probably be such an thrilling yr for everybody. I’ve been working exhausting with colleagues at Brackley on the event of subsequent season’s automobile and I’m excited for the weeks and months forward as our preparations proceed apace for the subsequent technology of F1.
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director: We have had a really helpful day of working with each vehicles right here in Abu Dhabi. Kimi skilled the 2026 Pirelli tyres and accomplished 156 laps. We had been capable of have a primary have a look at the ultimate compounds and casings for subsequent yr and accomplished a number of checks to know how they reply to setup modifications. He was additionally working a decrease downforce stage to simulate subsequent yr’s automobile too which will probably be helpful information for us to judge.
Fred in the meantime was driving the 2025 tyres and accomplished 145 laps beginning with the race setup, then exploring some choices to unravel the problems we confronted within the race weekend. That offered us with some attention-grabbing and useful outcomes while this working additionally provides Fred some very helpful real-life expertise of the automobile he has spent a lot of the yr driving within the simulator. We have got practically 1600km of knowledge to undergo and analyse now. It will all be necessary components of our preparation for 2026 and the event of the subsequent yr’s automobile.
McLaren
Lando Norris: “It was nice to get again out in our Championship-winning automobile for one final time this yr. We labored via the Pirelli testing programme effectively, giving them helpful suggestions to assist set us up in addition to potential for 2026. Thanks to everybody for his or her work this yr, now it is time for a relaxation earlier than we go once more.”
Oscar Piastri: “It was good to hop again within the MCL39 for another afternoon after a very profitable season. It is all the time good to assist Pirelli and provides suggestions on the tyres, in addition to getting a superb really feel for them. It has been a busy yr, so thanks to the staff for his or her continued work. We now relaxation, reset after which get our heads into what will probably be an thrilling 2026.”
Pato O’Ward: “It is all the time a terrific day if you get to drive a Components 1 automobile. Having had a profitable session in FP1 final week, it was good to have the ability to hold constructing on that. We labored via our plan effectively, making good progress and persevering with to study increasingly more. Thanks to the staff for this chance, it has been one other sensible day.”
Randy Singh – Racing Director: “We shut out the 2025 season with a really profitable day of working on the Yas Marina Circuit. It has been an extended and thrilling season, so thanks to the staff for his or her continued exhausting work and assist.
“Pato took half in our younger driver take a look at, ending a busy programme this yr throughout IndyCar and F1. As all the time, Pato carried out effectively and provided helpful suggestions and enter. Thanks to him for his invaluable assist this season.
“Lando and Oscar took the wheel of our mule automobile, a 2025 automobile modified to run 2026 tyres, within the morning and afternoon, respectively. We learnt lots concerning the 2026 Pirelli tyres, working a spread of compounds and starting to know their behaviour, working carefully with Pirelli.
“Our preparations for 2026 are already effectively underway, and we look ahead to the brand new period of Components 1, after a brief break to recharge and reset.”
Crimson Bull
Isack Hadjar: “It was nice to get my first laps in as an official Oracle Crimson Bull Racing driver. It is good to know that I am going to be capable to come again in January and have already got met and labored with extra of the Crew, having met lots already via testing over the past couple of years. They welcomed me rather well and I already really feel snug with this group. After all, it is a completely completely different automobile to the one I will probably be driving in Barcelona but it surely was good to get a really feel of the tyres. It is also necessary to financial institution the info now and it will positively assist over the approaching months as we construct in direction of the brand new season.”
Ayumu Iwasa: “I managed to finish a number of laps on the post-season take a look at at present and it was nice to work with Oracle Crimson Bull Racing once more. I drove spherical right here on Friday for Visa Money App Racing Bulls, so it was good to get again out on monitor so shortly. It has been a really lengthy season for everybody, and the take a look at comes so quickly, however everybody was actually focussed on gathering necessary information heading into an important yr with the brand new rules. I have been capable of do just a few Components One checks this season and drove the RB21 in Bahrain for FP1 so it felt good to get again into the automobile and see how my driving has developed over the past eight months. I hope that the Crew can use this information and I used to be blissful the laps I put in.”
Ben Waterhouse – Head of Efficiency Engineering: “We have loved a very profitable day of testing right here in Abu Dhabi ,rounding out one other lengthy season. The programme at present was break up throughout each vehicles, with Isack following the take a look at programme for the 2026 Pirelli tyres and Ayumu doing the Younger Drivers’ Check for us, the place he lapped within the RB21 utilizing the present tyre. Each drivers did a superb job at present, they gave us actually detailed suggestions and managed to finish the total programmes with none points for both automobile. It has been vastly helpful for the Crew to work with Isack, it is given us the prospect to get to know him higher and develop that relationship heading into subsequent yr. We’ll take the findings from this take a look at again to Milton Keynes and use them to refine our simulation instruments forward of Barcelona in simply seven weeks’ time. Lastly, I might wish to say an enormous thanks to Honda for offering us with nice Energy Models and phenomenal assist over the past seven years. They have been a incredible accomplice and we look ahead to racing them subsequent yr.”
Ferrari
Right this moment, all groups took half within the one and solely day of post-season testing on the Yas Marina circuit. Driving for Scuderia Ferrari HP had been Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Dino Beganovic. The 2 race drivers had been on the wheel of the SF-25 mule automobile to check subsequent yr’s tyres which whereas sustaining the 18 inch rim diameter, are barely narrower than the 2025 specification. Dino drove the usual SF-25 to achieve helpful expertise and information regarding the behaviour of the automobile in varied configurations. Charles ran the C5, C4 and C3 compounds, setting his greatest time of 1’26″417 on the C5. In whole, he did 75 laps, equal to 396 kilometres. Lewis took over from Charles for the afternoon working an identical programme to his team-mate, He accomplished 73 laps (386 kilometres) utilizing the C2, C3, C4 and C5 compounds, setting his greatest time of 1’26″138 on the C5s. Over the course of the day, working this yr’s Pirelli’s tyres, Dino accomplished a complete of 122 laps (644 kilometres). His greatest time was 1’25″720 on the C5 compound. The staff accomplished its programme, buying loads of information that will probably be helpful for subsequent yr.
Charles Leclerc: It was a really constructive take a look at day: we had a number of issues to attempt to it was elementary to work on the tyres to start out understanding them. The whole lot we discovered will go along with us into subsequent yr.
It is the final day of this season, however on the identical time the primary of the subsequent. Thanks a lot to everybody for the assist you gave me this yr. See you subsequent yr!
Lewis Hamilton: We examined the brand new tyres at present to assist us achieve a greater understanding of how they are going to carry out. We labored via our programme, made some good findings, and total it was a really constructive day. I am actually grateful to everybody within the storage for pushing via this further day of testing, which isn’t simple on the finish of an extended season.
Dino Beganovic: I had an excellent day in Abu Dhabi. It was very nice to be again within the automobile with Scuderia Ferrari HP, it is all the time a really particular feeling. We accomplished all of the deliberate programme, which was our most important goal, and I am actually pleased with how all the pieces went. I discovered my references fairly shortly and within the afternoon we did some lengthy runs, throughout which I had a number of enjoyable. I might wish to thank the staff for the chance and I am trying ahead to subsequent season.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Aramco introduced its 2025 on-track actions to a detailed at present with a complete post-season programme in Abu Dhabi, finishing a complete of 227 laps of the 5.554km Yas Marina Circuit throughout the Pirelli Tyre Check and the Younger Driver Check.
Check & Reserve Driver Stoffel Vandoorne returned to the cockpit for a day devoted to testing the brand new vary of Pirelli tyres for the 2026 Components 1 season. His programme targeted on understanding compound behaviour throughout a mix of lengthy and brief runs whereas gathering helpful information. He accomplished 108 laps (571km).
Younger Improvement Driver Jak Crawford, recent from ending second within the 2025 FIA Components 2 Championship and finishing his second Components One FP1 session of the yr, took half within the Younger Driver Check. In his third outing within the AMR25 prior to now two months, Jak accomplished 119 laps (629km), working via various set-up explorations and long-run evaluations.
With the 2025 post-season take a look at full, the staff now returns to the AMR Know-how Campus the place growth of the AMR26 continues in the course of the busy winter months.
Stoffel Vandoorne: “It is all the time helpful to get again within the automobile and contribute to the staff’s growth. Right this moment was targeted on understanding the traits of the 2026 Pirelli tyres, and we had been capable of full a full programme with loads of consultant working. The tyres behave otherwise to the present compounds, so getting an early learn on them is necessary. I hope the staff will probably be happy with the info we’re bringing again to the manufacturing unit as we stay up for subsequent season.”
Jak Crawford: “Each time I get within the AMR25, I really feel myself taking one other step ahead. Right this moment’s focus was on constructing mileage and understanding the right way to adapt the automobile to completely different setup profiles. I am grateful to the staff for the chance at present in addition to FP1 final week, and I am actually pleased with how each periods went. I am now trying ahead to a while off earlier than getting into the function of the staff’s Third Driver subsequent yr.”
Alpine
Pierre Gasly: “That rounds off our on-track working for 2025. We did a number of laps at present with the 2026 Pirelli tyres which is certainly necessary to do and provides us loads of issues to take a look at over the winter. It has been an extended yr for all of us. Some highs, most likely too many lows, however that’s the way it goes and I do know we are going to come again stronger in 2026. I do know everybody is prepared for a relaxation, me included, however we now have just a few extra weeks of exhausting work earlier than the break and everybody on the manufacturing unit is placing in big quantities of effort forward of subsequent season. Due to everybody on the staff for his or her unimaginable dedication and energy, particularly at these busy previous few weeks.”
Kush Maini: “What a tremendous expertise for me. Firstly, because of the staff for the chance and for all their effort in serving to me put together and executing a very stable day. Everybody on the staff has been tremendous to work with, so skilled and I’ve discovered lots at present. I felt snug and I might simply focus all the pieces on finishing the run plans, lap by lap. The automobile ran effectively, it’s simply so effectively engineered and good to drive, so bodily it felt good, however possibly I’ll have some fatigue within the coming days. It was actually cool to have Pierre subsequent to me; he’s most likely one of the best driver coach to have so because of him too. I feel at present will take some time to sink in and I’m simply actually grateful to have had this opportunity.”
Dave Greenwood: “Right this moment was our last on-track working of 2025 on the Abu Dhabi post-season take a look at. Kush has had a clean day within the automobile, for his first time in a full take a look at session with the staff in an official capability. He labored very exhausting with the engineers in preparation and has given us some excellent suggestions from his working, so effectively performed to him for his enthusiasm and professionalism. Pierre has been within the mule automobile with 2026 Pirelli tyres. That is helpful work for each Pirelli and for us as we now have our full give attention to subsequent yr. We now have a number of helpful information for our preparation over the winter which is able to assist us once we begin again on-track in simply over a month’s time within the new automobile. Preparations are effectively underway for the 2026 automobile again on the manufacturing unit and we now have a busy couple of weeks till the winter break to make good headway for subsequent season. Properly performed to your entire staff for his or her dedication in latest weeks throughout the 2 completely different initiatives.”
Take a look at our gallery from Yas Marina, right here.
