What the groups needed to say following right this moment’s check on the Yas Marina Circuit.
Mercedes
Common race driver Kimi Antonelli together with Reserve Driver Fred Vesti had been on monitor in Abu Dhabi right this moment. Kimi was behind the wheel of the crew’s ‘mule automobile’ for the Pirelli Tyre Take a look at geared toward evaluating 2026 tyre compounds together with simulating a number of the new parts 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 Take a look at. Kimi accomplished 156 laps of working with Fred becoming in 145 laps of the 5.281km Yas Marina Circuit. The check noticed the ultimate aggressive working of the present turbo-hybrid period Energy Items and the bottom impact guidelines automobiles 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 in a position to full practically 160 laps of working. That’s worthwhile information that we now have gathered in regards to the 2026 tyres that we’ll consider and utilise forward of subsequent season.
I wish to say a large thanks to the entire crew, each right here trackside and people colleagues on the factories in Brackley and Brixworth too, for all their laborious work. Regardless that we have simply completed this yr, and my very own rookie season, I am unable to 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 wanting ahead to.
Fred Vesti: That’s the Younger Driver Take a look at full and, at 145 laps, probably the most working I’ve ever performed in an F1 automobile in at some point! We labored via eight units of tyres and accomplished our complete programme. It has been a constructive day with a lot of good work completed by the crew. I used to be within the simulator final week, obtained to drive the automobile right this moment, and will probably be within the simulator subsequent week so that’s helpful for my very own studying but in addition 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 laborious 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 automobiles right here in Abu Dhabi. Kimi skilled the 2026 Pirelli tyres and accomplished 156 laps. We had been in a position to have a primary take a look at the ultimate compounds and casings for subsequent yr and accomplished a number of checks to grasp how they reply to setup modifications. He was additionally working a decrease downforce degree to simulate subsequent yr’s automobile too which will probably be helpful information for us to guage.
Fred in the meantime was driving the 2025 tyres and accomplished 145 laps beginning with the race setup, then exploring some choices to resolve the problems we confronted within the race weekend. That supplied us with some attention-grabbing and useful outcomes while this working additionally offers 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 information to undergo and analyse now. This can 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 properly, giving them worthwhile suggestions to assist set us up in addition to doable 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 at all times good to help Pirelli and provides suggestions on the tyres, in addition to getting a great really feel for them. It has been a busy yr, so thanks to the crew 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 at all times a fantastic day if you get to drive a System 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 properly, making good progress and persevering with to be taught increasingly more. Thanks to the crew for this chance, it has been one other good 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 crew for his or her continued laborious work and help.
“Pato took half in our younger driver check, ending a busy programme this yr throughout IndyCar and F1. As at all times, Pato carried out properly and supplied helpful suggestions and enter. Thanks to him for his invaluable help 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 quite a bit in regards to the 2026 Pirelli tyres, working a variety of compounds and starting to grasp their behaviour, working carefully with Pirelli.
“Our preparations for 2026 are already properly underway, and we stay up for the brand new period of System 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 of come again in January and have already got met and labored with extra of the Staff, having met quite a bit already via testing over the past couple of years. They welcomed me rather well and I already really feel comfy with this group. In fact, this can be a completely completely different automobile to the one I will probably be driving in Barcelona however it was good to get a really feel of the tyres. It is also necessary to financial institution the info now and it will undoubtedly assist over the approaching months as we construct in direction of the brand new season.”
Ayumu Iwasa: “I managed to finish loads of laps on the post-season check right this moment 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 rapidly. It has been a really lengthy season for everybody, and the check comes so quickly, however everybody was actually focussed on gathering necessary information heading into a vital yr with the brand new rules. I have been in a position to do a number of System 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 Staff can use this information and I used to be comfortable 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 right this moment was cut up throughout each automobiles, with Isack following the check programme for the 2026 Pirelli tyres and Ayumu doing the Younger Drivers’ Take a look at for us, the place he lapped within the RB21 utilizing the present tyre. Each drivers did a wonderful job right this moment, they gave us actually detailed suggestions and managed to finish the complete programmes with none points for both automobile. It has been massively worthwhile for the Staff 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 check again to Milton Keynes and use them to refine our simulation instruments forward of Barcelona in simply seven weeks’ time. Lastly, I would wish to say an enormous thanks to Honda for offering us with nice Energy Items and phenomenal help over the past seven years. They have been a unbelievable associate and we stay up for racing them subsequent yr.”
Ferrari
At the 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 data regarding the behaviour of the automobile in numerous 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 analogous 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 crew accomplished its programme, buying loads of information that will probably be helpful for subsequent yr.
Charles Leclerc: It was a really constructive check day: we had loads of issues to attempt to it was elementary to work on the tyres to start out understanding them. Every little thing we realized 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 help you gave me this yr. See you subsequent yr!
Lewis Hamilton: We examined the brand new tyres right this moment to assist us achieve a greater understanding of how they may 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 additional 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 at all times a really particular feeling. We accomplished all of the deliberate programme, which was our fundamental goal, and I am actually pleased with how all the pieces went. I discovered my references fairly rapidly and within the afternoon we did some lengthy runs, throughout which I had loads of enjoyable. I would wish to thank the crew for the chance and I am wanting ahead to subsequent season.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Aramco introduced its 2025 on-track actions to a detailed right this moment 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 Take a look at and the Younger Driver Take a look at.
Take a look at & Reserve Driver Stoffel Vandoorne returned to the cockpit for a day devoted to testing the brand new vary of Pirelli tyres for the 2026 System 1 season. His programme centered on understanding compound behaviour throughout a combination of lengthy and brief runs whereas gathering worthwhile information. He accomplished 108 laps (571km).
Younger Growth Driver Jak Crawford, contemporary from ending second within the 2025 FIA System 2 Championship and finishing his second System One FP1 session of the yr, took half within the Younger Driver Take a look at. 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 check full, the crew now returns to the AMR Expertise Campus the place improvement of the AMR26 continues throughout the busy winter months.
Stoffel Vandoorne: “It is at all times worthwhile to get again within the automobile and contribute to the crew’s improvement. At the moment was centered on understanding the traits of the 2026 Pirelli tyres, and we had been in a position to full a full programme with loads of consultant working. The tyres behave in another way to the present compounds, so getting an early learn on them is necessary. I hope the crew 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. At the moment’s focus was on constructing mileage and understanding how one can adapt the automobile to completely different setup profiles. I am grateful to the crew for the chance right this moment in addition to FP1 final week, and I am actually pleased with how each periods went. I am now wanting ahead to a while off earlier than moving into the function of the crew’s Third Driver subsequent yr.”
Alpine
Pierre Gasly: “That rounds off our on-track working for 2025. We did loads of laps right this moment with the 2026 Pirelli tyres which is unquestionably 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 a number of extra weeks of laborious work earlier than the break and everybody on the manufacturing unit is placing in big quantities of effort forward of subsequent season. Because of everybody on the crew for his or her unbelievable dedication and energy, particularly at these busy previous few weeks.”
Kush Maini: “What an incredible expertise for me. Firstly, due to the crew for the chance and for all their effort in serving to me put together and executing a very strong day. Everybody on the crew has been tremendous to work with, so skilled and I’ve realized quite a bit right this moment. I felt comfy and I may simply focus all the pieces on finishing the run plans, lap by lap. The automobile ran properly, it’s simply so properly 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 the perfect driver coach to have so due to him too. I believe right this moment will take some time to sink in and I’m simply actually grateful to have had this opportunity.”
Dave Greenwood: “At the moment was our closing on-track working of 2025 on the Abu Dhabi post-season check. Kush has had a clean day within the automobile, for his first time in a full check session with the crew in an official capability. He labored very laborious with the engineers in preparation and has given us some excellent suggestions from his working, so properly 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 concentrate on subsequent yr. We have now loads of helpful information for our preparation over the winter which is able to assist us after we begin again on-track in simply over a month’s time within the new automobile. Preparations are properly 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. Nicely performed to the whole crew for his or her dedication in latest weeks throughout the 2 completely different initiatives.”
Try our gallery from Yas Marina, right here.
