Charles Leclerc emerged victorious in the post-season Formula 1 test at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The test, held on Tuesday, saw a mix of established drivers and rookies participating in a nine-hour session (9:00 AM to 6:00 PM local time). Leclerc’s performance for Ferrari put him ahead of former teammate Carlos Sainz (now with Williams) and Mercedes driver George Russell.

The test was unique in its structure, allowing teams flexibility in their approach. Pirelli, the F1 tire supplier, didn’t impose a rigid program, enabling teams to experiment with various setups, fuel loads, and tire compounds. Rookie drivers used the same tire compounds as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend (two sets of C3s, four sets of C4s, and two sets of C5s), while race drivers utilized the homologated versions of Pirelli’s 2025 tires. The C1 compound was excluded due to its unsuitability for the track. Race drivers also had access to one set of C2s, three each of C3s and C4s, two sets of C5s, and one set of the new ultra-soft C6 compound.

The Abu Dhabi test was notable for several significant driver changes. Carlos Sainz debuted for Williams, Esteban Ocon had his first outing with Haas, and Sauber showcased their 2025 driver pairing of Nico Hulkenberg and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto. Other noteworthy appearances included Yuki Tsunoda’s first Red Bull test, Kimi Antonelli’s continued preparation for his Mercedes debut, and Paul Aron’s participation as Alpine’s reserve driver.

Sainz immediately set a strong pace, building on a Monday filming run. As the day progressed and temperatures cooled, lap times improved significantly under conditions resembling those of the previous weekend’s qualifying and race. Leclerc ultimately secured the top spot with a time of 1:23.510, slightly ahead of Sainz and Russell.

Hulkenberg finished fourth for Sauber, followed by Antonelli and Red Bull tester Ayumu Iwasa. McLaren reserve Pato O’Ward beat Alpine’s Jack Doohan for seventh place, with Paul Aron closely behind in ninth. Esteban Ocon, Luke Browning, and Ryo Hirakawa completed the top twelve.

Liam Lawson led in terms of laps completed (159), while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri represented McLaren, and Tsunoda and Bortoleto had their first runs for Red Bull and Sauber respectively. Other drivers participating included Aston Martin’s Jak Crawford and Felipe Drugovich, Mercedes’ Frederik Vesti, and Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco.