Charles Leclerc ended the 2024 Formula 1 season on a high note by leading post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit for Ferrari. Leclerc set the fastest lap ahead of former teammate Carlos Sainz, who impressed on his Williams debut, and Mercedes’ George Russell in third. The nine-hour test featured both novice and regular drivers as teams experimented with different settings and tested Pirelli’s homologated 2025 tyres. While teams such as Ferrari and Mercedes have worked to improve their packages, the focus has also been on significant changes to the driver line-up.
Carlos Sainz, in his first appearance for Williams, was an immediate success, leading the morning session. Building on the short filming the previous day, Sainz quickly adapted to his new surroundings, finishing just a tenth behind Leclerc by the end of the day.
McLaren, fresh from a strong performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, split its testing duties between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Norris finished 16th during his morning stint, while Piastri dropped several places lower after taking the afternoon spot. Both drivers focused on testing new components rather than setting lap times.
Red Bull welcomed Yuki Tsunoda for his first test with the first team after several seasons with AlphaTauri. Tsunoda logged valuable mileage to finish in the midfield as Red Bull continued to fine-tune its 2024 car for further dominance next year.
Williams, in addition to Sainz’s high-profile debut, also fielded rookie Luke Browning, who showed promise with strong laps and a top-12 finish.
The day was not only dedicated to experienced drivers. Mercedes’ highly anticipated junior, Kimi Antonelli, continued his preparations for a future Formula One debut, while Williams and McLaren also worked with their young reserves to test future talent.
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