Carlos Sainz set the pace in the morning session of Formula 1’s 2024 post-season Abu Dhabi test, marking a promising start with his new team, Williams. Having completed initial laps during a private filming session on Monday, Sainz officially began his tenure with Williams by driving the FW46 during Tuesday’s test. This session was primarily focused on assisting Pirelli in testing tyre compounds for the 2025 season.
Sainz Shows Strong Form for Williams
Decked out in full white overalls and a matching helmet, Sainz was among the drivers who hit the track as soon as the pit lane opened at 9 am. The Spaniard completed 60 laps and clocked the fastest time of 1m24.435s. He outpaced Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who recorded 72 laps, and McLaren’s Lando Norris, who managed 78 laps before handing over the car to his teammate Oscar Piastri for the afternoon session.
Other Notable Performances
Jack Doohan continued his preparations for the 2025 season and was fourth fastest in the Alpine. He finished ahead of Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti. McLaren’s IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward also featured in the top ten, alongside Ferrari’s development driver Antonio Fuoco, Williams junior Luke Browning, and Alpine’s new reserve signing Paul Aron.
Several drivers debuted with their new teams during this session. Esteban Ocon, who missed the season finale for Alpine, hit the track in Abu Dhabi for Haas, completing 46 laps. Meanwhile, Nico Hulkenberg registered his first laps in a Sauber, covering 63 laps in total.
Red Bull and Sauber Up and Running
Under the recommendation of Honda, Yuki Tsunoda drove a Red Bull F1 car for the first time, with Racing Bulls teammate Liam Lawson still expected to be promoted over Tsunoda to the main team. The session was largely incident-free, apart from Norris experiencing a minor spin coming out of Turn 14.
In addition to Piastri who took over in the afternoon, Arthur Leclerc was set to replace Fuoco in the Ferrari. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, recently unwell and unable to race in the F2 season finale, was expected to drive the second Mercedes, following Vesti’s morning stint.
Morning Results Overview
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1m24.435s |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1m24.561s |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1m24.678s |
| 4 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1m24.730s |
| 5 | Frederik Vesti | Mercedes | 1m25.159s |
| 6 | Pato O’Ward | McLaren | 1m25.201s |
| 7 | Antonio Fuoco | Ferrari | 1m25.238s |
| 8 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1m25.306s |
| 9 | Luke Browning | Williams | 1m25.409s |
| 10 | Paul Aron | Alpine | 1m25.561s |
The afternoon session is expected to feature more changes, as teams continue their efforts in testing and developing strategies for future seasons.
