Up Next
The post-season test at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi is often the first chance to get an exciting glimpse of a Formula 1 driver in their new colours.
Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, Carlos Sainz at Williams and Esteban Ocon at Haas are probably the most eagerly anticipated for fans, but there are others, and a host of young drivers getting their chance to impress in the hunt for a coveted F1 race seat.
Each of the 10 teams fields two cars. One for the a young driver - one who has no more than two grand prix starts. The other car is used for Pirelli tyre testing.
Here are the drivers set to take part in the Pirelli and young driver tests respectively, and why they're worth keeping an eye on.
McLaren: Lando Norris/Oscar Piastri and Pato O’Ward
Pato O’Ward is going to make it four seasons of doing Formula 1 testing/practice in Abu Dhabi when he joins Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as McLaren's 'young driver'.
O’Ward has taken over the reserve role Alex Palou was supposed to have before the latter decided to stay with Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar.
O'Ward will be grateful as Le Mans winner Ryo Hirakawa took over the Abu Dhabi FP1 gig O’Ward has had for the last two years, meaning this is O’Ward’s second opportunity for F1 time this year after his home FP1 outing in Mexico.
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc and Antonio Fuoco/Arthur Leclerc
Charles Leclerc will drive the Pirelli tyre test car because Lewis Hamilton can't make his Ferrari debut until 2025.
His brother Arthur -who made his FP1 debut last Friday - will share the young driver car with 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Antonio Fuoco, a long-time Ferrari driver.
Red Bull: Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda
There will be a lot of eyes on this team at the test, as it will be impossible not to wonder where each of these drivers will end up next year.
Tsunoda wants the Red Bull seat but if he doesn’t get it and Liam Lawson does, Hadjar could sneak in at RB as Tsunoda’s 2025 RB team-mate. And they’re both driving the Red Bull here!
Hadjar has more experience of a Red Bull, with his two FP1s this year, than Tsunoda hasn’t driven a current Red Bull F1 car until Honda called in a favour for this one.
Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli/Frederik Vesti and George Russell
Antonelli is starting his Mercedes career in earnest after two FP1s and some TPC testing this year, and there will be massive attention on how the Hamilton replacement gets on. The day started with 2023 Formula 2 runner-up Frederik Vesti behind the wheel of the young driver car - he's already had multiple FP1s with Mercedes as its reserve driver. Antonelli took over for the second half of the day. George Russell is in the Pirelli tyre test car.
Aston Martin: Jak Crawford and Felipe Drugovich
Felipe Drugovich is another veteran of F1 testing and remains Aston Martin’s go-to, and he’ll be joined by Jak Crawford, who drives a 2024 F1 car for the first time.
The 19-year-old American is a race winner in F2 this year, and has tested an older F1 car partly in preparation for this opportunity.
Alpine: Paul Aron and Jack Doohan
Alpine is running Jack Doohan in the Pirelli test role to open up a slot for its new junior Paul Aron to get some running in the young driver test.
Aron led F2 at times this year and finished third in the standings. Alpine have given him another shot after he was previously dropped by Mercedes.
Haas: Ryo Hirakawa and Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon will be hoping for a smooth Haas debut, especially after he had to give his Alpine race seat up for Abu Dhabi to even drive at this test.
He’ll be joined by Hirakawa, having a second outing in a row with a new team as he switches from McLaren to Toyota's partner Haas. Hirakawa is a Toyota-supported driver.
RB: Ayumu Iwasa and Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson could be making his final appearance at RB if he gets his wish to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull.
Honda junior and F2 race winner Ayumu Iwasa took part in FP1 for RB in Abu Dhabi, so he gets some continuity running.
Williams: Luke Browning and Carlos Sainz
A totally fresh line-up for Williams, as Abu Dhabi FP1 debutant Luke Browning is joined by one of the most anticipated debuts of the test, for Carlos Sainz.
Sainz has been allowed to leave Ferrari early for the test.
Sauber: Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg
Another rare all-new line-up here as Gabriel Bortoleto gets his first taste of a 2024 F1 car just days after his F2 title win, alongside Hulkenberg, who has been allowed to switch from Haas to get a head start with his new team.
Full line-up
McLaren: Lando Norris/Oscar Piastri, Pato O’Ward
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Arthur Leclerc/Antonio Fuoco
Red Bull: Isack Hadjar, Yuki Tsunoda
Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli, George Russell
Aston Martin: Jak Crawford, Felipe Drugovich
Alpine: Paul Aron, Jack Doohan
Haas: Ryo Hirakawa, Esteban Ocon
RB: Ayumu Iwasa, Liam Lawson
Williams: Luke Browning, Carlos Sainz
Sauber: Gabriel Bortoleto, Nico Hulkenberg
