Post-season testing: Who's driving with whom?

Since 2010, post-season testing has been held the week following the final round of the season. Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi, on the Yas Marina circuit. This day puts the two 2024 single-seaters to work: one allows Pirelli to carry out tests on the tyres and the other offers young rookie drivers, who have less than two Grand Prix starts, an opportunity to drive in real conditions. This is the last opportunity to collect data and extract specific information on the car going out on track.

These sessions are particularly important in the acclimatization process of future rookies as well as drivers who are changing teams next season. This is the case of Gabriel Bortoleto who will participate in the tests for young drivers with Kick Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg for the Pirelli tests, the team they will join for the year 2025, but also for Esteban Ocon aboard a Haas or for Carlos Sainz who will join Williams.

Opportunities not to be missed

As for Red Bull, Yuki Tsunoda will have to prove himself on board of the RB20 to live up to a potential promotion alongside the four-time world champion Max Verstappen. This commitment had been announced by Christian Horner earlier this year after conclusive tests at Goodwood: "He was the first driver to drive a current F1 car with an open helmet and goggles!" The Austrian team director had declared that the driver who plays in the Red Bull's cadet team who considers that " It will be a good thing to get him racing and give him the opportunity to work with the Red Bull Racing engineers and see how he performs in the car. »

However, Lewis Hamilton will not take part in these tests with Ferrari. Questioned after the announcement of his non-participation, Toto wolff explained why the seven-time world champion was not available for the Team during testing: "We have contractual agreements with sponsors." The German team manager said that the " many activities » planned for the occasion of "farewell to Lewis [Hamilton]" would not make this presence possible. The British driver will join the Italian team on January 1st.

F1 – Post-season testing participants

McLaren : Lando Norris et Oscar piastri / Patricio O'Ward
Ferrari : Charles Leclerc / Arthur Leclerc and Antonio Fuoco
Red Bull : Yuki tsunoda / Isack Hadjar
Mercedes : George Russell / Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Frederik Vesti
Aston Martin : Lance stroll / Jak Crawford and Felipe Drugovich
Alpine : Jack Doohan / Paul Aron
Haas : Esteban Ocon / Ryō Hirakawa
Racing Bulls : Liam Lawson / Ayumu Iwasa
Williams : Carlos Sainz / Luke Browning
Sauber : Nico Hülkenberg / Gabriel Bortoleto

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