All the drivers taking part in the 2024 post-season test in Abu Dhabi

The 2024 F1 season might have drawn to a close, but the action hasn’t quite stopped yet. There is still today’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi to undertake, which will feature a number of familiar faces – and some fresher ones.

The 10 teams have all day to test out the 2025 Pirelli compounds, with one of their cars specifically used for tyre testing and requiring a driver with a super licence.

MUST-SEE: Listen in to Hamilton’s emotional radio as he crosses the line in his final race for Mercedes

The other car is used for the young driver test which must feature a ‘young’ driver, defined as someone with fewer than two Grands Prix starts, which rules out Ollie Bearman, who has driven three times this year – when he subbed for Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia, and when he replaced Kevin Magnussen in Baku and Brazil.

Speaking of Sainz, he will be taking part for new team Williams, with a number of drivers released from their contracts in time to deputise at their new teams. But that isn’t the case for everyone, so don’t expect to see Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari colours just yet.

Here’s the lowdown on everyone that is driving in the test…

McLaren

Oscar Piastri/Lando Norris
Patricio O’Ward

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will share duties for McLaren as they get to grips with Pirelli’s compounds for next season. As the only driver to complete every racing lap in 2024, Piastri hardly needs the practice – but any opportunity to steal a march on his rivals is a welcome one, with 2025 likely to be a hotly-contested championship.

The duo are joined by Patricio O’Ward, who has already driven this year’s car – back at his home race in Mexico. He took part in FP1 there, and also was part of the 2021 young driver test in Abu Dhabi.

Ferrari

Charles Leclerc
Antonio Fuoco/Arthur Leclerc

Leclerc has the cockpit in the tyre test, since Lewis Hamilton has yet to be released from his Mercedes contract. He lit up the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday with his electric drive from P19 on the grid to third at the flag, but won’t quite be scaling those heights today.

He is being joined out on track by his brother once again. The two Leclercs had an emotional FP1 outing together in Abu Dhabi, making history as the first brothers to take part in an F1 session as team mates. Antonio Fuoco is also in action, the Ferrari development driver getting a first run out in the SF-24.

READ MORE: FIA outline Verstappen’s ‘work of public interest’ for bad language in Singapore press conference

Red Bull

Yuki Tsunoda
Isack Hadjar

Yuki Tsunoda finally gets a go in Red Bull machinery, after driving for their sister team for the past four seasons. His impressive early season form earned him a contract extension at RB, and caught the eye of the powers that be at Red Bull – hence his opportunity to impress.

Hadjar has already driven the slightly tricky RB20, taking it for a spin – literally – in FP1 last Friday. He gets another go here, after finishing runner up in the F2 championship on Sunday.

Mercedes

George Russell
Frederik Vesti/Kimi Antonelli

One of the most hotly-anticipated drivers to join the F1 grid for many a year is getting a run out for Mercedes in this test. Kimi Antonelli has already driven the W15 twice this season in FP1 sessions, and this is a third opportunity to get to grips with F1 machinery prior to making his full debut in Australia next year.

Having been unwell over the race weekend, the Italian is due to arrive at the track at around midday, with Mercedes giving the first half of the session to reserve driver Frederik Vesti.

READ MORE: ‘That’s the last time I’m going to hear that’ – Hamilton shares emotional moment from final Mercedes appearance

Antonelli will be guided by his team mate for next year, George Russell. The Briton knows his duties well, having also taken the helm for Mercedes in this test last season.

Aston Martin

Felipe Drugovich
Jak Crawford

Drugovich is no stranger to testing, having run in the pre-season test last season in place of an injured Lance Stroll. He’s been Aston Martin’s go to for a while now, and is well placed to offer some feedback. Which is just as well, as Jak Crawford has yet to drive the AMR24.

Crawford finished fifth in the F2 championship, and was given the opportunity to drive some older F1 machinery in preparation for this test.

Alpine

Jack Doohan
Paul Aron

Jack Doohan made his Alpine debut in the final race of the season, replacing Esteban Ocon – who used this test as a negotiating standpoint. Doohan saw the flag on Sunday, but finished outside the points.

He is joined by Paul Aron, the 20-year-old having just finished third overall in the F2 championship for Hitech Pulse-Eight.

READ MORE: ‘We’ve never looked as strong’ – Gasly ecstatic after securing sixth in constructors' for Alpine in Abu Dhabi

Haas

Esteban Ocon
Ryo Hirakawa

Ocon was released before the last race of the season by his former team Alpine, but as recompense gets to drive immediately for new team Haas. Having watched his predecessor Nico Hulkenberg score points on Sunday, Ocon must be keen to see how the VF-24 handles.

He’s joined by Ryo Hirakawa, fresh from running in FP1 for McLaren. As a Toyota-sponsored driver, Hirakawa has been given the opportunity to drive for Haas, who are Toyota’s partners.

RB

Liam Lawson
Ayumu Iwasa

With Tsunoda on Red Bull duties, Liam Lawson is the ‘experienced’ driver at RB on Tuesday. The Kiwi has now contested 11 Grands Prix, but his season ended on a low note with a DNF on Sunday.

He is joined by Ayumu Iwasa, who also drove for RB in FP1 in Abu Dhabi. The Japanese racer has been competing in Super Formula after two years in F2, and should be well placed to push on after being in the car so recently.

HIGHLIGHTS: Relive the action from the season finale in Abu Dhabi as Norris dominates to seal constructors’ title for McLaren

Williams

Carlos Sainz
Luke Browning

Sainz gets his Williams career up and running immediately, as he discovers how the FW46 handles. Fresh from his podium in his last Ferrari appearance, the Spaniard will get plenty of time out on track and a chance to get to know the engineers in the garage.

He’s joined by Luke Browning, another rookie to get a run out in FP1 last week. The 22-year-old has been signed by Hitech Pulse-Eight to race in F2 next season.

Kick Sauber

Nico Hulkenberg
Gabriel Bortoleto

Like Sainz and Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg gets an immediate run out for his new team. He’s joined the Kick Sauber/Audi project with a view to the future, but might find things a little tough next year at a team that only managed to score once in 2024.

His rookie team mate for next year joins him, with Gabriel Bortoleto still riding high after sealing the F2 championship at the weekend.

READ MORE: ‘I’m not done yet’ – Bottas defiant on his F1 future after ‘everything went wrong’ in final Kick Sauber race

Why is this test important?

A day of running in an F1 car is never to be sniffed at, especially for those youngsters who are set to join the grid next year. For the likes of Antonelli and Borteleto, this test is an invaluable learning experience that will set them up going into their new full-time roles as F1 drivers.

The other two ‘rookies’ on the grid next year have already raced in anger, with Bearman having scored points for two different teams in the same season, while Doohan got a feel for his Alpine in racing conditions. Thus, Antonelli and Borteleto are already playing catch up in comparison.

READ MORE: Jubilant Brown cites Stella’s ‘unbelievable’ leadership as key to McLaren constructors' success after ‘worst two hours of my life’

It’s also a big opportunity for the drivers changing teams not just to get a run out in a different F1 car, but also to see how their new teams work. From meeting the mechanics, to how to handle the debrief, this is all valuable learning heading into 2025.

And for Pirelli, this is an opportunity to gather even more data on the 2025 tyre compounds. That will go some way to informing their picks of which compound to use at the opening handful of races next year.

DISCOVER MORE...

POWER RANKINGS: Who ended the season on a high note during the finale in Abu Dhabi?

VOTE: Choose your favourite race of the 2024 season

BEYOND THE GRID: Wolff, Shovlin and the Mercedes team share their stories of working with Hamilton

5 Winners and 5 Losers from Abu Dhabi – Who signed off their season in style?

2025 F1 GRID: All the driver and team line-ups confirmed so far