Leclerc fastest in Abu Dhabi test as Sainz enjoys positive Williams debut

Charles Leclerc has ended the post-season test from the Yas Marina Circuit on top of the timesheets with a 1:23.510.

The Monegasque driver closed out the season on a high note for Ferrari, who narrowly missed out on the constructors’ tile last year.

Carlos Sainz headed the timesheet as the session hit the halfway point earlier in the day as the Spaniard completed his debut for Williams, setting 146 laps during the test.

Sainz was one of several drivers who got their first laps with their new teams as Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg drove for Haas and Stake respectively.

READ MORE: 2024 F1 Abu Dhabi post-season test – results

There were also various rookie drivers present for their 2025 teams – with Gabriel Bortoleto driving the Haas and Jack Doohan behind the wheel at Alpine.

Having missed the Formula 2 finale in Abu Dhabi with a virus, Kimi Antonelli took over driving duties in the afternoon from Frederick Vesti at Mercedes.

Sainz’s best effort was enough for second place, while the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Antonelli were third and fifth respectively.

Hulkenberg’s fastest lap time for Stake put him fourth on the leaderboard.

A bulk of the top 10 was made up of rookies who were looking to impress at the rare chance of being handed a drive in an up-to-date F1 challenger.

Ayumu Iwasa was sixth for RB, followed by Pato O’Ward and Doohan for McLaren and Alpine respectively.

The second Alpine car of Paul Aron, who will carry out reserve driver duties for the Enstone-based squad next year, was ninth. Former Alpine driver Ocon rounded out the top 10 in his debut with Haas.

Yuki Tsunoda made his debut for Red Bull as speculation continues to mount over the squad’s driver line-up for next year.

Tsunoda has been linked with the drive alongside Max Verstappen next year, as has current RB team-mate Liam Lawson.

Lawson, who drove for RB during the test, and Tsunoda ended the session in 13th and 17th respectively.

Lawson also had the achievement of setting the most laps of any driver during the day, clocking an impressive 159 tours of the track.

The field was rounded out by Ferrari test driver Antonio Fuoco.