F1 News: Leclerc tops final Abu Dhabi post-season test times

Using next year’s Pirelli compounds, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has ended the last day of running in 2024 on top at Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit.

While testing 2025 tire compounds for Pirelli, Leclerc set the fastest time over Tuesday’s nine-hour test at the Yas Marina circuit which hosted the season finale two days earlier.

In the cooler afternoon conditions after sunset, Leclerc clocked a 1m23.510s to go top, completing 134 laps.

Carlos Sainz Jr, quickest in the morning session, was 2nd fastest overall behind Leclerc in his Williams.

Nico Hulkenberg was fourth on his first day aboard the Sauber.

2025 Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli went fifth-quickest – on 2024 tires.

Pirelli allowed the teams to approach the test how they saw fit, meaning regular set-up changes and a host of different high, medium and low-fuel runs on various tire compounds.

Every ‘young’ driver was given two sets of 2024 C3s, four sets of C4s and two sets of C5s, while the race drivers ran the homologated versions of Pirelli’s 2025 tires – one set of C2s, three each of the C3s and C4s, two of the C5s and one of the C6s were available per race driver – the latter being a new ultra-soft compound to expand the Pirelli range.

In other words, do not read too much into the times posted.

F1 Abu Dhabi post-season test – Final Results