Sainz leads Ferrari 1-2-3 in busy post-season Abu Dhabi test

Carlos Sainz led the way in which with a Ferrari 1-2-3 in the post-season Abu Dhabi test in which no fewer than 24 drivers took it to the monitor to pattern Pirelli’s 2023 tyres. F1Technical’s Balázs Szabó studies on the final official day of the 2022 F1 season.

Just two days after the thrilling season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the 2022 Formula 1 automobiles have been run collectively for the ultimate time as Ferrari rounded out the 12 months with a one-two-three on a busy day of testing on the Yas Marina circuit.

All 10 groups ran two automobiles for the nine-hour test with one automobile used to conduct Pirelli 2023 tyre testing and one for younger drivers.

Following a profitable Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which noticed Ferrari safe second place in the Constructors’ Championship and Charles Leclerc seize the second spot in the Drivers’ Championship, the Scuderia labored with their race drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz and their test driver Robert Shwartzman.

Leclerc was the primary driver to take to the monitor in the morning, making an attempt out two completely different compounds: the Monegasque made his mark with a greatest time of 1’25”383, a lap that stayed on the prime of the timesheets all the way in which to the break for lunch. In the afternoon Sainz then took to the wheel; his time of 1’25”225 ended up the quickest of the entire day. The Spaniard additionally drove with two completely different compounds.

Overall the crew accomplished 116 laps with Shwartzman, 57 with Charles Leclerc in the morning and 65 with Carlos Sainz in the afternoon for a grand complete of 238 laps.

Shwartzman commented: “We completed a really optimistic test day right here in Abu Dhabi with 116 laps and a stable quantity of labor. The testing programme was fairly complete with efficiency runs, race simulations, checks and follow begins.

„I really feel I made enchancment from Friday’s FP1 and for a lot of the classes I used to be pretty near Charles and Carlos tempo smart which can also be very optimistic for me. There are at all times issues to enhance however I believe the potential we confirmed was excellent. In basic I’m additionally very pleased with the work we did this 12 months with the crew again in Maranello on the simulator because the automobile feels very comparable. It was nice having the prospect to drive for the crew once more and I actually loved as we speak.”

With two automobiles permitted for the single-day test, Red Bull break up tyre analysis duties among the many race drivers, with Sergio Perez in motion in the morning and Max Verstappen on the wheel in the afternoon. The Milton Keynes primarily based outfit’s test and reserve driver Liam Lawson was in the meantime handed a full day in the cockpit of the double title-winning RB18. And after placing in a mixed complete of 275 laps the three drivers have been optimistic concerning the final result.

Perez mentioned: “I believe now we have had morning general and have loads of info to provide to the Team and the engineers, so I’m happy with the work now we have achieved. The new compounds nonetheless are usually fairly shut, as they have been this season, however the entrance is just a little bit stronger than the 2022 variations.

„We are working with the tyres in highly regarded situations right here and every little thing continues to be early days, so we nonetheless have loads to study and analyse. It shall be attention-grabbing to see how they carry out in cooler temperatures, which might replicate race temperatures higher, when Max is in the automobile in a while.”

Verstappen added: “We completed our programme and got a first, basic understanding for next year, which I think worked out well. It’s always nice, when you have the final compound construction, to get a few laps in but at each track the tyres behave differently, so it’s difficult to judge. Having said that, it’s always better to have something rather than nothing. Overall, everything behaved quite normally, so it was a good day.”

It has been an essential day for double world champion Fernando Alonso, who accomplished his first outing along with his new crew Aston Martin. The Spaniard was Twelfth-fastest time in a sponsor-less automobile as a consequence of two-time world champion nonetheless being below contract with Alpine till the tip of the 12 months.

Alonso commented: “I can’t be overconfident,, as every little thing goes to alter subsequent 12 months. But the sensation I had in the storage with the fellows, the potential of the crew, the expertise that I see in the engineering room right here, is excellent. So I’m actually, actually, comfortable proper now.

“When I signed for Aston Martin I was 90 per cent happy, when they started improving and finished the season on a high I was 100 per cent happy, this morning I was 100 per cent, now I’m 100 plus!”

“Nothing stunned me, the automobile was behaving effectively. We had some considerations on the steering suggestions – at Alpine the primary 12 months we needed to work loads for almost 5 months on steering help and suggestions.

“We had some concerns that we spoke the last few weeks so it was a happy surprise that I felt OK with Aston’s system and we don’t need to change much.”

Alonso’s new crew mate Lance Stroll ended the day ninth quickest whereas the crew’s new growth driver Felipe Drugovich completed in P15 with a complete of 106 laps to his identify.

Williams accomplished a busy day with Alexander Albon and newly signed Logan Sargeant notching up a complete of 118 and 82 laps respectively.
Finishing sixth quickest, Alex Albon mentioned:” Today on the post-season test we bought good mileage in and every little thing went to plan. We bought to test all of the completely different compounds for subsequent 12 months and there shall be a variety of knowledge to have a look at over the winter months to attempt to perceive the variations of the tyre, however inevitably there’s not an enormous distinction, I believe it is all small issues.

„The exhausting work begins now working to make it possible for we enter into Bahrain with the very best automobile we will and I believe as we speak, with all the information that now we have learnt, goes to assist us try this. „

Sargeant added: „Today went effectively. Throughout the day we regularly progressed, bought by way of our test plan and accomplished all of the laps we would have liked to do. By the tip of the day I felt tremendous snug. It was very nice to get a full day relatively than a FP1 to correctly become familiar with every little thing.

„My season hasn’t ended, there’s a variety of work to do over the subsequent three months to arrange myself for subsequent season. I’ll strictly be in the health club, on the simulator and dealing with everybody at Grove to make sure no stone is left unturned. I am unable to wait to be again out on monitor for winter testing for my first season in Formula 1.

Mercedes has a stable day with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finishing a complete of 67 and 73 laps. The crew’s younger driver Frederik Vesti had a really productive day, registering 124 laps in complete.

McLaren went thorugh its programme with solely two drivers. Lando Norris accomplished 115 laps, making an attempt out Pirelli’s 2023 tyres. Former F3 and F2 champion Oscar Piastri made his debut with McLaren, though his day didn’t go solely to plan as he brought on a pink flag in the morning as a consequence of an influence unit challenge. Nevertheless, the Australian accomplished 123 laps on his method to 14th general.

Norris added: “Useful day. It was good to get a while with these tyres to assist Pirelli’s growth of them into 2023 and to collect essential knowledge on how they function.

„It was a productive day to spherical out the season. Big because of Pirelli and the crew for his or her exhausting work. We’ll now head into the winter targeted on getting ready for the 2023 season, doing every little thing we will to begin subsequent 12 months on the entrance foot.”

Piastri commented: “A very good first day with McLaren, I believe we learnt loads. It was nice to lastly be a part of up with the crew, and due to them for day of operating. We did a variety of laps and experimented loads, which is precisely what as we speak is all about.

„I’ve bought a good suggestion the place to enhance for subsequent 12 months. I actually loved it, it’s good to lastly be again out on monitor lastly and expertise the 2022 automobiles. I’m trying ahead to subsequent 12 months now, I’ll be in the manufacturing facility subsequent week to satisfy the entire crew, after that I’ll take a brief break earlier than getting again to work with McLaren to arrange for subsequent 12 months.”

Formula One automobiles will take it to the monitor for the subsequent time on February 23, the opening day of the only real pre-season test in Bahrain forward of the 2023 marketing campaign.