The Formula 1 season may be over, but we take a look at what happened in the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Tyre Test, movement in the driver market and more.

 

 

Leclerc tops final 2018 test in Abu Dhabi

 

Charles Leclerc’s first day as an official Ferrari driver got off to the best possible start by topping the timesheets in the second day of tyre testing at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

 

The two-day Pirelli tyre test came to an end on Wednesday with all the teams having productive outings on the 2019 rubber. For Leclerc, it was his run in a Ferrari since being confirmed as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement in 2019 and set the benchmark of a 1:36.450 to sit comfortable over the entire field.

 

Pierre Gasly was second quickest in his first appearance for Red Bull, posting a 1:37.916, which was 0.031 seconds quicker than what team-mate Max Verstappen set the day before.

 

However Gasly’s time was set on the 2019 version of the hypersofts, compared to the ultrasofts for Verstappen.

 

Racing Point Force India split it’s drivers testing duties on Tuesday, but on Wednesday, Lance Stroll was given a full day of running for the Silverstone-based squad. For the second day in a row, the Canadian ended the day third quickest, with his best lap under 0.1 seconds of the Frenchman.

 

As it was on Tuesday, there were a number of drivers testing with their new teams, with Carlos Sainz in his first outing for McLaren. The Spaniard was 0.099 seconds slower than Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas – the only driver to run both days – as he clocked up 150 laps, which was the highest amount of mileage that McLaren have completed in a single day of testing in the turbocharged V6 hybrid era.

 

With new recruit Daniel Ricciardo unable to test for Renault, Artem Markelov was in the Australian’s place piloting the RS18 and ended up within half a tenth of Sainz. Markelov took a spin in the final sector during the morning run but continued without damage to set a 1:38.590.

 

Daniil Kvyat returned back into action for Toro Rosso, with the Russian completing 155 laps and was under 2.5 seconds in eighth place.

 

Haas F1 Team were the only outfit not to run their race drivers in the test, with F2 driver Louis Deletraz taking over from Pietro Fittipaldi on the final day. In his first taste of F1 machinery, Deletraz enjoyed a trouble-free day to complete 117 laps after the Kannapolis/Banbury squad missed four hours of running due to a power unit issue on Tuesday.

 

The only team to split their running on the final day were Williams, who had Robert Kubica in the FW41 for the first half of the day before handing over the Mercedes-powered car to his 2018 Formula 2 Champion George Russell for the second half.

 

Kubica completed a low 39 laps and a best effort seven seconds adrift of the benchmark time, but Russell managed to add another 55 laps to the Grove-squads tally late on as Williams were the only team not to hit triple figures in the mileage count on the final days running.

 

Most of the high mileage was due to the lack of stoppage on Wednesday, with Sauber’s Antonio Giovinazzi causing the only red flag after his C37 came to a halt on pit lane exit – near the exit of the tunnel underneath the circuit – and had to be recovered with the day only for a short period and was the only time that the drivers had to return to the pits.

 

Day One – Vettel ended the first day of testing quickest

 

 

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was the quickest on the first day of the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tyre test at the Yas Marina Circuit, while his former team-mate Kimi Raikkonen ran his first day back at Sauber.

 

Raikkonen was among several drivers representing their new teams for 2019, as Lando Norris went behind the wheel of the McLaren, George Russell and Robert Kubica shared the FW41 Williams and Lance Stroll made his first outing for Force India. The test saw the 2019 compounds used alongside the 2018 tyres for the teams to compare.

 

Raikkonen who last drove for Sauber back in his debut season of 2001, was using an unbranded helmet and racing suit so it wouldn’t conflict with his existing Ferrari commercial deals. The Finn ran the full day, completing 107 laps before his C37 racer stopped on track at turn seven in the final hour.

 

Vettel’s benchmark, a 1:36.812, was over two seconds slower than this year’s pole position time but still gave the German a comfortable 0.419 second margin over Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas who ended the day in second. In the morning, Vettel caused a brief red flag after losing the rear of his SF71H racer at the first corner and hitting the barriers, but the German was able to return to the pits and soon emerged back on track.

 

It was the second out of three red flag stoppages of the day after Haas F1 Team driver Pietro Fittipaldi stopped on track before the aforementioned Raikkonen did in the final hour.

 

Stroll set the third quickest time in the afternoon after taking over from regular Sergio Perez who set the benchmark of a 1:37.976 in the morning and Stroll went on to beat it by more than half a second with a 1:37.415. The time put Racing Point Force India ahead of Red Bull in the time-sheets with Max Verstappen sandwiched in-between Stroll and Perez with a 1:37.947.

 

Norris ended the day sixth fastest for McLaren before the Briton handed the MCL33 over to new team-mate Carlos Sainz the next day. Norris was 0.6 seconds quicker than Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg.

 

Williams drivers Robert Kubica and George Russell were split by 0.366 seconds in the Pole’s favour, although the pairing were slower than Haas F1 Team’s Fittipaldi who was eighth quickest. Toro Rosso’s reserve Sean Gelael was the slowest of the field but clocked up the most mileage with 150 laps.

 

F1 Post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Tyre Test – Combined Times

 

 

F1 2019 Driver Market Update – Albon to drive for Toro Rosso in 2019

 

 

On Monday it was announced that Alexander Albon will be driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso in the 2019 season alongside Daniil Kvyat.

 

The DAMS FIA Formula 2 Championship driver was originally destined to race for the Nissan e-Dams Formula E squad but was released from his contract just three weeks before the start of the season and will instead pilot for the Honda-powered Faenza outfit.

 

The 22-year-old British/Thai youngster had a very impressive campaign in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and up until last weekend in Abu Dhabi, was one of two drivers that could have won the title.

 

A collision at the start line in the feature race dashed his hopes, but still finished third in the Formula 1’s feeder series with four victories to his name.

 

Like all drivers, he began his career in karting, winning various championships, and joined the Red Bull drivers programme in 2012 and in 2016 the British/Thai driver finished second in the GP3 Series behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.

 

This was Albon’s second season in Formula 2 and although born in London, he races under the Thailand national flag.

 

That means in the 2019 season, Albon becomes the first Thai driver on the grid since Prince Birabongse, who raced in the sport for Enrico Plate, Gordini, Connaught, Maserati and Scuderia Milano between 1950 and 1954.

 

You can read the full statements from Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda Team Principal Franz Tost and Alexander Albon at the link: https://scuderiatororosso.redbull.com/en_INT/article/albon-driver-toro-rosso-2019

 

Stroll officially announced as Racing Point driver

 

 

The worst kept secret finally came out as Racing Point F1 Team announced Lance Stroll to partner Sergio Perez in the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

 

Stroll graduated to the pinnacle of motorsport with Williams Martini Racing in 2017 after winning the European Formula 3 Championship and continued on this season.

 

His father Lawrence lead a group of investors that bought out Force India’s assets after the Silverstone-squad fell into administration, which reincarnated the outfit as Racing Point F1 Team.

 

Stroll’s move from Williams became noticeable after that but Racing Point had to wait for the plans of Esteban Ocon’s future, who the Canadian youngster will be replacing in 2019 was confirmed.

 

Ocon’s Mercedes reserve driver announcement came at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but Racing Point made no communication about Stroll.

 

The 20-year-old drove for Racing Point first in the two-day post Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tyre test and his long term deal was confirmed after the final session was complete.

 

Stroll best result in Formula 1 so far came at last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix where he came in third place with Williams.

 

You can read the full statements from Racing Point F1 Team Principal and CEO Otmar Szafnauer and Stroll at the link: https://www.forceindiaf1.com/news/lance-stroll-race-alongside-sergio-perez-2019

 

The full 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship grid

 

Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – Lewis Hamilton & Valtteri Bottas

Scuderia Ferrari Mission Winnow – Sebastian Vettel & Charles Leclerc

Aston Martin Red Bull Racing – Max Verstappen & Pierre Gasly

Renault Sport F1 Team – Daniel Ricciardo & Nico Hulkenberg

Rich Energy Haas F1 Team – Romain Grosjean & Kevin Magnussen

Racing Point F1 Team – Sergio Perez & Lance Stroll

McLaren Renault F1 Team – Carlos Sainz & Lando Norris

Red Bull Toro Rosso-Honda – Daniil Kvyat & Alexander Albon

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team – Kimi Raikkonen & Antonio Giovinazzi

 

Pirelli extend contract to be F1 tyre supplier until 2023

 

 

Formula One Officials and the FIA announced on Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race day that Pirelli has been confirmed as sole tyre supplier for the FIA Formula One World Championship with the new deal running for four years from 2020-23.

 

Following on from the recent partnership over the years, FOM and Pirelli have agreed on all the initiatives requested by the sport currently, and have re-established their commitment to work together towards the new technical regulations for 2021 including the new 18-inch tyres.

 

You can read the full statements by Formula One Chairman and CEO Chase Carey, FIA President Jean Todt and Pirelli Vice President and CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera at the link: https://news.pirelli.com/global/en-ww/news/pirelli-and-the-formula-1-together-until-2023