The racing may be over, but the on-track action hasn’t finished quite yet. PlanetF1 are live in Abu Dhabi to bring you all the latest from the post-season test.
The final day of on-track F1 action in 2022 sees two tests running concurrently on Tuesday at Yas Marina. Each team provides one car for Pirelli tyre testing, which is being carried out by the usual race drivers, or the experienced new arrivals.
In the second car, the teams are also carrying out a Young Driver Test, where their junior prospects are given a chance to shine.
Latest leaderboard (14:00pm local)
- Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:25.383 50 Laps
- Robert Shwartzman Ferrari 1:26.067 62 Laps
- Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:26.312 69 Laps
- Sergio Perez Red Bull 1:26.333 88 Laps
- Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:26.555 62 Laps
- Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:26.709 51 Laps
- Lando Norris McLaren 1:26.890 45 Laps
- Felipe Drugovich Aston Martin 1:27.053 57 Laps
- Alex Albon Williams 1:27.369 47 Laps
- Liam Lawson Red Bull 1:27.490 46 Laps
- Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:27.565 55 Laps
- Jack Doohan Alpine 1:27.569 57 Laps
- Theo Pourchaire Alfa Romeo 1:27.591 53 Laps
- George Russell Mercedes 1:27.639 45 Laps
- Pietro Fittipaldi Haas 1:27.690 49 Laps
- Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri 1:27.696 68 Laps
- Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:27.892 50 Laps
- Nico Hulkenberg Haas 1:28.412 27 Laps
- Logan Sargeant Williams 1:28.413 38 Laps
- Frederick Vesti Mercedes 1:28.446 70 Laps
- Max Verstappen Red Bull No time
- Lance Stroll Aston Martin No time
- Lewis Hamilton Mercedes No time
- Carlos Sainz Ferrari No time
Which drivers are in action at the post-season test?
All times are local
14:50:
Still working hard 💪 The Abu Dhabi post-season test in full swing at Yas Marina, featuring @frederik_vesti‘s first run in an @F1 car. 👏 pic.twitter.com/LoMsFMvoBi
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 22, 2022
1440: Lando Norris has had a spin! Around he went at Turn 13, but he avoided hitting anything and he’s back underway without issue.
1433: Verstappen and Sainz have joined the action in the last few minutes! Sainz came out and did a short six-lap stint to kick off his afternoon, while Verstappen has done three laps.
1425: Alonso is back in the pits – 97 laps on the board. Expecting him to hand over to Stroll at any moment.
Fernando Alonso in an unbranded Aston Martin 😍#F1Testing #F1 pic.twitter.com/UFKmSp5hfu
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) November 22, 2022
1420: Still no sign of the remaining four drivers. Norris is currently pounding around, as are Albon, Pourchaire, Piastri, Hulkenberg, and Sargeant.
1400: All very steady at the moment and, even as the unofficial lunch hour ends, we’re yet to see our new participants for the afternoon join in. Sergio Perez hands over to Max Verstappen for Red Bull’s tyre testing programme, Fernando Alonso climbs out of his Aston Martin for Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton takes over the Mercedes from George Russell, and Carlos Sainz gets his last outing in the F1-75 after Leclerc’s morning session.
1335: It may not be an official break, but almost everyone is back in the pits – just four cars on track now.
1325: And it wasn’t. All fine and dandy again now. We’re set to see Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz and Lance Stroll on track later this afternoon. Lewis didn’t pull a sickie after all!
13:12: Red flag – debris on track between Turns 3 and 4. Can confirm Nyck de Vries was NOT on track at the time (if you know, you know!)
It shouldn’t be a long red flag.
13:05: We’ve hit the unofficial lunch hour and, while most are back in the pits, some are electing to continue. Leclerc is on track, as are Norris, Albon, and Russell.
1258: Most of the cars are back in the pits now – Albon, Pourchaire, Fittipaldi, Sargeant, and Vesti are the only drivers on track.
1255:
Both McLarens currently in the pits, as is Aston Martin’s Felipe Drugovich in the branded AMR22. #F1 #AbuDhabiTest pic.twitter.com/r7Ur9vDYV7
— Thomas Maher (@thomasmaheronf1) November 22, 2022
1250: 10 minutes until the unofficial lunch hour, and it’s still Leclerc out front with a 1:25.383 as he carries out Pirelli’s test programme. Robert Shwartzman is second in the other Ferrari, carrying out Ferrari’s Young Driver obligation for this test.
Alonso has had a very productive morning – he’s in third with 69 laps on the board.
1239: Nico Hulkenberg is back out on track for Haas following his stoppage earlier. That’s cost him about two hours of precious track time as he looks to blow off a few cobwebs.
1233: Into the final 30 minutes of the first session now. The one-hour lunch break coming up at 1300 local time. The afternoon session runs from 1400 to 1800.
1226: Yip, Piastri is back into the action.
1224: With the McLaren having been returned to the garage, it looks as if Piastri could be back out again soon.
1209: Pierre Gasly has covered more laps than anyone else, 66, in Alonso’s 2022 car!
1200: Final hour before lunch and the time to beat is Leclerc’s 1:25.383.
1152: Alonso in the Aston Martin, that’s going to take a bit of getting used to, is up to third.
1147: Green light, and we’re back underway! Perez, Gasly, Fittipaldi, and Vesti all head straight back out on track.
1145: Still under red flag conditions here at Yas Marina, as Piastri’s stricken McLaren is recovered. Just over six hours remain in the 2022 season!
1130: We have our first red flag of the day! Oscar Piastri has broken down on track after Turn 7 – we can just about see the car from the media centre.
1115: While Sergio Perez leads the way on laps racked up so far with 48 tours of Yas Marina, the driver with the fewest laps under his belt today is Alex Albon – he’s done just nine laps so far.
George Russell hasn’t managed many more – he’s on 12 laps as he carries out Mercedes’ tyre testing programme this morning. Lewis Hamilton will take over for the afternoon.
1110: While Oscar Piastri may be getting most of the photographer’s attention today, as he makes his McLaren debut, but Lando Norris is out there as well! He’s currently P6, and just logged his 42nd lap of the day.
Lando’s on tyre test duty today. Keep putting those laps in. 💪 pic.twitter.com/8mZuiDEVjf
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 22, 2022
1105: Fernando Alonso is back out on track after his earlier break in the pits for what appeared to be setup changes. He’s racked up another nine laps since, taking him to a total of 29 in the first two hours.
Haas only have one car on track at the moment, as Nico Hulkenberg’s car broke down on track – however, he got it off the track and there was no stoppage.
1055: A very steady period, plenty of laps being put up with very little in the way of drama.
Charles Leclerc remains at the top with a 1:25.674, four-tenths clear of Ferrari teammate Robert Shwartzman in the other F1-75.
1030: 12th place on the timesheets, with 22 laps on the board – Jack Doohan is enjoying his Young Driver outing with Alpine so far this morning.
Alpine’s Jack Doohan at the Abu Dhabi test. Yas Marina, November 2022.1015: 20 laps on the board for Fernando Alonso in his unbranded Aston Martin so far, but looks like his running is over for the time being.
Why? This is why…
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso at the 2022 Abu Dhabi test. Yas Marina, November 2022.0955:
Nico’s up and running in the #VF22 in Abu Dhabi! 🇦🇪#HaasF1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/SBziQWkzYm
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) November 22, 2022
0950:
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in the pits at Abu Dhabi testing. Yas Marina, November 2022.0945: Liam Lawson is the latest to have a spin – around he goes at Turn 5, but continues without incident.
All very steady out on track so far, with a surprising amount of laps already. Leading the way in terms of mileage is McLaren newbie Oscar Piastri – he’s done 19 laps so far, while Perez and Vesti are each on 17.
0935: Robert Shwartzman has spun at Turn 16, and continued.
Alonso’s also gone off at Turn 13, but continued without issue.
0917:
Heading out for the first time as a McLaren driver! 😍 @OscarPiastri pic.twitter.com/kkybwFdzCz
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 22, 2022
0915:
First lap as an Alpine driver for @PierreGASLY! 👋 pic.twitter.com/NjD7IzD5pL
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) November 22, 2022
0910: A quick spin for Nyck de Vries down at Turn 5, but he’s kept it running and off he goes again.
0910: A nice busy start to proceedings here, as everyone bar Verstappen, Stroll, Albon, Hamilton, and Sainz has put in at least one lap in the first few minutes.
It’s Perez at the top early on, he’s already on to his 10th lap of the day.
0900: Lights go green, and we’re underway in Abu Dhabi for the final day of track action!
0855: The timing screens in the media centre have sprung into life, and we have a definite plan of action for today! 24 drivers are expected to hit the track over the course of the next nine hours. Here’s the plan for each team:
- Red Bull – Verstappen/Perez (Tyres) / Lawson (Young Driver)
- Ferrari – Leclerc/Sainz (Tyres) / Shwartzman (Young Driver)
- McLaren – Norris (Tyres) / Piastri (Young Driver)
- Alpine – Gasly (Tyres) / Doohan (Young Driver)
- AlphaTauri – Tsunoda (Tyres) / De Vries (Young Driver)
- Aston Martin – Alonso (Tyres) / Drugovich (Young Driver)
- Haas – Hulkenberg (Tyres) / Fittipaldi (Young Driver)
- Mercedes – Hamilton/Russell (Tyres) / Vesti (Young Driver)
- Williams – Albon (Tyres) / Sargeant (Young Driver)
- Alfa Romeo – Bottas (Tyres) / Pourchaire (Young Driver)
0850: The plan for today is to run from 9am until 6pm, with an unofficial lunch break between 1 and 2pm (all local time). Two tests are underway, Pirelli tyre testing, as well as a Young Driver Test.
To that end, every team will be running two cars today – one for each test.
0850:
On track today. 😁 @OscarPiastri’s McLaren journey begins now! pic.twitter.com/ciyM11xcqs
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 22, 2022
0830: The action for today starts at 9am local time (5am UK time) and runs through to 6pm.
0800: Good morning from the Yas Marina circuit! The F1 2022 season may be done and dusted but, before everyone in the F1 paddock can rest up and recharge the batteries for next season, we have one final test to follow in Abu Dhabi.
We’ll be here with you all day (or night depending on where you are reading from!) to bring you all the very latest, with Thomas Maher reporting in from the track. Make sure you also give him a follow on Twitter (whilst it still exists) here – @thomasmaheronf1
