Two days after the chequered flag fell on this year’s world championship, teams resumed their preparations for the 2022 Formula 1 season at the Yas Marina circuit.
All 10 teams have at least one car running. Each of them is conducting a final test using its 2021 cars running on this year’s 13-inch wheels for a rookie driver.In addition nine of the teams are also running modified cars in order to test the 18-inch tyres which will be used next year. The only team not participating in this test is Williams, which did not produce one of the ‘mule cars’ necessary for the test due to the financial difficulties it encountered prior to its sale last year.
Several drivers are having their first test of F1 machinery. IndyCar race-winner Pato O’Ward is at the wheel of the McLaren, having been offered a test as a reward for his breakthrough victory for their team in the series at Texas Motor Speedway in May. Williams junior driver Logan Sargeant, who will graduate from Formula 3 to Formula 2 next year, is also driving.
The only rookie in the field for the 2022 season, Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou, is testing for the team as a junior driver today and will continue tomorrow in the car on 18-inch wheels. In the meantime the latter car is being driven by Valtteri Bottas, in his first outing for Alfa Romeo, though he remains contracted to Mercedes until the end of the year.
Following his triumph last weekend, Max Verstappen is back at the wheel of his Red Bull. His world championship rival Lewis Hamilton, whose knighthood ceremony will take place in Britain tomorrow, is not participating in the test, leaving new team mate George Russell to do both days’ running with the 18-inch tyres.
The only other driver who will be on the grid next year who is not participating in this week’s test is Nikita Mazepin, who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday and is therefore required to quarantine himself.
Expected driver schedule
Team | Tuesday AM (young driver) | Tuesday PM (young driver) | Tueday AM (18-inch) | Tuesday PM (18-inch) | Wednesday AM (18-inch) | Wednesday PM (18-inch) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red Bull | Juri Vips | Max Verstappen | Sergio Perez | |||
Mercedes | Nyck de Vries | George Russell | ||||
Ferrari | Antonio Fuoco | Robert Shwartzman | Charles Leclerc | Antonio Fuoco | Carlos Sainz Jnr | |
McLaren | Pato O’Ward | Daniel Ricciardo | Lando Norris | |||
Alpine | Oscar Piastri | Esteban Ocon | Fernando Alonso | |||
AlphaTauri | Liam Lawson | Yuki Tsunoda | Pierre Gasly | |||
Aston Martin | Nick Yelloly | Lance Stroll | Sebastian Vettel | |||
Williams | Logan Sargeant | Not participating | ||||
Alfa Romeo | Guanyu Zhou | Valtteri Bottas | Guanyu Zhou | |||
Haas | Robert Shwartzman | TBC | Mick Schumacher | Pietro Fittipaldi |
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Pictures: Abu Dhabi post-season test
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2021 F1 season
- Verdict on error in GT race suggests Mercedes would have lost 2021 Abu Dhabi GP appeal
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- Red Bull Racing spent £230m during Verstappen’s title-winning 2021 campaign
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- Abu Dhabi’s legacy one year on: How the controversial 2021 finale changed F1
Qeki (@qeki)
14th December 2021, 7:03
That Yuri Vips looks like he just won championship
Hakk the Rack
14th December 2021, 7:07
He’s also wearing Max’ cap.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
14th December 2021, 12:29
and face!
Mathias
14th December 2021, 7:26
The tests will be on TV somewhere?
Jere (@jerejj)
14th December 2021, 7:41
@Mathias No AFAIA.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
14th December 2021, 12:15
only if FIA make up some new rules during the session, to make testing more exciting for TV.
Ruben
14th December 2021, 7:57
Let’s all spare some thoughts for Valtteri, who, after years of driving the constructor’s championship winning car got absolutely hammered after the race (and rightly so) and now, as part of the hangover I guess, has to find out how much worse than the Mercedes that Alfa Romeo is.
Also: two Dutch world champions on track today. A unique moment.
MarcusAurelius (@marcusaurelius)
14th December 2021, 9:20
Indeed! Like!
Constantijn Blondel
14th December 2021, 8:02
For a second I (mis-)read “begin post-season protest” :)
t1redmonkey (@t1redmonkey)
14th December 2021, 9:19
Hehe, the Aston Martin ‘young driver’ is 31 years old. I guess that’s nothing though compared to Alonso last year.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
14th December 2021, 9:37
@t1redmonkey Maybe we also need an “old drivers’ test” for people who have not completed in F1 for the requisite two years but are also 30+. Sky alone could have filled the roster with former drivers who would fit the criteria in their broadcasting team this weekend. Let’s see how Damon Hill handles this year’s Williams!
Stephen H
14th December 2021, 10:37
Anyone else though they were going to run the #1 on Max’s car ??
Imre (@f1mre)
14th December 2021, 11:11
Yes, I also thought about it. But it’s premature due to the appeal I guess. And he’ll have at least 23 races with #1. I like the fact that we’ll be seeing #1 in F1 again.
ian dearing
14th December 2021, 11:27
Nothing to do with the appeal. He’s not the champion unless the rules have been changed recently. He has to wait til Thursday.
ian dearing
14th December 2021, 11:30
FIA Awards Ceremony
stefano (@alfa145)
14th December 2021, 13:08
this ^,
until Verstappens is crowned Champion, Hamilton is still the holder of the title. Plus this is called “post season test” so it is somewhat related to this season, where the champion was Hamilton
Macademianut (@macademianut)
14th December 2021, 12:14
In the midst of all the protest and everything, Bottas has been completely ignored. Glad to see his name here. :)
ian dearing
14th December 2021, 12:24
Last I saw of him online was being carried around shoulder high at the Merc after party, out of his head and singing karaoke. As was Toto whilst crowd surfing. So I don’t think Merc have gone dark, just all nursing hangovers. Good of Merc to release him early to do the test.
David (@djarvis)
14th December 2021, 15:10
Mercedes have since been contacting people on twitter in an attempt to remove these videos
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
14th December 2021, 12:18
Too soon to say anything else about Zhou, but his helmet’s great!
stefano (@alfa145)
14th December 2021, 13:10
I can already foresee Russell becoming a nightmare team mate for Hamilton, the two won’t go much long together I guess, 1 or 2 seasons is my forecast
Andy (@andyfromsandy)
14th December 2021, 14:09
Considering Lewis has signed for 22 and 23 that would be pretty shrewd by you! LOL.
Emma
14th December 2021, 15:49
Sounds similar to the pre-hybrid predictions: Lewis won’t manage a fuel saving formula, doesn’t drive intelligently etc. Obviously, age will catch up with him but for anyone that watched the latter part of this season to write him off even against a talent like George is rather brave. We’ll see.
Emma
14th December 2021, 15:51
This is a response to @alfa145 but it seems there’s a dodgy director directing my device or the site.
erikje
14th December 2021, 17:15
Probably Masi
stefano (@alfa145)
15th December 2021, 1:48
I never implied that @Emma, you said it first. I only said I foresee Russell being a nightmare team mate, not that he would beat Hamilton any soon. A difficoult team mate would not give road as easily, or such things. The relationship will plummet as soon as halfway into the season, if the car is competitive enough for the championship, even if Hamilton is consistently ahead, which I broadly expect him to be, although by a small margin
stefano (@alfa145)
15th December 2021, 1:51
I never implied that @Emma, neither did I ever produce such forecasts in the past. I only said I foresee Russell being a nightmare team mate, not that he would beat Hamilton any soon. A difficoult team mate would not give road as easily for example, or such things. The relationship will plummet as soon as halfway into the season, if the car is competitive enough for the championship, even if Hamilton is consistently ahead, which I broadly expect him to be, although by a small margin
Emma (@emma)
20th December 2021, 6:45
Fair enough @alfa145. Lets wait and see – it is a fascinating pairing for sure.