Abu Dhabi F1 post-season test gallery
The final track action of the 2025 F1 season concluded at Yas Marina with a post-season test, blending evaluations of young drivers with crucial early running on Pirelli's prototype 2026 tires for all ten teams.
The 2025 Formula 1 season officially drew to a close at the Yas Marina Circuit with a crucial post-season test, where teams split their focus between evaluating young talent and gathering initial data on Pirelli's prototype tires for the 2026 season.
Why it matters:
This test serves as a vital bridge between seasons, offering a first real-world glimpse of the tire compounds that will be used under the sweeping new 2026 technical regulations. For young drivers, it's a rare and critical opportunity to impress teams and secure a future in the sport, often determining who lands coveted reserve or development roles for the coming year.
The details:
All ten teams participated in the day's running, dividing their programs across their two cars. One side of the garage was typically dedicated to a team's official young or reserve driver conducting a talent evaluation, while the other car was used for the primary technical objective: testing Pirelli's 2026 prototype tires. This early running provides Pirelli and the teams with invaluable data on the new rubber's performance, degradation, and behavior, which will directly influence final compound selections and car development paths for the new regulatory era.
What's next:
The data collected here marks the beginning of a long development cycle. Teams will now analyze this tire information over the winter to inform their 2026 chassis and aerodynamic concepts. For the drivers who participated, performances will be scrutinized by team principals and talent scouts, with decisions on 2026 testing and reserve roles to be made in the coming months. The paddock now enters its winter shutdown, with development continuing behind closed doors until pre-season testing begins next year.