F1 2025 began to load in Abu Dhabi’s post-season test as three drivers – Carlos Sainz, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon – put in their first laps for their new teams.

Sainz set the pace in Tuesday’s morning session ahead of his 2024 Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

Carlos Sainz kicked off his Williams career with a P1

As the pit lane light went green, Yuki Tsunoda finally made his Red Bull debut as he headed down the pit lane in the RB20. But with Red Bull, at least according to Helmut Marko, making the driver decision on Monday already, Tsunoda’s day out in the RB20 is more about ticking a box for the driver and his backer, Honda.

Meanwhile, Sainz, sporting all-white kit to avoid sponsorship issues, set the pace in the opening hour with a 1:24.620 that put him a tenth up on his now former team-mate Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.

Jack Doohan, the Australian back in the A524 having made his F1 debut in Sunday night’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was a further four-tenths down in third place.

Esteban Ocon was the only driver without a time on the board as Haas made a few tweaks to the car to suit the Frenchman. He did put in eight installation laps.

As the drivers continued laying down the laps with Pato O’Ward was the first to it the 40-lap mark in the Constructors’ Championship winning MCL38, Leclerc took over at the top in the second hour only for Sainz to come back with a 1:24.435. Ocon clocked his very first lap time in a Haas F1 car but was four seconds off the pace.

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Norris joined the tussle for a leading position on the timesheet while Gabriel Bortoleto took on O’Ward to be the busiest driver on the track. The 2025 Sauber driver was the first to hit 58 but by the end of third hour of testing, the McLaren reserve had overhauled him with 67 laps.

As the lunch hour approached, and with it the potential for driver changes with Kimi Antonelli reportedly well enough to replace Fred Vesti for the afternoon session and Arthur Leclerc taking over from Antonio Fuoco, it was still Ferrari’s F1 2024 line-up P1 and P2 with the Williams of Sainz ahead of the Ferrari of Leclerc.

Sainz finished the morning session P1 with his 1:24.435 putting him 0.126s ahead of Leclerc while Norris was third.

Tsunoda in the RB20 was P11, only 0.037s up on Isack Hadjar in the second Red Bull.

Times

1 Sainz Williams 1:24.435
2 Leclerc Ferrari 1:24.561
3 Norris McLaren 1:24.678
4 Doohan Alpine 1:24.730
5 Vesti Mercedes 1:25.159
6 O’Ward McLaren 1:25.201
7 Fuoco Ferrari 1:25.238
8 Bortoleto Sauber 1:25.306
9 Browning Williams 1:25.409
10 Aron Alpine 1:25.561
11 Tsunoda Red Bull 1:25.568
12 Hadjar Red Bull 1:25.605
13 Drugovich Aston Martin 1:25.819
14 Lawson Racing Bulls 1:26.066
15 Crawford Aston Martin 1:26.066
16 Iwasa Racing Bulls 1:26.251
17 Hulkenberg Sauber 1:26.351
18 Russell Mercedes 1:26.981
19 Hirakawa Haas 1:27.526
20 Ocon Haas 1:27.903

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