Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc finished 2022 with a P1, after setting the fastest lap time on the morning of the post-season Abu Dhabi testing session at the Yas Marina circuit. Teams have been called to test the new Pirelli tyres for the 2023 Formula 1 season and some have used this opportunity to give some track time the their new drivers.
Charles Leclerc carried out testing duties for Pirelli, while the second Ferrari was occupied by the team’s reserve driver, Robert Shwartzman, as the Russian-Israeli racing driver was second in the timesheets, seven-tenths down on Charles.
The session doesn’t feature a lunch break, running straight through from 9am to 6pm local time.
Several 2023 Formula 1 drivers got the chance to run their first laps for their new teams, such as Fernando Also, who got behind the Aston Martin car for the first time The Spaniard was third fastest at the halfway point, while his replacement at Alpine, Pierre Gasly was fifth, with the Red Bull of Sergio Perez separating the two. Fernando Alonso took a breather after 20 laps, the Spaniard’s AMR22 in pieces as the team worked on the set-up. But it wasn’t long before he was back out and laying down the laps.
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Charles Leclerc upped his pace to a 1:25.303 in the third hour to sit six-tenths clear of Robert Shwartzman in the other F1-75 car. But lap times are of course less important in such testing session. The two Ferrari drivers completed a total of 118 during the morning session, which is the equivalent of about 620 km covered.
That is a wrap for Charles Leclerc, who got behind the wheel of the Ferrari F1-75 car for the last time in 2022. Robert Shwartzman will continue to drive in the afternoon session, while Carlos Sainz will complete the Pirelli test with the F1-75 car for the rest of the day.
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