Abu Dhabi post-season F1 test explained: What to expect from the 2026 Pirelli running. The 2025 F1 season concludes in Abu Dhabi.

F1 | 2026 begins in Abu Dhabi: Tuesday Pirelli tests and what to expect

The final race of the season in Abu Dhabi is not only the championship decider but also the first step toward 2026. Pirelli is already preparing for the next season, as the weekend that will crown the drivers’ champion also marks the beginning of the technical revolution affecting both cars and tires. On Tuesday, each team will field a lead driver in a mule car to test the new range of Pirelli tires.

Championship showdown: Norris, Verstappen, and Piastri

Lando Norris will face Max Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri still in contention, as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promises excitement and could deliver the first world title to the McLaren driver if he finishes in the top three. Max Verstappen, on the other hand, will have to aim for victory while hoping the Woking team falls behind.

For the season finale, Pirelli will bring the C3, C4, and C5 compounds. Yas Marina can generate tire graining, a phenomenon already reduced in 2024 and expected to be further controlled by the greater durability of the current tires. This could also bring the soft tires into play, which are traditionally used only in qualifying, but this year may influence race strategies.

Pirelli 2026 tests: the future begins in Abu Dhabi

After the race weekend, teams will remain in Abu Dhabi and return to the track on Tuesday, December 9, for the post-season tests. Each team will field a lead driver in a specially modified mule car to simulate the 2026 car characteristics, and a young driver—an F1 rookie with no more than two Grands Prix—will drive the official 2025 cars.

For next season simulations, Pirelli will provide the lead drivers with one set of C2 and three sets each of C3, C4, and C5. In case of wet conditions, an intermediate set will be available, while C1 and full wet tires will not be provided. The new tires will feature updated markings on the sidewalls for the rest of the season, but the compound colors will remain unchanged.

Young drivers will receive two sets each of C3 and C5, four sets of C4, and one set of intermediates and full wets if rain conditions occur.

With active aero, smaller 16-inch tyres, increased sustainable fuel and a rebalanced power-unit formula all arriving next year, Tuesday’s running gives teams and Pirelli their first real-world data correlation. Expect plenty of eyes on stopwatches and tyre blankets – the 2026 season effectively starts here.