F1 closes 2025 with Abu Dhabi test: Kimi Antonelli tops 2026 mule running, Jak Crawford fastest rookie. Antonelli tops the 2026 mule car test in Abu Dhabi.

Final F1 test of 2025 at Abu Dhabi

Formula 1 concluded the 2025 season in Abu Dhabi with the last test session of the year. While rookies had the opportunity to drive the current cars, official drivers worked with mule cars in preparation for 2026. Italian driver Alessandro Antonelli, testing the new front movable wing, was the most active driver of the day with an impressive 157 laps completed.

The F1 teams extended their stay at Yas Marina beyond the season finale to focus on future development. Young drivers were given time in the current cars, while mule cars were used to simulate 2026 conditions and test the new Pirelli tires. These mule cars are still ground-effect vehicles, derived from this year’s cars, but adapted to match the expected aerodynamic loads for 2026. Adjustments included much lighter wings, similar to Monza-style setups, and higher ride heights.

Rookies dominate the timesheets

Five official drivers, including Max Verstappen, George Russell, and Fernando Alonso, did not take part in the tests, some returning to their factories to focus on 2026 development. Lap times were relative in this context, but drivers rotated to understand the different characteristics of the cars. The mule cars had less aerodynamic load, while rookie cars retained the 2025 tires, which were slightly wider and offered more grip. This helped rookies claim the top positions on the timesheets.

Luke Browning set the fastest time in the morning session with a 1:23.920 in his Williams, a benchmark that remained unbeaten until temperatures dropped later in the day. Under more favorable conditions, Aston Martin reserve Jak Crawford exploited the available grip using the softest C5 compound, clocking a 1:23.766 to top the session. Crawford finished ahead of Paul Aron, driving the Sauber under Alpine’s agreement, and Browning.

Mule cars and Antonelli’s performance

Regarding the mule cars, Antonelli was among the drivers using the front movable wing, meaning he was exempt from the 300 km/h straight-line speed limit imposed by Pirelli. From 2026, tire pressure and loads will vary differently in those conditions. For teams without the movable wing, i.e., all except Ferrari and Mercedes, Pirelli imposed maximum speed limits to provide realistic testing conditions.

Antonelli finished sixth overall, the fastest among drivers on 2026 mule cars. His best lap of 1:25.170 was nearly 1.5 seconds slower than Crawford’s fastest time but almost a second quicker than the next mule car driver, Oscar Piastri, who was tenth. Antonelli also completed the highest number of laps of the day with 157, showing exceptional productivity.

Incidents and team performance

The test ran smoothly, apart from Ryo Hirakawa’s incident. The Japanese driver went off at Turn 1, causing a red flag and damaging his rear wing, but returned to track shortly after. Esteban Ocon completed only four laps in the afternoon due to alleged technical problems with his Haas.

Insights from Pirelli

“The test day was an excellent opportunity for all teams to try the final 2026 tires, whose compounds will be formally confirmed next Monday. During Pirelli’s development tests throughout the season, teams tested various prototype versions individually at different stages,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director.

“By using the mule cars already employed in development tests, with the same speed limitations, teams could easily compare data obtained at Yas Marina with previous sessions. This session is crucial for our engineers to confirm performance differences between compounds and their degradation, which has been the focus of our work this year.

“Analyzing tires with a smaller footprint also allowed us to assess their susceptibility to graining and overheating, effects that could increase with full-sized contact patches. We will have to wait until late January to see these tires in action on the new generation cars in Barcelona.”

Top 25 results of the Abu Dhabi test