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Abu Dhabi hosts
the last Grand Prix of the season and it will also be the final appearance
at a race weekend for the size of tyre that Formula 1 has used since 2022.
As from next season, while maintaining the same 18 inch rim diameter,
the tyres will be slightly narrower to suit the new generation of cars
developed as part of the overhaul of the technical regulations.
On
the Tuesday following the Grand Prix (9 December) the Yas Marina circuit
will host a group test with the race drivers at the wheel of mule cars,
adapted to suit the 2026 range of tyres. (see the “Keyword” paragraph).
But before that, it will be time to celebrate on the last podium of the
2025 World Championship, where the drivers will wear a special edition of
the famous Pirelli cap. The Abu Dhabi Podium Cap, produced by Pirelli
Design, working with the designer Denis Dekovic, is beige in colour, evoking
the desert dunes, and can be bought on the dedicated e-commerce site,
https://store.pirelli.com.
The compounds
Pirelli is sticking with the usual selection of compounds for the last race
of the season in Abu Dhabi, namely the C3, C4 and C5. Historically, the Yas
Marina track sees graining on the tyres, but as from last year this
phenomenon seems to be relatively limited and the greater resistance of the
current tyres could reduce it to such an extent that even the Soft, usually
only used in qualifying, could be a tyre around which to put together a race
strategy. At this track, degradation is thermal in nature and is generally
seen on the rears due to the requirement for traction especially in the
final sector of the track.
In 2024
In Yas Marina last year, 19 drivers fitted the Medium for the start, the
sole exception being Hamilton who went with the Hard. The one-stop was the
quickest strategy, using the Hard for the second stint. Of the top ten
finishers, only Alonso pitted twice. Just one driver ran the Soft with the
sole aim of setting the fastest race lap. Graining and degradation were both
limited and so, even those who pitted before half-distance, managed to run
just two stints with no difficulties.
The
track
Yas Marina has hosted the final race of the Formula 1 season 13 times. It is
a modern, cutting-edge facility, the track is 5.281 kilometres long, and
features 16 corners. The drivers know it well as it has long been the venue
for the post-season test session. Designed by Hermann Tilke, the track
underwent an overhaul four years ago, which slightly reduced its length,
while making it faster and more flowing, producing more overtaking
opportunities, especially on the 1.2 kilometre-long straight between the
slow turns 5 and 6. Another interesting section is to be found through turns
10, 11 and 12, where drivers have to brake hard, thus generating heavy
lateral loads on the car. The track surface is made with aggregate imported
from England and provides medium levels of abrasiveness and grip. To iron
out some bumpy sections, the surface was redone this year from turn 1 to
turn 4. As at all night races, there will be a significant drop in
temperature between the first and last sessions. Track conditions can change
according to when the cars are on track and they will also be affected by
how much it rubbers in thanks to the support races, including Formula 2.
Keyword: Post-season Test
On Tuesday 9 December, the
teams will all take part in a group test organised by Pirelli which will run
from 09h00 to 18h00. Each team will field one of its race drivers at the
wheel of a mule car, specially adapted to simulate the characteristics of
next year’s cars, in order to test the 2026 range of tyres. Each team will
be provided with one set of C2, three each of C3, C4 and C5, as well as a
set of Intermediate tyres in case of rain. The 2026 C1 and Full Wet will not
be available in Yas Marina.
On the same day, each team will also run
a “young driver”, defined as a driver who has not raced in more than two
Grands Prix, at the wheel of their 2025 car. These drivers will be supplied
with 2025 tyres – two sets each of the C3 and C5, four sets of the C4 and
one set of Intermediates and Full Wets for use in case it rains.
For
the test, the 2026 tyres will feature updated graphics on the sidewalls that
will be used for the whole season, while also maintaining the usual colours
to indicate the level of hardness of the tyre, although the C2 will not have
brackets in Abu Dhabi, in order to distinguish it on track from the C3.
Statistics corner
This will be the 17th consecutive year that the Yas Marina circuit has
hosted the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The first edition, in 2009, was won by
Sebastian Vettel. The most successful driver in the Emirates is Lewis
Hamilton with five wins and the same number of pole positions to his name.
This year, Max Verstappen could equal that record as he is on four. His
team, Red Bull Racing, has the most wins (7) while Mercedes are just one
behind. It was here in Abu Dhabi in 2021, that the German team secured its
eighth Constructors’ world title, on the same day that Max Verstappen
secured the Drivers’ crown for the first time. |
