Y’all remember that test outing from last December,
Don’t Yuhs?
Now that IMSA’s “Super bowl” 24 Hours of
Daytona is somewhat in our rear view mirrors. And NASCAR Fans are getting
wound-up over the impending Cookout clash, or whatever it’s called? And the
impending Day-toner’ 500.
Lost in all of the Hubbub, is the fact that
Formula One’s currently testing behind closed doors in Barcelona. Before a pair
of three-day tests take place at Bahrain in February. Followed by the season
opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8th.
Thus, suppose its time to shift gears and begin
focusing upon Open Wheel Racing, Eh? Since after all this Blog is called No
Fenders. Which I scribble about occasionally, Chuh-ching!
Yet as always, your Haggard, Humble No Fenders
scribe Tomaso is behind thoust proverbial 8-ball! Definitely at least one lap
down…
Garnering almost zero Attenzione, especially
with last year’s title decider Showdown. Nonetheless, the yearly post Abu Dhabi
Young Guns test results always intrigues me.
A total of twenty-five drivers took part. With
teams allowed to run current Grands Prix drivers in their 2026 “Mule” Car, in
order to finalize Pirelli tyre compounds for next year.
While the second chassis was the 2025
specification, allotted to drivers who’ve only participated in a maximum of two
Grands Prix.
As the top five positions were held by Formula
1 “Young Guns”, albeit due to the 2026 Mule chassis designed to be slower then
the contemporary racecars…
Bosom Buddies George Russell (Mercedes) and Max
Verstappen, (Red Bull) along with both Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and
Lance Stroll didn’t participate. With the other current 10 F1 teams splitting
morning and afternoon sessions driving duties between their current two
drivers.
Once again, Pato Who? Was seventh quickest
overall, Ahem Mark Miles, cough-cough! Although who knows what testing
programme Pato was carrying out, eh?
Rookies/Young
Gun Drivers
(Overall
position/Driver/Team)
1)
Jack Crawford, Aston Martin
2)
Paul Aron, Sauber/Audi
3)
Luke Browning, Williams
4)
Frederick Vesti, Mercedes
5)
Ayumu Iwasa, Red Bull
7)
Pato O’Ward, McLaren
8)
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas
9)
Dino Beganovic, Ferrari
17)
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
22)
Kush Maini, Alpine
Mercedes Kimi Antonelli was quickest of the
regular season F1 drivers, in sixth place. (+1.404) With McLaren’s Oscar
Piastri rounding out the Top 10. (+2.333)
Positions P11-15 were filled out by Lewis
Hamilton, (Ferrari) Lando Norris, (McLaren) Alex Albon, (Williams) Charles
Leclerc (Ferrari) and Carlos Sainz. (Williams)
Although I wouldn’t “read” too much into the
results, especially with the Haas’s of Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon some
four and seven-plus seconds behind. Which surely won’t be the case come March
in Melbourne…
2025
F1 Post Abu Dhabi Test results
Once again, the lone Yank’ on the grid was Jack
Crawford, having finished runner-up to Leonardo Fornaroli in the 2025 Formula 2
Championship, driving for Dams Lucas Oil. Set to become Aston Martin’s latest reserve
driver this season. As Felipe Drugovich departs for a Formula E race seat at Andretti
Global for the 2025-26 season.
Frederik Vesti continues racing as Cadillac
Whelen Engineering’s “third” endurance driver. Aboard the No. 31 Cadd-Oh-Lac’
V-Serioes.R IMSA GTP racecar. Alongside Jack “Achey Breaky” Aitken, Earl Bamber
and Connor Zilisch.
As 19yr old teenager NASCAR Cup rookie Zilisch was
making His IMSA GTP Rolex 24 debut. Having won both the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours
of Sebring in LMP2 in 2024 driving for Era Motorsport.
Aitken, who made one Grand Prix start for
Williams in Bahrain, 2020. Had His pole winning time deleted. As the car was
disqualified for its rear skid block falling underneath the minimum clearance
allowance and started P11.
Aitken got off to a rocky start. Given a
Drive-thru penalty for jumping an early race’s full course caution. But
redeemed Himself nicely over the race’s final hour’s stint. Hounding Felipe
Nasr for the win, coming up just a scant 1.569 seconds short of victory!
Red Bull’s newest Circus Maximus’ (Verstappen)
“wingman” Isack Hadjar made His debut for the Big Bulls’, presumably getting up
to speed. Since I’d like to not read too much into His P21 result, +3.749
seconds adrift…
Meanwhile, Newbie’ Arvid Lindblad, who’s made
FP session outings for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls in 2025, tested fir
Racing Bulls, where the 18 year old will be the only rookie on this year’s F1
Grid.
Of the ten Young Guns participating, only three
were new “recruits”. With the appropriately named Dino Beganovic at la
Scuderia, and Kush Maini at Alpine. Along with the aforementioned Lindblad.
21yr old Swede’ Beganovic made His Formula 2
debut at season’s end, alongside Jack Craford at DAMS Lucas Oil.
For 2025, He switched to Hitech TGR, as
teammate to Luke Browning. Beganovic scored His maiden pole position at Imola,
and captured His first F2 win during the Baku Sprint race.
Dino is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy,
having joined in 2020. Making His Formula 1 debut at Barcelona, last January
aboard an SF23. Before making His (Free Practice) FP session debut at the 2025
Bahrain Grand Prix.
A further FP outing occurred at Spielberg,
before completing 122 laps during the post Abu Dhabi GP test. While Dino’s “Day
Job” for 2026 will be racing for DAMS Lucas Oil in F2.
Kush Maini is the younger brother of Arjun
Maini; Santino Ferrucci’s Bosom Buddy! As Maini became a member of the Alpine
Driver Academy in 2023. Getting His first crack behind the wheel of a Formula 1
racecar at Spielberg, driving an Alpine A522.
Further test outings followed, before joining
the logjam of test and reserve drivers for Alpine last year. Then at Abu Dhabi,
He drove a current Alpine A525 for the first time, running 128 laps.
Maini has made 81 starts in Formula 2, with two wins, seven podiums and one pole. And will contest His fourth F2 season this year for ART Grand Prix.
