Carlos Sainz will drive a Williams car for the first time in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi on December 10.
Sainz, who has lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton for next season, is joining Williams to partner Alex Albon, and Williams confirmed on Friday that the Scuderia are allowing Sainz to begin preparations with his new team immediately after the current campaign ends.
The one-day test at the Yas Marina Circuit takes place on the Tuesday after the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP with teams running two cars, one for Pirelli tyre-testing purposes with experienced drivers and the other for young drivers to gain valuable miles on track.
“This early opportunity allows both Carlos and Williams to begin building their relationship together ahead of next term,” read a Williams statement.
“The test session at Yas Marina Circuit will provide a valuable chance for the Spaniard to start integrating into his new team environment, when he drives the FW46 for the first time.”
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With Carlos Sainz set to leave Ferrari at the end of this season, the Spaniard admits it would be painful to see his former team challenging for the Drivers’ Championship next year without him after the ‘influence’ he has had there.
Teams are not obliged to release departing drivers to appear in the test for their new team given they are contracted to them until the end of December.
Hamilton will not be driving for Ferrari in the test due to pre-planned activities with Mercedes sponsors in the week after his final race with the team.
The seven-time champion’s first outing in red appears likely to be in one of Ferrari’s older cars in the weeks before pre-season testing for the 2025 season, which takes place in Bahrain on February 26-28.
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