Home F1 Photo/Video: Alonso ends on top from Mercedes duo in Abu Dhabi F1...

F1, Fernando Alonso, Abu Dhabi — Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault F1 Team RS20. Formula One Testing, Tuesday 15th December 2020. Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Photo/Video: Alonso ends on top from Mercedes duo in Abu Dhabi F1 test

15/12/2020

Fernando Alonso was fastest in F1 Young Drivers’ test in Abu Dhabi from Mercedes’ Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne.

The one-day test at Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi had eight F1 teams run with two cars each, barring Haas, which only had Mick Schumacher testing. The two outfits, who did not run at all were Racing Point and McLaren, with no drivers at their disposal.

It was Renault’s Alonso (#14) on top in the end with a 1m36.333s lap, having amassed over 100 laps in the 2020 F1 car – a much needed run for the Spaniard in order to be ready for 2021. He toppled the two Mercedes drivers with de Vries and Vandoorne in Top 3.

De Vries (#21, 1m36.595s) got the whole day but Vandoorne (#22, 1m36.840s) left after the morning session as he had to fly out for a PR commitment. The Belgian had topped the morning session, which was good enough to be third at the end of the day.

He managed 82 laps already in a busy run as Alfa Romeo’s Robert Kubica (#88, 1m37.446s) was fourth from AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda (#38, 1m37.557s). The Japanese had a minor off early in the day as he is set to be announced as F1 driver soon.

He led fellow Red Bull F1 junior Juri Vips (#25, 1m37.770s) in the RB16, with Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco (#32, 1m37.817s) in seventh from Alfa Romeo’s Callum Ilott (#37, 1m37.826s), Renault’s Guanyu Zhou (#46, 1m37.902s) and Williams’ Jack Aitken (#89, 1m38.153s).

A late lap from Zhou helped him in the Top 10 as he had an off early in the day in the same corner as 12th placed Red Bull’s Sebastien Buemi (#24, 1m38.284s) under the Yas hotel, where the Swiss seemingly damaged part of the rear wing.

Ferrari’s Robert Shwartzman (#35, 1m38.157s) improved to 11th after a lap quick lap with AlphaTauri’s Marino Sato (#39, 1m38.495s) in 13th, while Williams’ Roy Nissany (#40, 1m39.800s) and Haas’ Schumacher (#50, 1m39.947s) rounded out the 15 runners. The day also had a brief red flag in the afternoon.

#F1 That's it. The Abu Dhabi "Young Driver Test" at @ymcofficial comes to an end. As we all know, times mean nothing during #F1Testing but it is nice to see @alo_oficial on top. Wishing everyone at @F1 happy holidays. #MsportXtra pic.twitter.com/EauK3QYHzO

— #MsportXtra (@MsportXtra) December 15, 2020

The #F1Testing results are in! pic.twitter.com/M62NRFvZ26

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) December 15, 2020

Host of photos/videos from all F1 teams:

Go on then! Here’s another one…

Looking good, @alo_oficial #RSspirit pic.twitter.com/cKKEm93XqS

— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) December 15, 2020

https://twitter.com/RenaultF1Team/status/1338851327649177602?s=20

https://twitter.com/MercedesAMGF1/status/1338777931460583424?s=20

https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1338810698059685890?s=20

https://twitter.com/ScuderiaFerrari/status/1338713253283815427?s=20

Wake-up run on the C4’s done and dusted! @SchumacherMick warming up the #VF20 nicely.#F1Testing #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/fXMhpNpjD8

— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) December 15, 2020

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1338749666058526720?s=20

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1338769789397950464?s=20

https://twitter.com/HaasF1Team/status/1338822902792278017?s=20