The Ferrari Formula 1 team is set to make a historic driver swap at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marking a significant change for the team’s lineup. After confirming earlier this year that Lewis Hamilton will be joining Ferrari for the 2025 season, the current Ferrari drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, will part ways following the season finale. The announcement of Hamilton’s move to Ferrari means the end of Sainz’s time with the team, as he is set to switch to Williams in 2025.
Heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari enters with some positive momentum, having gained ground on their rivals during the Qatar Grand Prix. As the season finale approaches, McLaren holds a slender 21-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ championship, adding further excitement to the conclusion of the 2024 season.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will also mark the final race for several drivers on the grid, with many team switches and driver lineup changes already confirmed for 2025. This includes Hamilton’s highly anticipated departure from Mercedes, a team he has been with for 12 years. He will make his last appearance for Mercedes this weekend before moving to Ferrari.
A notable part of this weekend’s race will be Carlos Sainz’s final appearance for Ferrari, before making the move to Williams. However, before his final race with Ferrari, Sainz will vacate his seat for Free Practice 1 (FP1), creating an opportunity for his younger brother, Arthur Leclerc, to make his F1 debut during the session. This move will see history made, as Arthur Leclerc will team up with his older brother Charles Leclerc, forming the first sibling duo to share the track during a grand prix session since Michael and Ralf Schumacher in 2006.
Arthur, who has been a part of Ferrari’s driver academy and has experience in F3 and F2, will also have a chance to showcase his skills. He has already driven F1 cars in testing sessions earlier this year and has achieved race victories in the European Le Mans Series and Italian GT Championship.
