Carlos Sainz Jr. made his first appearance as a McLaren Formula 1 driver on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi as former teammate Daniil Kvyat re🐬turned to Toro Rosso after over a year away.

After being released fromꦿ his Renault F1 contract early foll🌸owing his final race start for the team on Sunday, Sainz hit the track for McLaren in the MCL33 car on the second day of post-season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit on Wednesday.

Sainz has replaced Fernando Alonso at McLaren for 2019 after signing a two-year deal🐷 with the team, wh🌼ich will also see him leave the Red Bull motorsport umbrella after eight years.

Nice colours, .

— McLaren (@McLarenF1)

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— McLaren (@McLarenF1)

One man returning to the Red Bull fold on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi was Kvyat, who enjoyed his first running with Toro Rosso since his last appearance for the team at the United States Grand Prix in Oct♔ober 2017.

Kvyat was in the paddock on Tuesday ahead of his first run in the STR13 car, re-embedding himself within Toro Rosso after a year away. The Russian hit the track for the first time on Wednesday morning, wearing an all-black 🐻helmet.

Kvyat’s recently-announced 2019 teammate, Alexander Albon, has also been present in Abu Dhabi for the last two days, b꧒ut has 🍷not conducted any testing.

Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly enjoye🍌d their first official tests as race drivers for Ferrari and Red Bull respectively on🐬 Wednesday, as did Antonio Giovinazzi for Sauber.

First da💙y at the new office: leaves the garage

— Formula 1 (@F1)

Artem Markelov has been continuꦚing his development with Renault, driving its R.S.18 car, while Louis Deletraz is completing his maiden F1 test with Haas.