Source: Official Team Post via X
Spotlight on Rookies: Who's Driving in FP1 at the Mexico City GP?
For the Mexico City Grand Prix, ten F1 teams have swapped out regular drivers to give rookies a taste of FP1 action. Only Ferrari abstained, leaving a fresh crop of young talent to show their skills on the track.
The Mexico City Grand Prix is offering a stage for fresh faces in Formula 1, as ten out of the eleven teams have opted to run rookie drivers in FP1. Ferrari is the lone team not participating in this youthful exchange, allowing a new generation to get some real-world experience.
Here's a rundown of who’s stepping in for whom:
| **Team** | **Rookie Driver** | **Replacing** | | --- | --- | --- | | Alpine | Gabriele Mini | Franco Colapinto | | Aston Martin | Jak Crawford | Lance Stroll | | Audi | Freddie Slater | Gabriel Bortoleto | | Cadillac | Colton Herta | Valtteri Bottas | | Haas | Ryo Hirakawa | Esteban Ocon | | McLaren | Leonardo Fornaroli | Lando Norris | | Mercedes | Frederik Vesti | George Russell | | Racing Bulls | Nikola Tsolov | Liam Lawson | | Red Bull | Ayumu Iwasa | Max Verstappen | | Williams | Luke Browning | Alex Albon |
**Alpine: Gabriele Mini**
Gabriele Mini steps in for Franco Colapinto at Alpine, marking his first FP1 session in an F1 car. The Alpine junior currently holds fourth place in the Formula 2 standings.
**Aston Martin: Jak Crawford**
Jak Crawford, Aston Martin’s reserve driver, will replace Lance Stroll. This marks Crawford's fourth FP1 appearance of the season, fulfilling the team’s rookie engagement.
**Audi: Freddie Slater**
Freddie Slater, a promising British talent, debuts for Audi in Mexico City. Slater, who finished as runner-up in Formula 3, takes over from Gabriel Bortoleto.
**Cadillac: Colton Herta**
Colton Herta, with his eyes on a potential race seat pending his FIA Super Licence, replaces Valtteri Bottas. This will be his fifth FP1 session this season.
**Haas: Ryo Hirakawa**
Toyota’s Ryo Hirakawa, a two-time Hypercar World Champion, will drive Esteban Ocon’s car. Hirakawa has been involved with Haas in Testing Programme Car (TPC) outings.
**McLaren: Leonardo Fornaroli**
Leonardo Fornaroli takes over Lando Norris’s seat for FP1. A McLaren junior and the reigning 2025 Formula 2 champion, Fornaroli will soon join McLaren’s Hypercar programme.
**Mercedes: Frederik Vesti**
Frederik Vesti, a Mercedes reserve and simulator driver, replaces George Russell. This marks his seventh FP1 session, having balanced his duties with sportscar racing in the USA.
**Racing Bulls: Nikola Tsolov**
Nikola Tsolov, a Red Bull junior, gets his first FP1 session with Racing Bulls. Sitting second in the Formula 2 standings, he's a candidate for a Racing Bulls seat next season.
**Red Bull: Ayumu Iwasa**
Ayumu Iwasa, a seasoned reserve driver at both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, replaces Max Verstappen in what will be his eighth FP1 appearance.
**Williams: Luke Browning**
Luke Browning steps in for Alex Albon at Williams. Browning has been juggling Super Formula races in Japan with his reserve role at Williams.
The push to include rookies in FP1 sessions is part of an effort to give emerging drivers a taste of Formula 1 action during live race weekends. Previously set at two per season, the number of mandatory rookie sessions has been increased to four, reflecting a commitment to nurturing young talent in a sport where on-track testing has become a rarity.