The first free practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be a real rookie parade, where, in addition to Arthur Leclerc, five other front-runners will be able to take the lead for the first time in their lives during a fierce Formula 1 race weekend.
This season, many teams left the rule until the last minute, which is how this unusually high number of first-time drivers came about. Which you should get used to, because from 2025 this will also change, as due to the stricter regulations, each team must provide 2-2 free practice sessions for their rookie drivers, so there will be more and more new faces on the tracks during FP1s. And who will we see now?
Here is the list:
Red Bull Racing: Isack Hadjar replaces Max Verstappen
Scuderia Ferrari: Arthur Leclerc replaces Carlos Sainz
McLaren: Ryō Hirakawa replaces Oscar Piastri
Aston Martin: Felipe Drugovich replaces Lance Stroll
Racing Bulls: Yuki Tsunoda replaces Ayumu Iwasa
Williams: Luke Browning replaces Alexander Albon
