Revealed: The 10 rookies driving in Abu Dhabi FP1 today
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Nine of the 10 F1 teams have left it until the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP to run their rookie drivers in 2023.Here’s who will be in action during first practice on Friday…Red Bull – Jake Dennis and Isack HadjarThe dominant constructors’ champions will see both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez sit out of FP1 at the Yas Marina Circuit.Reigning Formula E champion Jake Dennis will get a taste of the RB19.Dennis has been the team’s simulator driver since 2018 and is highly-rated by the team.
Isack Hadjar will be in the other car, with the 19-year-old Frenchman only 14th in the Formula 2 drivers’ standings.It will be his second time in an F1 car having driven for AlphaTauri in Mexico.Ferrari – Robert ShwartzmanF2 runner-up to Oscar Piastri in 2021, Robert Shwartzman will get another outing for Ferrari in FP1, replacing Charles Leclerc.This will be Shwartzman’s fourth FP1 outing after replacing Carlos Sainz at Zandvoort earlier this year; he also drove in USA and Abu Dhabi in 2022.Mercedes – Frederik VestiMercedes are giving 2023 F2 title contender Frederik Vesti another opportunity to drive the W14.Vesti drove for the team in FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix last month in place of George Russell.The Dane has an outside chance of winning this year’s F2 crown in Abu Dhabi this weekend.Related Who is Frederik Vesti? The Mercedes talent replacing Hamilton in practice today Russell: 2023 “a strange season” with a “huge amount of missed opportunities”McLaren – Pato O’WardIndyCar star Pato O’Ward will be back in the McLaren, stepping in for Lando Norris.
He finished fourth in this year’s IndyCar championship and has been given several outings in older McLaren F1 machinery. Alpine – Jack DoohanJack Doohan currently races in F2 and is Alpine’s official reserve driver.It will be his second taste of 2023 Alpine F1 machinery having driven in Mexico FP1.Alfa Romeo – Theo PourchaireTheo Pourchaire is set to clinch this year’s F2 title in Abu Dhabi this weekend.He will be hoping for a more productive session for Alfa Romeo in FP1 as his chance in Mexico was curtailed by reliability gremlins.Aston Martin – Felipe DrugovichEven though he won the 2022 F2 title, Drugovich was unable to find a seat on the grid for 2023.
It’s a similar story for 2024, with Drugovich confirmed as Aston Martin’s reserve driver. Haas – Oliver BearmanBritain’s next hope of an F1 driver is Oliver Bearman.Bearman is just 18 and has been tipped by many to make it into F1 in the next couple of years.He’s part of the Ferrari junior academy and has enjoyed an impressive F2 rookie season.Williams – Zak O’SullivanThe final change comes at Williams, with F3 star Zak O’Sullivan deputising for Alex Albon in FP1.The 18-year-old finished runner-up in F3 this year, and will make the step up to F2 in 2024.
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