The regulations of Formula 1 dictate that Formula 1 teams must use rookie drivers in place of each of their regular drivers at least once during the season. In order to comply, almost all teams will run with young drivers in the first session of the Abu Dhabi GP, the last of 2023 – on a track where, days later, there will be the rookie test.
Although being a champion of drivers and teams for some time, Red Bull has never used rookies in 2023 training sessions, so they will have to run with two in FP1 in Abu Dhabi. Isack Hadjar is one of the chosen ones after his good performance at AlphaTauri in Mexico, while the other is current champion Jake Dennis who will be an absolute rookie. As for Mercedes, they will put Frederik Vesti in Lewis Hamilton’s car, after replacing George Russell in Mexico City.
In the fight with the German team for second place is Ferrari, which in Abu Dhabi will have, once again, Robert Shwartzman (now in place of Charles Leclerc in FP1). Aston Martin will once again present Felipe Drugovich, who has already been in Italy and will now replace Fernando Alonso, and similarly, Alpine will repeat Jack Doohan by placing him in Esteban Ocon’s A523.
Although Oscar Piastri is a rookie, McLaren still has to put a newcomer in Lando Norris’ car and will do so in Abu Dhabi with Pato O’Ward. Williams is in the same situation with Logan Sargeant, so in Yas Marina Zak O’Sullivan will take Alexander Albon’s place in FP1.
Théo Pourchaire will repeat his presence for Alfa Romeo, this time replacing Guanyu Zhou, and Haas was convinced with Oliver Bearman in Mexico, giving him another chance: now in Nico Hülkenberg’s cockpit. AlphaTauri, which had rookies Nyck de Vries and Liam Lawson competing for part of the season, has already complied with the regulations, as in Mexico they had Isack Hadjar in the usual car of Yuki Tsunoda, and should not have any rookies in the FP1 of the Abu Dhabi GP.
Rookies in FP1 in Abu Dhabi:
Alfa Romeo: Théo Pourchaire (in place of Guanyu Zhou)
Alpine: Jack Doohan (in place of Esteban Ocon)
Aston Martin: Felipe Drugovich (in place of Fernando Alonso)
Ferrari: Robert Shwartzman (in place of Charles Leclerc)
Haas: Oliver Bearman (in place of Nico Hülkenberg).
McLaren: Pato O’Ward (in place of Lando Norris)
Mercedes: Frederik Vesti (in place of Lewis Hamilton)
Red Bull: Isack Hadjar and Jake Dennis
Williams: Zak O’Sullivan (in place of Alexander Albon)
