Nine Rookies Set for Abu Dhabi FP1, Including 2026 F1 Talent and F2 Driver
Nine rookie drivers, including confirmed 2026 F1 talent Arvid Lindblad and several promising F2 racers like Cian Shields and Paul Aron, are set to participate in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix's FP1 session this weekend. Teams are utilizing this session to meet mandatory rookie driver allocations and evaluate future prospects, with Aston Martin fielding two young drivers.
Nine 'rookies,' including a confirmed 2026 Formula 1 driver and a point-less Formula 2 talent, are slated to participate in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix's first practice session (FP1) this weekend. This marks the final opportunity for most teams to fulfill the mandatory rookie practice sessions for the year.
Why it matters:
F1 regulations mandate that each team run a rookie driver (fewer than two Grand Prix starts) twice per car during practice sessions annually. Abu Dhabi is a popular choice due to its end-of-season timing and daylight FP1 conditions, which are not representative of the crucial qualifying and race sessions.
The Details:
- Team Participation: Mercedes and Sauber have already completed their rookie allocations. The remaining eight teams will all field at least one rookie, with Aston Martin opting for two.
- 2026 F1 Driver: Arvid Lindblad, recently confirmed for Racing Bulls in 2026, will take over Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull. This will be Lindblad's third FP1 appearance this year, having previously driven at Silverstone and Mexico.
- Super Formula Champions: Two Super Formula champions are on the grid: Ayumu Iwasa returns to Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri) after driving in Mexico, and Ryo Hirakawa will make his fifth FP1 start this year, his fourth for Haas.
- Piastri Sits Out: Championship contender Oscar Piastri will miss FP1 as IndyCar race winner Pato O'Ward gets his second practice outing of the year for McLaren.
- Leclerc Brothers: For the second consecutive year, Arthur Leclerc will join his brother Charles on track for Ferrari. Arthur has been active in the GT World Challenge series this year, alongside his Ferrari simulator duties.
- Aston Martin's Double Duty: Aston Martin's 2026 third driver, Jak Crawford, makes his second FP1 appearance. Joining him is F2 driver Cian Shields, who will drive Fernando Alonso's car. Shields, a 20-year-old with no F2 points this season, has completed over 500km of private F1 testing with Aston Martin.
- F2 Talents: Other F2 drivers making appearances include Luke Browning for Williams (in Alex Albon's car) and Paul Aron, who finished third in F2 in 2024, for Alpine. This is Aron's fifth FP1 outing this season.
The big picture:
The Abu Dhabi FP1 provides a crucial platform for young drivers to gain F1 experience, often influencing future development roles or even full-time seats. For teams, it's a strategic opportunity to evaluate talent while fulfilling regulatory requirements without compromising the main race weekend preparations.
What's next:
The FP1 session will see these nine drivers get valuable track time, with many dovetailing their F1 runs with their final F2 weekend in Abu Dhabi. Their performances will be closely watched by team principals and engineers as the 2024 season draws to a close and preparations for future seasons intensify.