Oscar Piastri faces a setback in his pursuit of the Formula 1 championship this weekend as he is one of nine drivers who will miss the first practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. This absence is due to a regulation introduced at the beginning of the 2025 season.
The upcoming race at the Yas Marina Circuit will determine the season’s champion, with Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen contending for the top spot. A podium finish for Norris could secure him the title, but any errors on his part could give his rivals an opportunity.
Given the high stakes in Abu Dhabi, it is essential for drivers to maximize their practice time. However, nearly half of the grid will be excluded from the initial hour of running due to the rule requiring teams to provide chances for rookie drivers.
Throughout the season, each team must include a rookie driver in two free practice sessions per car, totaling four sessions per team. Several teams still need to meet their rookie session requirements, resulting in the introduction of several new faces in FP1 this weekend.
Piastri is among the drivers being substituted, with Pato O’Ward taking over his McLaren. Additionally, Lewis Hamilton will not participate in the session as Ferrari has announced that Arthur Leclerc will replace him.
Various new drivers will be stepping in for regular drivers in FP1, such as Arvid Lindblad, Ayumu Iwasa, and Ryo Hirakawa. Additionally, Alex Albon will be replaced by Luke Browning, while Cian Shields and Jak Crawford will fill in for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll at Aston Martin.
Alpine will have Paul Aron driving in FP1, taking over from Pierre Gasly. Mercedes and Sauber have already fulfilled their rookie practice session requirements, so their regular drivers will participate as usual.
Abu Dhabi is a popular location for rookie sessions, especially since it is the final weekend of the season. These sessions are crucial for the development of young drivers, with many progressing to full-time positions in the future. Drivers like Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman were signed for the 2025 season after showcasing their skills in practice sessions last year.
Formula 1 fans can now watch all practice, qualifying, and race sessions live with Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which also includes access to around 100 TV channels, as well as complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.