Final month’s Mexican GP was scattered with Components 2 drivers partaking in FP1 as F1 groups are going through a final minute problem to fulfill necessities for the season.
In complete, 5 drove within the session as a result of FIA guidelines state each driver should hand over an FP1 outing for a rookie, who has not more than two grand prix begins. Nevertheless, full-time F1 drivers who began the season as a rookie are exempt from this rule.
With half of the groups coming into an F2 driver for FP1 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, many will comply with swimsuit for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi GP as it’s the season finale.
Here’s a rundown of the place every staff stands, and who nonetheless has to run a rookie in follow:
Purple Bull
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing RB19
– Drive 1: not but run
– Drive 2: not but run
Purple Bull is the one staff to not have used a rookie in FP1 this season. In an uncommon transfer, they’ll use each slots in Abu Dhabi as staff boss Christian Horner mentioned that particular FP1 session tends to have little affect on the remainder of the weekend.
F2’s Isack Hadjar will drive one of many vehicles after the Purple Bull junior carried out properly for AlphaTauri in Mexico. Hadjar completed seventeenth within the session, which was second highest of any F2 driver, whereas finishing 25 laps. His FP1 outing in Abu Dhabi will come on the identical weekend because the F2 season finale, the place Hadjar is 14th within the standings, with a third-place end on the Purple Bull Ring his greatest outcome.
Purple Bull additionally turned heads by asserting Jake Dennis as its different rookie. The reigning Components E world champion has by no means competed throughout an official F1 grand prix weekend, however has been the staff’s simulator and improvement driver since 2018.
Photograph by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes-AMG, with staff mates within the storage
– Drive 1: Frederik Vesti – Mexico GP – nineteenth
– Drive 2: not but run
Mercedes used the primary of its necessary periods in Mexico by inserting Frederik Vesti in George Russell’s automobile. The F2 driver impressed staff boss Toto Wolff along with his efficiency, though Vesti got here nineteenth after finishing a low-speed testing programme for the Silver Arrows the place 26 laps have been accomplished.
The Dane is predicted to be in Lewis Hamilton’s automobile at Yas Marina Circuit, persevering with a promising 2023 for Vesti. He has received 5 races in F2 this season and is second within the standings, 25 factors behind chief Theo Pourchaire forward of the season finale.
Photograph by: Erik Junius
Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari SF-23
– Drive 1: Robert Shwartzman – Dutch GP – nineteenth
– Drive 2: not but run
Ferrari reserve driver Robert Shwartzman drove Carlos Sainz’s automobile in FP1 for the Dutch Grand Prix. Shwartzman had a tough session, ending final of these to have set a lap time, however his FP1 was extra about testing aero steadiness options than precise efficiency runs.
The 2021 F2 runner-up, who raced within the GT World Problem Europe Endurance Cup in 2023, will return for Abu Dhabi taking up Charles Leclerc’s automobile. Ferrari’s reserve driver additionally took half in FP1 at Yas Marina Circuit in 2022, ending seventh with 24 laps and was simply 0.5s off Leclerc.
Photograph by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
– Drive 1: Oscar Piastri – all races
– Drive 2: not but run
Not like most groups, McLaren began the 2023 F1 season with considered one of its necessary slots already crammed. The British outfit changed Daniel Ricciardo with rookie Oscar Piastri, who has impressed in his first marketing campaign having scored two podiums, in addition to a dash race victory in Qatar.
Piastri can be joined by IndyCar’s Pato O’Ward for FP1 in Abu Dhabi, as he’ll drive Lando Norris’ automobile for his second FP1 outing, having accomplished the identical session final 12 months. The Mexican completed 18th that day with 22 laps accomplished, however missed elements as a result of a technical fault.
Aston Martin
Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin AMR23
– Drive 1: Felipe Drugovich – Italian GP – 18th
– Drive 2: not but run
Reigning F2 champion Felipe Drugovich drove for Aston Martin in FP1 on the Italian GP. The staff’s reserve driver was praised for doing a stable job, finishing 24 laps in Lance Stroll’s automobile.
He’ll drive Fernando Alonso’s automobile in Abu Dhabi for his third FP1 outing. He took half in the identical session in Abu Dhabi final 12 months, going through a tough session and ending final with 23 laps accomplished.
Photograph by: Alpine
Jack Doohan, Pierre Gasly, Alpine
– Drive 1: Jack Doohan – Mexican GP – 18th
– Drive 2: not but run
Jack Doohan additionally took half in FP1 for the Mexican GP, the place he accomplished 25 laps and completed 18th in Pierre Gasly’s automobile. The Alpine junior, son of five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan, will drive once more in Abu Dhabi this weekend taking up Esteban Ocon’s automobile.
This implies he can have accomplished two FP1 periods in every of the previous two seasons, as he additionally drove in Mexico and Abu Dhabi final 12 months. After this weekend, Doohan’s future choices are up within the air, as he confirmed 2023 can be his remaining in F2. He’s presently fourth within the standings.
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Logan Sargeant, Williams FW45
– Drive 1: Logan Sargeant – all races
– Drive 2: not but run
Like McLaren, Williams signed a rookie driver for 2023, which mechanically used up considered one of its slots. Logan Sargeant joined to associate Alex Albon after ending fourth within the 2022 F2 standings.
Sargeant can be joined by Williams junior Zak O’Sullivan for FP1 in Abu Dhabi, with the 18-year-old set to make his F1 debut. The Briton, who received the 2021 Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Younger Driver of the 12 months Award, has been a part of the Williams Driver Academy since February 2022 and completed runner-up within the 2023 F3 standings forward of his F2 debut subsequent 12 months.
AlphaTauri
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Isack Hadjar, AlphaTauri AT04
– Drive 1: Nyck de Vries, Bahrain GP to British GP; Liam Lawson, Dutch GP to Qatar GP
– Drive 2: Isack Hadjar – Mexican GP – seventeenth
AlphaTauri is the one staff to have already met the necessities for 2023. They signed rookie Nyck de Vries for this season, however the 2020-21 Components E world champion was dropped after 10 grands prix.
Afterward, the staff ran one other rookie in that automobile, as reserve driver Liam Lawson changed de Vries’ injured alternative Daniel Ricciardo. Nevertheless, as a result of all of them drove the identical automobile that solely crammed up considered one of AlphaTauri’s necessary slots. The staff put Hadjar in Yuki Tsunoda’s automobile for FP1 on the Mexican GP, so AlphaTauri isn’t anticipated to run any rookies this weekend.
Photograph by: Alfa Romeo
Theo Pourchaire, Alfa Romeo F1 Group Reserve Driver
– Drive 1: Theo Pourchaire – Mexican GP – twentieth
– Drive 2: not but run
Alfa Romeo’s first necessary session got here in Mexico, when Pourchaire endured a disruptive outing for the staff. The Sauber junior failed to finish a aggressive lap as a mechanical downside ended his session early.
The Frenchman will get one other likelihood this weekend although, as he’s set to take over Zhou Guanyu’s automobile earlier than attempting to seal the F2 crown. It is going to be Pourchaire’s third FP1 session, as he additionally drove for Alfa Romeo in Austin final 12 months the place the Frenchman got here 18th whereas finishing 19 laps.
Haas
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Ollie Bearman, Haas VF-23
– Drive 1: Oliver Bearman – Mexican GP – fifteenth
– Drive 2: not but run
Haas was the fifth staff to run a rookie in Mexico, as Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman changed Kevin Magnussen for FP1. Bearman impressed on his F1 debut, and the 18-year-old was the very best positioned F2 driver, ending fifteenth with 31 laps accomplished.
He’ll drive once more for Haas this weekend the place Bearman will drive Nico Hulkenberg’s automobile. It comes after a powerful 12 months for the Briton, who has to date received 4 races in his rookie F2 marketing campaign – the second highest of any driver after Vesti.