Smoking chances in FP1: who will drive in 2025?

Rule and brief explanation

Each Formula 1 team must run a 'rookie' twice per car in an FP1 session this season. A rookie is a driver with no more than one Grand Prix start to his name. This is the hard standard that teams must follow.

Some names have already completed the requirement. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) came to their mandatory sessions in Australia and China.

Some drivers don't count. Ollie Bearman already started three times in Grands Prix last year, so he is no longer a rookie. Jack Doohan made his debut in Abu Dhabi last year. So technically, he could have counted as a rookie in Australia. However, Alpine was already using rookies for four sessions, so that situation was not a factor.

Mexico and notable names

Several young drivers are again on the list for the Mexico weekend. Williams puts in F2 driver Luke Browning. Aston Martin has Jak Crawford driving. Red Bull chooses Arvid Lindblad.

Crawford makes his first FP1 appearance in Formula 1. For Browning and Lindblad, it is their second free practice of the season.

In addition, IndyCar winner Pato O'Ward returns in a McLaren for an FP1 session.

Confirmed FP1 smoke runs by team

The table below shows the stakes known so far per team and per race.

• McLaren (3): Alex Dunne - Austria, Italy; Pato O'Ward - Mexico.
• Ferrari (2): Dino Beganovic - Bahrain, Austria.
• Red Bull (3): Ayumu Iwasa - Bahrain; Arvid Lindblad - Great Britain, Mexico.
• Mercedes (3): Kimi Antonelli - Australia, China; Frederick Vesti - Bahrain.
• Aston Martin (3): Felipe Drugovich - Bahrain, Hungary; Jak Crawford - Mexico.
• Alpine (4): Jack Doohan - Australia (not counted as a rookie); Paul Aron - three times (Italy + 2 races to be determined); Ryo Hirakawa - Japan.
• Haas (2): Ryo Hirakawa - Bahrain, Spain.
• Racing Bulls (2): Isack Hadjar - Australia, China.
• Williams (3): Luke Browning - Bahrain, Mexico; Victor Martins - Spain.
• Sauber (4): Gabriel Bortoleto - Australia, China; Paul Aron - Great Britain, Hungary.

What stands out?

Teams actively rotate riders. Some juniors drive for several teams in separate sessions. This provides extra experience for the young drivers. For teams, it is also a way to test talent without changing racing seats.