Oscar Piastri faces a setback in his quest for the Formula 1 championship this weekend as he is one of several drivers who will miss the first practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Nine drivers, including Piastri, are sidelined from FP1 due to a regulation introduced at the beginning of 2025.
The upcoming race at the Yas Marina Circuit will determine the championship title, with Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen contending for the top honors of the season. While a podium finish for Norris could secure him the championship, any errors on his part could give his rivals an opportunity.
The stakes are high in Abu Dhabi, emphasizing the importance of drivers maximizing their practice time. However, nearly half of the grid will be absent from the initial hour of running due to a rule requiring teams to offer chances to rookie drivers.
Throughout the season, each team is mandated to include a rookie driver in two free practice sessions per car, totaling four sessions per team. A number of teams still need to meet their rookie session requirements, resulting in the inclusion of new faces in FP1 this weekend.
Piastri is among those 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.
Several driver swaps are set to occur, with young talents like Arvid Lindblad, Ayumu Iwasa, and Ryo Hirakawa stepping into various F1 cars for the FP1 session this weekend.
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Mercedes and Sauber have already fulfilled their rookie practice session requirements, allowing drivers like George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, and Gabriel Bortoleto to proceed as usual.
Abu Dhabi is an ideal setting for rookie sessions, especially given that it marks the final weekend of the season. While FP1 occurs in daytime conditions different from those in qualifying and the race, rookie sessions play a vital role in young driver development, often leading to future full-time opportunities in F1.