Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will miss Formula 1 sessions due to mandatory rules

All 10 teams must use a junior driver during two practice sessions in Formula 1 2024. Who has done it and who has not yet announced their plans?

With six race weekends remaining, some teams have yet to meet the junior driver practice requirements, which dictate how much time inexperienced drivers should be given behind the wheel of a modern Formula One car during their first practice session.

What are the rules regarding young drivers participating in Formula 1 training?

Article 32.4(c) of the Sporting Regulations states that each team must hand over the car twice to allow the young driver to take part in Friday practice. Usually teams prefer to do this during the first practice session, when the track is not the most representative and therefore useful for the average rider.

“On one (1) occasion during the Championship, for each car entered in the Championship, each competitor must use a driver who has not competed in more than two (2) Championship races during his career,” the rule states.

“Each participant must inform the FIA in writing seven days before the start of the relevant competition with details of the driver he will use.”

In Formula 1 2025, the rule will change and double the requirements for juniors: each team will have to replace their regular drivers on two separate occasions, meaning a total of four outings throughout the year for a junior in each team.

Which new names have already competed in the first FP at the 2024 Grand Prix?

Ahead of the final five races of the 2024 championship, some teams have already taken care of this requirement and thus will not have to start a junior driver again.

There’s nothing stopping the team from handing over more training to juniors if they so choose, such as Haas scheduling Oliver Bierman six (now five) practices this season.

The rule does not oblige teams to use the same junior rider in the two mandatory sessions, meaning that two junior riders can be used if desired.

Of the five remaining races, Mexico and Abu Dhabi are the most likely weekends for teams to complete their duties. Sprint weekends mean that single training is of paramount importance for regular riders.

What are the Formula 1 team’s junior drivers’ plans for the rest of 2024?

Here’s a summary of each team’s junior rider plans for the 2024 FP1 session, including sessions that have already taken place.

Red Bull:

Isak Hajjar (RB20 of Sergio Perez, British Grand Prix)
TBC (Max Verstappen’s RB20)

Red Bull has fielded young driver Isak Hajjar, this year’s Formula 2 title contender, who is in second place with two rounds remaining in the British Grand Prix.

The French driver took over the controls of Sergio Perez’s RB20 for this session, in which he finished 19th.

Hajar is the leading candidate to take over the helm of Max Verstappen’s car for a second time, most likely in Abu Dhabi, and Helmut Marko has already confirmed Hajar’s participation in the young driver test after that weekend.

Mercedes:

Kimi Antonelli (W15 George Russell, Italian Grand Prix)
(Lewis Hamilton’s W15, Grand Prix to be confirmed)

Andrea Kimi Antonelli made his most memorable rookie performance of the year, taking on George Russell’s car in first practice in Italy, only to crash the W15 almost immediately at Curva Alboreto.

With the Italian confirmed as the 2025 Formula 1 driver, expect him to be in Lewis Hamilton’s car at the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 race.

Ferrari:

Ollie Birman (SF-24 Charles Leclerc, Mexico City Grand Prix)
TBA (SF-24 of Carlos Sainz, Grand Prix to be announced)

It’s funny, but Ferrari already had a rookie driver this year: Oliver Bierman showed up in Carlos Sainz’s car in Saudi Arabia.

However, his output doesn’t really meet this requirement. The reason for this is that the novice driver requirements only apply to FP1 and FP2.

Since Bearman took over control of Sainz’s car after Friday’s race, his appearance in FP3 is not subject to the rules.

This means the Scuderia still has to field the rookie for two practice sessions over the next six races and has invited Bearman for the first of those sessions, when he will take Charles Leclerc’s car at the Mexico Grand Prix.

The British driver was originally scheduled to drive for Haas, but Ferrari called him up – at no cost to Haas, who had already completed his mandatory junior course.

McLaren:

Patricio O’Ward (MCL38 TBC, Mexico City Grand Prix)
(MCL38 TBA, Grand Prix TBA)

Patricio O’Ward will drive one of the McLarens at the Mexico Grand Prix in front of his home fans, while the McLaren IndyCar star will also appear in first practice at the last two Abu Dhabi Grands Prix.

He is the leading candidate for the same session this year at Yas Marina, although McLaren junior Gabriel Bartoleto is also a possibility.

Alpine:

Jack Doohan (A524 Esteban Ocon, Canadian Grand Prix)
Jack Doohan (A524 Pierre Gasly, British Grand Prix)

Alpine is one of two teams that have already fulfilled their junior driver requirements this year, with the Enstone-based outfit fielding 2025 driver Jack Doohan for FP1 at Montreal and Silverstone.

He drove Esteban Ocon’s car at Montreal and Pierre Gasly’s car at Silverstone.

Sauber:

Robert Schwartzman (C44 of Valtteri Bottas, Dutch Grand Prix)
Robert Schwartzman (Zhou Guanyu’s C44, Mexico City Grand Prix)

Robert Schwartzman, a long-time Ferrari junior, took control of Valtteri Bottas’ C44 in the FP1 session at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Given speculation about the possibility of Gabriel Bartoleto being a candidate for second place in the race in 2025, the Brazilian was a hypothetical candidate for second place, but Sauber has called Schwartzman again as he gets into Zhou’s car at FP1 in Mexico.

VKARB:

Ayumu Iwasa (VCARB01 Daniel Ricciardo, Dutch Grand Prix)
(VCARB01 Yuki Tsunoda, Grand Prize TBD)

Ayumu Iwasa was driving for Daniel Ricciardo’s VCARB at the Dutch Grand Prix, the first driver requirement of the year for the Italian team.

There is nothing stopping Iwasa from taking Yuki Tsunoda’s car for the second round, in Mexico or Abu Dhabi, but there is also the possibility that Isak Hajar will not use him at Red Bull Racing.

Aston Martin:

Felipe Drugovich (AMR24 Fernando Alonso, Mexico City Grand Prix)
(AMR24 by Lance Stroll, Grand Prize to be confirmed)

Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich will appear at the Mexico Grand Prix to fulfill the first of the Silverstone team’s demands, adding to his growing list of testing experience with the team.

It has been announced that Jack Crawford will take part in the Abu Dhabi Young Drivers Test after the final race of the year, meaning he is likely to be behind the wheel of Lance Stroll’s car during first practice this weekend – although he will have to check with his responsibilities in Formula 2.

Williams:

Franco Colapinto (Logan Sargeant’s FW46, British Grand Prix)
(Alex Albon’s FW46, Grand Prix to be announced)

Franco Colapinto replacing Logan Sargeant after the Dutch Grand Prix means the Argentine driver has fulfilled the requirements of Williams’ first practice session when he returns to the track at Monza in Sargeant’s car, having already done so at Silverstone in July.

However, this does not count towards his total rookie score as he remained in his car – Albon’s car was not used.

With Colapinto already competing in more than two races, he no longer qualifies as a junior driver, meaning Williams must turn to someone else to get into Albon’s car. Zach O’Sullivan and Luke Browning are the leading candidates for this requirement.

Haas:

Oliver Birman (Kevin Magnussen’s VF-24, Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix)
Oliver Bierman (Nico Hulkenberg’s VF-24, Spanish Grand Prix)

Haas has already fulfilled its rookie requirement for Formula 1 2024: Oliver Bierman will take Kevin Magnussen’s car for practice at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

In Spain, Bearman was behind the wheel of Nico Hulkenberg’s VF-24, ticking the box for the American team earlier in the year.

Bearman also participated in the first practice at Silverstone and the Hungaroring, and will also be present at the first practice in Abu Dhabi – he was originally due to drive the Haas in Mexico, but Ferrari invited him to this session instead.

Read more: F1 2024: Qualifying records between teammates