The final showdown of the 2025 Formula 1 season faces an unprecedented shake-up before a single championship point is awarded. Nine regular drivers, including world champions and a title contender, will be forced to sit out the first practice session (FP1) at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this Friday. This dramatic change is due to teams fulfilling a strict regulation mandating running for rookie drivers.
The Rookie Rule Explained
Introduced at the start of the 2025 season, the rule requires each team to field a rookie driver in two free practice sessions per car, totalling four sessions per team across the year. With the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit upon us, several squads have left their allocations until the last moment. Consequently, nearly half the grid will be absent from the crucial first hour of track running in Abu Dhabi, a favoured location for such sessions due to its end-of-season slot and unrepresentative daytime conditions.
High-Profile Absences and Their Replacements
The impact is most keenly felt at McLaren, where Oscar Piastri – one of three drivers still mathematically in contention for the world championship – will hand his car over to IndyCar star Pato O'Ward. Piastri's rival, Lando Norris, needs a podium to seal the title, but any mistake could open the door for Piastri or Red Bull's Max Verstappen, making every lap of practice vital.
In a headline-grabbing move, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will also watch from the Ferrari garage as Arthur Leclerc, younger brother of teammate Charles, takes his seat. Other notable changes include:
- Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda replaced by 2026 Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad.
- RB's Liam Lawson making way for Ayumu Iwasa.
- Haas's Esteban Ocon sidelined for Toyota hypercar ace Ryo Hirakawa.
- Williams's Alex Albon stepping aside for academy member Luke Browning.
- Aston Martin running two rookies: Cian Shields for Fernando Alonso and Jak Crawford for Lance Stroll.
- Alpine's Pierre Gasly replaced by Paul Aron for his fifth FP1 outing this year.
Mercedes and Sauber have already met their obligations, meaning George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, and Gabriel Bortoleto will have normal sessions.
Implications for the Championship and Driver Development
While the rule disrupts preparations for the title protagonists, it serves a crucial long-term purpose for the sport. These mandatory sessions are a vital stepping stone for young talent, offering real-world F1 experience. Drivers like 2025 rookies Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman secured their full-time seats after impressing in similar practice outings last season.
For Piastri, Norris, and Verstappen, the loss of FP1 track time adds another layer of complexity to an already high-pressure weekend. Teams will rely more heavily on simulator data and the feedback from their rookie stand-ins to set up the cars for the twilight qualifying and race conditions, which differ significantly from the hot FP1 session. The championship battle begins not just between the contenders, but against the clock and an unusual circumstance.
