Oscar Piastri faces a setback in his bid for the Formula 1 championship this weekend, as he is one of nine drivers who will miss the first practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix due to a regulation introduced in 2025.
The race at the Yas Marina Circuit will determine the season’s champion, with Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen contending for the top honors. While a podium finish for Norris could secure him the title, any errors on his part could give his rivals an opportunity.
Given the importance of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, drivers need to maximize their practice time. However, almost half of the grid will be absent from the initial hour of running due to a rule requiring teams to provide chances for rookie drivers.
Throughout the season, each team must include a rookie driver in two free practice sessions per car, totaling four sessions per team. Some teams still need to meet their rookie session quota, leading to several new faces participating in FP1 this weekend.
Piastri is one of the drivers being substituted, with Pato O’Ward taking his place at McLaren. Additionally, Lewis Hamilton will sit out the session as Ferrari has announced that Arthur Leclerc will replace him.
Several other drivers, such as Arvid Lindblad, Ayumu Iwasa, and Ryo Hirakawa, will step in for their respective teams in FP1. Each team must fulfill their rookie session requirements, resulting in changes to the driver lineup for this session.
Formula 1 enthusiasts can catch all the action, including practice, qualifying, and races live on Sky with the Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, offering substantial savings and access to numerous TV channels, Netflix, and Discovery+.
Mercedes and Sauber have already completed their mandatory rookie practice sessions, allowing George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, and Gabriel Bortoleto to proceed as usual.
Abu Dhabi is a popular venue for rookie sessions, especially given that it marks the end of the season. While FP1 occurs under daytime conditions different from those in qualifying and the race, rookie sessions play a pivotal role in nurturing young talent for potential full-time positions in the future. Many drivers, including Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, have secured seats for the upcoming season after participating in practice sessions last year.