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 rule introduced in 2025.
The upcoming race at the Yas Marina Circuit will determine the season’s champion, with Piastri, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen competing for the top spot. A podium finish for Norris could secure him the title, but any errors could give his rivals an opportunity.
With the championship on the line in Abu Dhabi, it is crucial for drivers to maximize their practice time. However, nearly half of the grid will be absent from the first hour of running due to the rule requiring teams to provide chances for rookie drivers.
Teams are mandated to field a rookie driver in two free practice sessions per car over the season, totaling four sessions per team. As a result, several teams still need to meet their rookie session quota, leading to new faces in FP1 this weekend.
Piastri will be replaced by Pato O’Ward in his McLaren, while Lewis Hamilton will also sit out the session as Arthur Leclerc takes his place at Ferrari. Various other drivers, including Arvid Lindblad, Ayumu Iwasa, Ryo Hirakawa, and Alex Albon, will also have stand-ins for FP1.
Formula 1 enthusiasts can catch every practice, qualifying, and race live with Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which includes access to around 100 TV channels and complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.
Mercedes and Sauber have already fulfilled their mandatory rookie practice session allocations, allowing George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Nico Hulkenberg, and Gabriel Bortoleto to participate as usual.
Abu Dhabi is a popular venue for rookie sessions, especially as it marks the end of the season. The daytime conditions during FP1 differ from those in qualifying and the race, making rookie sessions vital for young driver development. Many drivers who partook in practice sessions last season, such as Antonelli and Oliver Bearman, have progressed to full-time seats in 2025.
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