Hamilton, Antonelli and Norris set to miss opening practice in Barcelona

The opening practice session of the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix will feature one of the largest rookie line‑ups of the 2026 Formula One season, as seven teams hand their cars to junior, reserve and test drivers in accordance with F1’s mandatory young‑driver rule.

As in 2025, every full‑time driver must give up their seat for at least two FP1 sessions across the year to allow rookies — defined as drivers with no more than two Grand Prix starts — to gain real‑world F1 experience. Barcelona, a circuit deeply familiar to junior categories and widely used for testing, has once again become the natural venue for teams to complete part of their obligation.

This Friday, Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Audi and Cadillac will all field rookie drivers, creating a uniquely diverse FP1 field.

Replacing: Kimi Antonelli

Mercedes will place their championship‑leading car in the hands of Fred Vesti, who steps in for standings leader Kimi Antonelli. Now the team’s sole reserve driver, Vesti has been part of the Mercedes structure for more than five years and brings significant FP1 experience, having completed four sessions since 2023.

After recent links to Williams and Cadillac for potential race seats, Vesti has shifted his focus to endurance racing and currently competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. Driving the title‑contending W15E will be a major responsibility as Antonelli seeks to extend his points lead later in the weekend.

Replacing: Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari will field Dino Beganovic, who pauses his Formula 2 campaign — where he sits sixth in the standings — to take over Lewis Hamilton’s SF-26 for FP1.

A member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2020, Beganovic already has two FP1 outings to his name (Bahrain and Austria in 2025) and has contributed extensively to Ferrari’s simulator programme. He arrives in Barcelona fresh from a dramatic last‑lap overtake that secured a podium in Monaco, his second top‑three finish of the F2 season.

Replacing: Lando Norris

McLaren will give Leonardo Fornaroli his first FP1 appearance, marking one of two debutants this weekend. The reigning Formula 2 champion joined McLaren after winning back‑to‑back titles in F3 and F2, and now shares reserve duties with Pato O’Ward.

Fornaroli has tested McLaren machinery before — notably the 2023 MCL60 at Barcelona — and has raced at the circuit in both F2 and F3, but this will be his first experience of the 2026‑generation MCL40 in a live Grand Prix weekend.

Replacing: Isack Hadjar

Red Bull will run Ayumu Iwasa, one of the most experienced rookies in the field. This will be his sixth FP1 appearance since joining the Red Bull Junior Team in 2021.

Iwasa is currently balancing his duties as reserve driver for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls with a third season in Super Formula, where he sits second in the standings as he attempts to defend his 2025 title. His familiarity with Red Bull machinery makes him a reliable choice for the team’s mandatory rookie session.

Replacing: Alex Albon

Williams will place Luke Browning in Alex Albon’s FW48 for FP1, marking the Briton’s fifth practice outing. Browning previously drove in Abu Dhabi (2024), Bahrain, Mexico City and Abu Dhabi again (2025), and now splits his time between Williams’ simulator programme and a Super Formula campaign.

His Barcelona appearance comes during a milestone‑heavy period for Williams, with Albon breaking the team’s all‑time start record this weekend.

Replacing: Nico Hülkenberg

Audi will run Paul Aron, despite the Estonian officially serving as Alpine’s reserve driver. Aron made his FP1 debut with Sauber at the 2025 British Grand Prix and later drove in Hungary, Monza, Mexico City and Abu Dhabi as part of Alpine’s young‑driver programme.

Since finishing third in the 2024 F2 championship, Aron has dedicated himself fully to Alpine’s development work. His Barcelona outing is part of a continued collaboration between Alpine and Audi, with another FP1 appearance already scheduled for Austria.

Replacing: Sergio Pérez

The second debutant of the weekend is Colton Herta, who will step into Sergio Pérez’s Cadillac for his first FP1 session. After years of IndyCar success, Herta made the switch to Formula 2 for 2026 and currently sits 13th in the standings.

Herta is scheduled to complete three further FP1 sessions this season and has described the opportunity as one he will “take very seriously” as he aims to prove his potential to Cadillac and the wider F1 paddock.