Since 2022, every team has been required to field rookies in FP1 sessions at certain Grands Prix. In 2025, the F1 Commission has decided to introduce changes. Let’s look at what has been modified and how these changes will impact the current grid.
Until 2024, each team was obligated to run a rookie driver in two FP1 sessions per season. Teams generally avoid fielding young Academy drivers in FP1 sessions during sprint weekends or on street circuits. As a result, in the 2025 season, only 12 out of 24 races will be optimal opportunities to hand the car over to an emerging talent.
The key difference in 2025 will be the number of sessions available to rookies, increasing from two to four. This is not great news for teams, which usually do not place much importance on these sessions. This is evident from the fact that they tend to schedule rookie drivers for FP1 sessions towards the end of the championship, once car development has been completed.
Why will some drivers have an advantage?
Like the teams, regular drivers won’t be celebrating this change. However, some will manage to mitigate the impact. Specifically, the rookies making their F1 debut this year.
A driver is no longer considered a rookie after completing two F1 Grands Prix. Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson are among the six drivers starting a full season in the category this year, but they do not qualify as rookies. The British driver made his debut in a Ferrari Grand Prix and then competed in two more races with Haas. Lawson, meanwhile, raced several weekends with VCARB, having replaced Daniel Ricciardo mid-season in both 2023 and 2024.
The situation is different for the other four newcomers. Except for Jack Doohan, who participated in the Abu Dhabi GP in December, none of the others have ever raced in a Grand Prix. This means that the Alpine driver will only have to give up his car for one FP1 session. Meanwhile, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, and Kimi Antonelli will not have to forfeit any FP1 sessions. This is because in Australia and Bahrain, they will still hold rookie status, making their FP1 outings count as rookie sessions for their respective teams.
Source: f1ingenerale
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