Charles Leclerc will miss the opening practice session of the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix, with Ferrari selecting Dino Beganovic to drive the SF-26 at Interlagos. The Monegasque is expected to arrive in São Paulo on Friday in time for FP2, having remained at home following the birth of his first child. Ferrari’s driver change is one of seven rookie appearances scheduled for the first practice session of the weekend.
Formula 1 arrives in Brazil following the Mexican Grand Prix, where teams also provided opportunities for young drivers. Although rookie appearances are particularly common in Mexico, the Brazilian round will feature an unusually large number of changes to the regular driver line-ups, with McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, Haas, Alpine, Audi and Cadillac all fielding different drivers during FP1.
Why Charles Leclerc will miss Ferrari’s Brazilian GP FP1 session
Ferrari has opted to give Dino Beganovic an opportunity behind the wheel during Friday’s opening practice session, temporarily replacing Charles Leclerc as part of its rookie running programme.
The arrangement also accommodates Leclerc’s arrival schedule. The Ferrari driver has remained at home following the birth of his first child and is due to reach Brazil on Friday, allowing him to return to the cockpit for the second practice session.
This means the Scuderia will begin its weekend with a different line-up before the Monegasque resumes his preparations for the Grand Prix.
Fans can find the complete 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix practice, qualifying and race timetable, including Friday’s FP1 and FP2 sessions, ahead of the action at Interlagos.
Rafael Câmara gets home opportunity amid Haas driver changes
Another significant name on the Brazilian Grand Prix FP1 entry list is Rafael Câmara, who will have the opportunity to drive in front of his home crowd at Interlagos.
The young Brazilian is scheduled to take the place of Esteban Ocon at Haas, with his participation coming during a particularly complicated period for the American team. Haas dismissed the experienced French driver in Mexico last week and announced Ryo Hirakawa as his replacement. However, the Japanese driver is unavailable for the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend because of his World Endurance Championship commitments.
Consequently, Câmara’s appearance is listed as a replacement for Esteban Ocon throughout the weekend, rather than simply a temporary FP1 substitution.
His involvement adds further local interest to a practice session already featuring several young drivers across the grid.
Seven rookie drivers confirmed for Brazilian GP FP1
Alongside Dino Beganovic and Rafael Câmara, five other drivers are scheduled to participate in Friday’s first practice session.
McLaren will give Leonardo Fornaroli the opportunity to drive Oscar Piastri’s car, while Williams has selected Luke Browning to replace Carlos Sainz. Gabriele Minì will take over Pierre Gasly’s Alpine, and Freddie Slater is set to drive for Audi instead of Nico Hülkenberg.
Cadillac will also make a change, with Colton Herta replacing Sergio Pérez. The American driver needs another 24 eligible laps to secure a point towards his Formula 1 Super Licence.
The complete list of rookie drivers and the regular competitors they will replace is as follows:
| Rookie driver | Team | Replaces |
|---|---|---|
| Leonardo Fornaroli | McLaren | Oscar Piastri |
| Dino Beganovic | Ferrari | Charles Leclerc |
| Luke Browning | Williams | Carlos Sainz |
| Rafael Câmara | Haas | Esteban Ocon (entire weekend) |
| Gabriele Minì | Alpine | Pierre Gasly |
| Freddie Slater | Audi | Nico Hülkenberg |
| Colton Herta | Cadillac | Sergio Pérez |
Why F1 teams are giving rookies practice opportunities in Brazil
Formula 1 regulations require each team to allocate at least two FP1 appearances per car to young drivers during the championship, producing a total of four mandatory rookie sessions across the season.
Teams are free to determine when to fulfil these requirements, allowing them to schedule opportunities according to their sporting and operational priorities.
The Mexican Grand Prix is traditionally a popular venue for these appearances, whereas such a large group of rookies is less common in Brazil.
For Ferrari, the opening session at Interlagos offers Dino Beganovic an opportunity to gain further experience while Charles Leclerc prepares to rejoin the team for FP2.
With seven drivers taking part, Friday’s first practice session will provide an important opportunity for young talent to gain experience in Formula 1 machinery before the regular drivers resume their preparations for the remainder of the weekend.
The Brazilian round forms part of the 2026 Formula 1 championship calendar, with the event taking place at the historic Interlagos circuit in São Paulo.
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