Five Formula 1 teams will run rookie drivers in the first practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.
Under revised rules for the 2025 F1 season, each team must give twice as many practice runs as last year to inexperienced drivers, which is defined as those who have started no more than two grands prix.
Williams, Mercedes and Aston Martin today confirmed they will run Luke Browning, Frederik Vesti and Felipe Drugovich respectively in practice on Friday. Each of them has previously taken part in practice sessions for those teams.
Four teams have already fulfilled their quota of two practice runs with one of their cars after bringing in new drivers this year. Mercedes has done so with Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Sauber with Gabriel Bortoleto, Racing Bulls with Isack Hadjar and Alpine with Jack Doohan.
Two other teams have previously confirmed they will run rookie drivers on Friday. Dino Beganovic will make his debut for Ferrari while Ryo Hirakawa will drive for Haas. Hirakawa, who drove Doohan’s Alpine in first practice at Suzuka last weekend, will complete Haas’s quota of rookie driver appearances.
Teams’ rookie driver practice appearances in 2025
| Team | Car | Event | Practice driver | Event | Practice driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren | 4 | ||||
| 81 | |||||
| Ferrari | 16 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Dino Beganovic | ||
| 44 | |||||
| Red Bull | 1 | ||||
| 22/30 | |||||
| Mercedes | 12 | Australian Grand Prix | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Chinese Grand Prix | Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
| 63 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Frederik Vesti | |||
| Aston Martin | 14 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Felipe Drugovich | ||
| 18 | |||||
| Alpine | 7 | Australian Grand Prix | Jack Doohan | Chinese Grand Prix | Jack Doohan |
| 10 | |||||
| Haas | 31 | Spanish Grand Prix | Ryo Hirakawa | Mexican Grand Prix | Ryo Hirakawa |
| 87 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Ryo Hirakawa | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Ryo Hirakawa | |
| Racing Bulls | 6 | Australian Grand Prix | Isack Hadjar | Chinese Grand Prix | Isack Hadjar |
| 30/22 | |||||
| Williams | 23 | ||||
| 55 | Bahrain Grand Prix | Luke Browning | |||
| Sauber | 5 | Australian Grand Prix | Gabriel Bortoleto | Chinese Grand Prix | Gabriel Bortoleto |
| 27 |
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2025 Bahrain Grand Prix
- Vesti, Browning and Drugovich join Hirakawa and Beganovic for Bahrain practice runs
- Bahrain’s low-speed corners will play to Red Bull’s strength over McLaren – Norris
- How to watch the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, IndyCar at Long Beach and more
- Hirakawa leaves Alpine to join Haas as test and reserve driver
- Beganovic to make Ferrari debut in practice at Bahrain Grand Prix