This weekend`s Bahrain Grand Prix will see an impressive six rookie drivers stepping into the spotlight during the first practice session. These young talents will temporarily take over from some of Formula 1`s biggest names, offering them a valuable opportunity to showcase their skills.
Formula 1 regulations mandate that teams must field rookie drivers – those with no more than two Grand Prix starts – in at least two practice sessions throughout the 2025 season. Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes are among the top teams seizing this chance to evaluate their promising junior drivers in Bahrain.
Ayumu Iwasa, Red Bull
Ayumu Iwasa will drive Max Verstappen`s Red Bull RB21 in FP1. This marks the third FP1 session for the 23-year-old Japanese driver, who previously participated in two sessions for Racing Bulls last year.
Iwasa`s motorsport achievements include winning the French F4 Championship in 2020. After securing a race victory in Formula 3 in 2021, he progressed to Formula 2, finishing fifth and fourth in his two seasons. Supported by Honda, Iwasa was fifth in Super Formula last season and currently leads the championship after the first two rounds.
Dino Beganovic, Ferrari
Dino Beganovic will make his first Formula 1 appearance in this FP1 session with Ferrari. He joined the Ferrari Driver Academy at the young age of 16 in 2020.
The Swedish-Bosnian driver is the 2022 FRECA champion and competed in F3 for two seasons, achieving a sixth-place finish in both. He is now racing in F2 with Hitech this year.
Beganovic will take over Charles Leclerc`s Ferrari for FP1, which means he will be temporarily partnered with Lewis Hamilton in the garage.
Fred Vesti, Mercedes
Fred Vesti, another former FRECA champion (2019), will participate in his third FP1 session for Mercedes.
The 23-year-old Danish driver has a strong racing record, with 11 victories across four seasons in F3 and F2. In 2023, he finished as the runner-up in the F2 championship. Vesti combines his role as an F1 reserve driver with IMSA racing for Cadillac. He will be replacing George Russell for this FP1 session.
Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin
Felipe Drugovich, the 2022 Formula 2 champion, is no stranger to Formula 1. He stepped in for the injured Lance Stroll during preseason testing in 2023 and has participated in three end-of-season tests and five FP1 sessions.
The Brazilian driver is also competing in endurance racing this season. He will have a significant chance to impress on Friday, taking over Fernando Alonso`s Aston Martin.
Ryo Hirakawa, Haas
Just a week after driving for Alpine in FP1 at Suzuka, Ryo Hirakawa will get another FP1 opportunity, this time with Haas.
The 31-year-old, a regular in the World Endurance Championship with Toyota, mentioned limited opportunities at Alpine as the reason for his switch to Haas. He also drove for McLaren in an FP1 session in Abu Dhabi last year. This marks his third FP1 session with a third different team in just four rounds.
Luke Browning, Williams
Luke Browning will replace Carlos Sainz at Williams for FP1. This will be the second FP1 session for the 23-year-old British driver, who made his FP1 debut in Abu Dhabi last year.
Browning`s racing accolades include winning the GB3 Championship in 2022 and finishing third in last year`s F3 series. He is currently Dino Beganovic`s teammate in Formula 2 this season.
Rupert Caldwell