Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen among 10 F1 stars replaced for Abu Dhabi GP
First practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will look very different with half of the usual stars of the Formula 1 grid sitting the session out.
Ten drivers across nine of the 10 teams on the grid will be on the sidelines with 'rookie' drivers taking their places on track. Only AlphaTauri will be fielding their usual driver line-up during the session.
That's because it is the only team which has already fulfilled the requirements of the rule which makes teams give at least two practice sessions per year to those rookies. The rest of them have left at least one of their mandated sessions until this final round of the season, while Red Bull still have both to fulfil.
Mirror Sport runs you through which stars will be putting their feet up and who will be filling in for them at the Yas Marina Circuit:
Red Bull - Jake Dennis and Isack Hadjar
There's a change in both sides of the Red Bull garage this weekend with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both sitting out FP1. The champions have left their obligations to the last possible moment and will not suffer for it, having already wrapped up both titles long ago.
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Simulator driver Jake Dennis is one of those filling in, though he is hardly inexperienced having won the Formula E title with Andretti this year. Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, who races in Formula 2, is the other called up to drive the RB19.
Ferrari - Robert Shwartzman
Shwartzman is a familiar name to those who regularly watch FP1 sessions as this will be his fourth outing in a Ferrari F1 car over the last two years, standing in for Charles Leclerc. The Russian-Israeli driver races GT cars and remains Ferrari's reserve driver but, at the age of 24, his chances of landing a full-time F1 seat have probably passed.
Mercedes - Frederik Vesti
Danish driver Frederik Vesti is in his second season as an F2 driver and is still in with a chance of the title going into the final round. Before that, he fills in for Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of the W14 after doing the same in George Russell's car in Mexico last month.
McLaren - Pato O'Ward
Pato O'Ward has already driven around the Yas Marina Circuit in a McLaren, having taken part in FP1 this time last year. The IndyCar driver reprises that role again this weekend, taking the reins of Lando Norris' car for the session having finished fourth in his championship in the US.
IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward is affiliated with McLaren (AP)Alpine - Jack Doohan
With a familiar surname to motorsport fans thanks to his motorbikes champion father Mick, Jack Doohan is at the forefront of the Alpine driver academy and has had a mixed second season in F2 this year. The 20-year-old will drive Esteban Ocon's car in FP1 this weekend.
Alfa Romeo - Theo Pourchaire
F2 leader Theo Pourchaire, who is the odds-on favourite to win that title, drove Valtteri Bottas' car in Mexico but only managed a few minutes on track before technical gremlins got in his way. The Frenchman will hope to get more out of his next outing in C43 as Zhou Guanyu takes the session off this time.
Aston Martin - Felipe Drugovich
From this year's likely F1 champion to the 2022 title-winner. Felipe Drugovich has spent the season as Aston Martin's reserve driver and has gathered plenty of time behind the wheel of the AMR23 after filling in for the injured Lance Stroll in pre-season testing and driving Fernando Alonso's car in FP1 at Monza. He'll do the same in Abu Dhabi when he takes over Stroll's car again.
Haas - Oliver Bearman
Ollie Bearman is another who has already completed an FP1 session earlier this year, having replaced Kevin Magnussen in Mexico. The 18-year-old Ferrari starlet did very well and impressed a lot of people at Haas and gets the chance to do so again when Nico Hulkenberg sits the first session out.
Ferrari driver Oliver Bearman will drive FP1 for Haas again (Getty Images)Williams - Zak O'Sullivan
Zak O'Sullivan has just earned a step up to F2 and is also set for his first FP1 session this weekend when he takes over Logan Sargeant's car. The British-Irish racer hopes to establish himself as Williams' top young driver in 2024 and, if he can do so, he'll be well placed for a potential future in F1.
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