Championship front‑runner Kimi Antonelli will be one of five drivers who sit out the opening practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday. Under the current Formula 1 regulations each team must field a rookie driver in at least two practice sessions during the season, and the familiar layout of the Hungaroring combined with the fact that this weekend is not a Sprint format has prompted five teams to meet that requirement at this event.
Antonelli, who currently enjoys a 45‑point lead over Lewis Hamilton and a 50‑point advantage over George Russell in the Drivers’ Championship, will hand his seat over to Mercedes’ reserve driver Frederik Vesti for the Friday morning practice. Vesti already got a taste of Antonelli’s car when he drove it during the first practice at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix last month, so the Italian youngster will not miss any additional practice runs beyond this one.
The move is part of a broader strategy that sees several teams rotating their junior talent. While Mercedes is sending Vesti to the track, the reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli will take Oscar Piastri’s McLaren out for his second Friday outing of the season. Fornaroli, who captured the FIA Formula 3 title in 2024 and then the Formula 2 crown in 2025, previously piloted Lando Norris’s McLaren at Barcelona and has been linked with a future seat at Haas. In June, McLaren loaned the 21‑year‑old Italian to Haas for a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session, fueling speculation that he could join the American team full‑time in 2027 as a replacement for Esteban Ocon.
Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu cautioned that no final decision has been made yet, but praised Fornaroli’s performance: “We are keeping our options open and Leo did a great job in the test.” Haas will also see its own rookie, Oliver Bearman, miss the first practice in Budapest as Ryo Hirakawa steps in for his second session of the year. Meanwhile, Paul Aron will enjoy his third practice appearance of the 2026 season, this time driving the Alpine of Franco Colapinto. Aron’s earlier loan spells include a stint with Audi for practice runs in Barcelona and Austria, giving him valuable exposure to different car philosophies.
Former IndyCar competitor Colton Herta will be back on the grid for the opening practice, taking the wheel of Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac-powered car. Herta’s involvement adds an extra layer of intrigue as he transitions from American open‑wheel racing to the highly technical world of Formula 1. The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend is packed with action beyond the main event. The schedule includes a drivers’ press conference on Thursday at 2 p.m., followed by a Paddock Uncut segment at 5 p.m.
Friday’s agenda features F3 practice at 8.50 a.m., F2 practice at 10 a.m., and the first Formula 1 practice session kicking off at 12 p.m. (officially starting at 12.30 p.m.). Qualifying sessions for F3 and F2 follow, with the second F1 practice slated for 3.45 p.m. (starting at 4 p.m.).
Saturday brings the F3 sprint race at 9 a.m., the third F1 practice at 11.15 a.m. (starting at 11.30 a.m.), and the F2 sprint at 1.10 p.m. The afternoon sees the build‑up to the Hungarian GP qualifying at 2.15 p.m., with the actual qualifying session taking place at 3 p.m., followed by the popular "Ted’s Qualifying Notebook" at 5 p.m.
Sunday’s programme includes the F3 feature race at 7.35 a.m., the Porsche Supercup at 9.05 a.m., and the F2 feature race at 10.20 a.m. The main event, the Hungarian Grand Prix, starts at 2 p.m., with post‑race analysis, the chequered‑flag reaction, and another edition of "Ted’s Notebook" rounding out the day. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and viewers can stream the coverage via the NOW platform without a long‑term contract, offering the flexibility to cancel at any time.
For those following the sport on mobile, Sky Sports also provides a WhatsApp channel delivering the latest news, video highlights, in‑depth features, and expert analysis. In summary, Antonelli’s brief absence from first practice is part of a league‑wide effort to give emerging talent valuable seat time while complying with the rookie‑participation rule.
The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend promises a rich blend of junior formula action, veteran competition, and ample opportunities for fans to engage with the sport across multiple platforms.