Kimi Antonelli, who currently tops the Formula One World Championship standings, will be one of five drivers sitting out the opening practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday. The regulation that obliges each team to field a rookie driver in at least two practice sessions this season has prompted several squads to take advantage of the opportunity at the Hungaroring, especially since the weekend is not a Sprint format.
Under the current rule, every F1 team must give a newcomer a chance to drive one of their cars in two separate practice sessions during the year. The Hungarian round, with its familiar layout and the fact that it features a full weekend programme, provides an ideal setting for teams to meet this requirement without compromising their competitive plans. As a result, five teams have elected to rotate a rookie into the first practice slot. Antonelli, who enjoys a 45‑point cushion over Lewis Hamilton and a 50‑point lead on George Russell in the Drivers' Championship, will hand his Mercedes‑W17 over to the team's reserve driver, Frederik Vesti, for the Friday morning session.
Vesti, the 2023 Formula 2 runner‑up, previously piloted Antonelli’s car during the first practice at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix, so the Italian youngster will not miss any additional track time this weekend. The move allows Vesti to gain valuable experience in a current‑generation F1 machine while Antonelli continues to focus on race‑weekend preparations. "I’m really excited to get back behind the wheel of the W17 and continue building my experience with the car.
It’s a great opportunity and one I’m looking forward to making the most of," Vesti said after his stint in Barcelona. Meanwhile, George Russell has yet to allocate his car to a rookie driver, meaning he will sit out two practice sessions across the remaining eleven rounds after the summer break. This decision underscores the strategic balancing act teams face between complying with rookie‑driver mandates and preserving their lead drivers’ preparation time. Leonardo Fornaroli, the reigning Formula 2 champion, will enjoy his second Friday appearance of the season when he steps into Oscar Piastri’s McLaren during the Hungarian first practice.
Fornaroli, who clinched the F3 title in 2024 and followed it with the F2 crown in 2025, previously drove Lando Norris’s car in Barcelona and has been linked to 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. "At the moment we are not deciding anything.
We’re simply keeping the options open. We are not in a hurry, but Leo did a great job [in the test]," Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu explained. Haas will also see Oliver Bearman miss the opening practice in Budapest, with Japanese driver Ryo Hirakawa taking his place for a second rookie outing this season.
Paul Aron, another young talent, will complete his third 2026 practice appearance by driving Franco Colapinto’s Alpine. Aron was previously loaned to Audi earlier in the year for practice sessions in Barcelona and Austria, giving him a diverse set of experiences across different manufacturers. Former IndyCar star Colton Herta will be back on the track for the first practice as well, this time behind the wheel of Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac-powered car. Herta’s involvement highlights the increasingly cross‑disciplinary nature of modern motorsport, where drivers from varied backgrounds are given opportunities to showcase their adaptability in the pinnacle of racing.
The full schedule for the Hungarian weekend is packed with action. Thursday, July 23, will feature a drivers’ press conference at 2 pm followed by the Paddock Uncut show at 5 pm. Friday, July 24, starts with Formula 3 practice at 8.50 am, then Formula 2 practice at 10 am, and the first F1 practice session at 12 pm (the official start time being 12.30 pm). Qualifying sessions for F3 and F2 follow, with the second F1 practice slated for 3.45 pm.
The day concludes with The F1 Show at 5 pm. Saturday, July 25, sees the F3 sprint at 9 am, the third F1 practice at 11.15 am, and the F2 sprint at 1.10 pm. The build‑up to the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying begins at 2.15 pm, with the qualifying itself taking place at 3 pm, followed by the popular Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 5 pm. Sunday, July 26, rounds out the weekend with the F3 feature race at 7.35 am, the Porsche Supercup at 9.05 am, the F2 feature race at 10.20 am, and the build‑up to the Grand Prix at 12.30 pm.
The Hungarian Grand Prix itself kicks off at 2 pm, with post‑race analysis, the Chequered Flag reaction, and Ted’s Notebook all scheduled for the afternoon. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via the NOW platform without a long‑term contract, offering the flexibility to cancel at any time. For those who prefer a more accessible video player, using the Chrome browser is recommended.
In summary, the rookie‑driver rule is shaping the practice line‑ups across the grid for the Hungarian Grand Prix. While Antonelli continues to dominate the championship, he will hand his car over to Vesti for Friday’s first practice, allowing the reserve driver to hone his skills in a top‑tier machine. At the same time, a host of emerging talents—including Fornaroli, Hirakawa, Aron, and Herta—will take advantage of the weekend to gain valuable seat time, ensuring the next generation of drivers is well‑prepared for future challenges in Formula One.