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. The Formula 1 regulations require each team to field a rookie driver in at least two practice runs over the course of a season, and the characteristics of the Hungaroring – combined with the fact that this weekend is not a Sprint event – give five teams the chance to meet that mandate.
Antonelli, who currently leads the Drivers' Championship by 45 points over Lewis Hamilton and by 50 points over George Russell, will hand his seat to Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti for the Friday morning session. Vesti, who finished as the 2023 Formula 2 runner‑up, previously piloted Antonelli's car during the first practice at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix, so the Italian will not miss any additional practice opportunities beyond this one.
"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, underscoring his enthusiasm for the chance to run a current‑season Mercedes on a circuit that demands precision and smoothness.
The rookie‑slot rule also sees reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli taking his second Friday outing of the year, this time stepping into Oscar Piastri's McLaren. Fornaroli, who captured the Formula 3 title in 2024 and the Formula 2 crown in 2025, previously drove 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 TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) session, fuelling speculation that he could join the American team full‑time in 2027 to replace 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]," explained Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu. Haas will also give its other young driver, Oliver Bearman, a break from the first practice in Budapest, allowing Ryo Hirakawa to make his second season appearance.
Paul Aron will enjoy his third 2026 practice run, taking the wheel of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine. Aron’s experience has already been broadened by a loan to Audi earlier in the year for practice sessions in Barcelona and Austria.
Former IndyCar competitor Colton Herta will be back on the grid for the opening practice as well, driving Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac‑powered car. Herta’s involvement highlights the increasing cross‑disciplinary interest in Formula 1, where drivers from other top‑level series are welcomed to gain experience on the sport’s most demanding circuits. The Hungarian weekend schedule is packed with action across the support categories.
On Thursday, a drivers’ press conference kicks off the programme, followed by the Paddock Uncut show. Friday’s timetable includes F3 and F2 practice sessions before the first Formula 1 practice at 12:30 pm, then F3 and F2 qualifying later in the afternoon, and the second F1 practice at 4 pm. Saturday sees the F3 sprint, the third F1 practice, the F2 sprint, and the crucial qualifying session that determines the grid for the Grand Prix.
Sunday rounds off the weekend with the F3 feature race, Porsche Supercup, F2 feature race, and the main event – the Hungarian Grand Prix – which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and streamed via NOW. For fans wanting to stay up to date, Sky Sports offers a WhatsApp channel delivering breaking news, video highlights, in‑depth analysis, and exclusive features throughout the race weekend.
The network also provides a dedicated F1 Show in the late afternoon, where pundits dissect the day’s events and preview what’s to come. Overall, the rookie‑driver rule adds an extra layer of intrigue to the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend. While the top teams continue to battle for championship points, the younger talents get valuable seat time on a circuit renowned for its tight corners and limited overtaking opportunities. This blend of seasoned champions and emerging prospects ensures that the Budapest round will be as compelling for the sport’s future as it is for the current title fight.