Leading the championship, 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 for at least two practice runs across the season, and the characteristics of the Hungaroring – a circuit that favours familiarity and, this year, is not part of a Sprint weekend – have prompted five teams to meet that requirement during the first free‑practice slot.
Antonelli, who currently enjoys a 45‑point advantage over Lewis Hamilton and a 50‑point cushion ahead of George Russell in the drivers' standings, will hand his Mercedes‑W17 to 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, meaning the Italian youngster will not miss any additional practice opportunities for the remainder of the season. Sky Sports invites fans to follow its WhatsApp channel for the latest updates, video highlights, in‑depth analysis and more.
While Antonelli’s seat will be occupied by Vesti in Budapest, Russell has yet to allocate his car to a rookie. As a result, Russell will sit out two practice sessions across the eleven rounds scheduled after the summer break, satisfying his team’s rookie‑driver quota. "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 top‑tier machine on a circuit that rewards precision and rhythm.
At McLaren, reigning Formula 2 champion Leonardo Fornaroli will make his second Friday appearance of the season, taking over Oscar Piastri’s car for the practice run. Fornaroli, who clinched consecutive titles in Formula 3 (2024) and Formula 2 (2025), previously drove Lando Norris’s McLaren in Barcelona and has been linked to a potential Haas seat for the 2027 season. In June, McLaren loaned the 21‑year‑old Italian to Haas for a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) session, fuelling speculation that he could replace Esteban Ocon at the American team a few years from now.
"At the moment we are not deciding anything. We’re simply keeping the options open.
We’re 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 Budapest first practice, with Ryo Hirakawa stepping in for his second outing of the year. Meanwhile, Paul Aron will enjoy his third 2026 practice appearance, this time piloting Franco Colapinto’s Alpine. Aron’s earlier loan to Audi for sessions in Barcelona and Austria gave him valuable seat‑time in a variety of machinery.
Former IndyCar competitor Colton Herta will also be present in the opening practice, taking the wheel of Valtteri Bottas’s Cadillac-powered car, adding another layer of diversity to the rookie‑driver lineup. For fans wanting to watch the action, Sky Sports recommends using the Chrome browser for optimal video playback.
The full schedule for the weekend is as follows: Thursday, 23 July – 2 pm Drivers’ Press Conference; 5 pm Paddock Uncut. Friday, 24 July – 8:50 am F3 Practice; 10 am F2 Practice; 12 pm (12:30 pm start) Hungarian GP Practice One; 1:55 pm F3 Qualifying; 3 pm F2 Qualifying; 3:45 pm (4 pm start) Hungarian GP Practice Two; 5:15 pm The F1 Show. Saturday, 25 July – 9 am F3 Sprint; 11:15 am (11:30 am start) Hungarian GP Practice Three; 1:10 pm F2 Sprint; 2:15 pm Hungarian GP Qualifying build‑up; 3 pm Hungarian GP Qualifying; 5 pm Ted’s Qualifying Notebook.
Sunday, 26 July – 7:35 am F3 Feature Race; 9:05 am Porsche Supercup; 10:20 am F2 Feature Race; 12:30 pm Hungarian GP build‑up and Grand Prix; 2 pm The Hungarian Grand Prix; 4 pm Hungarian GP reaction (Chequered Flag); 5 pm Ted’s Notebook. All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the option to stream via NOW without a long‑term contract and the ability to cancel at any time. The Hungarian Grand Prix promises a weekend full of high‑speed drama, rookie breakthroughs, and strategic intrigue as teams balance championship ambitions with regulatory obligations.