Rookie Drivers Fill Barcelona Practice Seats
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- Mercedes will field reserve driver Fred Vesti in Practice One, replacing rookie Kimi Antonelli.
- Ferrari will have Dino Beganovic take the seat in place of Lewis Hamilton.
- McLaren will give Leo Fornaroli his F1 practice debut, standing in for Lando Norris.
- Red Bull will run Ayumu Iwasa in the slot normally occupied by Isack Hadjar.
- Williams will field Luke Browning, replacing Alex Albon for the Barcelona practice.
- Audi will loan reserve driver Paul Aron from Alpine to replace Nico Hulkenberg for the session.
- Cadillac will field former IndyCar star Colton Herta in place of Sergio Perez, giving him his first F1 practice appearance.
Why it matters: The rookie‑session rule forces each team to swap a regular driver for a newcomer in two practices; Barcelona’s Friday session gives eight rookies real‑world F1 mileage, boosting their development and giving teams a chance to meet the season‑long rookie requirement.
