Who are all the F1 rookies driving in Bahrain GP FP1?

Six Formula 1 racing drivers will give up their seats to ‘rookies’ for the opening practice session for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen will be replaced by Ayumu Iwasa at Red Bull, Fred Vesti will take over the Mercedes of George Russell, Felipe Drugovich will drive Fernando Alonso‘s Aston Martin, Carlos Sainz will sit out the session while Luke Browning pilots his Williams, Ryo Hirakawa will drive Nico Hülkenberg‘s Haas, and Dino Beganovic will join Ferrari as Charles Leclerc‘s replacement.

Under current regulations, all drivers must be replaced by a rookie in two FP1 sessions throughout the season.

A rookie is defined as a driver who has started no more than two F1 races in their career, so teams with rookie drivers already competing in the championship it means only their team-mates will need to give up their seats.

The rule means Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, Racing Bulls‘ Isack Hadjar, Alpine‘s Jack Doohan, and Sauber‘s Gabriel Bortoleto have already fulfilled the requirement.

But who are the other rookies taking part in Bahrain’s first practice?

All the F1 rookies driving in Bahrain GP FP1

Red Bull – Ayumu Iwasa

Iwasa, 23, currently competes in Super Formula with Team Mugen and is a part of Red Bull’s junior programme as well as Racing Bulls’ reserve driver.

Iwasa spent two seasons in Formula 2 in 2022 and 2023 before heading back to Japan to race in Super Formula. He is currently leading the championship after the first two races at Suzuka.

The Japanese has two F1 practice outings under his belt, having driven for Red Bull during last year’s Japanese GP and later for VCARB in Abu Dhabi.

The Bahrain outing will be Iwasa’s first time driving a 2025 F1 car.

Mercedes – Fred Vesti

Mercedes’ test and reserve driver Vesti will also be having his third F1 practice outing in Bahrain.

The 23-year-old Danish driver had taken part in FP1 in the Mexican and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix in 2023, but has worked extensively with Mercedes in the simulator during 2024 and 2025.

Plying his trade in between F1 at the wheel of an LMDh Hypercar, Vesti currently races in IMSA with Cadillac.

“Being able to put all of my simulator work into practice on the track is a really exciting prospect for me,” he said of his Bahrain outing.

“At the start of the year, I set myself the goal of maximising every chance I get behind the wheel of an F1 car in 2025, and that is what I hope to achieve in Bahrain.”

Aston Martin – Felipe Drugovich

Brazilian Drugovich continues to be part of Aston Martin’s roster and will be the most experienced of the rookie drivers taking part in Bahrain practice.

The 2022 Formula 2 champion has driven for Aston in five FP1s, as well as having replaced Lance Stroll in Sakhir testing when the Canadian was injured ahead of the start of the 2023 season.

The 24-year-old has over 9000km of F1 testing, although he is yet to drive this year’s AMR25.

“I’ve been preparing on the simulator to get a feel for the car, and Bahrain is a track I know well and really enjoy driving,” Drugovich said.

“I’m excited to contribute and give the team the data they need to perform at their best this weekend. Thanks to the whole team for their continued support.”

Williams – Luke Browning

Briton Browning returns to the cockpit of a Williams after having prepared for the Bahrain outing during a TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme at Monza last weekend.

The 23-year-old drove the 2023 F1 car, the FW45, before getting his first taste of the 2025 machine at Sakhir.

Browning, who will embark in his first full season in F2 with Hitech GP this year, has already driven for Williams in practice during last year’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.

“My main aim for FP1 is to get more comfortable with the procedures and environment that come with Formula 1, and to build on my experience from Abu Dhabi last December,” he said.

“A lot of preparation has gone into this weekend, so thank you to everyone in the Driver Academy for supporting my development so far.”

Ferrari – Dino Beganovic

Beganovic is the only of the rookies driving in Bahrain who will be making his practice debut there, and with Ferrari to boot.

A part of Ferrari’s driver academy, the Swedish-Bosnian racer has prepared for the upcoming outing with a TPC programme at Fiorano, where he drove the two-year-old SF23.

Beganovic, 21, has been in the Ferrari academy since 2020. He made his F2 debut late last year with DAMS, scoring a podium finish in Abu Dhabi, and will stay in the series for a full campaign with Hitech in 2025.

Haas – Ryo Hirakawa

Hirakawa will be in the unique position of having back-to-back practice outings, having already driven for Alpine in the Japanese Grand Prix last week.

After that, in what was a surprising announcement, the Japanese joined Haas as its reserve driver for 2025.

Hirakawa had already driven for the American outfit in the 2024 post-season test in Abu Dhabi, and has previous experience of F1 machinery as part of McLaren’s driver development programme.

He made his practice debut with the British team last year in Abu Dhabi.

At 31, Hirakawa is the most experienced of the rookies driving in Bahrain (in overall racing terms), being a Le Mans 24 Hours winner. He currently races for Toyota in the World Endurance Championship.