Six teams to use FP1 rookies at Bahrain GP

The Bahrain Grand Prix is next up on the calendar, but six Formula 1 teams are set to utilise their rookies to start fulfilling their FP1 rookie mandate.

Feature image credit: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 / Sam Bloxham

The Bahrain GP marks the second race of F1’s first triple header of the 2025 season, following the Japanese Grand Prix last week and ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP, next week.

The Bahrain International Circuit is a familiar place for the drivers as they have tallied up considerable number of laps around the circuit thanks to pre-season testing, since 2021.

The sport were last in Bahrain for the 2025 pre-season test in February, which experienced moments of rain and power cuts at the venue.

As such, six teams are set to remove one of their drivers for an FP1 rookie. This comes as the regulations require teams to run at least two rookies in free practice one across the season.

Haas confirm Hirakawa FP1 debut for Bahrain GP

Ferrari were one of the first teams to confirm the driver change with Dino Beganovic set to replace Charles Leclerc in the opening hour of the Bahrain practice. Frederik Vesti has been confirmed to replace George Russell at the Mercedes team as Felipe Drugovich will take over Fernando Alonso’s seat at Aston Martin.

Formula 2’s Luke Browning will replace Carlos Sainz in FP1 this weekend as more recently, Ryo Hirakawa will replace Oliver Bearman at Haas, and Ayumu Iwasa will replace Max Verstappen for the opening hour at Red Bull.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will get underway at 4pm BST (6pm local), with first practice igniting the race weekend on Friday, April 11, 2025, at 12:30pm BST (2:30pm local).

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Haas confirm Hirakawa FP1 debut for Bahrain GP
• Latest weather forecast for the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
• FIA confirms compliance following post-race Japan GP checks
• Who finished where? 2025 Japan GP F1 results
• Carlos Sainz fined for national anthem infringement at Japan GP
• Max Verstappen controls Japan GP win over McLaren duo

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.