All Nine F1 Rookies Set for FP1 in Mexico City

The f1 rookies mexico 2025 line-up is set to make headlines as nine young drivers take part in FP1 at the Mexico Grand Prix. This year’s session is the biggest rookie showcase of the season, offering fans a unique chance to see future stars in action at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Key Points

• Nine rookies confirmed for FP1 across nine teams
• Each replaces a full-time driver for the session
• Mexico’s altitude makes it the toughest rookie test of the season

A Track Built for Fresh Hands

Mexico City sits 2,200 metres above sea level. The air is thin, the grip is low, and the track feels dusty in the early sessions.
Perfect conditions for teams who want clean data runs, and for young drivers who just need laps without the pressure of a Sprint weekend.

With upgrades drying up and testing time limited, FP1 here becomes the best possible audition.

F1 Rookies Mexico 2025: The Full FP1 Line-Up

McLaren – Pato O’Ward (replacing Lando Norris)
The hometown hero. Monterrey’s own. The grandstands will erupt when the papaya car rolls out. O’Ward gets another chance to show his pace in front of the Mexican crowd — and McLaren know the local love will lift the session.

Ferrari – Antonio Fuoco (replacing Lewis Hamilton)
Le Mans champion. Ferrari simulator veteran. This will be Fuoco’s first Formula 1 weekend in scarlet, stepping into Hamilton’s SF-25. His endurance background means he knows how to manage grip — something he’ll need here.

Red Bull – Arvid Lindblad (replacing Max Verstappen)
Seventeen years old and already tipped for a seat within a year. Lindblad returns for his second FP1, taking Verstappen’s car for more mileage after his Silverstone debut earlier in the season.

Mercedes – Frederik Vesti (replacing George Russell)
Still wearing the silver star, still grinding. Vesti covers for Russell as Mercedes close out their rookie sessions for the year. His feedback has always been sharp — a quiet professional in a car that demands precision.

Aston Martin – Jak Crawford (replacing Lance Stroll)
First F1 weekend for the American. No fanfare, just a shot to show what he can do in Stroll’s AMR25. His F2 form has been strong all season. Mexico will test his nerve more than his outright speed.

Alpine – Paul Aron (replacing Pierre Gasly)
A familiar face now. Aron gets another run, this time in Gasly’s car. The Estonian’s been on steady upward form since Monza. Smooth, calm, and quietly putting himself on the 2026 radar.

Haas – Ryō Hirakawa (replacing Oliver Bearman)
Endurance ace turned rookie regular. Hirakawa jumps back into the VF-25 after stints with both Alpine and Haas earlier this year. A technical driver who thrives on consistency — just what Haas need in these conditions.

Racing Bulls – Ayumu Iwasa (replacing Liam Lawson)
Red Bull junior. Calm, collected, and ready. Takes over Lawson’s car for another FP1 outing with the Faenza squad. His focus? Keep it clean, log the data, and impress the bosses watching from the other garage.

Williams – Luke Browning (replacing Carlos Sainz)
Back in the car for his second FP1 of the year, this time subbing for Sainz. Browning’s first outing in Bahrain was tidy. Williams value that. Another clean session here would cement his reputation as one of the sharpest prospects in the programme.

The Outlier

Sauber sit this one out. Rookie Gabriel Bortoleto already fulfilled the team’s quota earlier in the year, and Paul Aron’s loan stints with them at Silverstone and the Hungaroring covered the rest.

Earlier Rookie Appearances in 2025 (Before Mexico)

• McLaren: Alex Dunne – Austria, Italy
• Ferrari: Dino Beganovic – Bahrain, Austria
• Red Bull: Ayumu Iwasa – Bahrain; Arvid Lindblad – Britain
• Mercedes: Kimi Antonelli – Australia, China; Frederik Vesti – Bahrain
• Aston Martin: Felipe Drugovich – Bahrain, Hungary
• Alpine: Paul Aron – Italy; Ryō Hirakawa – Japan
• Haas: Ryō Hirakawa – Bahrain, Spain
• Racing Bulls: Isack Hadjar – Australia, China
• Williams: Luke Browning – Bahrain; Victor Martins – Spain
• Sauber: Gabriel Bortoleto – Australia, China; Paul Aron – Britain, Hungary

Rookie Rule Check: After Mexico FP1

Under the 2025 regulations, every team must run four rookie FP1 sessions per season across both cars.
Here’s how they stand after Mexico:

• McLaren – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Ferrari – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Red Bull – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Mercedes – ✅ 4/4 (Complete)
• Aston Martin – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Alpine – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Haas – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Racing Bulls – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Williams – 3/4 (Needs 1 more)
• Sauber – ✅ 4/4 (Complete)

Coffee Corner Take

It’s the biggest rookie roll call of the season — and maybe the most revealing.
O’Ward brings the noise, Fuoco brings the experience, and a wave of young talent gets their first feel of F1 at 2,200 metres.

Friday morning in Mexico won’t just be a data run. It’s a glimpse of the grid to come.