Verstappen, Norris and Russell Among 10 Drivers to Miss Mexico City GP First Practice

• Verstappen, Norris and Russell Among 10 Drivers to Miss Mexico City GP First Practice

Ten Formula One drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and George Russell, will sit out Friday’s opening practice session for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix as teams fulfil their mandatory rookie-running obligations.

The scale of the changes means half of the regular Formula One grid will be absent from the first hour of track action at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on Friday, October 30.

Only Ferrari will field both of its full-time race drivers during the opening session. The remaining teams will each place a reserve, junior or development driver in one of their cars before restoring their normal line-ups for second practice.

Red Bull will hand Verstappen’s car to Japanese driver Ayumu Iwasa, while reigning world champion Norris will make way for Formula Two champion Leonardo Fornaroli at McLaren. Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti will replace Russell.

Under Formula One’s sporting regulations, teams must provide eligible rookie drivers with practice opportunities during the season. Each full-time race driver is required to surrender their car for two opening practice sessions, creating opportunities for inexperienced drivers to gain experience with current Formula One machinery.

Mexico City has emerged as an attractive venue for teams completing the requirement because it is not a street circuit and the weekend does not include a Sprint. Teams consequently have three conventional practice sessions, reducing the competitive risk associated with placing a regular driver on the sidelines during FP1.

Mexico City FP1 replacements

The session will provide different levels of experience across the substitute line-up.

Iwasa has already driven for Red Bull during first practice in Barcelona and Monza this season. His familiarity with the team’s systems should allow him to focus on completing its technical programme and collecting useful information for Verstappen.

Fornaroli will take over Norris’ McLaren after combining simulator preparation with previous practice and testing experience. The Formula Two champion is also expected to replace Oscar Piastri during opening practice in São Paulo.

Vesti, meanwhile, will make another appearance for Mercedes, having previously driven in place of Kimi Antonelli. The Danish driver has extensive simulator experience and will be expected to provide accurate feedback as Mercedes evaluates its car in Mexico’s unusual conditions.

Nikola Tsolov, Gabriele Minì and Freddie Slater are among those preparing for their first official Formula One practice appearances. They will need to balance speed with discipline while managing traffic, complex car systems and a tightly scheduled engineering programme.

Although the session offers young drivers an opportunity to impress Formula One teams, FP1 is not simply an audition.

Each driver will be required to complete specific aerodynamic, mechanical and tyre-evaluation work. Their feedback will influence the setup choices made by the regular drivers for second practice, qualifying and Sunday’s race.

Mexico City’s altitude makes the task particularly important. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is located more than 2,000 metres above sea level, where thinner air affects aerodynamic performance, engine cooling and braking.

Cars consequently generate less effective downforce despite running large wings. Cooling can also become difficult, forcing teams to pay close attention to temperatures during longer runs.

The circuit can also be dusty during the opening session, with grip improving substantially as more rubber is deposited on the surface. That means the rookies will be driving when conditions are least representative, but their mileage will still provide valuable baseline data.

The regular drivers sitting out the session will depend heavily on information collected by their teammates and substitutes. They must then recover quickly in FP2, where teams normally begin more detailed qualifying and race simulations.

For drivers involved in championship battles or attempting to secure crucial late-season points, losing an hour of direct preparation carries some risk. A red flag, mechanical failure or change in weather during second practice could leave them with limited understanding of the car before qualifying.

Colton Herta’s appearance for Cadillac will attract particular interest. The American will replace Valtteri Bottas as he continues accumulating Formula One experience during Cadillac’s maiden season.

It will be Herta’s fifth scheduled practice appearance of the year and could also support his effort to satisfy the FIA’s Super Licence requirements for future Formula One competition.

Luke Browning will replace Alex Albon at Williams, while Jak Crawford will take over Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin. Ryo Hirakawa will drive Esteban Ocon’s Haas, and Minì will replace Franco Colapinto at Alpine.

Audi will entrust its car to 18-year-old Freddie Slater, one of the youngest drivers involved. Slater is expected to compete in Formula Two in 2027 and will use the Mexico appearance to gain experience with Formula One’s operating procedures, speed and technical demands.

All ten regular drivers are expected to return for second practice and complete the remainder of the weekend.

The wholesale changes should make FP1 one of the most closely watched opening sessions of the season. For the established stars, it represents a calculated sacrifice. For the drivers replacing them, it is a rare chance to demonstrate that they can combine speed with technical maturity under the pressure of a Formula One race weekend.