(Motorsport-Total.com) – Friday drivers are nothing new in Formula 1, but since the 2022 season there has been a new rule designed to give young drivers better access to the top class. Each team is therefore required to let a young driver participate in free practice four times during the season.
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This is derived from Article B1.8.3 c) of the Formula 1 regulations. It literally states: “On two (2) occasions in each car entered for the Championship during each Championship, each Competitor must use a driver who has not participated in more than two (2) Championship races in their career.”
This means that each regular driver must let another driver take the wheel twice, who has so far not competed in more than two Grands Prix in their career. This means, for example, that Red Bull cannot let Isack Hadjar sit out four times: Max Verstappen must also give up his car on two occasions during the season.
Additional appearances beyond the quota are not prohibited.
Compared to the first seasons under the rule, the mandatory appearances have doubled. Until 2024, each cockpit only had to be occupied once by a youngster; since 2025, the requirement has increased to two per car and thus four per team.
Drivers like Robert Kubica, who regularly participated on Fridays for Alfa Romeo, are not included in the quota. Although experienced drivers like Kubica are allowed to be used on Fridays, this does not count towards the mandatory use of rookies, as he has already competed in far more than two Grands Prix in his career.
Regular driver rookies, on the other hand, do not have to sit out, as they have basically fulfilled their obligation with their first appearances. However, this only applies in 2026 to Racing Bulls newcomer Arvid Lindblad, who will be the only driver making his Formula 1 debut.
In our overview, you can see which Formula 1 regular driver had to make way for which driver in 2026 and who still has to sit out once more during the season.
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| Team | Regular driver | Friday driver | Grand Prix |
|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren | Lando Norris | Leonardo Fornaroli | Barcelona |
| Oscar Piastri | |||
| Mercedes | George Russell | ||
| Kimi Antonelli | Frederik Vesti | Barcelona | |
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | ||
| Isack Hadjar | Ayumu Iwasa | Barcelona | |
| Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | ||
| Lewis Hamilton | Dino Beganovic | Barcelona | |
| Williams | Alexander Albon | Luke Browning | Barcelona |
| Carlos Sainz | Luke Browning | Austria | |
| Racing Bulls | Liam Lawson | ||
| Arvid Lindblad | – | ||
| – | |||
| Aston Martin | Fernando Alonso | Jak Crawford | Japan |
| Lance Stroll | Jak Crawford | Austria | |
| Haas | Esteban Ocon | Ryo Hirakawa | Austria |
| Oliver Bearman | |||
| Audi | Nico Hülkenberg | Paul Aron | Barcelona |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Paul Aron | Austria | |
| Alpine | Pierre Gasly | ||
| Franco Colapinto | |||
| Cadillac | Sergio Perez | Colton Herta | Barcelona |
| Colton Herta | |||
| Valtteri Bottas | Colton Herta | ||
| Colton Herta |
| Race | Driver | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | – | – | – |
| China | – | – | – |
| Japan | Jak Crawford | Aston Martin | 22. (+4.696) |
| Miami | – | – | – |
| Canada | – | – | – |
| Monaco | – | – | – |
| Barcelona | Leonardo Fornaroli | McLaren | 5. (+0.853) |
| Paul Aron | Audi | 6. (+0.958) | |
| Dino Beganovic | Ferrari | 8. (+1.415) | |
| Ayumu Iwasa | Red Bull | 14. (+1.935) | |
| Frederik Vesti | Mercedes | 15. (+2.001) | |
| Colton Herta | Cadillac | 21. (+4.334) | |
| Luke Browning | Williams | 22. (no time) | |
| Austria | Jak Crawford | Aston Martin | |
| Paul Aron | Audi | ||
| Ryo Hirakawa | Haas | ||
| Luke Browning | Williams | ||
| Great Britain | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Hungary | |||
| Netherlands | |||
| Italy | |||
| Spain | |||
| Azerbaijan | |||
| Singapore | |||
| USA | |||
| Mexico | |||
| Brazil | |||
| Las Vegas | |||
| Qatar | |||
| Abu Dhabi |
Friday drivers have existed in Formula 1 since 2003 and were initially seen as compensation for smaller teams for more expensive test days. From 2004, any team that did not finish in the top 4 of the Constructors’ Championship in the previous season was allowed to use an additional third driver in Friday practice.
The most promising juniors of the Formula 1 teams 2026
From 2007, this rule was abolished. Each team was then only allowed to compete with two drivers – regardless of whether they were regular or Friday drivers.
This did not change until 2021. Many teams used it as an opportunity to give young drivers early mileage in a Formula 1 car, as test sessions were increasingly restricted over time.
Other teams, on the other hand, saw it as a good way to earn some extra money.
The overview of Friday drivers 2025
The overview of Friday drivers 2024
The overview of Friday drivers 2023
The overview of Friday drivers 2022
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