(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 premier class. Each team is therefore obliged to let a young driver participate in free practice four times during the season.
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This is stated in Article B1.8.3 c) of the Formula 1 regulations. It literally says: “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 not yet completed more than two Grands Prix in their career. This means that Red Bull, for example, cannot field Isack Hadjar twice: Max Verstappen must also hand over his car on two occasions during the season.
Further deployments beyond the quota are not prohibited.
Compared to the first seasons under the rule, the mandatory deployments have incidentally doubled. Until 2024, each cockpit only had to be filled once with a youngster; since 2025, the deployment has increased to two per car and thus four per team.
Drivers like Robert Kubica, who regularly drove for Alfa Romeo on Fridays, are not part of the quota. While experienced drivers like Kubica may also be used on Fridays, this does not count towards the mandatory deployment of rookies, as he has already completed far more than two Grands Prix in his career.
Regular driver rookies, however, do not have to sit out, as they have essentially fulfilled their obligation with their first appearances. In 2026, however, this only applies to Racing Bulls newcomer Arvid Lindblad, who will be the only driver to make his Formula 1 debut.
In our overview, you can see which Formula 1 regular driver has already 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 | ||
| Oscar Piastri | |||
| Mercedes | George Russell | ||
| Kimi Antonelli | |||
| Red Bull | Max Verstappen | ||
| Isack Hadjar | |||
| Ferrari | Charles Leclerc | ||
| Lewis Hamilton | |||
| 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 | |||
| Haas | Esteban Ocon | ||
| Oliver Bearman | |||
| Audi | Nico Hülkenberg | ||
| Gabriel Bortoleto | |||
| Alpine | Pierre Gasly | ||
| Franco Colapinto | |||
| Cadillac | Sergio Perez | Colton Herta | |
| 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 | Colton Herta | Cadillac | |
| Luke Browning | Williams | ||
| Austria | 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 more expensive test days for smaller teams. From 2004, any team that had not finished in the top 4 of the Constructors’ Championship in the previous season was allowed to use an additional third driver in Friday practice.
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This rule was abolished from 2007. Each team was then only allowed to compete with two drivers – regardless of whether they were a regular or Friday driver.
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 testing had become increasingly restricted over time.
Other teams, however, saw it as a good opportunity to earn some extra money.
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