Formula 1 will look very different during Friday’s opening practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix, with ten of the sport’s 11 teams making driver changes. Three youngsters are set to make their Formula 1 weekend debuts, while several established junior drivers will get another opportunity to gain valuable experience.
Only Ferrari will retain its regular driver pairing, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc both remaining in their cars for FP1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Red Bull Racing, Aston Martin, Williams, Mercedes, McLaren and Alpine had already confirmed that they would field junior drivers. Audi, Racing Bulls, Haas and Cadillac have now also announced changes, bringing the total to ten teams.
Freddie Slater among three F1 debutants
Audi has selected 18-year-old British driver Freddie Slater to replace Gabriele Bortoleto in Mexico. Slater will make his first appearance in an official Formula 1 session, with another opportunity already planned for the following weekend in Brazil, where he is scheduled to drive Nico Hülkenberg’s car.
Frenchman Gabriele Mini will take over Franco Colapinto’s Alpine, while Bulgarian youngster Nikola Tsolov will make his F1 debut with Racing Bulls, replacing Liam Lawson.
Tsolov currently leads the Formula 2 championship and is regarded as a potential candidate for a future seat within Red Bull’s junior programme. His appearance in Mexico provides an important opportunity to demonstrate his abilities in an F1 car.
Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren field their juniors
The leading teams are also using Friday’s session to fulfil their rookie running commitments.
Red Bull has selected Ayumu Iwasa to replace Max Verstappen, while Mercedes will give Frederik Vesti the opportunity to drive George Russell’s car.
McLaren will hand Lando Norris’s MCL40 to Leonardo Fornaroli, giving the Italian another opportunity to demonstrate his potential at the highest level of motorsport.
Elsewhere, Williams will field Luke Browning in place of Alex Albon, while Aston Martin has selected Jak Crawford to take over Lance Stroll’s car.
Haas will give Japan’s Ryo Hirakawa the opportunity to drive Esteban Ocon’s car, while Cadillac has opted for American driver Colton Herta, who will replace Valtteri Bottas.
Mandatory rookie sessions provide opportunities
Formula 1 regulations require teams to provide opportunities for rookie drivers during designated practice sessions throughout the season. Each team must complete four rookie appearances across its two cars, creating opportunities for young drivers to gain experience in current-generation machinery.
The Mexican Grand Prix is particularly useful for these outings, with teams able to evaluate emerging talent while fulfilling their regulatory obligations.
For drivers such as Slater, Mini and Tsolov, however, the session represents more than simply meeting a requirement. Their first official appearances offer an opportunity to impress team management and strengthen their cases for future opportunities in Formula 1.
Full list of FP1 driver changes in Mexico
- Mercedes: Frederik Vesti replaces George Russell.
- McLaren: Leonardo Fornaroli replaces Lando Norris.
- Red Bull: Ayumu Iwasa replaces Max Verstappen.
- Alpine: Gabriele Mini replaces Franco Colapinto.
- Audi: Freddie Slater replaces Gabriele Bortoleto.
- Williams: Luke Browning replaces Alex Albon.
- Racing Bulls: Nikola Tsolov replaces Liam Lawson.
- Haas: Ryo Hirakawa replaces Esteban Ocon.
- Cadillac: Colton Herta replaces Valtteri Bottas.
- Aston Martin: Jak Crawford replaces Lance Stroll.
Ferrari is the only team retaining both of its regular drivers for the opening practice session.
Would you like to see more TJ13 Formula 1 coverage? Add us to your favourites list on Google to receive trusted F1 news.
Craig Alderson is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Craig oversees newsroom operations and coordinates editorial output across the site. With a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing, he plays a key role in maintaining consistency, speed, and accuracy in TJ13’s coverage.
During race weekends, Craig acts as desk lead, directing contributors, prioritising breaking stories, and ensuring timely publication across a fast-moving news cycle.
Craig’s work focuses heavily on real-time developments in the paddock, including team updates, regulatory decisions, and emerging controversies. This role requires a detailed understanding of Formula 1’s operational flow, from practice sessions through to race-day strategy and post-race fallout.
With experience managing editorial teams, Craig ensures that TJ13 delivers structured, reliable coverage while maintaining the site’s distinctive voice.
Craig has a particular interest in how information moves within the paddock environment, and how rapidly developing stories can be accurately translated into clear, accessible reporting for readers.
