Isack Hadjar (FRA) Red Bull Junior Driver. 21.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 17, Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka, Japan, Preparation Day.
Isack Hadjar and Theo Pourchaire are the next rookies to be confirmed to be receiving a practice outing at this weekend’s Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix.
The regulations stipulate that every driver in each team has to give up an FP1 session for a rookie, defined as a driver who has started no more than two grands prix.
AlphaTauri handing Nyck de Vries his F1 bow this year counted on one side of the garage, but Liam Lawson filling in for Ricciardo, who replaced the Dutchman mid-season, did not.
Yuki Tsunoda is required to sit on the sidelines in the opening practice hour once across the remaining rounds and AlphaTauri have announced he will do so on Friday in Mexico.
Hadjar will get behind the wheel of an F1 car for the first time when he drives the AT04 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The Frenchman currently lies 14th in the Formula 2 championship, the lowest of the Red Bull-backed drivers. He has notched one podium with eight further points finishes.
Red Bull’s senior team are yet to field a rookie in either of the cars occupied by Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez. But it’s rumoured that Hadjar will get to drive the title-winning RB19 alongside reigning Formula E champion Jake Dennis in FP1 at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Theo Pourchaire (FRA) Alfa Romeo F1 Team Reserve Driver. 20.10.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 19, United States Grand Prix, Austin, Texas, USA, Qualifying Day
Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo have confirmed that reserve driver Theo Pourchaire will also replace Valtteri Bottas at first practice in Mexico.
Pourchaire, 20, currently leads the way in his third campaign in Formula 2, 25 points clear of Frederik Vesti with only one round in Abu Dhabi remaining.
Vesti, a Mercedes junior driver, will also be granted an opportunity in the W14 this weekend, standing in for George Russell.
Elsewhere, Haas will run Ferrari Academy prospect Oliver Bearman, while Alpine revealed last weekend that Jack Doohan will receive outings in both Mexico and Abu Dhabi.
Bearman has won four races in his rookie season in the second tier to reside in sixth place, seven points behind Doohan, who has progressed to fourth with a late-season charge.
Keyword: Hadjar, Pourchaire among five F1 rookies to feature in Mexico FP1