Which rookie drivers are getting FP1 outings at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix?

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Six full-time Formula 1 drivers will give way to rookie, test and reserve drivers during FP1 at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos, with another newcomer also preparing for his Formula 1 debut in Brazil. The Friday opening practice hour will follow the 2026 regulation requiring each full-time team to hand running opportunities to a rookie—defined as a driver who has started no more than two Grands Prix—across two practice sessions during the season.

The rookie practice allocation at Interlagos will include McLaren’s Leonardo Fornaroli, returning for his second consecutive weekend. Fornaroli is set for his third FP1 appearance of the season after a programme that included private preparation and a Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) outing at Circuit Paul Ricard, where he completed almost 350 kilometres and finished P17 in Mexico City’s FP1. Formula 1’s allocation rules will see Fornaroli take the MCL40 after last week’s FP1 replacement of Lando Norris, stepping into Oscar Piastri’s car in Sao Paulo.

Ferrari will also field a rookie in FP1, with Dino Beganovic set to return in the SF-26 after appearing in Mexico City’s rookie-filled session. Beganovic is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy and has already recorded two FP1 outings this year in Austria and Barcelona, finishing ninth in Austria and eighth in Barcelona. Competing in F2 with DAMS, he is expected to replace Charles Leclerc at Interlagos as Ferrari targets additional Friday data during the first on-track hour.

At Williams, Luke Browning will prepare for his fifth FP1 appearance of the season, having already driven in Barcelona, Austria, Italy and Mexico City. Browning’s schedule was shaped by an electrical issue in Barcelona that left him with no running, after which he returned in Mexico City to complete 33 laps while familiarising himself with the FW48 and the new regulations. In Sao Paulo, Browning will replace Carlos Sainz, marking what Formula 1 describes as his final scheduled rookie outing of the campaign after stepping in for Alex Albon last time out.

Freddie Slater will be the Audi rookie in FP1 after a disrupted first practice outing in Mexico City. The 18-year-old, and the first member of Audi’s Driver Development Programme earlier this year, had running compromised in Mexico City after a cooling fan was inadvertently left attached to his car, which resulted in a €7,500 fine for the team. For Brazil, he will replace Nico Hulkenberg following Slater’s Mexico City stint driving in place of Gabriel Bortoleto.

Alpine’s rookie in FP1 will be Gabriele Mini, making a second consecutive appearance after his official debut weekend in Mexico City. Mini, an Alpine Academy member since 2023, completed TPC running in July and then stepped into Franco Colapinto’s A526 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. In Mexico City, Mini finished P14, just over seven tenths behind Pierre Gasly, with a Virtual Safety Car disrupting his final soft-tyre run. For Interlagos, Mini is set to replace Gasly.

Colton Herta will complete the list of six rookies in FP1, with his sixth outing of the season. The American is pursuing Super Licence points needed to compete in Formula 1 and has balanced an F2 campaign with test driver duties for Cadillac, including practice outings in Barcelona, Hungary, Italy, Austin and Mexico City. With Herta currently 19th in F2 standings, Formula 1 notes that his performances during F1 opportunities have impressed Cadillac. In Sao Paulo, he will replace Sergio Perez after stepping into Valtteri Bottas’ car last time out, and will need to complete at least 100 kilometres on Friday to secure his final Super Licence point after falling short of the required mileage in Mexico City.

While the six rookie-designated drivers will hand their cars back after FP1, Rafael Camara is preparing for a full Formula 1 debut at Interlagos in front of his home crowd. The Brazilian, who currently leads the F2 standings and has won titles in Formula Regional and Formula 3, was originally due to join Haas as a full-time driver in 2027. The debut has been brought forward after Haas confirmed that Esteban Ocon would no longer compete for the team, with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa replacing Ocon in Mexico City and scoring a point on his F1 debut.

Camara’s promotion follows Haas’s description that World Endurance Championship commitments later opened the door for the Brazilian, who impressed during a TPC outing at Portimao in August. Haas says Camara, a Ferrari Driver Academy member since 2021, will partner Ollie Bearman for the entire weekend. He has not raced at Interlagos or driven Haas’s 2026 challenger, but will have three practice sessions to get up to speed ahead of Qualifying. Haas has not yet confirmed the occupant of the seat for the remaining rounds beyond Camara’s immediate introduction.