Expect to see a handful of new names (and a very familiar one) on the timesheets during the first practice session for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as teams across the grid give young drivers a chance to make their mark on track.
All 20 F1 drivers are required to make way for a rookie – someone who has started no more than two Grands Prix – and miss out on a single practice session across the season, with Abu Dhabi representing their last chance to fulfil this obligation.
As a result six drivers will sit out FP1 as racers from Formula 2 and the world of endurance get a shot around the Yas Marina Circuit on Friday.
Ryo Hirakawa – McLaren
At 30, Hirakawa is the oldest of the rookies taking part in FP1, and already has a comprehensive list of achievements alongside his role as one of McLaren’s reserve drivers for the 2024 season.
Hirakawa is part of their Development Programme and has most recently competed in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), where in 2022 he claimed victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a team with Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley.
In October 2023 he tested a Formula 1 car for the first time, driving the 2021 spec MCL35 with fellow McLaren reserve driver Pato O’Ward, but this will be his debut appearance on track as he takes the wheel of Oscar Piastri’s car.
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