Four rookie drivers will get behind the wheel of an F1 car at Monza this Friday, as teams continue to fulfil their mandatory obligations for the 2026 season.
Under current regulations, each team must run a rookie driver, defined as someone with no more than two grand prix starts, in FP1 on four occasions per season, twice per car.
With the Italian Grand Prix approaching, four teams have opted to use the Monza weekend to tick off part of that requirement.
Ayumu Iwasa will step into Max Verstappen's Red Bull RB22. The Japanese driver is no stranger to FP1 duties, having accumulated seven such outings since 2024 with both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
Luke Browning, a Williams Academy product with six previous FP1 appearances to his name, will replace Alex Albon in the FW48.
Alpine's Paul Aron, who has already racked up eight FP1 sessions split between Audi and Alpine in 2025, takes over Pierre Gasly's A526.
But perhaps the most intriguing name is Colton Herta, the American IndyCar star who will drive Sergio Perez's Cadillac for his third FP1 outing of 2026, having made his debut in the format at Barcelona earlier this season.
Italian GP FP1 Rookie Drivers
| Driver | Team | Replacing |
|---|---|---|
| Ayumu Iwasa | Red Bull | Max Verstappen |
| Luke Browning | Williams | Alex Albon |
| Paul Aron | Alpine | Pierre Gasly |
| Colton Herta | Cadillac | Sergio Perez |
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