Under a rule introduced for 2022, both race drivers have to give up a free practice session for a driver who has made two or fewer starts.
Early in the season, most teams were in no hurry to field rookies as they felt their race drivers needed all the mileage they could get in the new cars. Latterly some have maintained that focus as they are in tight battles in the constructors’ championship.
In addition, the budget cap means that teams are warier than ever about a rookie generating expensive damage, as happened with Alfonso Celis and Force India in Mexico in 2017.
Teams now have only six races left in which to field a rookie on Friday, and of those Brazil – which as a sprint weekend sees FP1 followed by qualifying – is obviously off the table.
That leaves just five other events, several of which also feature compromises. The risks associated with Singapore mean that the street venue won’t be chosen, especially as race drivers haven’t been there since 2019 and will have to adjust to cars that are expected to be tricky to handle.
Traditionally Japan is rarely used for FP1 running, given how easy it is to go off and damage a car. Again it has been missing from the schedule since 2019 and race drivers will have to get up to speed, with bad weather also a threat.
However, it is not impossible for a rookie to run at Suzuka, as Max Verstappen proved with Toro Rosso in 2014.
An added complication for both Suzuka and Austin is that the venues have been chosen for 2023 Pirelli tyre testing in an extended 90-minute FP2 session. On the one hand that gives race drivers more track time if they miss FP1, but on the other, they are obliged to do tyre testing and thus the run plan for the day is more complicated than at other races.
Mexico is being kept as a backup by Pirelli should one of the other tyre testing sessions be affected by rain, but otherwise it is likely to be a popular choice for rookie running.
Abu Dhabi is certain to see a lot of rookies in FP1, simply because it’s the last chance. Teams also regard it as relatively safe, given the extensive run-off, and in addition, there’s less pressure on spare parts as there is no race to follow.
The complication for those currently racing in F2 is that they also have to deal with the series finale, with a close battle for position behind the top two. Teams don’t like rookies to have to jump from one car to the other on the same weekend, although Liam Lawson did it in Belgium last…
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