As per F1 rules, every team is required to select two FP1 sessions each year to give a driver with less than two race starts, usually a rookie, the opportunity to gain experience in an F1 car.

With this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix being one of the last three rounds that doesn't feature the sprint format, many teams will take the opportunity to tick the box on the rule.

As previously reported, the second practice session in Mexico will be extended to 90 minutes to accommodate a Pirelli tyre test.

As a result, the drivers being replaced by the rookies will participate in the testing for only 60 minutes and will then receive an additional set of medium compound tyres for their own data collection.

As half of the grid will feature rookie drivers participating in the opening practice session, this will include 5 drivers: Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Guanyu Zhou, and one of the McLaren drivers, who will be announced later.

Pato O'Ward (replacing one of the McLaren drivers)

McLaren IndyCar star Pato O'Ward will take the wheel of the championship-leading MCL38 in front of his home crowd. 

The Mexican driver is in his fifth season with Arrow McLaren, where he has achieved three race wins and a second-place finish in the prestigious Indy 500.

Oliver Bearman (replacing Charles Leclerc)

Ollie Bearman holds a contract with Haas for 2025, however, he nearly doesn’t qualify under the FP1 rule, having already participated in two races this season.

He first stepped in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following the Spaniard’s appendicitis surgery. Later in the year, he filled in for Kevin Magnussen in Baku after the Haas driver received a race ban.

Kimi Antonelli (replacing Lewis Hamilton)

Same as Bearman, Kimi Antonelli also has a seat in Formula 1 next year, replacing Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes as he moves to Ferrari.

Therefore, it makes sense that the German manufacturer will put him in the W15 again after doing it at the Italian Grand Prix. However, in Monza, his run ended early after a high-speed crash, so he’ll be looking to make the most of his opportunity in Mexico.

Felipe Drugovich (replacing Fernando Alonso)

Felipe Drugovich, F2 champion from 2022 and current Aston Martin reserve driver, will take over Fernando Alonso’s seat in Mexico. While he remains hopeful for a full-time F1 position in the future, his chances look pretty limited at the moment.

Robert Shwarzman (replacing Guanyu Zhou)

Lastly, Robert Shwartzman, a talented young driver and 2021 Formula 2 runner-up, who is currently serving as a reserve and test driver for Ferrari, will step in for Guanyu Zhou.