F1 star set for session absence as team announce driver swap for Spanish Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon, Williams, Imola, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

Spanish Grand Prix

F1 star set for session absence as team announce driver swap for Spanish Grand Prix

A Williams star will sit out a session in Spain

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Wednesday 28 May 2025 17:59

A Formula 1 driver will miss a session at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix as a young racing star steps up to the sport for the first time.

F1’s current triple-header concludes at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with the race hosting several changes for the drivers, including an all new technical directive from the FIA with stricter tests on flexible front wings.

F1 HEADLINES: Driver set to miss session as FIA slammed for Spanish Grand Prix ban

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There will also be a couple of driver changes in Spain, as rookie drivers step up for FP1 with Ryo Hirakawa already announced as Esteban Ocon's replacement at Haas for the session.

Now, Williams have confirmed that junior star Victor Martins will fill in for Alex Albon during the session on Friday.

"I’m super happy to be taking the wheel of the FW47 for the first time in Barcelona," he said following the announcement.

"It will be an incredible experience to drive for the team. I’m working hard to prepare as much as possible to maximise my time in the car and make it a valuable session for myself and the team.

"I’m hugely grateful to everyone at Atlassian Williams Racing for giving me this opportunity and I’m looking forward to enjoying every second of it!"

Why do F1 teams replace their drivers for FP1?

Hirakawa and Martins’ FP1 opportunity at the Spanish GP is not because Ocon and Albon have commitments elsewhere, but is instead part of an F1 rule.

It is mandatory for all 10 F1 teams to run a rookie driver in FP1 at least twice in each of their cars in 2025, up from once per car in 2024.

Hirawaka previously got behind the wheel of the Alpine in front of his home crowd at the Japanese GP, and took over from Bearman at Haas for FP1 at the Bahrain GP.

The Spanish GP marks Martins' first outing in an F1 car on track, with his work behind the scenes in the simulator and within the TPC [testing of previous cars] programme rewarded.

Max Verstappen FIA Formula 1 Esteban Ocon Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya