F1 confirms mandatory FP1 rookie running for 2022
Opportunities for young drivers are few and far between
F1 managing director motorsports Ross Brawn has confirmed teams will be required to complete a number of FP1 sessions next year with "rookie" drivers.
Whilst the lack of testing in F1 keeps costs down, it also severely restricts the opportunities for teams to blood young drivers.
This year only Alfa Romeo, Williams and Alpine have afforded young drivers a practice, chance with Callum Ilott, Guanyu Zhou and Roy Nissany completing mileage.
“Friday running is coming in,” confirmed Brawn.
“On Friday, each team will have to run FP1 with a rookie and we are being very careful about how we define a rookie."
Asked if the definition would avoid a situation that saw Fernando Alonso, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Buemi feature in last year's post-season young driver test, Brawn added: “Let’s wait and see how we define it.
“Next year they will need to run a young driver on Friday, every team, on a certain number of occasions.”
Even with any added running, however, the obvious problem is the lack of race seats to allow them to graduate.
Denying this as an issue, Brawn explained: "Look who we have seen come in.
"We’ve seen George [Russell] come in, we’ve seen Charles [Leclerc] come in, we’ve seen Max [Verstappen] come in, we’ve seen other drivers come in.
“So there is the opportunity there if you’re good. It’s great to try and help but I don’t think we’re lacking in young drivers coming through into Formula 1.”
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