Several young drivers are set to appear during the opening practice session for Formula 1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as teams fulfil the new-for-2022 regulations.
Per updated rules teams must run young drivers – regarded as someone with two or fewer grands prix starts – in two practice sessions per season.
The majority of teams have left it until the final round at Yas Marina in order to use up the second of two mandatory sessions.
Red Bull is expected to run Liam Lawson, in place of World Champion Max Verstappen, with erstwhile reserve Jüri Vips – who ran in Spain – having since been axed by the team.
![Aston Martin managed its first race finish of 2026 with Fernando Alonso [behind] completing the distance](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aston-Martin-Honda-Japanese-GP-120x86.webp)
Ferrari will hand a second outing to tester Robert Shwartzman, following his debut in Austin, while McLaren will provide IndyCar race winner Pato O’Ward with his first experience of a grand prix weekend.
O’Ward tested McLaren’s MCL35M last December and has since driven the car during a handful of private tests through 2022.
Alpine will run Jack Doohan, who had his first taste of the A522 in Mexico City, while newly-crowned Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich will make his public Aston Martin debut.
Drugovich has been signed to a reserve and development deal at Aston Martin and drove the squad’s 2021-spec AMR21 at Silverstone earlier this month.
Haas is due to field two-time race starter Pietro Fittipaldi while Logan Sargeant will return to Williams for his fourth practice run ahead of his planned 2023 race seat.
Only Mercedes and AlphaTauri are scheduled to run both of their 2022 race drivers during the session.
Alfa Romeo has only fielded Théo Pourchaire in one session but regular racer Zhou Guanyu’s participation in practice in Bahrain fulfilled one of its mandatory sessions due to his rookie status.
However, Zhou will sit out the session in order for veteran Robert Kubica to have another run in the C42.
![Aston Martin managed its first race finish of 2026 with Fernando Alonso [behind] completing the distance](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aston-Martin-Honda-Japanese-GP-350x250.webp)
![Aston Martin managed its first race finish of 2026 with Fernando Alonso [behind] completing the distance](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Aston-Martin-Honda-Japanese-GP-360x180.webp)
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