Red Bull Racing has decided to let Jake Dennis and Isack Hadjar run during Free Practice 1 of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last round of the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, fulfilling the obligation imposed by the sporting regulations to use two rookie drivers in one first free practice session.
The reigning world champion team chose to use the first free practice session at Yas Marina by resting both starting drivers. Dennis and Hadjar will take the place of fresh three-time world champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in the same session.
Many other teams, however, have decided to entrust their single-seaters to rookies – who have yet to do so with one or two drivers – in Mexico City, home of the next Formula 1 grand prix, or in Yas Marina itself.
The choice is dictated by the fact that in the last rounds of the World Championship, several races featured the format with the Sprint on Saturday and only one free practice session to prepare the cars for the rest of the weekend. Therefore not the ideal solution to entrust the single-seaters to drivers with no experience.
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
Isack Hadjar, Hitech GP
Red Bull chose not to replace its drivers in Mexico also to prevent Perez from losing a session in front of his fans and for the additional test dedicated to the Pirelli tyres.
Initially, Liam Lawson was supposed to be behind the wheel of the RB19. With Daniel Ricciardo’s injury suffered in Zandvoort and the consequent use of the New Zealander by AlphaTauri, Lawson lost his rookie status having raced in place of the Australian until two weeks ago.
Jake Dennis, who will drive one of the two RB19s, is the reigning FIA Formula E world champion having won the title a few months ago. During his career he took third place in the 2015 FIA F3 championship and fourth in GP3 in 2016.
Isack Hadjar, however, will have the inviting opportunity to test the AlphaTauri AT04 at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Faenza team will also have to stay within the rules and will rely on him in Free Practice 1 in Mexico. At Yas Marina, however, Hadjar will drive the world champion single-seater.
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