Owing to FIA Regulation, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen & 8 Others Set to Miss Crucial Abu Dhabi GP Session

Ahead of the F1 2023 season finale at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been announced, along with eight other drivers, to miss the FP1 session. The culprit? The FIA’s revamped rookie rule. A game-changing regulation introduced as part of F1’s new era in 2022, aimed at providing emerging talents more testing chances.

Before the start of the new Formula 1 era in 2022, FIA implemented rule changes with an eye on nurturing emerging talents. One of the significant alterations aimed to provide younger drivers with more testing opportunities. The rule dictated that each race driver relinquish a single FP1 session during the season to allow a Super License-holding rookie to showcase their skills.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen forced to miss out on FP1 in Abu Dhabi

As per the regulations outlined in Article 32.4 (c) of the Sporting Regulations, “On one (1) occasion during the Championship, for each car entered for the Championship, each Competitor must use a driver who has not participated in more than two (2) Championship races in their career.” The absence of a specific timeframe for this rookie session allows teams to plan strategically. Typically, teams prefer to backload this obligation. During the early stages of a new car, teams want their seasoned drivers to clock every possible lap to familiarize themselves with the new car.

As the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix approaches, ten rookies are set to make their mark in the opening practice session. This leaves established names like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on the sidelines in the season finale. Red Bull, notably, opted not to field a rookie throughout the season. This has allowed the Dutchman and his teammate Sergio Perez to stay in the action all season long.

Formula 2 driver Isack Hadjar, who previously drove for AlphaTauri in Mexico City, now finds himself behind the wheel of the world championship-winning Red Bull alongside Britain’s Jake Dennis. Meanwhile, Frederik Vesti will step into Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes cockpit after his stint driving George Russell‘s car in Mexico City. Despite finishing that session in P19, Vesti, a Mercedes junior driver, brings a hunger for success. He currently sits second in the Formula 2 championship as the season reaches its climax in Abu Dhabi.

Besides Hamilton & Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris, Fernando Alonso, Zhou Guanyu, Nico Hulkenberg, and one each of the Alpine and Williams drivers will miss out on FP1. Literally half of the F1 grid will have rookies driving in FP1 under the scorching sun at Yas Marina.

READ MORE: After Trashing $49M Ferrari Offer, Lewis Hamilton Faced Cruel Red Bull Rejection for Max Verstappen’s Sake

As the 2023 season comes to a close, unexpected talks between the 38-year-old Britton and Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner are making headlines in the F1 community.

Christian Horner reveals shocking Lewis Hamilton conversation from earlier this season

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Horner dropped the bombshell that discussions between the 7-time world champion and Red Bull had occurred, not just once, but multiple times. Horner disclosed that Lewis Hamilton had explored options outside Mercedes, even reaching out to Red Bull earlier this year before ultimately committing to the Silver Arrows. According to Horner, the talks included a potential partnership with arch-rival Max Verstappen.

“We have had several conversations over the years about Lewis joining. They have reached out a few times. Most recently, earlier in the year, there was an inquiry about whether there would be any interest. But I can’t see Max and Lewis working out together. The dynamic wouldn’t be right. We are 100 percent happy with what we have,” said Horner, shedding light on the high-stakes negotiations.

The Red Bull Team Principal also went on to disclose that talks between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari had also been on the table, indicating that the discussions were not limited to a single team. The revelations imply that as late as May, Hamilton was actively exploring alternatives.

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How do you think the dynamics would pan out if Lewis and Max were ever to partner with each other? Would they give each other a run for their money? Let us know your thoughts.