Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Others Announce Race Decision for Mexico GP

This weekend's FP1 will give young talents a chance to gain valuable track experience at one of the most unique circuits on the calendar, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Who Will Replace the F1 Stars in FP1?

Le Mans winner Antonio Fuoco will replace Lewis Hamilton. The Italian driver is part of Ferrari's testing and simulator program and will handle FP1 duties to help the team meet the rookie quota.

Meanwhile, Arvid Lindblad, a rising Red Bull Junior, will replace Max Verstappen. The youngest winner in F2 history already participated in a rookie session earlier in the season. He replaced Yuki Tsunoda at the 2025 British GP, finishing the session in 14th place, completing 22 laps.

Furthermore, Pato O'Ward, IndyCar driver and reserve for McLaren, will step in for Lando Norris. Whereas Luke Browning will substitute Carlos Sainz, marking Williams' third rookie outing of the year.

Lastly, Danish driver Frederik Vesti will replace Mercedes' George Russell, while American driver Jak Crawford will substitute for Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

All of the above information was made public and confirmed via the drivers' and teams' social media accounts.

What to Expect from the Mexico City GP Weekend

While FP1 will feature fresh faces, the top names will return for the rest of the weekend's sessions. With five races left in the 2025 Formula 1 season, teams are balancing rookie commitments with championship ambitions, especially for title contenders like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris.

After the US GP, the 2025 World Drivers' Championship became more thrilling than ever. As stated after his win at Austin's COTA, Verstappen will look to close the gap between him and McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, “The chance is there."

With 141 points still up for grabs, the Red Bull driver is "just very excited to the end."

In summary, the Mexico GP's FP1 session will offer a glimpse of F1's future while fulfilling a crucial FIA mandate. For veterans like Verstappen, Hamilton, and others, it's a brief break in their packed calendar, but for the rookies, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.