Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Ferrari, Formula 1, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton
Ryan Smart
Ferrari have confirmed a driver change for first practice at the Mexican Grand Prix on Friday.
In 2025, each of the 10 teams are required to run a rookie in FP1 on four occasions across the season - two per car.
Ferrari have fulfilled the requirement twice so far this season, with development driver Dino Beganovic replacing Charles Leclerc at the Bahrain and Austrian Grands Prix.
That means that it is likely Lewis Hamilton's turn to sit out first practice in Mexico, with the seven-time world champion set to vacate his Ferrari for a session.
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But instead of using Beganovic, Ferrari are drafting in a name from outside of single-seaters to make his F1 debut.
Italian driver Antonio Fuoco, who races in the World Endurance Championship series for the Ferrari AF Corse team, will compete in Mexico.
The 29-year-old won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024 driving the No.50 car, and thought he had followed that up with a second place in the 2025 event.
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However, the team of Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen were disqualified after their car failed a post-race technical inspection relating to rear wing deflection.
Fuoco is signed to Ferrari's driver development programme, and already qualifies for a full FIA Super Licence through his third and second-placed finishes in the most recent two World Endurance Championship seasons.
He wrote on Instagram: "Got the call. Mexico see you on track for FP1. Let's do this."
Fuoco is not the only F1 rookie set to drive in FP1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
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McLaren confirmed in May that IndyCar runner-up and Mexican driver Pato O'Ward would be replacing Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris for the opening session of the weekend.
Arvid Lindblad, 17, who was granted a Super Licence exemption by the FIA earlier this season, will replace Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
And Aston Martin reserve driver Jak Crawford, who currently competes in Formula 2 alongside Lindblad, will also get the opportunity to drive in an F1 weekend.