F1 Driver SWITCH: Ferrari Drop Leclerc for Rookie in Austrian GP FP1 Shake-Up
Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc will sit out Free Practice 1 (FP1) at the Austrian Grand Prix, with rookie Dino Beganovic taking his place as part of the team’s 2025 rookie driver programme.
Leclerc, who currently sits 25 points clear of teammate Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, has endured a frustrating season so far alongside the seven-time world champion. The pair have struggled to mount a serious challenge for victories, with Ferrari lacking the pace of front-runners Red Bull and McLaren.
The Monegasque missed most of FP1 in Canada earlier this month due to a heavy crash, which hindered his weekend and saw Hamilton outqualify him for the second race in a row. Now, he will miss another crucial session—not due to an incident, but to allow Ferrari to meet the FIA’s rookie driver participation mandate.
For the 2025 season, all teams are required to run a rookie driver in both cars twice across the season—a rule that aims to provide valuable F1 experience to emerging talents.
Who is Dino Beganovic?
Dino Beganovic, 21, is a Ferrari Driver Academy member who currently races in Formula 2 with Hitech Racing, where he sits 10th in the standings with two podium finishes this season. He made his F1 debut in FP1 at the Bahrain GP earlier this year, finishing 14th overall and second among the rookies in attendance.
The Swedish-Bosnian racer rose to prominence after winning the Formula Regional European Championship in 2022, and impressed with strong showings in FIA Formula 3 in 2023 and 2024 with Prema Racing.
This will be Beganovic’s second FP1 outing of the year, and a vital opportunity to show Ferrari what he can do behind the wheel of their current F1 machinery.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Hamilton, who carries the full burden of Ferrari’s FP1 programme in Austria as Leclerc watches from the sidelines.
