George Russell hands over Mercedes to Frederik Vesti for Mexico GP FP1. Mercedes promotes Frederik Vesti to drive George Russell’s car for the FP1 session in Mexico.

Mercedes gives rookie Vesti FP1 opportunity

For the second time this season, after the Bahrain Grand Prix, 23-year-old Frederik Vesti will take to the track in an official Formula 1 practice session. The first Free Practice session of the Mexico Grand Prix will see several rookie drivers behind the wheel, and Mercedes has called upon its test and reserve driver for Friday’s running.

Vesti’s experience and background

Following Ferrari’s recent announcement that Antonio Fuoco would replace Lewis Hamilton for FP1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Mercedes has confirmed Frederik Vesti in the W16. Born in 2002 and crowned Formula Regional European champion in 2019, the Danish driver joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2021. This outing in Mexico, behind the wheel of George Russell’s car, will not actually be his first official Formula 1 weekend. Last year, on the same circuit, Frederik Vesti participated in his first FP1 session and later drove in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain this season, again substituting for Russell.

FP1 regulations and Vesti’s excitement

By taking this step, George Russell fulfills the regulatory requirement to hand over his car to a rookie driver in at least two FP1 sessions per season. “I am extremely happy to return to the W16 for FP1 in Mexico this weekend,” Frederik Vesti said. “I have spent a lot of time in the simulator over the past months, and it is an incredible privilege to put that work into practice on track. This new opportunity will give me more experience as a driver while also allowing me to provide fresh feedback to the simulator team in Brackley.”