Lando Norris and Max Verstappen will miss first practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix, which could affect their tense battle for the Formula 1 championship.
With just five race to go, only 40 points separates Oscar Piastri, Norris and Verstappen in the title race, with the Red Bull star looking to complete a sensational comeback.
It had long been thought that a McLaren driver would win the championship, but three wins out of the last four, including a perfect weekend at the United States Grand Prix, has put the four-time champion back in contention.
However, several big name drivers, including Norris, Verstappen, Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, will not be taking part in FP1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday.
Why are Lando Norris and Max Verstappen not driving in Mexico City Grand Prix practice?
As per regulations, every F1 driver is obligated to give up their car for a rookie driver in a practice session at two grand prix.
With the season nearing its end, many teams are yet to fill their quota, with nine drivers set to sit out the first practice session in Mexico.
Norris will be replaced by IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward, while 18-year-old British Formula 2 star Arvid Lindblad will drive Verstappen’s Red Bull.
Hamilton’s Ferrari will be taken over by 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Antonio Fuoco, with Russell replaced by Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti.
The fourth Brit on the grid Ollie Bearman gives up his Haas for Ryo Hirakawa.
With one hour more practice time, Piastri could be at an advantage over his title rivals, but seven-time F1 race winner Juan Pablo Montoya thinks the Australian needs to get his elbows out if he is to hold on to his championship lead
List of rookies driving in Mexico practice
McLaren: Pato O’Ward for Lando Norris
Red Bull: Arvid Lindblad for Max Verstappen
Mercedes: Frederik Vesti for George Russell
Ferrari: Antonio Fuoco for Lewis Hamilton
Williams: Luke Browning for Carlos Sainz
Aston Martin: Jak Crawford for Lance Stroll
Racing Bulls: Ayumu Iwasa for Liam Lawson
Alpine: Paul Aron for Pierre Gasly
Haas: Ryo Hirakawa for Ollie Bearman
‘It’s going to get to a point, where someone has to make a move on someone else. I don’t see Oscar making a move on Max in Abu Dhabi for a world championship,’ the former McLaren and Williams driver told Joe Fortune.
‘The Oscar of Miami or races five, six or seven, would be a guy that would be aggressive enough to take those chances. But the Oscar of today? I don’t see it.
‘Oscar needs to snap out of it. He’s fast enough that he can still win the championship, but he needs to bring the aggression level back up.
Mexico City Grand Prix schedule (UK times)
Friday, October 24
Practice 1 – 7.30pm
Practice 2 – 11pm
Saturday, October 25
Practice 3 – 6.30pm
Qualifying – 10pm
Sunday, October 26
Race – 8pm
‘Something that Lando did at the US Grand Prix which was really good was he made the move twice on [Charles] Leclerc. He really stepped up and got it done twice. That says a lot of where his mindset is.
‘If I was Oscar and even Max, I’m thinking the guy I need to worry about is Lando.’
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