Why Max Verstappen and George Russell are missing from Bahrain Grand Prix practice

Six Formula 1 drivers, including Max Verstappen, will miss the first practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.

After three different winners in the first three races of 2025, F1 heads to Sakhir for the first of four races in the Middle East.

Lando Norris leads the championship by just one point from Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri hot on their heels, but the McLarens should have an advantage over their Red Bull rival in the desert.

The Dutchman will have less time behind-the-wheel of his RB21 at the Bahrain International Circuit as he sits out Friday’s first practice session.

He’s not the only frontrunner who will miss out on valuable track time, with Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also staying in the pits.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, Haas’ Oliver Bearman, and Carlos Sainz of Williams complete the absent half-dozen.

Why is Max Verstappen not driving in Bahrain Grand Prix first practice?

F1 regulations state that each driver must give up their car for a rookie to drive in practice sessions throughout the season.

The rule was first introduced in 2022 but has been upped from one to two practice sessions for 2025.

Most teams, especially toward the front of the grid, typically wait to fulfil this requirement toward the end of the season when there has been less to fight for.

Bahrain may have been chosen by many teams as it was also the venue for pre-season testing and therefore drivers already have experience of their new cars at the circuit.

The race also takes place at night while first practice is during the day, so won’t miss out on gaining valuable data as the temperatures and track conditions are very different.

The six rookies who will be taking over on Friday are: Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull), Dino Beganovic (Ferrari), Fred Vesti (Mercedes), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin), Ryo Hirakawa (Haas) and Luke Browning (Williams).

Curiously, just last weekend Ryo Hirakawa took over Jack Doohan’s Alpine for Japan practice but in the last few days he has been signed by rivals Haas.

It’s a double blow for Alpine, who have not only lost a promising young driver but needlessly cost Doohan valuable track time that in part led to his huge, 185mph crash at Suzuka.

Lando Norris gives Bahrain Grand Prix prediction

After winning the season opener in Australia and finishing second in China and Japan, Norris is the championship favourite with his McLaren currently the quickest car.

But speaking ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, the British driver isn’t sure McLaren can hold off Red Bull this weekend, saying: ‘Unlikely, just from my feelings at the minute.

‘We’ve had a great start to the season and I know a lot of things are amazing, but it’s a much slower speed circuit than the last few weekends.

‘We still know that’s one of our weaker areas. I’m not expecting bad things, I’m just expecting a trickier weekend than the last few.’

‘Red Bull are close. They’re not that far off, maybe one-tenth or maybe two-tenths, but that’s it and it’s still not a lot of time.’

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