McLaren star Oscar Piastri will miss the FP1 session on the season finale in Abu Dhabi and can make approach for IndyCar star & reserve driver Pato O’Ward. The adjustments come because of the F1 rookie check guidelines, which have been up to date forward of the 2025 season.
The rookie check guidelines earlier than 2025 have been for every automotive to surrender one follow session every season for a rookie driver. Nevertheless, going into the 2025 season, adjustments have been made and mandated the group to place the rookie drivers in for 2 classes per automotive.
Oscar Piastri goes into the ultimate race of the season 16 factors behind his teammate after a disastrous McLaren technique on the Qatar GP took the win away from him. Going into the Abu Dhabi GP, the Australian faces one other downside as he’ll have to surrender his seat to Pato O’Ward in FP1.
Oscar Piastri first gave up his seat for Alex Dunne on the 2025 Italian GP FP1. Championship chief Lando Norris gave his first and second FP1 session seat away on the Austrian and Mexican GP to O’Ward, and regardless of being at a drawback, received the race.
McLaren reserve has been travelling with the group to each race because the IndyCar season ended. Alongside along with his full-time driver duties for Arrow McLaren, the Mexican driver can also be the check/reserve driver for the Woking-based F1 squad.
Nevertheless, Oscar Piastri is not going to be the one driver lacking the FP1 on the Abu Dhabi GP with Pink Bull Racing, Racing Bulls, Williams, Ferrari, Haas and Aston Martin additionally having to run a rookie driver. Ryo Hirakawa will exchange Esteban Ocon, Jak Crawford at Aston Martin replaces Lance Stroll, Luke Browning at Williams, Arvid Lindblad replaces Tsunoda and Ayumu Iwasa to step in for Liam Lawson.
Oscar Piastri able to ‘give it his all’ at Abu Dhabi amid the title combat
Oscar Piastri went into the Qatar GP 24 factors behind Lando Norris. The Australian made up 2 factors on his teammate within the dash race. For the principle race, the Australian certified on pole place and was within the lead of the race earlier than McLaren made a strategic catastrophe and did not pit beneath the security automotive.
Consequently, Max Verstappen received the race, Piastri completed P2 and Norris ended up P4. Going into the Abu Dhabi GP, Piastri is 16 factors behind Norris. Talking about combating for the title within the season finale, he stated,
“Qatar was one in every of my strongest weekends in F1. The goal for Abu Dhabi is to duplicate that and do every little thing I can for the race win. I’ll give it my all and ensure I go away no factors on the desk within the closing race.”
If Oscar Piastri wins the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP, Lando Norris might want to end P6 or decrease for the Australian to be topped because the champion.
Edited by Pranay Bhagi
