Abu Dhabi Day 1: Rookies report from Yas Marina FP1

Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich stole the early show, ending his stint in the car second fastest, only bettered by Mercedes driver George Russell who topped the timing screens at the end of the first practice of the day.

This is what the ten F1 rookies had to say of their FP1 outing at Yas Marina Circuit today:

Felipe Drugovich, Aston Martin: “It feels good! I really enjoyed it out there. The start of the session was primarily focused on some aerodynamic testing, so I had a rake attached to the car. That meant putting in some steady and consistent laps to make sure we were collecting the data we need to optimise the set-up for the upcoming sessions. After that, I was given some soft tyres and allowed to push, which is always the best bit. The car felt quick – we’ve made progress since Monza – and I think we’re starting the weekend off in a good place.” The Brazilian gets his own report for his impressive effort here>>>

Robert Shwartzman, Ferrari: "Quite a positive day on my side, as everything went smoothly and I’m generally very happy. We completed the programme we had planned and in terms of lap time I was close to Carlos who was my reference today. In terms of feeling, we had to manage the rear tyres quite a bit and the car was stiff in general, so it was a good challenge. A big thanks to the team and everyone who gave me the opportunity to drive today. It’s always amazing to drive a Formula 1 car, especially a Ferrari. I’ll be back in the car on Tuesday for an entire day of testing in Abu Dhabiand I’m really looking forward to it."

Jake Dennis, Red Bull: “What an incredible experience, I can only thank Red Bull Racing for the opportunity to drive this car. It is immaculate to drive and these moments don’t come around very often in your career. To finally tick driving in FP1 off the bucket list is pretty special. It is so different from what I am used to, the first run was mind-blowing, how quick these cars are and how much downforce and braking capacity they have. It was just a cool day in the office and I exited the car with a big smile on my face. I do a lot of work on the simulator for the Team so it’s good to correlate as much as possible back to the simulator in the factory and it is quite impressive how close it is. I had that fear factor, which you obviously don’t have on the sim and the G forces. It was a bit of a challenge, but I have given the car back to Max in one piece!"

Isack Hadjer, Red Bull: "Today in Abu Dhabi was a really good day! It was really busy driving in F1 and F2 in the same day but it was a really good experience, it's a big step up from F2 to F1. Driving the fastest car in the world was great, it was out of this world, especially in these conditions on track."

Fred Vesti, Mercedes: "Taking part in my second FP1 was an incredible experience. I've been looking forward to it for a long time, especially as it was on a track that I know well. I was really pleased with how the session went and I was progressing well throughout the hour. I was much more confident with the car than in Mexico given the knowledge I had gained from that FP1. There are always things you can improve and there was more potential out there. I'm looking forward to getting back in the car on Tuesday for the test and carrying on that development. Once again, a big thank you to Toto and the team for giving me the opportunity and supporting me."

Oliver Bearman, Haas: “I’m really happy to have completed another FP1 and rack up more miles in a Formula 1 car, I’ll never complain about that. It was a positive session, I built up step-by-step, the car felt good underneath me and we completed the program - that’s what I’m here to do. I think the team are happy, but I couldn’t debrief with them as I had to go back to Formula 2 afterwards, so that’s what I’m doing this evening.”

Pato O'Ward, McLaren: "First and foremost, I really enjoyed today. It was my first time in Abu Dhabi and first time driving a Williams Racing F1 car. I made quite good progress throughout the session, getting on top of the car and the different procedures. Thank you to Williams Racing for giving me the opportunity. I can’t wait for the Young Driver Test on Tuesday, to refine some of the things I’ve learnt from FP1 and make some more progress."

Théo Pourchaire, Alfa Romeo: "Driving this car is always an incredible feeling, and I’m grateful to the team for the trust they put in me, and for the opportunity they gave me to contribute to our work today in Abu Dhabi. I was really looking forward to driving, especially after missing out in Mexico, and I am pleased by the productive session we had. The track was quite green and there wasn’t much grip, but I felt better with every lap and I feel we had a good progression from Hard to Soft compounds. I am happy I was able to help the team in the session, and I’m looking forward to getting back in the car in the post-season test, especially to experience the difference in grip levels after the full race weekend.”