Five rookies got seat time in FP1 for the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix, with varying degrees of success one driver calling it the best day of his life, while another will probably remember it as one of his worst.
F1 teams are obliged to run rookie drivers twice per season, with five teams opting to give their drivers outings in the first Friday practice session at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The star of the 'F1 rookie show' was the youngest of the quintet, 18-year-old Oliver Bearman ended FP1 in 15th place on the timesheets. But notably, only three-tenths shy of Nico Hulkenberg, racing in his 200th GP weekend, in the sister Haas. And only a tenth shy of Logan Sargeant's Williams in 14th.
Bearman, driving Kevin Magnussen's car, also did more laps than his fellow rookies, racking up 30 laps in the one-hour session, after which he reported: “My first goal was to have a clean session and we did that, so that was the main thing.
"Secondly, I got up to speed quite fast, I had confidence in the car - it was my first time on the soft tires, my first time doing a long run – and I’ll do better the second time, but for my first FP1 I’m happy.
"The thing that surprised me was how much quicker you arrive at Turn 1 on a quali sim, compared to the race. The guys have given me pointers throughout, especially because the track is so unique due to the altitude. It was over so fast, but I’m going to be back on the sim preparing for Abu Dhabi," added the young British rookie.
Bearman was the best of the five rookie drivers in FP1
Ferrari-backed rookie Bearman also impressed Haas trackside boss Ayao Komatsu who said: "Not that my expectation was low, but that was so professional and he didn't put a foot wrong. The communication and the feedback were really good as well. So really, I’ve got nothing to complain about. It was a really impressive FP1."
In stark contrast, Alfa Romeo dropped the ball as they could not provide a drivable car for their rookie Théo Pourchaire on the day. It was embarrassing for the team, and heartbreaking for a driver who deserved better from an outfit competing at the pinnacle of motorsport.
Credit to Pourchaire for keeping cool and calm on what might have been one of his greatest days in motor racing. Nevertheless, he was clearly emotional as he watched the final moments of FP1, from the pit gantry.
Pouchaire: I suffered an issue with the braking system
After one of the most disappointing days of his career, Pouchaire reported: “I’m grateful to the team for this opportunity, even though we didn’t get much in terms of laps today. Unfortunately, I suffered an issue with the braking system at the beginning of the session, which prevented me from getting any running throughout FP1."
"The priority was, rightly, to promptly investigate the problem. Of course, it is a bit frustrating, as I was really looking forward to driving the C43 out on track; still, it’s all part of motorsport, and something like this can happen at any time – and, at least, it was during practice.
"On a positive note, the team was able to quickly address the issue and solve it between the sessions, so that Valtteri could get some proper track time this afternoon. I am hopeful I will get some more time in the car.
"But now, I will resume my reserve driver duties, while putting my focus on the Formula 2 finale which will take place in a little less than a month. There’s a job to be done and I want to give 100% towards my objective," added Pouchaire. Indeed Alfa Romeo owe the 21-year-old Frenchman him another shot.
Vesti: A very special weekend for me, a dream come true
Danish 21-year-old Frederik Vesti was in action for Mercedes, in George Russell's car and completed 25 laps, ending slowest of the five in 19th. He said afterwards: "This is a very special weekend for me, it's a dream come true and I'm very grateful to the team for the opportunity.
"Since I joined the team's junior programme, there's been a lot of work going into getting the right results and lots of preparations in the simulator to prepare me for today. It was a good session for us overall, we managed to get some useful information from the long run stints and understand the prototype tyres and degradation at this track.
"I've never raced here before and it's definitely a difficult track with low grip, which you can also really feel in the car. So, lots of learnings for me and the team today in this one-hour-long practice session and hopefully good preparations for decent results on Sunday. And I can't wait to be back in Abu Dhabi and sit in the car for the team again," added Vesti.
Doohan: I felt very comfortable in the car right from my first lap
At Alpine, son of Australian MotoGP legend Mick Doohan, Jack had seat time in place of Pierre Gasly. The 20-year-old reported: "It was a really good session and I felt very comfortable in the car right from my first lap. I was glad to contribute to the team’s programme, which, on my side, focused on a couple of future test items.
"It was important to get through the session without any issues and tick all the boxes on our run list, which we were able to achieve trouble-free. I’ve been testing throughout the year in the 2021 car, so I definitely felt ready for today and it meant we could be right on it from the start.
"I’m very grateful to the team for the opportunity and for their trust and support both in the build-up ahead of the day and during the session itself. I’m now looking forward to seeing how the rest of the weekend unfolds for the team and offering my support where I can," concluded Doohan.
Hadjar: It's the best day of my life!
In Yuki Tsunoda's Alpha Tauri was 19-year-old Isack Hadjar who reported after his 25-lap stint: “It's the best day of my life! My first ever time in an F1 car was incredible, so I’m happy. There was so much going on with the procedures and traffic that it was overwhelming at first.
"It was tough, but I got into a rhythm quite quickly, and my confidence grew. During my first runs, I struggled to get a lap without traffic, but in the last run, the race pace was quite good and consistent, and I could manage the soft compound for a few laps. It was a really good experience, and now I can't wait to be back in the car," added rookie Hadjar.
Former F1 driver turned Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle summed up: "It was a baptism of fire for most of them. They were pushing hard. Young Bearman went straight out of the pits and was hanging it out.
"I don’t think it did him a lot of good in the end, but I did admire his spirit. It’s so important for the young drivers to get this experience though," insisted Brundle.
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