P1racenews AI automatic summary:
How did each of the rookies do after they replaced half of the grid for the opening practice session at Yas Marina?
The final race weekend of the year started with an unusual practice session, as half of the grid was replaced by rookie drivers. Many teams chose to utilize their required rookie FP1 outings at Yas Marina. There were no major incidents, but Jack Doohan and Logan Sargeant had a near-miss when Doohan was unsighted on Sargeant at high speed. Red Bull had to swap their entire driver lineup, with Jake Dennis and Isack Hadjar taking the wheel. Dennis, who hadn’t participated in an official F1 weekend on track since 2018, described the experience as incredible and the car as immaculate. Both Frederik Vesti and Theo Pourchaire, who are championship rivals in Formula 2, also took part in the session. Vesti felt confident and progressed well throughout the hour, while Pourchaire enjoyed the feeling of driving the car and expressed gratitude to the team. The track had low grip, but both drivers felt that they made progress throughout the session.
