Six F1 teams will field rookie drivers during Friday’s opening practice session for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with several familiar faces returning to the track just one week after their outings in Mexico City.
As per the 2026 regulations, every full-time racer must make way for a rookie, defined as someone who has started no more than two Grands Prix, in two practice sessions across the season. The newcomers will have one hour behind the wheel before handing their cars back for FP2, while Rafael Camara is preparing for a different challenge as he makes his full F1 debut for Haas.
But who exactly will be out on track? Here’s an overview of the six drivers taking part in FP1, plus the Brazilian youngster making his first Grand Prix appearance…
Leonardo Fornaroli – McLaren
Leonardo Fornaroli will return to the wheel of McLaren’s MCL40 for the second consecutive weekend after making his third FP1 appearance of the season in Mexico City.
The reigning F2 champion joined McLaren’s Driver Development Programme after securing back-to-back titles in F3 and F2, and has been building his experience through private tests and practice sessions. His preparations included a recent Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) outing at Circuit Paul Ricard, where he completed almost 350 kilometres before finishing P17 in Mexico City’s FP1 session.
After replacing Lando Norris last time out, the 21-year-old will now step into Oscar Piastri’s car at Interlagos, completing McLaren’s mandatory rookie practice allocation.
Dino Beganovic – Ferrari
Ferrari opted not to field a newcomer in the rookie-filled FP1 session in Mexico City, but Dino Beganovic will return to the SF-26 for another appearance with the Scuderia.
A member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2020, the 22-year-old Swede has already completed two FP1 outings this year, in Austria and Barcelona. Beganovic impressed during these appearances, finishing eighth in Barcelona and ninth in Austria, where he completed 26 laps.
Currently competing in F2 with DAMS, he will once again replace Charles Leclerc as Ferrari look to gather valuable data during Friday’s opening practice session.
Luke Browning – Williams
Williams Reserve Driver Luke Browning is preparing for his fifth FP1 appearance of the season, following outings in Barcelona, Austria, Italy and Mexico City.
The Briton, who also competes in Japan’s Super Formula championship, was awarded an additional practice opportunity after an electrical issue prevented him from completing any running in Barcelona. Browning returned to the cockpit in Mexico City, completing 33 laps as he continued to familiarise himself with the FW48 and the new regulations.
The 24-year-old will now replace Carlos Sainz at Interlagos, marking his final scheduled rookie outing of the campaign after stepping in for Alex Albon last time out.
Freddie Slater – Audi
Freddie Slater will be hoping for a smoother experience as he returns to Audi’s R26 following a disrupted first F1 practice appearance in Mexico City.
The 18-year-old, who became the first member of Audi’s Driver Development Programme earlier this year, saw his running compromised after a cooling fan was inadvertently left attached to his car, resulting in a €7,500 fine for the team.
After finishing runner-up in F3 this season, the Briton is preparing to step up to F2 with Invicta Racing in 2027.
He will replace Nico Hulkenberg in Brazil after driving Gabriel Bortoleto’s car in Mexico City.
Gabriele Mini – Alpine
Gabriele Mini will make his second consecutive FP1 appearance for Alpine after his official F1 weekend debut in Mexico City.
A member of the Alpine Academy since 2023, the Italian previously completed Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) running in July before stepping into Franco Colapinto’s A526 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
The 21-year-old finished P14, just over seven tenths behind Pierre Gasly, despite a Virtual Safety Car disrupting his final soft-tyre run.
Currently fourth in the F2 standings with two victories and seven further podiums, Mini will return to the cockpit at Interlagos, this time replacing Gasly.
Colton Herta – Cadillac
Colton Herta will make his sixth FP1 appearance of the season as the American continues his pursuit of the Super Licence points required to compete in F1.
The former IndyCar driver has been balancing his F2 campaign with test driver duties for Cadillac, completing practice outings in Barcelona, Hungary, Italy, Austin and Mexico City. Currently 19th in the F2 standings, Herta has impressed Cadillac during his F1 appearances and remains a potential candidate for a future race seat.
After falling short of the required mileage in Mexico City, the 26-year-old needs to complete at least 100 kilometres on Friday to secure his final Super Licence point.
He will replace Sergio Perez in Sao Paulo after stepping into Valtteri Bottas’ car last time out.
Rafael Camara – Haas
While the other rookies will hand their cars back after FP1, Rafael Camara is preparing for his full Formula 1 debut in front of his home crowd.
The 21-year-old Brazilian, who currently leads the F2 standings and has secured titles in Formula Regional and F3, was originally due to join Haas as a full-time driver in 2027.
However, his debut has been brought forward following the team confirmed Esteban Ocon would no longer compete for them, with reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa replacing the Frenchman in Mexico City and scoring a point on his F1 debut.
Hirakawa’s World Endurance Championship commitments have since opened the door for Camara, who impressed Haas during a TPC outing at Portimao in August.
A member of the Ferrari Driver Academy since 2021, Camara will partner Ollie Bearman for the entire weekend. He has never raced at Interlagos or driven the team’s 2026 challenger, but will have three practice sessions to get up to speed ahead of Qualifying.
Haas have yet to confirm who will occupy the seat for the remaining rounds of the season.
