Ferrari Officially Names Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi FP1 Stand-In

Ferrari confirms Lewis Hamilton will skip FP1 at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Arthur Leclerc stepping in at Yas Marina on Friday to satisfy the rookie-running requirement.

Hamilton returns for FP2, the most representative session, preserving his preparation for qualifying and the race in the season finale on December 7.

This allocation reflects Ferrari’s final rookie obligation. Teams must field a rookie in two FP1 sessions across the season, using drivers with two Grands Prix or fewer.

Arthur Leclerc previously sampled FP1 in Abu Dhabi, sharing track time with his brother Charles. Another outing consolidates Ferrari’s evaluation of its junior talent under race-weekend pressure.

The trade-off is minimal for Hamilton. FP1 often runs in hotter, unrepresentative daylight, while FP2 mirrors qualifying and race conditions under lights.

Hamilton’s debut Ferrari season includes a Sprint win and a podium. A main-race podium remains the target, with Yas Marina offering a final chance to convert pace into result.

Ferrari also outlines post-season testing. Dino Beganovic drives the current SF-25 on Tuesday, while Hamilton and Charles Leclerc split remaining mileage equally across the day.

Beganovic has appeared in FP1 previously, building procedural familiarity. Additional mileage strengthens Ferrari’s pipeline and informs simulator correlation through the winter.

The competitive picture remains tight. Lando Norris leads the drivers’ standings on 408 points, with Max Verstappen on 396 and Oscar Piastri on 392 heading into Abu Dhabi.

Charles Leclerc holds fifth on 230 points, with Hamilton sixth on 152. In constructors, McLaren leads comfortably, while Ferrari sits fourth and targets consolidation.

Yas Marina’s layout rewards traction and rear stability, areas Ferrari has optimized recently. Running Arthur in FP1 should not compromise setup direction for the critical night sessions.

Expect Ferrari to prioritize long-run validation and tyre management in FP2. Hamilton’s workload centers on race balance, with qualifying simulations folded into the twilight program.

The strategy underscores Ferrari’s dual objectives: develop juniors without diluting headline preparation. With one race left, execution across FP2 and FP3 will define Hamilton’s podium prospects.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.