Lando Norris Missed Austrian GP FP1 Session For Rookie Driver, Who and Why?

 

Lando Norris leads the Austrian GP FP2 session on his return to the grid after missing the first session

As Formula One drivers returned to the grid to practice for the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, McLaren's Lando Norris was missing in action at the practice session. He was replaced by a rookie, Alex Dunne, in FP1. 

However, the 2024 F1 Championship runner-up returned for the second session of the practice and led the way by one hundredth and half a second faster than his teammate, Oscar Piastri. The defending champion, Max Verstappen, finished third, and Lewis Hamilton in 10th position. 

Last weekend was unpleasant for Norris, who collided with Piastri and crashed his car. He retired from the race, and a safety car was deployed. The incident cost him the needed points to close the gap with Piastri in the F1 Championship driver standings, which the latter leads. 

Why Did Lando Norris Miss Austrian GP FP1? 

Until now, rookie drivers have only gotten the chance to get on the grid when a driver is set to miss a race due to injury or any related incidents. However, that has changed under the new F1 regulations. 

The new F1 regulation requires each team to run a rookie driver in their cars twice in a season, in a practice session at two Grand Prix. To that effect, each racing driver of a team will miss at least a practice session in a season, allowing a rookie in his place. 

Alex Dunne was the rookie who raced in place of Norris at the FP1. Born in the Republic of Ireland, the F2 leading driver is the first from the country to run in an official F1 session since 1982. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc also missed the FP1 session, to be replaced by a Swedish rookie, Dino Beganovic. The 21-year-old is a three-time F2 podium finisher