Russell to sit out Mexico City practice as Vesti takes the Mercedes in FP1
George Russell will give up his car for first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, with Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti driving instead. It is the first of two mandatory rookie sessions Russell owes this season.
A quiet Friday for the title chaser
George Russell is still mathematically alive in the championship, yet he will not run in the first hour at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. According to RacingNews365, Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti will take over the W17 for first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, and Russell returns for second practice.
It is the first time this season that Russell hands over a car for one of the two Friday-morning sessions he owes to a young driver under the rookie rule. RacingNews365 says he must give up one more session before the year ends.
How the rookie rule works
Every team has to field a rookie, defined as a driver with no more than one grand prix start, in each of its cars twice during 2026. That makes four first-practice outings per team. The Race's season overview lists Vesti with outings in Barcelona and Hungary, and now Mexico for Mercedes. In Barcelona and Hungary he drove in place of Kimi Antonelli, who has therefore already used both of his slots.
Mexico is a popular choice for the swap. The altitude and the often dusty surface make the opening session of the weekend less valuable than usual, so teams tend to give it to a junior driver and send the regular driver out later.
The title picture
Antonelli leads Russell by 123 points with 125 still available, according to RacingNews365. Russell can only keep the fight going by winning in Mexico. Even then, Antonelli would clinch the title with a ninth place or better. If Russell does not win, Antonelli is champion by default. Lewis Hamilton also remains in contention on paper: if he wins, Antonelli needs a tenth place or better.
By the numbers
Our season data shows Antonelli with nine wins and 15 podiums from the 18 races so far, against three wins and eight podiums for Russell. Six drivers have won a race in 2026, and five rounds remain after the United States Grand Prix.
Other teams are also using the Mexico weekend for rookies. Aston Martin runs Jak Crawford and Audi gives Freddie Slater his first Formula 1 practice outing, according to RacingNews365. Vesti's outing will be his third first-practice run for Mercedes this year.
