Four rookie drivers will have the opportunity to participate in the TL1 of the Italian GP of Formula 1 this Friday, in Monza. Red Bull, Williams, Alpine, and Cadillac will use the session to fulfill part of the obligations set by the 2026 regulations.
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According to current rules, each team needs to put a driver considered a rookie, with a maximum of two starts in Grand Prix, in four TL1 sessions throughout the season, with two participations per car. Monza was chosen by four teams to advance this schedule.
At Red Bull, Ayumu Iwasa will take over Max Verstappen’s RB22. The Japanese driver has already accumulated seven participations in TL1 since 2024, divided between Red Bull and Racing Bulls, and will once again gain mileage in a car from the main team.
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Williams will put Luke Browning in place of Alex Albon. A member of the team’s academy, the British driver has already participated in six TL1 sessions previously. At Alpine, Paul Aron will replace Pierre Gasly in the A526, after accumulating eight appearances of this type in 2025, divided between Audi and Alpine.
Cadillac will have Colton Herta in Sergio Pérez’s car. The American, known for his career in IndyCar, will make his third participation in a TL1 in the 2026 season, after debuting in this format in Barcelona earlier this year.
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