Ferrari has thrown a curveball at the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend From Friday, December 5 to Sunday, December 7, confirming that Arthur Leclerc will take the wheel in first practice while Lewis Hamilton sits out — not due to drama, but bureaucracy.
With teams required to run a rookie twice in FP1 each season, Ferrari realised it had only ticked that box once. Cue Arthur Leclerc, Ferrari Academy driver and younger brother of Charles, stepping neatly into Hamilton’s seat for the opening session at Yas Marina.
The upshot? A Leclerc double act back in action. The pair last shared FP1 duties here a year ago, a moment fans adored for its family charm — and they’re getting the sequel.
Arthur now gets another crack at a current-spec Ferrari, a golden chance to show he’s more than just Charles’s sibling. Meanwhile, Charles sticks to his programme, no doubt keeping one eye on how his brother handles the upgraded machinery.
Hamilton, for his part, returns for FP2, which is the session that actually matters in Abu Dhabi’s twilight conditions. With his first Ferrari season yielding just a Sprint win and a solitary podium, he’s desperate to haul himself onto a “proper” rostrum before the year closes. No pressure, then.
Ferrari also lifted the lid on its post-season test plans. Rising star Dino Beganovic will spend Tuesday in the SF-25, while Charles and Hamilton split the remaining running between them. The Scuderia clearly has its youth ladder front and centre — and for now, that means Arthur gets his moment in the floodlights alongside big brother.
