George Russell recently saw his multi-year extension with Mercedes officially announced. Photo: RacePictures.

Russell to sit out in Mexican GP FP1: here's who will replace him

10:17, 21 Oct

Updated: 10:33, 21 Oct

byTobia Elia

Mercedes has announced that George Russell will not take part in the first practice session at the Mexican Grand Prix.

His seat will be taken by Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti, who already had the chance to get behind the wheel of the W16 earlier this year in Bahrain.

The Dane raced in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the GTP category with the Whelen Cadillac Racing team in 2025 while serving his duties for Mercedes at the same time.

Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, will be in the car from the start of the weekend, while the Briton will return to the cockpit for the second practice session.

mercedes-reserve-driver-frederik-vesti-jpg

Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti - Photo: Race Pictures

“I am extremely happy to get back behind the wheel of W16 for FP1 in Mexico this weekend,” the Danish driver said about the opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in an official session.

“I have done a lot of work in the simulator these past few months and it is a huge privilege to put this into action on track. This new opportunity will give me more experience as a driver but will also enable me to bring new input to the simulator team back in Brackley.”

He finally added: “My endurance racing this year has helped me stay sharp and prepare to jump back into the F1 car, and I have been working on my neck for Mexico as we know Formula 1 does not spare the body!

“I want to thank the team for giving me this opportunity and allowing me to build on the progress we have made so far.”

Hamilton also benched for FP1 in Mexico

The Brit won’t take part in the opening free practice session at the Mexican Grand Prix, with Ferrari confirming that Antonio Fuoco will take his place in the SF-25. Fuoco, a Ferrari Driver Academy member and part of the team’s WEC line-up, famously triumphed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year driving the 499P.

Hamilton will return to the car later in the day for FP2, as the event in Mexico marks a return to Formula 1’s usual weekend schedule after the sprint format used in Austin.

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.