
Frederik Vesti will get behind the wheel of a Mercedes on Friday in Mexico City.
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes’ test and reserve driver, will run the first Friday practice in Mexico, during which he will drive George Russell’s car.
At the April round of the season in Bahrain the 23-year-old Dane drove the W16 for the first time, and then he also replaced Russell and will now again take the wheel of his car.
According to Formula 1 rules, each World Championship entrant must twice per season give up their cockpit seat to a rookie, defined as any driver who has competed in fewer than two Grands Prix. Kimi Antonelli will not have to do this, since at the start of the year he himself was such a rookie when he contested his first races in Australia and China.
Frederik Vesti: “I’m very happy this weekend to return to the wheel of the W16 in the first practice in Mexico. Over the past few months I’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator, and I consider the opportunity to apply that in practice on a real track a huge privilege.
It will allow me to gain additional experience that I can later share with our team of simulator specialists based at the factory in Brackley.
The Mexican track holds a special place in my heart. Its high altitude above sea level means that the car usually generates less downforce, and cooling is less efficient.
The driver feels that the car lacks grip, that it’s sliding, and all this only makes driving more difficult, even though the circuit is already challenging.
The atmosphere in the stadium is simply magnificent, and it’s especially nice to see the stands there filled to the brim with fans.”
Mercedes’ press office also noted that Vesti successfully combines his work with the team with appearances in endurance racing in the American IMSA series, where, together with his teammates in the No. 31 prototype of Cadillac’s factory team, he has this season won races at circuits such as Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Road Atlanta.
Frederik is familiar with the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, as it was there in 2023 that he completed his debut Formula 1 practice behind the wheel of the Mercedes W14.

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Frederik Vesti will get behind the wheel of a Mercedes on Friday in Mexico City.
Frederik Vesti, Mercedes' test and reserve driver, will take part in the first Friday practice in Mexico, during which he will drive George Russell's car...