Austrian Grand Prix: Beganovic back at the wheel of the Ferrari in FP1

Dino Beganovic will once again step into Charles Leclerc’s shoes this Friday during the first free practice of the Austrian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old Swede, who has been a part of the Ferrari academy since 2020, is set to experience his second FP1 session this season, after having first driven the red single-seater during the Bahrain weekend in April.

This rotation is part of the regulatory obligations imposed by the FIA: each team must assign the seat to rookie drivers during two free practice sessions per car throughout the season. With this scheduled appearance by Beganovic, Ferrari completes the quota assigned to Leclerc’s car for 2025. Lewis Hamilton, for his part, will have to give up his seat on two occasions in the coming months.

Crucial evolution tests

The context of this FP1 session presents a significant challenge for the Scuderia. The team from Maranello intends to use these 90 minutes to evaluate substantial modifications made to the SF-25. These technical adjustments aim to correct the rear stability issues that have been penalizing the single-seater since the start of the championship.

Beganovic is currently competing in the Formula 2 season with Hitech GP, where he sits in tenth place in the overall standings with 29 points. His regular sessions in the Maranello simulator provide him with an in-depth understanding of technical developments, allowing him to compare virtual data with the actual sensations experienced on the asphalt.

« My screensaver, it’s incredible »

Recalling his journey with Ferrari, the Scandinavian driver shared his impressions before his first outing in Bahrain: « I wasn’t that nervous before FP1. I was much more nervous the first time I drove the car in January. But the day before, I started to get a bit nervous, only because I was in a meeting with all the people working at Ferrari, and obviously Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. »

« I take Charles’s place, and I drive alongside Lewis Hamilton, in a Ferrari. If you had told me six months ago that I would be doing this, during my toughest moments in F3, I would never have believed it », he had continued. « Everything can change very quickly, and my screensaver is incredible, it’s me and Lewis side by side on the track. »

This new outing at the Red Bull Ring provides Beganovic with an additional opportunity to demonstrate his abilities to the eyes of the Maranello leadership.