LEWIS HAMILTON IS REPLACED BY FERRARI TEAM-MATE CHARLES LECLERC'S BROTHER AT FINAL RACE WEEKEND
Lewis Hamilton will be replaced by Charles Leclerc's younger brother during part of the final race weekend of the season in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari has confirmed.
Hamilton, 40, has endured a disastrous debut campaign at the Scuderia and heads into the season finale without a single podium finish, languishing sixth in the drivers' standings a mere two points ahead of his Mercedes replacement Kimi Antonelli.
The seven-time world champion is set to sit out of the opening practice session at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, with Arthur Leclerc taking his seat in the Ferrari.
According to F1 regulations in 2025, rookies must appear in at least four FP1 sessions across the season, twice as many as before. A rookie is defined as a driver with no more than two Grand Prix starts.
As a result, Leclerc's younger brother Arthur will replace Hamilton during Friday's opening qualifying session in order to fulfil Ferrari's rookie obligation for the season.
Ferrari's all-Leclerc line-up offers a repeat of last season, when the siblings became the first two brothers in F1 history to appear together as team-mates during a practice session.
Arthur is the third rookie to drive for Ferrari in FP1 sessions this season, after 21-year-old Dino Beganovic and 29-year-old Antonio Fuoco.
Hamilton, who went head-to-head with Max Verstappen for the title at the Yas Marina circuit four years ago, has seen his performance on the grid drop dramatically since his shock exit from the Silver Arrows.
After a dismal Hungarian Grand Prix in August, the veteran sensationally invited Ferrari to sack him by admitting he was 'absolutely useless', while in Las Vegas last month he qualified last for the first time in his career.
Hamilton labelled his first season at Ferrari as the 'worst ever' in Vegas and followed it up with a P12 finish at the penultimate race of the season in Qatar last weekend.
Due to Hamilton's struggles on the grid, and Leclerc's failure to mount a title challenge, Ferrari have had a season to forget, fourth in the constructors' standings behind McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull.
Last year, they headed into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with an outside shot of winning the constructors' title, only to be pipped at the post by McLaren.
Hamilton is far from the only driver being replaced for FP1 in Abu Dhabi, with a total of nine rookies being offered a chance on the final race weekend.
McLaren will substitute championship contender Oscar Piastri for Pato O'Ward, while Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda, who has already lost his seat ahead of next season, will give his seat to Arvid Lindblad.
Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon and Liam Lawson make up the nine who will make way for rookies at the Yas Marina circuit.
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