Pierre Gasly to miss Monza FP1 as Alpine field F1 rookie
Paul Aron is set to make his second appearance for Alpine in FP1 this year.
Pierre Gasly will make way for rookie driver Paul Aron in free practice one at the Italian Grand Prix, as the Estonian makes his fourth appearance of the campaign.
This season, teams must field a rookie driver on at least four occasions in practice sessions, with a rookie being defined as a driver with fewer than two grands prix starts to their name.
Alpine has so far used only one of its rookie slots, with Aron having replaced Franco Colapinto at the Hungarian Grand Prix. However, he has gained experience on two further occasions, driving for Audi in Barcelona and Austria, replacing Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto once apiece.
“I am looking forward to driving again in Free Practice 1 with the team this weekend," said Aron.
"I am grateful to the team for giving me the opportunity to get back behind the wheel so soon. I was very pleased with my session in Budapest, and I hope to build on it this time around, particularly helping the team compare our latest upgrade package which I have driven in the simulator.
"It's going to be a busy weekend for me as I'll be on the simulator at Enstone on Friday night to further help the team fine tune the set-up before returning to the track on Saturday. I'll give it my all to hopefully assist the team in having a successful weekend.”
Aron finished third in Formula 2 in 2024, and won the Qatar feature race. The previous year, he had also finished third in his rookie Formula 3 campaign.
The 22-year-old was a part of the Mercedes Junior Team between 2019 and 2023, but signed as Alpine's reserve driver in 2025 after completing a post-season F1 test with the team in Abu Dhabi.
Although making a delayed start to his weekend, Gasly is eager to get going on a track that holds significant meaning to him.
“I always love Italian Grand Prix week for a number of reasons," said the Frenchman.
"Firstly, Milan is where I live so I get to spend the week at home, which is always a bit of a luxury given how often we travel. So, in some way, it is a bit of a 'home' race for me!
"Secondly, I love the track. It's one of the most famous in Formula One and known for its out-and-out speed, big braking zones and some amazing corner combinations.
"And, finally, of course, it is where I won my first Formula One race back in 2020. A memory which will for sure last a lifetime and something I reflect on regularly. We go to Monza feeling positive after scoring some points in Zandvoort. The upgrade package worked well and I know we probably left a bit on the table last time out which we want to put right this weekend. I'm excited for it and I am feeling hungry to add more points in our championship fight.”
Sam joined Crash.net in February 2026 with extensive experience in motorsport media, having covered numerous championships around the world.
