F1, Alfa Romeo: starting a rookie in Austin free practice

In place of Bottas will be Théo Pourchaire

In the upcoming U.S. Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23, in Austin, Théo Pourchaire, a French driver who currently occupies the second position in the Formula 2 World Championship, will make his debut. Pourchaire will replace Valtteri Bottas in the first free practice session, due to the new rule that each team is required to field a young driver in at least two free practice sessions.

The young driver commented, “I am excited to make my debut in free practice in Austin. It will be my second time driving a Formula One car but in a way it is a real debut, as this time it is a practice session within a Grand Prix weekend. It’s a dream come true and I want to thank Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN for trusting me and giving me this great opportunity.I can’t wait to get on track and try to make the most of it, trying to give the team a hand ahead of the rest of the weekend.”

What’s more, the good news for Pourchaire doesn’t end there: the French driver has already been confirmed as a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen for next season.