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Alpine and Cadillac will each hand one of their regular race drivers’ cars to a reserve or academy driver during the opening free practice session at this weekend’s Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.
The announcements come after a period of change for both teams. Alpine recently confirmed that Franco Colapinto will remain alongside Pierre Gasly in its 2027 race line-up, a decision covered in Alpine’s 2027 driver announcement. Cadillac, meanwhile, arrives at Monza for its second race under new boss Marcin Budkowski, who replaced Graeme Lowdon before the Dutch Grand Prix.
Alpine will sideline Gasly on Friday afternoon, giving Paul Aron the opportunity to take control of the car. The Estonian prospect, part of Alpine’s academy programme, will make his fourth FP1 appearance of the season and his second for the Enstone-based team.
Aron has already completed two free practice sessions for Audi earlier in the summer. His return to Alpine provides another opportunity to assess his progress in Formula 1 machinery while the team manages its regular driver allocation at Monza.
The session will also add another layer to Aron’s 2026 programme, which has already included outings with more than one team.
Cadillac will make a similar change, with Colton Herta replacing Sergio Perez in FP1. The American is set for his third chance to impress behind the wheel of a Cadillac after running in Barcelona and Hungary.
Herta’s Monza appearance will be balanced with his Formula 2 responsibilities for Hitech over the same weekend, underlining the demanding schedule facing drivers moving between junior categories and Formula 1 opportunities.
Cadillac’s decision also gives Herta another chance to build experience with the team as it continues its development under Budkowski’s leadership. Perez, meanwhile, will be absent from the car for the opening session but remains part of Cadillac’s race-driver roster.
Alpine and Cadillac will not be the only teams running a different driver in Monza’s opening session. Luke Browning will once again drive for Williams, fitting the appearance around his Super Formula commitments with Kondo Racing.
Browning’s participation was previously confirmed as a replacement for Alex Albon in Williams FP1, making him a familiar presence among the young drivers receiving further Formula 1 running at Monza.
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