Fred Vesti, a rising star under Mercedes’ wing, is gearing up for his first on-track appearance in the W16 during FP1 at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Vesti, who handles simulator duties for the team, plays a crucial role in supporting George Russell and Kimi Antonelli with setup tweaks every race weekend. This Danish driver, poised to compete in the IMSA sportscar championship by 2025, will finally have the chance to steer a Mercedes in real life. Despite having notched up “the most miles of anyone” on the W16 through virtual simulation, this will be his maiden real-world drive. Bradley Lord, Mercedes’ director of communications, shared this update with various media outlets, including RacingNews365.
In Sakhir, Vesti will take over Russell’s seat for FP1. This 60-minute practice is known to be one of the least indicative sessions since it occurs during daylight, while FP2, qualifying, and the race itself unfold under evening skies.
Starting in 2025, new regulations demand that each car be handed over twice a season to a rookie, defined as someone with fewer than two Grand Prix starts, for a young driver FP1 session. Mercedes has already put Antonelli in the cockpit for such sessions at the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix. This means Russell has one more FP1 session to skip this season to fulfill his quota.
Previously, Vesti had filled in for both Russell and Lewis Hamilton during FP1 at the 2023 Grands Prix in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi. He also represented Mercedes during the post-season tests in Abu Dhabi in both 2023 and 2024.
