Ferrari has revealed that Dino Beganovic is set to step into Charles Leclerc’s car for the first practice session at the Bahrain Grand Prix. This marks the start of a thrilling weekend for the young Swedish driver.
Beganovic, just 21, is gearing up for a packed schedule in Bahrain. As a member of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy, he’s not only competing in the second leg of the Formula 2 championship with the Hitech Grand Prix team but is also making his debut in an official Formula 1 session. He will be driving Leclerc’s SF-25 during the initial free practice, a significant milestone in his budding career.
This opportunity aligns with the FIA’s directive requiring each race driver to relinquish their seat twice per season to a young talent with under two Formula 1 race starts—a change from the previous requirement of once per year.
By providing Beganovic with this chance, Ferrari ensures he becomes the fifth driver from the Maranello Academy lineage to pilot a Ferrari during an official session. His predecessors include Charles and Arthur Leclerc, Robert Schwartzman, and Oliver Bearman.
Beganovic joined the Ferrari Academy in 2020 and is now set to become the second Swede to drive for the Scuderia in Formula 1, following Stefan Johansson, who raced for Ferrari in the mid-1980s with six podium finishes out of 31 starts. Although not in Formula 1, the legendary Ronnie Peterson had also enjoyed success with Ferrari, clinching victories in several endurance races with the Ferrari 312 P during the 1970s.
