Ferrari Gives Beganovic FP1 Seat in Sao Paulo
Dino Beganovic will drive Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in Friday practice at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix while Leclerc is in Monaco.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Motorsports
Ferrari confirmed that Swedish driver Dino Beganovic will drive Charles Leclerc's SF-26 in FP1 at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Leclerc is in Monaco awaiting the birth of his first child with wife Alexandra.
Why it matters
Beganovic's appearance is his third FP1 for Ferrari this season and his fifth overall, following earlier deputising in Barcelona and Austria. The change comes after Leclerc received a five-second penalty for his role in a first-lap clash with Lewis Hamilton at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Beganovic's Friday outing is his third FP1 for Ferrari this season and fifth overall, while Leclerc received a five-second penalty for the Mexico City first-lap incident. The extraction gives no further performance metrics for either driver.
The players
Dino Beganovic
Swedish driver and F2 competitor who is deputising for Charles Leclerc in Ferrari's FP1 session at Sao Paulo.
Charles Leclerc
Monegasque Ferrari driver who is absent from Sao Paulo while awaiting the birth of his first child.
Lewis Hamilton
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion whose first-lap clash with Leclerc at the Mexico City Grand Prix led to a penalty for Leclerc.
The details
Beganovic, a Swedish driver and F2 competitor, will take the wheel of the SF-26 at Interlagos in place of Leclerc. Leclerc is in Monaco for the birth of his first child, and the team has not announced a plan for his return.
Timeline
Mexico City Grand Prix (last weekend): Leclerc and Hamilton collided on the first lap.
This weekend: Beganovic drives Leclerc's car in FP1 at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Season Trajectory
Beganovic's third FP1 appearance this season continues Ferrari's pattern of using substitute drivers during Friday practice. The move comes as Leclerc's on-track clash with Hamilton has added a penalty to his season record.
Fantasy and betting audiences tracking Leclerc should note that Beganovic is the driver listed for Friday's FP1 session. The extraction does not confirm whether Leclerc will race the weekend.
The takeaway
Driver substitutions in Formula 1 can shift both practice data and championship planning, so readers following Ferrari should watch for confirmed session line-ups before each race weekend.
Further reading
For more on the teams and drivers shaping the season, see Motorsports.
