FRESH FACES

The F1 season roars into life at the Australian GP this weekend. While Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will field unchanged lineups, further down the grid there are four drivers beginning their first full F1 seasons.

SERGEY SIROTKIN, 22

Country: Russia

Team: Williams

GP starts: 0

He was a controversial choice ahead of Robert Kubica for the seat vacated by Felipe Massa’s retirement, with some believing he got the seat because of sponsorship money. His pairing with 19-year-old Lance Stroll means Williams have the youngest driver line-up.

PIERRE GASLY, 22

Country: France

Team: Toro Rosso

GP starts: 5

The Frenchman replaced under-performing Daniil Kvyat at last year’s Malaysian and Japanese GPs after claiming the GP2 championship in 2016 — the 2nd youngest winner after Rosberg. He was beaten to the Toro Rosso seat at the start of 2017 by Kvyat.

CHARLES LECLERC, 20

Country: Monaco Team: Sauber

GP starts: 0

The youngest rookie on the 2018 grid, Leclerc has impressive credentials in open-wheel, singleseater racing. He was GP3 champion in 2016, Formula Two world champion in 2017 and has been attached to the Ferrari drivers academy since 2016.

BRENDON HARTLEY, 28

Country: New Zealand Team: Toro Rosso

GP starts: 4

A veteran among new faces at 28, he became the first New Zealander in F1 since Mike Thackwell in 1984 when he filled in at the Red Bull junior team for the absent Gasly at the US GP in 2017. Hartley had been cut from the Red Bull young drivers’ programme.