Red Bull Junior Iwasa to receive F1 FP1 session at Suzuka

Red Bull Junior Ayumu Iwasa will make his debut outing in a Formula 1 race weekend when he takes over Daniel Ricciardo’s RB car for FP1 at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Since 2022, the FIA has imposed a regulation that each of the 20 drivers on the grid must give up an FP1 session for a rookie, who has fewer than two grand prix starts. 

While most teams elected to wait until the closing rounds of last season to fulfil that obligation, RB has decided to complete one of its two duties in the fourth round.

Liam Lawson would have been the standout candidate, but his five stand-in appearances for the team last season have ruled him out as a viable option for FP1 outings.

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Iwasa’s appearance will see RB field an all-Japanese driver line-up during the first practice hour at Suzuka, with Yuki Tsunoda remaining in the cockpit of the VCARB 01.

“I am very happy to be able to participate in an official F1 session in my home country, and I am excited to be able to take the first step toward the realisation of my dream – winning races and capture the world championship title for many consecutive years in F1, the world’s most prestigious series,” Iwasa said.

Iwasa conducted his maiden F1 testing experience at last season’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi with the Faenza-based squad when it was known as AlphaTauri.

RB Team Principal Laurent Mekies added that Iwasa had impressed in the test at the Yas Marina Circuit and highlighted the role he has been undergoing since then.

“He did a great job in the Abu Dhabi test at the end of last year when he drove for us for the first time, Mekies said.

“Since then, he has been doing a lot a valuable work in our simulator, including providing live race support.

“This on-track experience will be important for his growth as a young driver, as well as providing him and our engineers with a useful real-track correlation of the work he carries out for us in the simulator.”

Iwasa competed in Formula 2 last season with DAMS – his second campaign in the second-tier series – and scored three wins as he placed fourth in the championship.

The 22-year-old, who won the 2020 French F4 series, has since switched over to Japanese Super Formula with Mugen, where he classified ninth in his debut at Suzuka.