Red Bull Racing is banking heavily on Japanese talent this season of Formula 1. After Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix — where he substituted Liam Lawson and finished 12th — the team has now confirmed that Ayumu Iwasa will be substituting for Max Verstappen in the first practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Verstappen will be back in the car after the first session, as Iwasa’s outing is part of Formula 1’s 2025 regulation that mandates each team to provide rookie drivers with a minimum of two FP1 sessions per car throughout the season, totaling four rookie appearances.
Iwasa Gets His Chance on the Big Stage
Iwasa, 23, is part of the Red Bull Junior Team and Japan’s brightest racing prospect. He completed the FIA Formula 2 series last year and now tops Japan’s highest-level Super Formula Championship after rounds one and two of the 2025 season.
He has previously tasted Formula 1 action as he drove during FP1 sessions in Abu Dhabi and Japan in 2024 with Racing Bulls and at the Abu Dhabi post-season test.
Bahrain Grand Prix FP1 represents a major opportunity for Iwasa to wow team bosses on his way towards securing a regular F1 race seat shortly.
Other Rookie Turns in Bahrain
In addition to Iwasa, other newbies will also take part in the Bahrain GP’s first practice. Ryo Hirakawa will represent Haas, Frederik Vesti for Mercedes, Felipe Drugovich for Aston Martin, and Luke Browning for Williams — all seeking to take advantage of the rookie quota.
Current Championship Standings
While the new drivers prepare to face Bahrain, McLaren’s Lando Norris is at the top of the 2025 driver rankings with 61 points from three events. Max Verstappen takes the second position on 61 points, while Norris’s teammate mate Oscar Piastri, ranks third on 49 points.
The Bahrain GP might give vital clues regarding the future F1 stars since the teams will search for their next crop of drivers.