Red Bull Racing will temporarily alter its driver lineup for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen is set to sit out the first free practice session (FP1). In his place, Red Bull junior driver Ayumu Iwasa will take the wheel of the RB21.
This decision complies with FIA regulations, which require each Formula 1 team to give junior or rookie drivers at least two FP1 opportunities during the season. Iwasa’s appearance in Bahrain will be one of Red Bull’s mandatory four sessions across the year.
Iwasa, 23, joined the Red Bull Junior Academy in 2021 and has previously driven in FP1 at both the Japanese and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix for VCARB. He currently races for Team Mugen in Japan’s Super Formula series and previously competed in Formula 2 with DAMS.
In the RB21 for FP1 👏 @ayumuiwasa_cars will drive Max’s car for the first session of the #BahrainGP weekend 🇧🇭#F1 || #RedBullRacing pic.twitter.com/v0Uic8PvRI
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) April 9, 2025
Meanwhile, Verstappen heads into Bahrain with momentum after securing his first win of the 2025 season in Japan. He dominated the Suzuka weekend, clinching pole position and fending off fierce competition from McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri during the race. His victory tightened the championship standings, reducing his deficit to leader Norris by a single point.
Red Bull has experienced some instability in its driver lineup this season. After parting ways with Sergio Perez, the team brought in Liam Lawson, who was later replaced by Yuki Tsunoda following two non-scoring races. Despite another point-less outing at Suzuka, Tsunoda has been confirmed to continue as Verstappen’s teammate for the rest of the season. According to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, Tsunoda’s performance showed promise given his limited time in the car.
While Verstappen initially expressed disappointment over Lawson’s departure, Red Bull appears committed to giving Tsunoda a full season to prove himself.