Bahrain FP1: Two Japanese in Red Bull

The team is "throwing" Max Verstappen into the first practice session to seat a Japanese rookie/protégé in his place.

According to this year's regulations, four opportunities must be provided for rookies to gain experience during FP1, and Bahrain is the most suitable location for this. The first practice session doesn't weigh much in the balance, as the truly significant things happen under the spotlight on this track, and the young drivers are also well acquainted with the circuit, as it is a well-known and established venue in the feeder series. Following this logic, Ayumu Iwasa can sit in Max Verstappen's Red Bull, creating a rarely seen setup: a purely Japanese driver pairing in a Formula 1 team.

At 23 years old, Iwasa is no longer considered a winless driver; he currently leads the Super Formula championship but also competed in F2 for two years, where he was also among the top contenders. It will be interesting to see how he fares against Yuki Tsunoda!

Photo: FML / Red Bull