Max Verstappen to miss Bahrain Grand due to…. read more
Max Verstappen will miss part of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, with Red Bull announcing that junior driver Ayumu Iwasa will take over his car for the first practice session (FP1) on Friday. The change comes as part of Red Bull’s adherence to the new regulations for the 2025 Formula 1 season, which require each team to give a rookie driver at least two opportunities to drive during the year. This is an increase from the previous rule, where each car was required to have a rookie driver participate only once during the season.
The new rule, implemented to provide more opportunities for up-and-coming drivers, has seen several teams decide to use the Bahrain Grand Prix as a chance to meet this requirement. Bahrain is a familiar circuit for most full-time drivers, as it hosted pre-season testing, making it an ideal venue for rookie drivers to step in without adding additional challenges. Iwasa’s appearance in FP1 marks a key moment in his growing F1 career, as he prepares to step into Verstappen’s RB21 for the session.
Alongside Iwasa, other rookie drivers will take part in FP1 for different teams. Felipe Drugovich will replace Lance Stroll for Aston Martin, Ryo Hirakawa will drive for Haas, Frederik Vesti will be behind the wheel for Mercedes, Dino Beganovic will step in for Ferrari, and Luke Browning will replace Carlos Sainz at Williams. After FP1, all of the regular drivers, including Verstappen, will return to their cars for the second practice session (FP2) later on Friday.
For Iwasa, this will be the third time he has participated in an official F1 session. He is a Red Bull junior driver and has previously gained experience during practice sessions for Racing Bulls in the 2024 season. Iwasa substituted for Daniel Ricciardo during FP1 of the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, and later, he replaced his fellow Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda during FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that same year. Despite these previous stints, the Bahrain Grand Prix will mark his first time driving for Red Bull in an official F1 session.
Iwasa has a solid racing background, having competed in Formula 2, where he showcased his skills and potential as a future F1 driver. Currently, he races in Super Formula, Japan’s premier open-wheel series, where he is performing impressively in 2025. Iwasa leads the championship after securing two podium finishes from the first two races of the season. This strong start to his Super Formula campaign further highlights his potential as a promising driver in the Red Bull driver development program.
Red Bull confirmed the change through a statement on their social media accounts, where they announced, “In the RB21 for FP1. @ayumuiwasa_cars will drive Max’s car for the first session of the #BahrainGP weekend.” This move aligns with Red Bull’s strategy to give young drivers more opportunities while adhering to the new F1 rules. The team’s decision to allow Iwasa to participate in the Bahrain weekend not only helps fulfill the rookie driver requirement but also gives the young Japanese driver valuable exposure to F1 machinery and tracks.
Verstappen, who has already established himself as one of the top drivers in F1, will be looking to build on his dominant performance at the Japanese Grand Prix in the previous race. The reigning four-time world champion is a favorite to challenge for the title again in 2025, and the change for FP1 in Bahrain will be a minor setback in his race weekend schedule. However, Verstappen will return to his car for FP2 and is expected to continue his dominance in the remainder of the weekend.
The introduction of rookie driver requirements in F1 aims to create more opportunities for young talent to gain valuable experience in the sport’s highest level of competition. Teams like Red Bull, which have a strong driver development program, are embracing the changes and offering their junior drivers opportunities to show their potential. As the 2025 season unfolds, fans will be closely watching these emerging talents as they take their first steps in the sport, with Iwasa’s appearance in Bahrain serving as a key moment in his journey toward potentially becoming a full-time F1 driver i
n the future.
