Verstappen Sits Out FP1 at Monza: Iwasa Steps In
Max Verstappen will begin his Italian Grand Prix weekend from the garage rather than the cockpit, but any sense of alarm around Red Bull is misplaced. This is rotation, not drama.
The three-time world champion will hand over his Red Bull RB22 for Friday’s opening practice at Monza, with Ayumu Iwasa stepping in for FP1. Verstappen returns for FP2 and will run the rest of the weekend as normal.
No injury. No illness. No suspension. Just a team ticking off a requirement and giving one of its prospects a rare taste of the “Temple of Speed”.
Iwasa’s Shot in the RB22
Iwasa, 25, is one of Red Bull’s reserve and development drivers and has been selected to fulfil one of the rookie outings mandated across the season. Teams must field rookie drivers in four free practice sessions during the year; this is one of Red Bull’s chosen slots.
For Iwasa, it is a golden chance: a live session in the RB22 around one of Formula 1’s most unforgiving circuits. For Verstappen, it is a brief pause. He will sit out the first hour, watch the data roll in, then climb back into the car for FP2 with ample time to tune his setup for qualifying and the race.
The plan was announced in advance. There is no cloak and dagger here, just a deliberate decision to use FP1 for long-term gain.
Red Bull’s Shuffle at Monza
Iwasa is not the only change in Red Bull colours this weekend.
One of the team’s other drivers, Hadjar, is still sidelined as he continues to recover from a wrist injury. That keeps him out of action again, which opens the door for Liam Lawson to return alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.
Yuki Tsunoda, in turn, will step in for Lawson at Racing Bulls, completing a neat little reshuffle across the Red Bull stable.
It is a reminder of how tightly linked the Red Bull ecosystem remains: injuries, rookie requirements and development plans all feed into who sits where on a Friday.
Verstappen Arrives with a Point to Prove
Verstappen heads to Monza carrying something unusual for him this season – a sting from the last race. His crash at the Dutch Grand Prix left him with unfinished business and a sharper edge.
He has already urged Red Bull to stay realistic about their pace, even with last year’s Monza victory in the bank. The benchmark is high, the expectations higher, but he wants no illusions about the challenge ahead.
So he will watch Iwasa’s FP1 run, study the numbers, and then take back control of the RB22 in FP2. From that moment on, Monza becomes familiar territory again: Verstappen in full attack mode, chasing redemption at the Temple of Speed.
