Verstappen Sits Out FP1 at Monza: Iwasa Takes the Wheel
Max Verstappen will start his Italian Grand Prix weekend from the garage rather than the cockpit, but any panic among Red Bull fans can stop there. The world champion is not missing Monza. He’s simply handing over his RB22 for the opening session.
For FP1 at the Temple of Speed, Ayumu Iwasa will step into Verstappen’s car, giving the Japanese driver a rare and valuable run in current machinery. Once that first hour is done, the usual order resumes: Verstappen is back in for FP2 and will see out the rest of the weekend.
Iwasa’s Chance at the Temple of Speed
Iwasa, 25, is one of Red Bull’s reserve and development drivers, and Monza offers him a prime showcase. He’ll take charge of the team’s 2026 car during FP1, ticking off a key requirement in Formula 1’s rookie running regulations.
This is not about injury, illness, or any quiet suspension. Red Bull is simply using the rules to its advantage. Teams must give rookie drivers track time in four free practice sessions across the season, and this is one of those slots. Verstappen’s car is the one being rotated, and Iwasa gets the nod.
For the Dutchman, it’s a brief interruption, not a disruption. He knew in advance he’d be stepping aside for FP1 and will still have ample time to dial himself in for qualifying and the race once he’s back in the cockpit from FP2 onwards.
Red Bull Shuffle Continues
The rookie mileage plan isn’t the only change in Red Bull’s ranks this weekend.
There is another switch on the Monza entry list: Hadjar remains out with a wrist injury and will sit out again. Liam Lawson returns alongside Verstappen at Red Bull, while Yuki Tsunoda moves across to Racing Bulls to cover Lawson’s usual role.
It’s a small reshuffle, but in a tightly packed field, every lap, every adaptation, every familiarisation run matters.
Verstappen Arrives With a Point to Prove
Verstappen heads to Monza with something to chew on after his crash at the Dutch Grand Prix. The error has sharpened his edge rather than dulled it. Inside the team, he has urged Red Bull to stay realistic about their pace, even with last year’s victory at this circuit still fresh in the memory.
Monza is unforgiving. The margins are thin, the straights are long, and the stopwatch is brutal. Verstappen will miss only one practice session, but with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove, he won’t waste a single lap once he straps back into that RB22.
