Friday’s opening practice session at Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix will deliver yet another reshuffle of the Formula 1 field, with Red Bull confirming that Ayumu Iwasa will take over Isack Hadjar’s seat for FP1 in a key rookie outing alongside Max Verstappen.
The Japanese driver steps into the spotlight for his first official run in the RB22, adding another chapter to Red Bull’s structured approach of rotating young talent through Friday running.
The session forms part of the team’s requirement to complete four rookie FP1 appearances across the season, giving Iwasa a valuable opportunity to gather top-level mileage in current machinery.
For Hadjar, the swap is a short-term sacrifice in a busy rookie campaign, but for Iwasa it represents a significant moment: time in a front-running environment, working directly alongside a reigning world champion on a demanding European circuit.
Rookie wave takes over Barcelona paddock
Barcelona’s familiar layout has once again made it the ideal venue for teams to rotate drivers, with multiple squads choosing to fulfil their rookie obligations during the weekend.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya’s extensive data history and predictable conditions reduce risk, making it a preferred choice for FP1 experimentation.
Iwasa is one of several young drivers set to feature in the opening session, underlining how deeply rookie integration has become embedded in modern F1 weekends.
At least six teams will field alternate drivers in FP1. Among those joining Iwasa on track are Colton Herta stepping in for Cadillac, Leonardo Fornaroli representing McLaren, Fred Vesti taking over Mercedes duties, Luke Browning appearing for Williams, and Paul Aron driving for Audi.
The collective presence of emerging talent ensures FP1 will be closely watched, not only for setup work but for the next wave of potential race drivers making their case.
Iwasa arrives with a strong résumé behind him. After finishing fourth in the 2023 Formula 2 standings, he returned to Japan and went on to secure the Super Formula championship in 2025, further strengthening his reputation as one of Red Bull’s most versatile young prospects.
Read also: Verstappen ‘still a bit surprised’ by Monaco qualifying pace
Already serving as test and reserve driver across Red Bull’s junior structure, Iwasa is no stranger to Formula 1 machinery, having completed multiple FP1 appearances in 2024 and 2025 and participated in post-season rookie evaluations.
However, this latest outing stands out as one of his most significant, given the competitive context and the calibre of teammate he will shadow on track.
With Barcelona providing a critical mid-season benchmark for teams, Iwasa’s performance will be closely monitored – not just for lap time, but for composure, feedback and adaptation across the hour-long session.
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