Red Bull announce Max Verstappen replacement at F1 Italian Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing have announced that Ayumu Iwasa will replace Max Verstappen for the first free practice session at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

Four-time world champion Verstappen will take Friday morning off in Monza to allow 24-year-old Japanese starlet Iwasa to get a taste of the 'Temple of Speed' as part of the sport's mandatory rookie rules.

FIA regulations state every team on the grid must run a rookie twice per season in FP1 for each of their cars. This is Red Bull's second of four such driver changes in 2026.

Iwasa will be in Verstappen's RB22 car for the opening 60-minute session in Italy, which gets under way at 1230 local time on Friday (1130 UK, 0630 Eastern).

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Iwasa makes strides for Red Bull

This will be Iwasa’s eighth appearance in an F1 session - he has already featured in sessions in Japan and Abu Dhabi in 2024, in Mexico City and Abu Dhabi in 2025, alongside a stint in Austria earlier this year for sister team Racing Bulls.

In addition, he has had opportunities with the main Red Bull team in Bahrain and Barcelona - further underlining his growing status within the Milton Keynes team.

He stands out as one of the most promising talents from the Red Bull junior ranks and alongside his testing duties, he competes in Japan’s Super Formula for Team Mugen.

Last season he claimed the championship title, and he now sits second in the standings with 59.5 points, trailing leader Kakunoshin Ohta.

Red Bull musical chairs for Monza

The Iwasa/Verstappen change was not even the biggest Red Bull driver news of the day, as the team had already confirmed that the injured Isack Hadjar will be out of action once more this weekend.

The 21-year-old Frenchman missed the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort after fracturing a wrist in training, and he will again be replaced by Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls.

Another Japanese star in Yuki Tsunoda will once again deputise for Lawson at Racing Bulls.

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