Max Verstappen's Strategy for Italian Grand Prix: Iwasa Takes FP1
Max Verstappen will start his Italian Grand Prix weekend from the sidelines – but only for the first hour.
The world champion will sit out FP1 at Monza, with Red Bull handing his RB22 to Ayumu Iwasa for the opening session at the Temple of Speed. Verstappen returns to the cockpit for FP2 and will contest qualifying and the race as normal.
No drama. No injury. Just strategy.
Iwasa Gets His Shot
Iwasa, 25, is one of Red Bull’s reserve and development drivers and has been selected to fulfil part of the team’s obligation under Formula 1’s rookie running rules. Teams must run rookie drivers in four free practice sessions over the course of the season, and Friday’s FP1 at Monza has been earmarked as one of Red Bull’s slots.
For Iwasa, it is a rare and valuable window: a chance to sample the RB22 in a live Grand Prix weekend, on one of the fastest and most unforgiving circuits on the calendar. For Red Bull, it is a controlled risk. Verstappen sacrifices only the first practice, leaving him with plenty of track time later on Friday and on Saturday to fine-tune his qualifying and race preparation.
This is a rotation, not a reshuffle.
Verstappen himself flagged the plan in advance, confirming he would step aside for FP1 before resuming his normal programme from FP2 onward. The timing is deliberate: the opening session is typically used for baseline setup work and data gathering, the kind of mileage a rookie can log without disrupting the champion’s core weekend.
Red Bull Juggles Its Deck
Iwasa is not the only change in the Red Bull camp at Monza.
Another switch comes as the team manages its wider driver pool. Hadjar remains out with a wrist injury and will miss the weekend again. Liam Lawson, who has been filling the gap, continues alongside Verstappen in the senior Red Bull fold, while Yuki Tsunoda steps in for Lawson at Racing Bulls.
It is a reminder of how tightly Red Bull’s driver structure is interlinked. One injury opens a lane for Lawson. A rookie mandate opens another for Iwasa. The knock-on effect runs all the way down the garage.
Verstappen Arrives With a Point to Prove
Verstappen heads to Monza with more than just a mandatory FP1 absence on his mind. He arrives carrying the frustration of his crash at the Dutch Grand Prix, a rare misstep in an otherwise relentless campaign.
He has urged Red Bull to stay realistic about their pace, even with last year’s victory at Monza still fresh in the memory. The win on this circuit in 2023 showed how ruthless the team can be when the car and strategy click, but Verstappen is pushing for caution rather than complacency.
So he will watch FP1 from the garage, listening to Iwasa’s feedback and studying the data. Then the helmet goes back on, the RB22 returns to its usual owner, and the real business of his Monza weekend begins.
A brief pause for the champion. A huge opening for the rookie. And on one of Formula 1’s most historic stages, every lap will say something about Red Bull’s present – and its future.
