Red Bull shakes things up for Bahrain GP!

 

Red Bull shakes things up for Bahrain GP! Ayumu Iwasa gets a shot in FP1, replacing Max Verstappen for the session. Fresh off Yuki Tsunoda’s promotion over Liam Lawson, Red Bull’s driver moves keep F1 fans guessing. Who’s next? Red Bull has announced a surprising driver change for the Bahrain Grand Prix, with Ayumu Iwasa set to take Max Verstappen’s place in Free Practice 1. This move aligns with the FIA’s 2025 rule mandating four FP1 sessions for rookie drivers with no more than two Grand Prix starts, up from two last year. Iwasa, a 23-year-old Red Bull junior leading Super Formula, has FP1 experience with Racing Bulls in 2024 but will now pilot the RB21 for the first time. Verstappen will resume driving from FP2 onward, making this a one-off chance for Iwasa to shine. This change follows Red Bull’s recent driver shakeup. Yuki Tsunoda replaced Liam Lawson alongside Verstappen after Lawson’s early 2025 struggles, including a crash in Australia and a poor P15 in China. Tsunoda, now in his fifth F1 season, debuted for Red Bull in Japan and faces pressure to deliver in Bahrain. Lawson, relegated to Racing Bulls, teams up with rookie Isack Hadjar, setting up a battle for future Red Bull seats. See also:Shocking allegations against former Premier League star Dimitri Payet have surfaced in Brazil.

Bahrain’s FP1, run in hotter daytime conditions unlike the cooler evening sessions, is a low-stakes slot for rookie runs, letting teams gather data while meeting FIA rules. Other teams are following suit: Ferrari taps Dino Beganovic, Mercedes fields Frederik Vesti, and Haas gives Ryo Hirakawa a go. Red Bull’s decision underscores their focus on nurturing talent while chasing points in a tight championship fight. With the Bahrain International Circuit hosting the fourth race of 2025, fans are eager to see how Iwasa performs and whether Tsunoda can cement his spot. The triple-header’s opening round promises more twists in Red Bull’s driver saga.