Max Verstappen sits out for Red Bull in Mexico GP FP1
Max Verstappen will step aside during first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix as Red Bull continues to complete its quota of rookie runs in FP1 sessions.
Teams are required to give rookies – designated as drivers to have raced in two or fewer races – at least four opportunities to run during practice sessions across the season, with that quota split between two watching briefs per race-contracted driver.
Four-time world champion Verstappen will be replaced at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by Ayumu Iwasa, who has already made three FP1 appearances this term.
The Japanese driver drove the RB22 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Monza, while he stepped into the Racing Bulls car in Austria.
It will mark Iwasa’s eighth FP1 outing in total, with this being his second run in Mexico following his appearance for Racing Bulls last year.
Ayumu Iwasa, Red Bull Racing garage.
Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Verstappen and Red Bull have enjoyed a resurgence of late, securing wins at Sepang and Singapore before picking up another podium at last weekend’s United States Grand Prix.
But that hasn’t meant that the Milton Keynes-based squad has found answers to all of its problems, with poor race starts and radio issues continuing to plague the Dutchman and team-mate Isack Hadjar.
Rookies take over in Mexico
Iwasa’s involvement follows on from a spate of announcements regarding rookies running in FP1 in Mexico.
George Russell will sit out to allow Fred Vesti to drive the Mercedes on a weekend where the Briton could see team-mate Kimi Antonelli become F1’s youngest world champion.
Gabriele Mini and Freddie Slater make their F1 bows for Alpine and Audi, while Haas gives reserve Ryo Hirakawa a run out.
Luke Browning also returns to the cockpit of an F1 car for Williams while Colton Herta takes over from Valtteri Bottas at Cadillac.
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