Max Verstappen will sit out Friday’s opening practice session at the Italian Grand Prix, handing his RB22 to Ayumu Iwasa as Red Bull continues fulfilling mandatory rookie running obligations whilst Isack Hadjar’s wrist injury forces another weekend on the sidelines.

The Japanese driver will mark his third FP1 outing of the 2026 season when he takes to Monza’s Temple of Speed, continuing Red Bull’s rotation of reserve drivers through practice sessions that give rookies crucial track time whilst established stars get Friday morning lie-ins.

Meanwhile, Liam Lawson has earned a second consecutive race weekend alongside Verstappen after his impressive Zandvoort debut delivered points and performances that suggest Red Bull’s faith in promoting him wasn’t misplaced.

Iwasa’s expanding portfolio

The 24-year-old Japanese driver, who serves as reserve for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls, previously drove the RB22 at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, finishing P14 after completing 21 laps during the opening practice session.

He also ran the Racing Bulls VCARB 03 at the Austrian Grand Prix, finishing P15 from 19 laps at the Red Bull Ring just a week after his Spanish outing.

Iwasa is no stranger to Friday practice duties. The youngster has been a regular FP1 fixture since his debut at the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix, where he drove Daniel Ricciardo’s car to give Racing Bulls an all-Japanese line-up alongside Yuki Tsunoda in front of his home crowd.

Additional outings followed at Abu Dhabi later that year before stepping into Verstappen’s car for the first time at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix – a significant vote of confidence that saw him graduate from Racing Bulls machinery to Red Bull’s championship-winning package.

Further Racing Bulls appearances in 2025, including at the Mexico City Grand Prix, brought his total to five FP1 sessions before the current campaign began. This Monza outing represents his eighth overall Friday practice appearance across three seasons.

Lawson’s second chance

Liam Lawson will again partner Verstappen for the Monza weekend after being drafted in from Racing Bulls at the Dutch Grand Prix when Hadjar injured his wrist training during the summer break.

The New Zealander’s Zandvoort debut exceeded expectations. He qualified eighth despite limited practice running on the sprint weekend format, then delivered a composed race to finish seventh and collect six valuable points for Red Bull.

That performance earned him another opportunity at Monza whilst Hadjar continues rehabilitation that Red Bull refuse to rush despite the inconvenience of juggling driver line-ups.

“Liam will drive alongside Max (Verstappen) at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, while Isack continues to make encouraging progress following the wrist injury sustained during the summer break,” Red Bull confirmed in a statement.

“The team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation and will take no unnecessary risks with his return to competition and wishes him a speedy recovery.”

Red Bull won’t gamble Hadjar’s long-term health for short-term convenience. Better to blood Lawson in competitive situations whilst ensuring Hadjar returns at 100% rather than risk aggravating an injury that could compromise his entire season.

Tsunoda’s Racing Bulls return

Lawson’s promotion creates a domino effect down Red Bull’s driver hierarchy, with Yuki Tsunoda again filling the Racing Bulls seat after his Dutch GP appearance delivered an 11th-place finish.

The Japanese driver, who last season partnered Verstappen in Red Bull livery during a brief stint covering for injuries, performed admirably at Zandvoort despite being thrown into a car he hadn’t driven competitively all season.

His return to Racing Bulls for Monza maintains continuity whilst Lawson deputises in the senior team, showcasing the depth Red Bull possesses across its driver programme when injuries or other circumstances demand shuffling personnel.

Hadjar’s frustrating wait

For Hadjar, missing a second consecutive Grand Prix represents mounting frustration as he watches from the sidelines whilst rehabilitation progresses.

The Frenchman was enjoying a solid rookie season before his wrist injury struck during the summer break, robbing him of momentum at precisely the wrong moment as the championship enters its crucial final third.

Red Bull’s cautious approach to his return demonstrates they’re thinking long-term rather than short-term. Rushing him back before full fitness risks re-injury that could end his season entirely, whereas patience now preserves his availability for the remaining races once rehabilitation completes.

The question is how many more races he’ll miss. Red Bull’s latest statement mentions “encouraging progress” but provides no timeline for his return, suggesting they’re genuinely uncertain rather than deliberately vague.

Championship context

Whilst Red Bull juggles driver line-ups, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli – who turned 20 last week – continues leading the championship standings by 59 points over teammate George Russell and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who sit tied for second.

Antonelli’s dominant season means Verstappen’s championship challenge has effectively ended, making these FP1 outings for rookies considerably easier to accommodate without sacrificing competitive preparation.

If Verstappen were chasing a tight title race, Red Bull might reconsider handing away valuable practice time. But with the championship effectively decided, fulfilling mandatory rookie running obligations whilst giving youngsters like Iwasa crucial experience becomes the sensible priority.

Monza awaits

Friday’s opening practice session will provide another data point in Iwasa’s development, another opportunity for Red Bull’s coaching staff to assess whether he possesses the raw materials for future promotion.

Meanwhile, Lawson gets a second consecutive race weekend to prove his Zandvoort performance wasn’t a fluke but genuine quality worthy of consideration for future full-time opportunities.

The Italian Grand Prix weekend begins Friday with Iwasa behind Verstappen’s wheel for FP1 before the Dutchman reclaims his seat for the remaining sessions.