The F1 team Red Bull has announced that the Super Formula driver, 22-year-old Japanese Ayumu Iwasa, will make his debut in Formula 1 during the race weekend in Japan.
Iwasa will drive Daniel Ricciardo’s car during the first free practice session, making RB the first team to have a fully Japanese lineup, considering Yuki Tsunoda is also part of the team.
Young Iwasa was fourth in the Formula 2 driver standings, with three wins and three podium finishes in the season, including one pole position.
This year, he is competing in the Japanese Super Formula championship, where he scored points in the debut race of the season held at the Suzuka circuit earlier this month.
Although Iwasa will officially debut thanks to his practice session appearance, this won’t be his first time driving an F1 car. He was in the cockpit of the then-AlphaTauri during testing in Abu Dhabi after the end of the previous season.
According to current Formula 1 regulations, each team must give a chance to a rookie, defined as a driver with fewer than two starts in F1 races, to drive in two free practice sessions in one season.
The race weekend in Japan is scheduled from April 5th to 7th.
