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Liam Lawson Sidelined for Austrian GP First Practice as Racing Bulls Confirm Change
Highlights
- Liam Lawson misses FP1 session at Austrian Grand Prix 2026.
- Racing Bulls field rookie Ayumu Iwasa for FP1 at Red Bull Ring.
- Iwasa’s second FP1 outing follows Spanish Grand Prix debut.
- F1 rules mandate rookie drivers run four FP1 sessions yearly.
- Austrian GP, seventh round, held on June 28 at Red Bull Ring.
Liam Lawson will miss first practice at this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, with Racing Bulls fielding rookie Ayumu Iwasa for FP1 at the Red Bull Ring.
Iwasa’s appearance is his second FP1 of 2026, following Spain, where he sampled Isack Hadjar’s RB22 for the senior Red Bull outfit.
The switch satisfies Formula 1 regulations mandating four rookie FP1 outings per team each season, with each car run by a rookie at least twice.
Racing Bulls have already used Arvid Lindblad for the opening two rookie sessions, so Austria becomes Lawson’s first of two required FP1 absences.
Ayumu Iwasa takes FP1 for Racing Bulls at the Red Bull Ring.
Lawson expects to assist from the pit wall, feeding back while Iwasa completes the opening laps and correlation runs.
For Iwasa, additional mileage at the Red Bull Ring offers valuable experience and further integration with the team’s procedures under live conditions.
Early running remains crucial for baseline setup, aero mapping, and tyre understanding before qualifying and the race.
FP1 runs on June 28 at the Red Bull Ring, round seven of 2026.
The Austrian Grand Prix is round seven of 2026, with FP1 scheduled ahead of qualifying and Sunday’s race on June 28.
Racing Bulls target a cleaner weekend after a mixed start, aided by their updated F1 livery and recent development items.
Max Verstappen leads home interest, while Lewis Hamilton arrives with renewed form, increasing competitive pressure on Red Bull at its home venue.
Discussion around Lawson’s programme continues, intensified by recent evaluations of his role within the team.
That debate follows earlier flashpoints, including a costly choice and a notable crash this month.
Austria marks Lawson’s first of two mandated FP1 sit-outs in 2026.
With Iwasa handling FP1 duties, Racing Bulls balance rookie integration with race-weekend priorities, preserving preparation for their race drivers and accelerating the evaluation pipeline.
The focus remains extracting reliable data quickly, enabling targeted overnight changes without undermining qualifying execution.
Visual Summary
Rookie Swap
at the Red Bull Ring
at the Red Bull Ring
Iwasa steps in for Lawson in Friday’s FP1.
Rookie FP1s so far:
LL
Lawson
Watches from pit
(first FP1 miss)
(first FP1 miss)
⇄
AI
Iwasa
2nd Rookie FP1
(Red Bull Ring)
(Red Bull Ring)
?
FP1 is rookie-only for Racing Bulls this Friday.
FP1 is rookie-only for Racing Bulls this Friday.
⏱️
Lawson: observing, focus on qualifying and race setups.
Lawson: observing, focus on qualifying and race setups.
?
Iwasa: gaining track time — crucial for rookie development.
Iwasa: gaining track time — crucial for rookie development.
Formula 1’s rookie rule: 2 FP1 sessions per car
Racing Bulls juggling progress and future talent ?
Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.
