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RB hands Iwasa second FP1 outing in Abu Dhabi

Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa will enjoy this Friday at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix his second F1 practice outing with Visa Cash App RB.

The 22-year-old Japanese driver made his competitive F1 debut last April at the Japanese Grand Prix where he was classified 16th in FP1.

Iwasa’s presence in the session alongside RB’s Yuki Tsunoda marked a historical moment for Japan as it marked the first time that an F1 team fielded an all-Japanese lineup in a session.

That outing was preceded by Iwasa's first test in F1 that took place last year in Abu Dhabi where he impressed RB team prinicpal Laurent Mekies.

“He did a great job in the Abu Dhabi test at the end of last year when he drove for us for the first time”, commented Mekies at Suzuka earlier this year.

"Since then, he has been doing a lot a valuable work in our simulator, including providing live race support.

Read also: McLaren hands Abu Dhabi FP1 session to Rio Hirakawa

A winner in 2020 of the French F4 Championship, Iwasa graduated to the FIA Formula 3 Championship a year later.

He then spent two years in Formula 2, a period during which he won 5 races with DAMS, finishing 5th in 2022 and 4th in 2023 behind series champion Theo Pourchaire, Frederik Vesti and Alpine protégé Jack Doohan.

This year, Iwasa competed in Japan’s highly competitive Super Formula championship with Mugen, ultimately finish fifth in the series’ final standings, claiming two podiums during his campaign.

On Friday in FP1, Iwasa will run alongside Liam Lawson as Tsunoda sits out the session at Yas Marina where the curtain will fall on the 2024 Formula 1 season.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.