Red Bull makes decision: These juniors will make their FP1 debut this year
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Starting this season, all F1 teams must give young drivers a chance to get mileage in an F1 car. During free practice, each team is obliged to put a young driver in the car for at least two Fridays. A young driver must meet the simple requirement of having less than two Grands Prix behind him or her, and Red Bull Racing has been one of the first teams to reveal who those drivers are.
Red Bull's junior program is well stocked this year, with no less than five talents who will drive in Formula 2 in the Red Bull colours. The two who will make their appearance for Red Bull and AlphaTauri are Juri Vips and Liam Lawson. The former will take a seat with Max Verstappen's team on two Fridays. Lawson, in turn, will board at AlphaTauri twice.
Lots of competition in Red Bull training program
Franz Tost announced this opposite The Race, where he also let it be known that it is a decision from Red Bull. "Currently the drivers are Lawson and Vips. I think Vips will drive for Red Bull and Lawson for AlphaTauri. He was also testing for us in Abu Dhabi, he did a good job, and we will see what the next steps will be." Vips, in turn, has tested for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi for the past two years.
Tost clearly let it be known that it is not yet a final decision, because the competition is great. In Formula 2, the stepping stone to F1, no less than five Red Bull drivers will be driving this year. In addition to Vips and Lawson, Jehan Daruvala, Honda driver Ayumu Iwasa and reigning F3 champion Dennis Hauger will also compete in the junior class. So for now Vips and Lawson are scheduled to participate in FP1, but there is a chance that Hauger, Iwasa or Daruvala could also make their appearance in Formula 1.