Red Bull and VCARB are currently running on track at Suzuka Circuit, while Max Verstappen skips Pirelli tests, with the Dutchman having flown to Germany
The Pirelli tests in Japan are currently underway, with Red Bull and Visa Cash App RB involved in tyre development. However, only Isack Hadjar is available for the Milton Keynes team, as Verstappen has reportedly chosen to travel to Germany to test a GT3 car ahead of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
That the RB22 is not the preferred car of the four-time world champion is now evident: it is a complex car to set up, with weaknesses across key design areas. The difficulties seen at the Japanese Grand Prix may have pushed Verstappen to reflect on his future as well.
Read also F1, accident for Arvid Lindblad at Suzuka: what happened to the British driver
On this Wednesday of Holy Week, wet track tests are taking place at Suzuka, similar to those that will be seen at Fiorano in the coming weeks. However, the #1 driver is absent: with the Nürburgring 24 Hours on the horizon, the Dutchman has opted to drive at the Nordschleife to prepare as best as possible.
Meanwhile, as speculation grows among fans regarding Verstappen’s future in F1, Pirelli has released the official data from the first day of testing. The rain did not pose a problem, allowing the Italian manufacturer to run regularly with both full wet and intermediate tyres.
On the first day, Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson took to the track, completing a total of 134 laps (69 for Hadjar, 65 for Lawson), covering 778 km—valuable data for wet tyre development. In the next session, Lawson will hand over to Arvid Lindblad, while Hadjar will continue his program at the wheel of the RB22.
Photos credits: Red Bull Content Pool
