Ayumu Iwasa, Red Bull’s rising Japanese star
Ayumu Iwasa, a young Japanese driver in the Red Bull junior program, has just secured the 2025 Super Formula title with Team Mugen, clinching the championship in the final race at Suzuka. His dominant season led his race engineer, Tomohiko Koike, to suggest that Iwasa could surpass Yuki Tsunoda in Formula 1 thanks to a combination of speed, consistency, and exceptional technical skills.
Despite these successes, Iwasa is not currently in contention for a main seat with the Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s satellite F1 team, where Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson currently race. Lawson’s contract is expiring, leaving his future uncertain. Koike, who guided Lawson in the same Japanese series in 2023, emphasizes that Iwasa’s talent makes him ready for the jump to F1.
Iwasa’s Super Formula season
Iwasa’s Super Formula campaign was a masterclass in consistency and reliability, ending with a decisive triumph. In the final round at Suzuka, he secured back-to-back pole positions and won the race, surpassing defending champion Sho Tsuboi in the overall standings. His average performance was rated the best of the field, eclipsing rivals like Tsuboi and Kakunoshin Ohta. He finished in the top three in nearly every race, with only two mechanical issues at Autopolis and Motegi costing him points and keeping the championship battle alive until the last corner.
As part of the Red Bull junior program, Iwasa has successfully balanced his Super Formula commitments with his role as a reserve and simulator driver for Red Bull’s F1 teams. He even participated in Free Practice 1 at the Mexican Grand Prix with the Racing Bulls, showing that he can handle the pressures of Formula 1. His driving and data analysis skills mark him as an emerging talent, though the lack of concrete F1 opportunities remains the biggest obstacle to his debut.
Praise for Iwasa… at Yuki Tsunoda’s expense
Authoritative sources confirm Iwasa’s explosive potential. Tomohiko Koike, Team Mugen’s race engineer, praised his driver’s progress, comparing him to F1 and Red Bull’s second driver, Yuki Tsunoda: “Iwasa is improving more and more. In terms of driving skill and race approach, he was already ahead of last season.”
Koike added: “This year he has been extremely consistent, and I would say his average performance was the best among all drivers, better than Tsuboi and Ohta. It’s easy to imagine him in F1. I think he would be better than Yuki Tsunoda. I don’t know Tsunoda personally, but I believe Iwasa, not only in driving but also in impressive car setup skills, at the same level as Tomoki Nojiri, could outperform some current F1 drivers. He just lacks a chance, and that’s the hardest part.”
The future between Super Formula and the Red Bull dream
Iwasa’s future remains uncertain, with no F1 seat on the horizon at the Racing Bulls. Right after winning the title in Japan, he cautiously reflected on his path: “At this point, I don’t know,” Iwasa said when asked what the Super Formula title means for his career. “I think it depends on me to make the most of its value, so I want to proceed in a way that allows me to fully use the champion title, to be number one in Japan.”
Koike, meanwhile, hopes for a renewal with Team Mugen to defend the 2026 title, convinced that Iwasa can reach an even higher level: “I think he would reach an even higher level. Mugen would really welcome him if he stayed.” The Japanese team would be thrilled to retain their talent, opening a scenario where Iwasa continues to shine in Super Formula while waiting for an F1 opportunity.
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