Written by Olivia Eyeson, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
Ayumu Iwasa is the current championship leader in Formula Two, so let’s discuss his path to Formula 2 so far. Iwasa is a Japanese driver, who began his racing career in karting in 2005, but only professionally from 2014-17.
He made the step to single seaters in 2017, with the B-Max racing team in the F4 Japanese Championship, although he only competed in two races. Alongside this campaign, he competed in two races of the Asian Formula Renault Series, for the Asia Racing team. Despite his short season, he achieved two pole positions and two runners-up finishes.
In 2018, he would again compete in two races in the F4 Japanese Championship, which saw another upcoming protégé Yuki Tsunoda crowned champion. However, in his next racing season in 2020, Iwasa would be the one making an impact across junior formulae.
The 21-year-old competed in French F4 for FFSA Academy, and was crowned champion after taking 15 podiums from 21 races. He dominated the series, taking nine wins, five pole positions, and seven fastest laps. Iwasa also became a Honda Junior Driver in 2020, a momentous occasion for the up-and-coming youngster.
The next year, he took the step up to FIA F3 for Hitech GP, alongside a stint in the F3 Asian Championship. In that same year, he was signed into the prestigious Red Bull Driver Academy as well. His F3 season wasn’t as successful as his F4 campaign, but he still achieved two podiums and a win, showing remarkable speed. He eventually finished P12 and P8 in the Asian Championship.
Following his Formula 3 season, he progressed to F2 with DAMS, impressing in his rookie season. The Japanese driver finished a lofty fifth, collecting two wins, two pole positions, and six podiums.
He stayed at the team for the 2023 season, and is now competing in his second season in the category. He has achieved two wins, equalling his record from the previous season, and added another pole position to his tally, during a wet qualifying session at Melbourne.
The Japanese driver's future looks bright, as he leads the Red Bull juniors in Formula 2 in terms of points. He could be on track for an AlphaTauri seat, should he continue his consistency, and could even hope to race in some FP1 sessions for the Italian team.
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