Toro Rosso targets Suzuka debut for Verstappen

Toro Rosso intends to give Max Verstappen his F1 weekend debut in Japan early next month.

Earlier, it was expected that the second Red Bull team's confirmed 2015 rookie, who is still just 16, would debut in Friday practice sessions later this year.

But team boss Franz Tost said in Singapore that, after the Dutchman completed a test in Italy last week, he is now scheduled to drive at as soon as Suzuka next time out.

"He did 396 kilometres (in the test) without any problem," said the Austrian.

"People were really impressed with his performance and now it's in the hands of the FIA whether he gets a super licence to do the Friday session in Suzuka.

"We will prepare him step by step and I am convinced that he is the correct driver for us for 2015," Tost added.

By Friday at Suzuka, Verstappen will be a few days over the age of 17.

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Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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