Red Bull has made a significant change to its Formula 1 lineup, dropping driver Liam Lawson after just two races of the 2025 season. The team announced on Thursday that Yuki Tsunoda will be taking Lawson's seat alongside reigning champion Max Verstappen. This decision comes after Lawson's disappointing performance, where he failed to score points, suffered a crash at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and qualified in last place for both the Chinese Grand Prix and its accompanying sprint race.
As Tsunoda steps up from Red Bull’s junior team, Racing Bulls, Lawson will fill Tsunoda’s previous role alongside rookie Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls. This change illustrates the cut-throat nature of Formula 1, highlighting an admission from Red Bull that the decision to choose Lawson may have been premature. Prior to this season, Lawson had only completed 11 career F1 races, typically lagging behind Tsunoda during their time as teammates last year.
Christian Horner, Red Bull's team principal, expressed the challenges faced by Lawson, stating, “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the (car) at the first two races, and as a result, we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.” Horner emphasized that this move was purely a sporting decision, aimed at fulfilling the team's ambitions of retaining the world drivers’ championship and reclaiming the world constructors’ title.
The Red Bull team is currently working to improve the RB21 car, and Horner believes that Tsunoda's experience will be crucial in this development phase. He mentioned the need to “protect and develop Liam,” indicating that Lawson will benefit from regaining experience in a more familiar environment with Racing Bulls, a team where he is well-acquainted.
This swift change in personnel starkly contrasts the treatment of Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s former teammate. Perez received a two-year contract extension during a disappointing 2024 season but was ultimately replaced by Lawson in December after spending four years with the team.
Lawson has openly discussed his difficulties with the RB21, describing it as “tricky” to drive, noting a limited window for competitive setup. His struggles echo past comments from Perez regarding the increasing complexity of the car, which evolved to better suit Verstappen's driving style.
Tsunoda, a 24-year-old driver who has been in F1 since 2021, previously achieved a career-best finish of 12th in last year's championship yet has yet to reach the podium. Within the Red Bull organization, he has faced scrutiny for his on-radio frustrations during races. His long-term future in the team remains uncertain, especially since Honda, his personal backer, will cease to supply Red Bull's engines after this season, with Ford set to take over in 2026. Meanwhile, Honda will provide engines for Aston Martin going forward.
Racing Bulls’ team principal Laurent Mekies praised Tsunoda for his promotion, stating, “I am incredibly proud of Tsunoda for making the move to Red Bull. His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational.” With this change, Tsunoda becomes Verstappen's sixth teammate in ten seasons, marking the first midseason driver change for the main Red Bull team since Pierre Gasly was replaced by Alex Albon in 2019.
As the situation stands, Verstappen remains the only Red Bull driver to win a race in nearly two years and has accumulated all the team's points in the recent four races, a stark reminder of the pressures and demands of competitive racing in Formula 1.
