Driver Change at Red Bull: Tsunoda In, Lawson Out for Japanese GP

Red Bull has confirmed a driver swap between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, effective from the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. The team stated the change is aimed at fostering Lawson`s development.

Liam Lawson, 23, will return to Racing Bulls after just two races. Team principal Christian Horner cited a `duty of care` as the reason, while Yuki Tsunoda will finally partner Max Verstappen, a position he has sought for over four seasons with the second Red Bull team.

Max Verstappen currently holds second place in the F1 Drivers` Championship with 45 points. Liam Lawson has not yet scored any points. This performance gap led Red Bull to implement a `driver rotation`.

Horner explained, “It has been concerning to see Liam struggling with the RB21 in the initial races. Consequently, we have collectively decided to make this early change.”

He added, “Our goals for the 2025 season are twofold: to secure the World Drivers` Championship again and to regain the World Constructors` title. This decision is purely based on sporting considerations.”

Lawson, who will now team up with Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls, was initially chosen over Tsunoda to replace Sergio Perez during the off-season, despite having only participated in 11 F1 race weekends.

Horner pointed to Tsunoda`s greater experience as a key factor in this unexpected swap, which is unusual in Formula 1 history.

Max Verstappen`s Team-mates at Red Bull

Lawson`s Difficult Start at Red Bull

Lawson`s 2025 season has been challenging. He was eliminated in the first qualifying stage in all three sessions, including a Sprint format session, and his race pace lagged behind Verstappen`s.

In China, Lawson admitted to needing more time to adjust to the Red Bull car after qualifying last, while Verstappen secured a second-row start.

Red Bull opted to start Lawson from the pit lane in the Chinese Grand Prix to significantly adjust the car`s setup. However, this did not yield the desired improvements.

Lawson explained that the changes aimed to improve car handling and balance, but “unfortunately it went the wrong way and made the car a lot slower basically.”

He acknowledged the situation and his need to adapt.

Liam Lawson`s Red Bull Performance Summary

Is Red Bull Making the Right Call?

Commentary:

Red Bull`s decision to replace Lawson with Tsunoda might be seen as an attempt to correct an initial misjudgment. However, the timing of this sudden change is debatable.

Perhaps giving Lawson more time, at least through the Japan-Bahrain-Saudi Arabia triple-header, especially considering his experience at the former two circuits, would have been a more measured approach. A switch could have been considered if performance didn`t improve after these races.

Lawson`s lack of experience at both Australian and Chinese circuits, the latter being a Sprint weekend with limited practice, partly explains his difficulties.

Red Bull likely emphasizes the need for immediate results and may believe that inserting Tsunoda offers a chance for improvement. However, the pressure of performing at his home race in Suzuka, a demanding track for adapting to a new car, will be significantly amplified for Tsunoda.

Red Bull urgently needs Tsunoda to deliver. The question remains: what are their alternative options, and how does Verstappen perceive these team dynamics?

Red Bull`s History of Mid-Season Driver Changes

Lawson is now the fourth driver demoted mid-season from the main Red Bull team, following Christian Klien (2007), Daniil Kvyat (2016), and Pierre Gasly (2019).

Historical Context of Early Driver Changes

Daniil Kvyat, who joined Red Bull in 2015, was demoted after four races in 2016. Max Verstappen took his seat and won his first race with Red Bull at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Pierre Gasly, after his demotion, regained form and achieved a notable victory at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix before moving to Alpine in 2023.

At Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls), Scott Speed and Sebastien Bourdais were also replaced mid-season in the late 2000s.

Kvyat lost his Toro Rosso seat towards the end of 2017 but returned in 2019. Nyck de Vries was replaced in 2023 by Daniel Ricciardo, who himself was later replaced by Lawson with six races left in the 2024 season (Correction: should be 2025 season in context of the article).