Just two races into the new Formula 1 season, speculation is already swirling around the most vulnerable seat on the grid, focusing on the driver struggling to fill it.
Red Bull is reportedly seriously considering swapping Liam Lawson with Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda as early as the next race, the Japanese Grand Prix. This comes after Lawson experienced a difficult start to the season. He was called up just three months prior to replace Sergio Perez in what team boss Christian Horner has often called the `hardest seat in Formula 1`.
The discussion about Lawson`s future and what Red Bull could have done differently, or might do next, in the seat alongside world champion Max Verstappen was a key topic on the latest episode of The F1 Show. Simon Lazenby, Ted Kravitz, and Bernie Collins gathered to discuss the main talking points after the Chinese Grand Prix weekend.
Regarding Lawson`s initial performance compared to Verstappen, especially after three consecutive early exits in qualifying and no points scored, Collins commented: `The performances in both race weekends haven`t looked impressive so far.`
`[In China], being seven-tenths slower in Q1 is a significant gap, placing drivers at very different ends of the grid.`
Collins elaborated on Verstappen`s exceptional abilities: `Max is incredibly strong. He maximizes the car`s potential. He delivers fast laps when it counts, rarely makes errors, and consistently outqualifies drivers who do make mistakes. He puts together his best lap when necessary, and even in races, he manages to excel when it matters.`
Collins mentioned an interesting interview with Christian Horner where he indicated that team development was guided by their fastest driver. This resulted in a car that`s challenging to handle, making it difficult for other drivers to master due to its sensitive and twitchy nature.
`Max can manage this; it`s the development path they`ve chosen,` Collins noted.
She then questioned, `How difficult will it be for them to shift from this development direction? Will they ever find stability in the second driver`s seat?`
Listen to the full episode of The F1 Show where Bernie Collins, Ted Kravitz, and Simon Lazenby review the Chinese Grand Prix.
This week`s episode also covered Hamilton`s Sprint victory, the reasons behind Ferrari`s double disqualification, Piastri`s strong comeback, the potential for a McLaren team rivalry, Red Bull`s second seat issue, Mercedes` performance, and fan questions.
Despite Lawson`s lack of experience at both Albert Park and the Shanghai International Circuit, and even Verstappen acknowledging the 2025 Red Bull as a difficult car, Lawson admitted after the Chinese GP that he `needs to quickly get on top of` the car`s performance.
Kravitz suggested Lawson deserves more time to demonstrate his potential, questioning the logic of a change before Japan. He pointed out that `Lawson knows Suzuka very well and will likely perform better there,` given his previous experience at the track in F1 and Super Formula in 2023.
`He had never raced in Australia or China, with China being a particularly challenging circuit to optimize,` Kravitz added.
Collins also questioned why Lawson wasn`t given more testing time in an older Red Bull car before being promoted to the main team. She suggested a different approach to selecting Perez`s replacement, considering the car`s demanding characteristics.
`I believe they are in a difficult situation,` she stated. `They should have assessed the younger drivers and identified who has a driving style that best suits a forward aero balance. It seems their car is very front-end focused and quite different from the Racing Bulls car.`
`Perhaps they should have given all potential drivers a day in an older Red Bull to see who could achieve the fastest lap time. This could be one way to evaluate, as the Racing Bulls car is fundamentally different. Alex Albon is a prime example of someone who struggled at Red Bull but is now performing excellently at Williams. He might even decline a Red Bull seat if offered again, as the car`s characteristics may not suit him.`
Collins emphasized the performance gap between Red Bull`s drivers, stating, `If Max were to leave or miss a race, they would currently be performing as the 10th fastest team.`
Formula 1 is heading to the iconic Suzuka Circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix on April 4-6, live on Sky Sports F1. Watch Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime.
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton