Red Bull Replaces Lawson with Tsunoda After Just Two Races

Red Bull has made a surprise driver change, replacing Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races of the 2025 F1 season.

Liam Lawson has spoken out about his departure from Red Bull F1, admitting it was “tough” to see his dream job come to an end after just two races of the 2025 season. The New Zealander was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, confirming speculation that had been circulating for days following Lawson's disappointing performances.

Lawson took to Instagram to express his gratitude and disappointment, saying, “Being a @redbullracing driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it's what I've worked towards my whole life.” He acknowledged the challenges he faced, stating, “It's tough, but I'm grateful for everything that's brought me to this point.”

Lawson also thanked his supporters, writing, “To every one of you who's stood by me, thank you for all the support - it means the world.” The 24-year-old will now move back down to the Racing Bulls (RB) team, where he was last season.

Yuki Tsunoda, who will replace Lawson, will partner four-time world champion Max Verstappen starting at the Japanese Grand Prix next week at Suzuka. Red Bull announced the change in a statement, marking a significant shift in their driver lineup.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner explained the decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, citing the challenges Lawson faced with the RB21 at the first two races. Horner stated, “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.”

Horner emphasized that the decision was driven by the team's sporting ambitions, saying, “We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the world drivers' championship and to reclaim the world constructors' title, and this is a purely sporting decision.” This move highlights Red Bull's commitment to achieving their goals and making adjustments as necessary.

Liam Lawson's struggles at Red Bull have been evident, with the 23-year-old failing to score a point and being knocked out at the first stage of all three qualifying sessions. In contrast, his teammate Max Verstappen has secured 36 points, placing him second in the title race. Lawson will now return to Racing Bulls, where he will continue his F1 career in a more familiar environment.

Christian Horner expressed his commitment to supporting Lawson's development, stating, “We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam, and together we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well.” This move aims to provide Lawson with the opportunity to regain his footing and continue growing as a driver.

Yuki Tsunoda, who will replace Lawson, has demonstrated his pace in the first two races of the season. He finished 12th in the season opener at Melbourne and was only denied points at Shanghai due to Racing Bulls' flawed two-stop pit strategy. Tsunoda's performance has earned him the chance to partner Max Verstappen and contribute to Red Bull's championship ambitions.

"I had no idea in China"

Here's Liam Lawson on when he found out about his demotion from Red Bull Racing 👇#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/OppHqmChMK

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 3, 2025

Yuki Tsunoda, who made his Formula 1 debut with AlphaTauri in 2021, has been praised by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. Tsunoda became the first Japanese driver on the grid since Kamui Kobayashi in 2014, and Horner believes his experience will be highly beneficial in developing the current car. “We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car,” said Horner.

Horner welcomed Tsunoda to the team, expressing his enthusiasm for seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21. “We welcome him to the team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21,” he said. Tsunoda's journey to Formula 1 began at the age of four, when he started racing karts in his native Kanagawa, just outside Tokyo.

Tsunoda's unique physical characteristics presented a challenge for AlphaTauri engineers, who developed a made-to-measure pedal kit to accommodate his diminutive frame. Standing at just 1.61 metres tall (5ft 3in), Tsunoda required specialized adjustments to feel comfortable in the cockpit. In addition to his technical skills, Tsunoda has also worked on his emotional control, previously being known for his four-letter outbursts on the team radio.

Laurent Mekies, team principal of RB, praised Tsunoda's progress, describing it as “nothing less than sensational.” “His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational,” Mekies said in a statement. Mekies also expressed his commitment to supporting Liam Lawson, who will partner with France's Isack Hadjar at RB.

Tearing it up in Tokyo 🇯🇵

Yuki Tsunoda, Max Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar kicked off the Japan race weekend with a special showrun 😊#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/u0U5XvegmS

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 2, 2025

Mekies emphasized the team's dedication to providing Lawson with the best environment possible to succeed. “Everyone here at (the team) is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has,” he said. Lawson expressed his excitement about returning to RB, stating, “I'm excited and ready to go to work at one of my favourite places.”