Yuki Tsunoda Set for Red Bull Debut at Japanese Grand Prix

The latest updates on Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, as he replaces Liam Lawson and aims to support Max Verstappen's championship bid.

Yuki Tsunoda is poised to be the center of attention at the Japanese Grand Prix this weekend, as he makes his debut with Red Bull on his home turf. The Japanese driver's promotion to partner with four-time world champion Max Verstappen comes at a critical juncture, with Red Bull eager to close the gap with McLaren following their strong start to the season.

Tsunoda's presence at Suzuka is already highly anticipated, given his hero status among Japanese fans. However, his sudden elevation to the Red Bull team, at the expense of Liam Lawson, has raised the stakes and placed him under intense scrutiny. As Verstappen's new teammate, Tsunoda will be expected to deliver strong performances and contribute to Red Bull's championship aspirations.

Red Bull Racing has made a significant change to their driver lineup, replacing Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda. Lawson's debut season got off to a dismal start, failing to score points in the first two race weekends, prompting Red Bull to make the switch. Tsunoda, 24, will now drive for Red Bull Racing, while Lawson moves to the sister team, RB.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has set clear expectations for Tsunoda, urging him to get as close as possible to teammate Max Verstappen. Tsunoda, who previously drove for RB (formerly AlphaTauri), has a highest finish of fourth place at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. When asked about his goals, Tsunoda shared Horner's advice, saying, “In the end Red Bull Racing are focused on Max scoring a drivers' championship.”

Tsunoda also revealed that Horner has assured him that he will be given the opportunity to compete with Verstappen, rather than being forced to yield to his teammate. Tsunoda quoted Horner as saying, “He also promised me, in some situations, that if I'm able to be in front of Max that he wouldn't necessarily ask me to swap positions and make Max win.” This assurance suggests that Tsunoda will have the freedom to compete with Verstappen, at least in certain situations.

Yuki Tsunoda has set a modest goal for his Red Bull debut at the Japanese Grand Prix, aiming to finish in the top 10 and score points. Despite being in his fifth Formula 1 season, Tsunoda is taking a measured approach, acknowledging the challenges of driving for a top-tier team like Red Bull.

Tsunoda has demonstrated his pace this season, with a 12th-place finish in the season-opening Melbourne Grand Prix and a sixth-place finish in the Shanghai Saturday sprint, which earned him three points. His only finish outside the points came in the China main race, where a flawed two-stop pit strategy by RB hindered his progress.

Red Bull's cars will feature a special white livery at Suzuka, paying tribute to their partner Honda's historic maiden victory in Formula 1 at the 1965 Mexican Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is currently second in the drivers' standings, but Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is under pressure to revive the team's constructors' championship campaign, which has stumbled out of the gate, allowing McLaren to take an early lead. Horner's decision to replace Liam Lawson with Tsunoda is a strategic move aimed at kick-starting Red Bull's championship challenge.

Verstappen Seeks to Continue Suzuka Dominance

Max Verstappen has been overshadowed by McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in the early stages of the season. Piastri led Norris to a one-two finish in Shanghai, after Norris took the chequered flag in Melbourne. Norris currently leads the drivers' championship with 44 points, and he attributes his success in part to the competitive dynamic with his teammate. ”Apart from Ferrari I don't think there's another team that has two drivers that push each other anywhere near as much,” Norris said. “For us, that's a huge advantage.”

Yuki Tsunoda is officially introduced as a Red Bull driver in Tokyo ahead of his hometown race 🇯🇵

(via @ESPNF1) pic.twitter.com/7rOVjCfF1r

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) April 2, 2025

Verstappen, who is 12 points behind Norris, has yet to secure a win this season. He finished second in Melbourne, fourth in the Chinese GP, and third in the Shanghai sprint. However, he has a strong track record at Suzuka, having won there for the last three years in a row, including his second world championship in 2022. Verstappen has expressed his fondness for the “old school” Suzuka circuit, and his past performances suggest he will be a strong contender this weekend. Last season, he dominated the race, finishing 12.5 seconds ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. Verstappen reflected on his performance, saying, “Whenever I needed to go faster I could, whenever I needed to look after my tyres I could. That's always a nice feeling.”

Ferrari is eager to revive their season at the Japanese Grand Prix, following a disastrous outing in China two weeks ago. The team had a promising start to the weekend, with Lewis Hamilton dominating the sprint from pole position to secure his first win with Ferrari. However, their joy was short-lived, as Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc were both disqualified from the main race due to technical infringements.

In contrast, Mercedes has made a steady start to the season, with George Russell securing a pair of third-place finishes. The team has also been impressed by the early performances of teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli, who finished fourth and sixth in his first two grands prix. As Ferrari looks to bounce back from their setback, they will be aiming to close the gap with Mercedes and other top contenders in the championship.