It’s now official: Yuki Tsunoda joins Red Bull, while Liam Lawson is demoted to Racing Bulls
Red Bull has made its decision—Yuki Tsunoda will partner Max Verstappen starting from the Japanese Grand Prix, with Liam Lawson dropping back to the Racing Bulls after a tough start to the season, marked by Q1 eliminations and a crash in Australia.
As anticipated, the decision comes after just two races in which the New Zealander struggled to impress at the wheel of the RB21. Following a disastrous retirement in Australia due to treacherous conditions and a P15 finish in China (which became P12 after post-race disqualifications), the pressure on Lawson became unbearable. Rumors of a potential replacement as early as Suzuka intensified in recent days, and now the team has officially confirmed the driver switch.
A return for Tsunoda, a step back for Lawson
Lawson had impressed in 2023 and 2024 when he stepped in for Daniel Ricciardo at what was then RB, earning a promotion to Red Bull for 2025. However, his time in the senior team was shorter than expected—the difficulty in handling the car and the immense pressure of partnering Verstappen played a key role in his demotion.
For Tsunoda, this is a massive opportunity. The Japanese driver was initially overlooked in favor of Lawson for 2025, but thanks to this unexpected twist, he will now get his chance to race for the main Red Bull team—right in time for his home Grand Prix at Suzuka, in front of his home crowd.
Suzuka: A turning point?
While Tsunoda prepares for the biggest challenge of his career, Lawson faces yet another restart—his third in three years—back at Racing Bulls, where he will team up with rookie Isack Hadjar.
Will Suzuka prove to be the right move for Red Bull, stabilizing the team? Or will this decision add even more fuel to the fire?
Photo: Formula 1
