3 days ago
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Red Bull have confirmed that they will demote Liam Lawson and replace him with Yuki Tsunoda with immediate effect.
The decision comes after Lawson had completed just two grands prix for Red Bull, and three months after Tsunoda was passed over for the New Zealander as a replacement for Sergio Perez.
Tsunoda, 24, will partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull from the next race in Japan on 4-6 April, while Lawson will return to second team Racing Bulls as team-mate to French rookie Isack Hadjar.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said in a statement: "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."
Red Bull are third in the constructors' championship after two races, behind McLaren and Mercedes, and Verstappen has expressed his belief that their car may be only the fourth fastest in the field.
The Dutchman was a close second behind race-winner Lando Norris' McLaren in the wet season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and fourth at the Chinese race last weekend.
Lawson qualified 18th in Melbourne and crashed out of the race. In China, he qualified last for both the sprint and the grand prix, and finished 14th and 12th.
His finishing position in the grand prix in Shanghai was boosted by the disqualifications of both Ferraris and Pierre Gasly's Alpine, without which he would have been 15th.
Horner's statement said: "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."
The decision to swap Lawson and Japanese Tsunoda was made on Monday at a meeting of Red Bull bosses in Dubai, including Horner and the chief shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya.
When Red Bull made the decision to pay off Perez two years before the end of his contract at the conclusion of last season, they chose Lawson because they believed Tsunoda lacked the mental fortitude to be Verstappen's team-mate and that Lawson had more potential.
That was despite the fact the 23-year-old New Zealander had completed just 11 grands prix over two seasons for Red Bull's second team.
At the time, Red Bull's car had fallen from competitiveness and, although Verstappen clinched a fourth consecutive world title, he won only twice in the final 14 races of the 2024 season.
The car appears not to have improved in relative competitiveness over the winter, and Verstappen is continuing to complain it has balance problems that affect its performance.
Red Bull have long been renowned for the ruthlessness with which they handle their young driver programme, but even in that context dropping Lawson after two races is extraordinary.
Horner's statement said: "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."
Tsunoda's debut for the senior team will come at his home race at Suzuka, a track that is owned by Japanese car company Honda, which is Red Bull's engine partner and has long been a backer of the driver's career.
He has been with Red Bull's second team, previously called Alpha Tauri and RB, since making his F1 debut in 2021.
His promotion is an opportunity to secure his F1 career, at a time when his future in the sport was looking uncertain.
Honda is moving to Aston Martin for 2026 and there is no space for Tsunoda at that team.
If he can prove himself at Red Bull, he has the opportunity to show the team's bosses that he should be considered as a future driver for their team despite their long scepticism over his ultimate potential.
Tsunoda has had a positive start to the 2025 season, qualifying fifth in Australia and ninth in China, where he finished sixth in the sprint race.
Lawson will be advised that his demotion is an opportunity for him to rebuild his career, in the same way as earlier Red Bull rejects Gasly and Alex Albon have done.
Gasly was demoted to the second Red Bull team after just half a season in 2019 in a swap with Albon, who was given a season and a half before being demoted to reserve driver in place of Perez.
Gasly has since moved to Alpine and Albon to Williams, and both have thrived.
Perez no longer has an F1 seat after being dropped at the end of last season with a pay-off worth many millions of dollars.
