F1 news: Yuki Tsunoda to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull from Japanese GP

Red Bull Racing have announced the promotion of Yuki Tsunoda to their senior Formula 1 team, replacing Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate starting from the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

This decision comes after Lawson’s challenging start to the 2025 season, where he failed to score points in the first two races, finishing outside the top 10 in China and retiring from the Australian Grand Prix.

The Kiwi has been dropped into Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, where he will race alongside rookie Isack Hadjar who has impressed so far.

Team Principal Christian Horner cited Lawson's inconsistent performances and Red Bull’s need for a stronger driver pairing as key reasons behind the early season swap:

“It has been difficult to see Liam [Lawson] struggle with the RB21 at the first two races and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch,” Christian Horner said.

“We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the Constructors’ title and this is purely a sporting decision.

“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 Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well.”

Why this promotion was long overdue

For many, Tsunoda’s promotion to Red Bull has been a long time coming.

After joining Formula 1 with AlphaTauri, now Racing Bulls, in 2021, Tsunoda faced a rocky start marked by inconsistency and moments of frustration.

However, over the years, he has steadily improved, transforming into a reliable, competitive, and well-rounded driver.

Since Pierre Gasly left the team for Alpine, Tsunoda has emerged as a team leader, constantly outperforming all his teammates.

By 2023, Tsunoda had grown into a leadership role at Racing Bulls, delivering consistent points finishes and occasionally outperforming the car’s limitations.

Many observers had been calling for Tsunoda to be given a top seat long before now, arguing that his consistent performances in an underperforming car deserved greater recognition.

Despite his clear progress, Red Bull had initially overlooked him, opting instead to promote Lawson at the start of the 2025 season.

But with Lawson struggling to adapt to the RB21, Red Bull ultimately turned to Tsunoda - a decision that feels overdue to those familiar with his journey.

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