“It would have been a suicide”: why some think Liam Lawson “saved himself” from Red Bull. Lawson’s exit from Red Bull: an opportunity or a career setback?.

A Japanese driver will be on track alongside Max Verstappen at his home race. The Suzuka GP weekend will undoubtedly be an emotional one for Yuki Tsunoda, who will replace Liam Lawson following his departure from Red Bull. The New Zealander struggled in his first two races of the season, which led Christian Horner and Helmut Marko to opt for a swift lineup change.

“I think this will be an opportunity for him,” said Tony Quinn, one of Liam Lawson’s main sponsors. “Going through another weekend like the first two would have been hard to accept. If he had continued to struggle, it would probably have been too much. I think it would have almost been a suicide for him.”

“For a while now, the feeling was that if he hadn’t performed in Japan, Yuki Tsunoda would have replaced him. It just got brought forward by one race,” Tony Quinn added.

“Certainly, the first two races were tougher than expected for Liam. And it was strange since he had performed well in testing and on the simulator. But it’s done now. I believe he just needs support and to reset everything. His talent is there for everyone to see,” he concluded ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, which will be held at the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka Circuit.