Almost a week ago, Red Bull announced the swap between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. The New Zealander, due to poor performances, was demoted to Racing Bulls. The Japanese driver, on the other hand, took his place as Max Verstappen’s new teammate.
A move that divided Milton Keynes, with the four-time world champion “making noise” on social media, condemning what he saw as “bullying-like behavior” from his own team.
During the Japanese Grand Prix weekend at the Suzuka circuit, Liam Lawson spoke for the first time about his departure from Red Bull. “It was definitely a shock, to be honest,” he told Sky Sports, revealing a small detail: “I didn’t expect it. Even the discussions we were having, I believe, didn’t really point in this direction.”
Driver #30 admitted that the RB21 is indeed “a difficult car to drive,” but he and the team were working on finding the right adjustment. “During pre-season testing, you test all day. When there’s no time, it becomes difficult to adapt. Every time I was out there, it felt like I was either doing it or getting used to something unfamiliar.”
Liam Lawson acknowledged that he “didn’t have the time” to adapt. However, he didn’t rule out a return to Red Bull if he achieves good results with the sister team. “Absolutely. It was part of the conversation; that’s how they communicated the swap to me,” he revealed.
“They felt I wasn’t ready, so they made the decision. That’s their opinion. As for me? I was ready, but I didn’t have enough time.”
Having swallowed the bitter pill, Lawson is ready to get back into the game: “We all want the same thing. We want to win. If that path brings me back to Red Bull, it will be great for the team and for me.”
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