A seat at Red Bull is highly coveted, and Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda know it well, though they find themselves in opposite situations. The New Zealander was confirmed last year as Sergio Pérez’s replacement.
Despite being welcomed with good intentions and ready to support Max Verstappen on track, his performances have not met expectations. In just two race weekends, he has finished last twice—a disaster for a Red Bull that is already struggling to be as competitive as it should be, with only the four-time world champion managing to extract performance from it.
Meanwhile, the Japanese driver from Racing Bulls is having his personal redemption with strong performances. Yuki Tsunoda is confident and feels ready to take the next step in his career.
In Japan, Red Bull’s driver lineup could face a major shake-up. As previously reported, Liam Lawson’s seat is in jeopardy, with the team considering replacing him with the #22 driver from the “sister” team. The New Zealander knows he must adapt quickly to the car but admits he “doesn’t have time” to do so, as Yuki Tsunoda is right behind him, ready to take his place.
“Why not? In Japan? 100% the car will be fast,” Yuki Tsunoda replied when asked if he would like to move to Red Bull.
Liam Lawson’s response was immediate: “I’ve raced against him for years, faced him in junior categories, and beaten him. And I’ve done it in F1 as well, so he can say whatever he wants,” he fired back bluntly.
Will Suzuka bring the first major twist of this F1 season? We’ll find out in two weeks.
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