Speculation surrounding Liam Lawson‘s future at Red Bull intensified on Tuesday, with reports suggesting the team has decided to replace the New Zealander with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.
According to Dutch newspapers De Telegraaf and De Limburger, Red Bull reached the decision during a meeting in Dubai and is expected to make an official announcement later this week. The swap would see Tsunoda move up from Racing Bulls to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull, while Lawson would return to the feeder team.
Red Bull has not yet commented on the reports. Meanwhile, The New Zealand Herald stated that Lawson’s representatives were unaware if the decision had been finalized.
Lawson was promoted to Red Bull this season to replace Sergio Perez but has struggled in his first two race weekends in Australia and China, failing to score any points. In contrast, Tsunoda has made a strong start to the 2025 campaign, securing a sixth-place finish in the Shanghai sprint race last Saturday.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team boss, acknowledged after the Chinese Grand Prix that Lawson was struggling but assured the team would continue to support him. However, Red Bull has a history of rotating Verstappen’s teammates, often searching for the ideal second driver to complement their star racer.
Verstappen, currently second in the 2025 standings behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, has admitted that Red Bull’s car has been challenging to drive this season. Lawson, too, expressed his struggles in Shanghai, stating he has been unable to extract the desired performance from the car.
With an announcement expected soon, all eyes will be on Red Bull as they navigate yet another mid-season driver change.
