Liam Lawson reportedly being replaced by Red Bull; Yuki Tsunoda may replace him

Red Bull has reportedly decided to let go of driver Liam Lawson ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. The 23-year-old joined the team for the 2025 season but had a rough start, crashing and not finishing the opening race at the Australian Grand Prix. His struggles continued at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he finished in 16th place.

Is Liam Lawson getting fired? Will Yuki Tsunoda replace him?

Speculation about his future began last week, with rumours that Yuki Tsunoda could take over his spot. Tsunoda, 24, even expressed his willingness to seize the opportunity if it arose. A Dutch nereported on Tuesday that Tsunoda would "replace" Lawson and partner with Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the Japanese Grand Prix. Sources indicate a meeting was held in Dubai, where majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya lives.

Red Bull has not yet confirmed this change. It is believed that Lawson may be demoted to Red Bull’s sister team, Racing Bulls, with Honda possibly involved in the decision. World Champion Verstappen, 27, previously stated that the "difference" between Lawson and Tsunoda "wasn't that big" regarding the team’s car.

He commented, "That Racing Bulls car is easier to drive than ours. I notice that when I talk to Liam. Last year the difference between him and Yuki (Tsunoda) wasn't that big, I thought. Otherwise, the team wouldn't have made the choice to put Liam in at Red Bull."

Dismissing Lawson after just two races would certainly be one of the harshest removals in F1 history, especially considering the team's decision to allow Sergio Perez to finish the previous season.

Red Bull's leaders, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner, sounded an urgent note following the races in Melbourne and China, emphasizing that Lawson needed to make a quick impact. Horner stated, “We will study all the data and do our best to support Liam. But we also need two drivers who score points.” Marko acknowledged that the team was “worried” about Lawson, revealing that they planned to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the disappointing start to the season.

The scenario intensified when Tsunoda addressed the media in the paddock behind the pit lane on Saturday. When asked if he would be happy to take Lawson’s seat if the opportunity arose, he responded, “Yeah, why not? Always.” He was further questioned about potentially taking Lawson's place ahead of his home Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in two weeks, to which he replied, “In Japan? Yeah, 100 per cent. I mean, the car is faster.”