In a stunning mid-season twist, Yuki Tsunoda is reportedly set to replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull Racing as early as the Japanese Grand Prix — a move that could reshape the team’s trajectory for the rest of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
According to Motorsport.com and multiple paddock insiders, discussions within Red Bull’s management have escalated in recent days following a string of underwhelming performances from Lawson. Now, Sky Sports pundit Ralf Schumacherhas confirmed the rumors: Lawson is out, and Tsunoda is in — at least for now.
A Struggling Start for Lawson
Lawson’s short tenure at Red Bull has been anything but smooth. After qualifying 18th and crashing out in the season opener in Australia, hopes were pinned on a rebound in China. Instead, Lawson struggled again — qualifying last for both the sprint and main races and finishing well outside the points.
“It’s just really tough, honestly,” Lawson admitted in Shanghai. “The window’s really small… but that’s not an excuse. It’s just time. Unfortunately, I don’t really have time.”
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko agreed bluntly: “He is right.”
That comment now reads less like a show of support and more like a quiet confirmation that time has, in fact, run out.
Tsunoda’s Rise: From Question Mark to Fan Favorite
Meanwhile, Tsunoda is enjoying the strongest form of his Formula 1 career. He qualified fifth in Australia and battled competitively before a team error dropped him out of the points. In China, he finished sixth in the sprint, holding off Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and once again showed the maturity and fire that fans have been waiting for.
“Yuki is a different Yuki from the years before,” said Marko. “He is in the form of his life… He’s more mature. It took a while, but now it looks like it’s working.”
His own words added fuel to the fire: when asked whether he’d be ready to switch places with Lawson in Japan, Tsunoda responded, “Japan? Yeah, 100%. I mean, the [Red Bull] car is faster.”
It now seems that Tsunoda’s dream of racing in front of his home fans at Suzuka in a top-tier Red Bull machine is about to become reality.
What’s Next?
While no official statement has been made by Red Bull, the writing appears to be on the wall. Ralf Schumacher’s confirmation, coupled with inside sources from the paddock, suggest that the decision is already final — and only awaiting formal announcement. Lawson’s struggles, combined with Tsunoda’s surge in form and growing media buzz, made this swap almost inevitable.
If the move becomes permanent, Tsunoda’s journey from a raw, inconsistent rookie to a serious Red Bull contender will stand as one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent F1 memory.
Final Thoughts
Driver swaps mid-season are rare — especially within the tightly managed Red Bull ecosystem — but when performance matters as much as it does in Milton Keynes, patience runs short. Whether Tsunoda can deliver in the senior team is still an open question. But one thing is clear: the Japanese Grand Prix just became must-watch TV.
