Red Bull are facing a tricky predicament over their second Formula 1 seat and must decide which driver is their best option for the rest of the 2025 season soon.
So far, Liam Lawson has not been the answer to their problems. In three qualifying sessions, he has failed to achieve higher than 18th position.
The Red Bull car appears to be almost impossible to drive for anyone other than reigning four-time champion Max Verstappen.
Even the Dutchman’s hopes of securing a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship this season are low. Their car cannot compare to the likes of McLaren or even Mercedes.
Verstappen’s camp are holding behind-the-scenes talks with a Red Bull rival ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations. They do not want to be stuck with a slow car in the long-term.
Sadly, after just two races, F1 fans want to see Lawson replaced at Red Bull even though he hasn’t received much time to prove himself yet.
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Lawson has precious little time to prove to his bosses that he can find some form in their car. They have swapped drivers at short notice before and it’s what helped to create Verstappen.
Gary Anderson has advised the team to take some specific steps with their 22-year-old Kiwi, which may sound drastic but could help him.
“If the decision was down to me I would be heading back to Milton Keynes, having an in-depth debrief with Lawson about his problems, comparing his driving to Max’s and then putting him in the simulator,” he told The Race.
“Which would be initially set up for Suzuka, a track he knows well, then Bahrain, which he also knows from pre-season testing, and Jeddah, which he needs to learn.
“Then I would wait until after those next three races to allow him to put into practice what he should have learned from that intensive simulator programme. After that, then I’d make a judgement on his future.”
With Yuki Tsunoda patiently waiting for a call and his home race at the Japanese Grand Prix next up on the Formula 1 calendar, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him promoted sooner than expected.
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At this stage, it’s pretty clear that being in Red Bull’s second seat does a lot more harm than good. Three drivers have passed through the seat and left in worse positions than they began and it may become four.
It’s why Verstappen ‘isn’t happy’ with a Lawson and Tsunoda swap. He doesn’t want to see either of their careers ruined.
The team appear to be lost in development and unsure how to rectify their car’s woes. They may not even end up with a car capable of scoring points at the end of the year.
Martin Brundle made a subtle Lawson dig at the Chinese Grand Prix and has already predicted that he won’t be fighting for the top positions in Suzuka.
He’s fighting hard for his career currently and has just over one week to prepare in the simulator and study as hard as he can to close the gap to his teammate. Otherwise, he could find himself back in a Vis Cash App Racing Bulls cockpit very soon.
