It took Red Bull just two races in different conditions to decide that Liam Lawson was not the correct solution to be Max Verstappen’s teammate during the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The Kiwi went from hero to zero within seven days after failing to score a point or qualify higher than 18th for Red Bull between two race weekends.
Lawson returns to Visa Cash App Racing Bulls for the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, with Yuki Tsunoda stepping up to take his place.
Helmut Marko and Christian Horner have made key driver decisions before, but none as cutthroat as this after just two rounds.
Red Bull fans have noticed one crucial change in Lawson and believe that he already looks much happier without as much pressure on his shoulders.
Horner gave Lawson a ‘very clear’ message about his F1 future and hasn’t ruled out a return to the senior team one day. First, he must rebuild both his speed and confidence.
READ MORE: Karun Chandhok is absolutely spot on after spotting where Red Bull went wrong with Liam Lawson
Juan Pablo Montoya criticises Helmut Marko for Red Bull’s ‘very strange’ Liam Lawson decision
One man who understands just how tough Formula 1 can be is ex-McLaren and Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya – a strong rival of Michael Schumacher’s nearly 25 years ago.
He has questioned both Red Bull and Marko’s decision to be so stern with drivers, particularly this time with Lawson, believing that there has been more patience for other stars.
“It is complicated because Helmut is a person very driven by his opinion. He is a person I think a bit impulsive and everything,” he said.
“It is very strange because he has a lot of patience with some drivers. He forgives them everything and with others he does not forgive anything.”
Red Bull staff see a return for Lawson in the future, but he must go back to his roots and rebuild his confidence and speed, as well as develop some experience.
Tsunoda ‘can’t wait for his Red Bull debut, and there is little expectation for it. He can’t do worse than the man who came before him, and if he matches him, it’s a car fault.
READ MORE: Yuki Tsunoda realised he was making a mistake in Christian Horner conversations before securing Red Bull move
Why Liam Lawson could be faster at Racing Bulls than he was at Red Bull
At the Australian Grand Prix, Tsunoda qualified just two-tenths behind Verstappen in what is a much slower car in theory.
One of the biggest reasons for doing so? Setup. The VCARB has a much wider setup window, therefore it is easier to activate the tyres and drive quickly.
The Red Bull requires such precision that only the reigning champion can drive it. It’s why Lawson should be much quicker when rejoining his old team.
Tsunoda on the other hand, faces an uphill battle in a car that he has never driven before. One small bonus is that a teammate has never out-qualified him at Suzuka.
He’s going to need that confidence and experience to shine through if he wants to last at Red Bull. Otherwise, Arvid Lindblad’s phone may be calling soon.
