Yuki Tsunoda has replaced Liam Lawson at Red Bull after just two rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 season, with the Kiwi driver re-joining Racing Bulls after a disastrous start.
Having been selected as the driver to replace Sergio Perez following the Mexican’s miserable season last year, Lawson failed to fathom the tricky Red Bull RB21. He now returns to Racing Bulls after contesting 11 Grands Prix with the Faenza outfit in a straight switch with Tsunoda.
Red Bull have brutally opted to demote Lawson after just two events after seeing how much he struggled to understand the RB21, which they largely designed to suit Max Verstappen. It needs a precise driving style to direct the sharp front end and loose rear the Dutchman likes.
Karun Chandhok wants Liam Lawson to follow Alex Albon’s example after Red Bull axe
Also, Red Bull grew frustrated with Lawson’s lack of progress as the team were even at a loss as to why he struggled so much in Melbourne and Shanghai. Now, the Kiwi returns to Racing Bulls to rediscover the potential that saw Lawson replace Perez over Tsunoda two races ago.
Motorsport advisor Helmut Marko admits Red Bull made a ‘mistake’ promoting Lawson over Tsunoda, who they had deemed too inconsistent. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok also feels Red Bull picked the wrong driver to replace Perez as they should have hired Alex Albon.
READ MORE: Who is Racing Bulls F1 driver Liam Lawson? Everything you need to know
Following the confirmation of Tsunoda replacing Lawson at Red Bull, Chandhok has claimed the Milton Keynes crew should have looked to take Albon away from Williams. He also feels Albon can be a source of inspiration for Lawson given how he responded to leaving Red Bull.
Chandhok shared on X: “As I said last season, RBR should have signed Albon and allowed Liam to develop at Racing Bulls in 2025, while giving [Isack] Hadjar a comprehensive test program like Mercedes have done with Kimi [Antonelli].
“Albon and [Pierre] Gasly have bounced back superbly after moving elsewhere – hope Liam does the same!”
Pierre Gasly won the 2020 Italian GP after being demoted by Red Bull like Liam Lawson
Lawson crashed out of his Red Bull debut at the Australian Grand Prix whilst using slick tyres in wet conditions, after also qualifying in P18. The 23-year-old was even the slowest in both qualifying sessions at the Chinese GP, where he was P12 after Red Bull changed his set-up.
Now returning to Faenza could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Kiwi as Racing Bulls’ VCARB 02 is a nicer car to drive than Red Bull’s RB21 so far this season. Returning to Faenza certainly was beneficial for Gasly after Red Bull axed the Frenchman after 12 rounds in 2019.
Red Bull promoted Gasly from Toro Rosso – now called Racing Bulls – for the 2019 Formula 1 season after Daniel Ricciardo opted to leave. He had spent just a season in Faenza and could not overcome the inconsistency with Red Bull’s car that year upon moving to Milton Keynes.
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In came Albon to replace Gasly at Red Bull after just 12 races for Toro Rosso as a rookie. But the London-born Thai also struggled to master the rear-end of Red Bull’s car – often causing him to especially struggle in qualifying. Albon would last 26 races before Perez took his seat.
Red Bull shopped outside of their driver stable to replace Albon with Perez after he finished the season seventh in the F1 drivers’ championship on 105 points as Verstappen came third on 214. Albon even took his only podiums to date that year with P3 in Tuscany and Bahrain.
Gasly would almost immediately show improved results upon re-joining Toro Rosso with the Rouen native ending the 2019 season with his first podium in F1 after finishing the Brazilian Grand Prix in P2. Gasly won the 2020 Italian GP after the team rebranded as AlphaTauri, too.
Albon would not return to Faenza, instead spending the 2021 season in DTM and as Red Bull plus AlphaTauri’s reserve driver. But Williams gave him a route back to F1 in 2022, which has since seen Albon establish himself as a team leader and one of the best in the midfield pack.
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