Peter Windsor tells Red Bull to demote Max Verstappen in ‘bizarre’ tactic for Japanese Grand Prix

Two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season and Red Bull are already set to make a driver change ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

There have been strong rumours that Liam Lawson could be swapped with Yuki Tsunoda for the next race in Suzuka. The Kiwi driver has had a torrid start to life at Red Bull.

Lawson has failed to score a point and has been eliminated in Q1 in the opening two Grand Prix in Melourne and Shanghai. Meanwhile, teammate Max Verstappen grabbed second in the former and sits behind Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship.

The 23-year-old’s performances have led to Red Bull organising an emergency meeting this week to discuss the next steps. Many media outlets are reporting that Lawson has already lost his seat and that Tsunoda will be in the RB21 for his home race.

Red Bull are set to demote the New Zealander back to Racing Bulls after just two Grand Prix. This may be a welcome change given how difficult the former’s 2025 car is to drive at the moment – Verstappen even said Lawson would be better at Racing Bulls as their challenger looks easier to handle.

The RB21 is currently not a machine capable of winning races or challenging the likes of McLaren and even Mercedes. Peter Windsor thinks instead of dropping Lawson, they should look to his teammate in a truly ‘bizarre’ tactic.

Peter Windsor says the ‘best thing’ Red Bull could do is drop Max Verstappen to Racing Bulls

It seems asinine even to suggest demoting Verstappen back to the junior Red Bull team. However, the truth is that the VCABR 02 seems a lot more stable and capable of solid results.

Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar both made Q3 in Shanghai – qualifying 10th and seventh respectively – but could not capitalise to score points. In the hands of Verstappen, Windsor thinks he could do better at Racing Bulls than he is now at Red Bull

“Alternatively of course, and assuming you could do it a way that wouldn’t affect the drivers’ championship points, the best thing [would] be to put Max in one of the Racing Bulls for a while, or for the rest of the season,” he said via his YouTube channel.

“Because it’s a good bet that the Racing Bulls chassis right now is a better car than the Red Bull A team.

“Look at the performance of Yuki, look how well Isack Hadjar did in qualifying in China and look how difficult the car is for Liam Lawson, how difficult really it is for Max.

“I mean P4, absolutely perfect day in the office in terms of maximising the car. And that Racing Bulls car looks to be quite good.

“So it’s a pretty sound bet that If Max Verstappen was in the Yuki Tsunoda car now, he’d probably be ahead of where he is in the A team. I mean that’s the bizarre thing about the whole Red Bull situation at the moment.

“But I mean that won’t happen I guess for contractual reasons, branding, sponsorship, everything else. The points, probably a big drama with the constructors’ [championship] and everything so that’s never going to happen.”

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Liam Lawson Red Bull drama adds fuel to the fire that Max Verstappen could leave the team

Lawson is set to have the shortest Red Bull career in their history and will be the fourth teammate next to Verstappen to fail in equal machinery.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit’s cars are so tailored to the Dutchman’s sensitive driving style that no teammate is able to cope. Lawson would benefit more than Tsunoda by going to Racing Bulls as he knows the environment and the car appears more stable and stronger than his RB21.

Red Bull do not know how to fix the RB21’s issues – which could spell bad news when it comes to keeping Verstappen on board for the new regulations in 2026. The four-time champion has been heavily linked with a move away.

Verstappen could leave before 2026 if he is dissatisfied with the team’s performance. It is clear Red Bull have regressed over the winter and the 27-year-old will want to be in the fastest car.

Aston Martin have been heavily linked with Verstappen and the Silverstone-based outfit have an attractive project, with Adrian Newey at the helm and Honda power units. If Red Bull cannot get their act together, they risk losing their star talent as well.