It seems like it’s a straight battle between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda for Red Bull’s second seat in 2025.
Sergio Perez’s performances have come under increasing scrutiny throughout the season, and it appears that the Milton Keynes-based outfit has no choice but to drop him now.
The Mexican driver has struggled and is without a podium in 18 races, with a car that has won the drivers’ championship in the hands of Max Verstappen by a convincing margin.
Red Bull have flirted with the idea of signing an external option like Franco Colapinto but decided against it in the end and it now appears to be a shootout between two of their sister team drivers.
2025 Red Bull car may not be ‘technically suitable’ for Liam Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda
The problem with Red Bull’s car and the reason why they have struggled to lock down a regular second driver over the years comes down to one thing.
Their car is simply geared towards one man – that is four-time champion Verstappen and his exact driving style, which makes it tricky for others to adjust to.
Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon and Sergio Perez have all failed to match him on a regular basis over the last five years and now it appears that someone else will get a go.
READ MORE: Karun Chandhok tells Red Bull why Liam Lawson is a better option than Yuki Tsunoda for 2025 seat
FOX Sports’ Luis Manuel Lopez writes that it could be tricky for the next driver to step up in 2025 due to the suitability of the car for anyone else.
“If they make that decision at Red Bull, they will have to bite their finger because they would be putting a band-aid on a serious problem they have.
“They are working with the best driver in the world and they have a car that is not technically suitable for other drivers.”
Why Lawson has an advantage over Tsunoda for a seat
With just one race left to help prove who deserves a seat more, Liam Lawson has a big advantage at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix over his teammate.
Yuki Tsunoda will be replaced by fellow countryman Ayumu Iwasa during FP1, forcing him to miss out on crucial running.
It means that he will have less time to set the car up to his liking and adjust to the track in the case that it feels any different to years prior.
READ MORE: Liam Lawson ‘called a meeting’ with Christian Horner after one controversial Red Bull incident
The Japanese driver does like it at Yas Marina, and secured his best-ever finish of fourth there back in 2021 – the chaotic race where Verstappen claimed his first title over Lewis Hamilton.
It’s up to both of them to prove they are worthy, and if they can both perform well, not only will they force Red Bull into a tough decision, but they may help their team finish sixth in the constructors’ championship.
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