Will Buxton sends ominous message to Yuki Tsunoda after ‘laughable’ Liam Lawson Red Bull exit

It has been officially confirmed that Yuki Tsunoda will be promoted to Red Bull for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The Japanese driver will replace Liam Lawson from his home Grand Prix at Suzuka onwards. It comes after a dismal start to the year for the Kiwi driver at Red Bull.

Lawson was promoted over Tsunoda to the Milton Keynes-based outfit from Racing Bulls to replace Sergio Perez. Christian Horner felt the former’s driving style was more aligned to Max Verstappen as they hoped to see improvement from the second car.

Horner’s comments were proven wrong when Lawson could not get out of Q1 in Melbourne or Shanghai as he struggled to handle the difficult RB21. The 23-year-old crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix and limped home P12 in China – it was originally 15th before the Ferraris and Pierre Gasly were disqualified.

Lawson qualified last in the Sprint and main race in Shanghai, prompting Red Bull to have an emergency meeting to assess the next steps. It is believed the team were considering dropping the Kiwi driver even before the Chinese Grand Prix.

Sure enough, it was announced on Thursday that Lawson will return to Racing Bulls as Tsunoda finally gets the call to join Red Bull.

Will Buxton tells Yuki Tsunoda he will need ‘good luck’ after replacing Liam Lawson at Red Bull

Helmut Marko admits it was a ‘mistake’ promoting Lawson – marking a serious backtrack from what Red Bull were saying over the winter. They considered the Kiwi driver the ideal candidate over Tsunoda despite having less experience.

Lawson now has the shortest Red Bull career in F1 history with just two Grand Prix. He is also the fourth driver to be dropped as Verstappen’s teammate.

For Tsunoda, the news will be a welcome one. The 24-year-old has not shied away from his desire to race for Red Bull after countless pushback over the years.

The Japanese Grand Prix – his home race – will be a dream debut. However, after seeing Red Bull’s treatment of Lawson, Tsunoda should be seriously concerned.

The team have proved once again how ruthless they are with their drivers. Despite giving Lawson commitment over the winter, they have already demoted him back to the junior team.

Horner says Red Bull have a ‘duty of care’ to protect the New Zealander and have subsequently taken him out of the firing line and into an environment he knows well. But Will Buxton is not having any of it.

The journalist wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that it was ‘laughable’ Red Bull decided to drop Lawson having given him support in the off-season. He wished Tsunoda ‘good luck’ as he steps into the RB21.

He said: Red Bull’s talk of their “duty of care” is laughable. You either believe in the driver you’ve signed and give them support or you don’t. They’ve played fast and loose with driver careers for decades but this is a new low. 2 races is insane. Good luck Yuki. You’re gonna need it.

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Can Yuki Tsunoda perform better than Liam Lawson at Red Bull?

It is becoming a known fact that the second Red Bull seat is like a poisoned chalice. Since 2019, no driver has been able to handle the sensitivity of the car’s setup, which is so tailored to Verstappen.

It could be argued that Tsunoda’s driving style would suit the RB21 given he prefers more front end on the car – which the Red Bull has. However, it is clear the 2025 challenger has its issues.

The team have regressed over the winter and have fallen behind McLaren and even Mercedes. Red Bull admit they do not know how to fix the car – an early warning sign for Tsunoda given Lawson’s performances in the first two races.

Verstappen even said Lawson would be better off at Racing Bulls as the VCARB 02 is easier to drive than his machine. Tsunoda himself proved that as he reached Q3 in both Melbourne and Shanghai, outqualifying Lawson.

If the Japanese driver also fails at Red Bull, it would prove the car is the main problem. Tsunoda will be keen to take his opportunity after four years in the junior team, but it could be a diaster waiting to happen.