Red Bull have officially confirmed that Liam Lawson will be demoted to Junior Red Bulls, with Yuki Tsunoda replacing him.
The Formula One team shared the news overnight, announcing Tsunoda will join Max Verstappen from the Japanese Grand Prix onward.
Speculation began after Netherland top newspaper ‘De Telegraaf’ reported Lawson was being dropped because of his underwhelming performances in the first two rounds.
He qualified 18th for the Australian Grand Prix, before spinning out and crashing. His second race in the China Grand Prix saw him fall to a distant 12th.
Red Bull Team Principal Christian Honer said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races… we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.”
Honer conceded the vehicle was hard to drive, understanding Lawson has lost confidence as he battles to understand why he couldn’t get pace out of the car.
Honer also commented on the main reason for the brutal chop: “We came into the 2025 season with two ambitions - to retain the world drivers championship and to reclaim the world constructors title.
This is a purely sporting decision.
Last year saw Red Bull drop their rank from first to third, losing their world drivers championship title to McLaren.
Lawson’s demotion makes history as the shortest stint for a Red Bull driver in history, and Honer insisted they have a “duty of care” for the Kiwi.
Honer claimed he acted with development in mind for the young gun: “Liam can gain experience as he continues his F1 career with… an environment and a team he knows very well.”
Now ex-teammate Max Verstappen has discreetly shown where he stands, liking a post made by former driver Giedo van der Garde, describing Lawson’s treatment as “closer to bullying or a panic move.”
Lawson, understandably, hasn’t said anything yet. Our hearts are with the young gun, and we can’t wait to see him back on the F1 stage sometime soon.
