Christian Horner defends the bold call on Lawson and applauds Tsunoda’s composed debut in Red Bull’s development-focused 2025 campaign.
Christian Horner isn’t backing down from the decision to move Liam Lawson back to Racing Bulls, even as the young New Zealander admitted it wasn’t his call.
Speaking after the first free practice session in Suzuka, the Red Bull team boss opened up about the team’s thinking—and gave credit to Yuki Tsunoda for a strong debut in the RB21 alongside Max Verstappen.
“Looking back, we probably asked a bit too much from Liam too soon,” Horner said, responding to Lawson’s recent comments about being sidelined from the main team.
“We’ve got a lot of development work ahead, and sometimes you have to make tough decisions. But Liam’s still in the game—he hasn’t left Formula 1. He’s back with Racing Bulls, and we still see a lot of potential in him.”
As for Tsunoda, Horner sees his experience as a key asset to help guide the car’s development.
No Time, No Room, Lawson
“This season is all about progress. We made this call early because we knew we didn’t have the luxury of time. Liam might’ve gotten there eventually—but it could’ve taken five, six races, maybe more. We couldn’t afford that.”
“After internal discussions, we decided to rip off the band-aid and go for it. And Yuki’s stepped in and done a great job straight away.”
Tsunoda impressed in front of his home fans during the opening session in Japan. Calm and composed on the radio, he delivered sharp feedback and finished just a tenth behind Verstappen—both running on the same engine mode.
“It was a solid start for Yuki,” Horner said. “He settled into the car quickly. It’s probably a very different feel from what he’s used to, but he adapted well and communicated clearly. That’s exactly what we need.”
With five seasons of F1 under his belt, Tsunoda isn’t the rookie he once was—and Horner believes that maturity showed.
“He’s turned a high-pressure situation into a strong first step. Now it’s about building on that for the rest of the weekend.”
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Horner Stands by Ruthless Lawson Call, Hails Tsunoda’s Poise
Horner Stands by Ruthless Lawson Call, Hails Tsunoda’s Poise