Red Bull is expected to announce today that Tsunoda will replace Lawson, with the Japanese driver set to race for the team at the Japanese Grand Prix.
The big news is out: Yuki Tsunoda will take over from Liam Lawson at Red Bull Racing, starting from the Japanese Grand Prix. This marks the end of any lingering doubts about Lawson’s future with the team.
Dr. Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, made the announcement, confirming that details about Lawson’s immediate future would be shared on Thursday. It seems that Lawson already knows his fate, which was reportedly decided in Dubai earlier this week by Red Bull’s leadership. On that very day, Tsunoda was already in the Red Bull Racing simulator in Milton Keynes, familiarizing himself with the RB21 and its unique handling characteristics.
When asked about the confirmation, Marko simply replied, “Please wait until tomorrow,” without denying the rumors.
Tsunoda had made it clear last Sunday, as he left Shanghai, that he was ready to take on the “monster” that is Max Verstappen. However, many in the paddock don’t expect Tsunoda to perform significantly better than Lawson, given the RB21’s notoriously tricky handling that only a driver like four-time world champion Verstappen seems to master with ease.
Verstappen’s Future in Question?
Interestingly, Verstappen himself has not yet won a race in 2025 behind the wheel of the RB21, which has led some to wonder if Red Bull might eventually lose him to a competitor. Marko, always the realist, admits the situation is concerning.
“Max wants to win,” Marko said, acknowledging the Dutchman’s drive. “And he wants to feel like he’s doing everything to achieve that.”
“If he doesn’t feel that way, he might take a different approach,” Marko added.
If Verstappen were to leave, Red Bull would face a significant challenge in finding a top-tier replacement, especially after Lawson’s poor performance in Shanghai. Red Bull, widely considered the most dominant team in Formula 1 in recent years, might struggle without their star driver, as former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher pointed out.
“Let’s face it—without Max, Red Bull would already be mediocre,” said Schumacher. “Horner is already facing controversy. He hasn’t managed to maintain the winning combination at Red Bull due to personal issues, which eventually led to Adrian Newey and other key people leaving the team. He will now face the consequences of that. It’s a huge problem, and I can’t imagine Red Bull coming out of this slump. Pierre Waché had a year to prove his worth after Newey’s departure, but things only got worse this winter.”
“I think something big will happen soon,” Schumacher continued. “I’ve heard that Jos Verstappen is furious.”
Verstappen’s Future Sparks Major Tension
The Verstappen camp has made it clear they don’t approve of Lawson’s dismissal, although they’ve kept any public dissatisfaction under wraps.
“Max seems to be taking it rather calmly, but I think he’s quietly saying goodbye to the team,” an insider remarked.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team principal, has also been notably passive when asked about the possibility of signing Max Verstappen, especially in China. And when someone like Wolff is calm about such matters, it’s clear that things are already in motion behind the scenes.
For Wolff, it’s a luxury to have such a situation, but the real question is: What will he do? He currently has two drivers he holds dear—George Russell, who is fighting for his future, and Kimi Antonelli, who’s made an impressive debut. Neither of them deserves to leave, but when the chance to bring in Max Verstappen comes, it’s hard to ignore.
The F1 world is on edge as these developments unfold. It seems there’s much more to come, and fans are waiting to see what happens next.
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Tsunoda to Replace Lawson, Announcement Expected Today
Tsunoda to Replace Lawson, Announcement Expected Today
