Max Verstappen’s teammate set to be sacked after two races with Red Bull in ‘pure chaos’ after £12million pay-off
Red Bull Racing are set to move Liam Lawson on after just two races. That’s according to Sky pundit Ralf Schumacher, who also broke the news of the team sacking Daniel Ricciardo in September last year. Lawson is out at Red Bull after just two racesGetty SkyRalf Schumacher broke the bombshell news live on Sky[/caption] Speaking on a breaking news update, the six-time Formula 1 race winner said: “Liam Lawson is already out for the next race. Tsunoda will replace him. It’s not fully confirmed yet, but that’s how it looks. “I have to say, it’s unbelievable. From a management perspective, I also find it incredibly bad. “I don’t understand it at all because it destabilises the Racing Bulls team, which is finally in a good position with both drivers. Tsunoda is better, but still has no chance against Max [Verstappen]. “Lawson goes back to the Racing Bulls now. He’ll have to rebuild himself there again. This is pure chaos at Red Bull. “Not only are they too slow in the main team, but now they are also swapping drivers around like a charade. I find that truly unbelievable.” It appears that Yuki Tsunoda will finally make the jump up to the senior squad in time for his home race in Japan on the weekend of April 6. Lawson was initially promoted from sister team Racing Bulls during the offseason, but will now likely head back in a seat swap with Tsuonda who spent the past four seasons with the junior squad. Red Bull paid a hefty fee to get Lawson on board as they had to pay their way out of Sergio Perez‘s contract, which cost a reported £12million. The Mexican joined a long list of drivers unable to get anywhere near reigning four-time world champion Verstappen in the same car. Not since 2017 with Ricciardo have Red Bull had a second driver on pace with Verstappen, aside from a decent run from Perez in 2021. Red Bull are facing all sorts of problems with Verstappen unable to compete with McLaren this seasonGetty Well respected duo Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly both failed to replace Ricciardo, but none quite so badly as Lawson. The New Zealander, who raced alongside Tsunoda at Racing Bulls last season, has been at the back of the grid with Red Bull. Lawson qualified 18th on debut in Australia and then was running in last in the race before crashing in 15th. In China he qualified last and finished 12th, while in the sprint race he was 14th. Red Bull’s management was bombarded with questions about Lawson’s struggles in Japan, with CEO and team principal Christian Horner saying: “Look, I think everything is purely speculative at the moment. As I say, we’ve just finished this race, we’re going to take away the info and have a good look at it. “I think Liam still has got potential, we’re just not realising that at the moment. I think the problem for him is he’s had a couple of really tough weekends and he’s got all the media on his back. “The pressure just naturally grows in this business. I feel very sorry for him that he’s… you can see it’s very tough on him at the moment. “He’s a young guy, we’ve got a duty to look after him. We’re going to do the best that we can to support him. Liam’s still a very capable driver, we know that, we’re just not… for whatever reason, we’re not seeing him able to deliver that at the moment.” Head of driver development, Helmut Marko, also discussed his struggles to find an adequate No.2 for Verstappen, but appeared to suggest another name. The veteran Austrian talked up Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, and also added that he wouldn’t rule out a driver swap. Yet Tsuonda will be the one getting the chance, having been overlooked in the past for a promotion while Perez was desperately struggling alongside Verstappen. Teammate Lawson being called up during the winter was seen as another hammer blow for the 24-year-old, but he’ll now make the step up to a potentially race-winning car in front of his home fans in Suzuka. 2025 Driver Standings PosDriverNationalityCarPts1Lando NorrisGBRMcLaren442Max VerstappenNEDRed Bull Racing363George RussellGBRMercedes354Oscar PiastriAUSMcLaren345Kimi AntonelliITAMercedes226Alexander AlbonTHAWilliams167Esteban OconFRAHaas108Lance StrollCANAston Martin109Lewis HamiltonGBRFerrari910Charles LeclercMONFerrari811Nico HulkenbergGERKick Sauber612Oliver BearmanGBRHaas413Yuki TsunodaJPNRacing Bulls314Carlos SainzESPWilliams115Isack HadjarFRARacing Bulls016Pierre GaslyFRAAlpine017Liam LawsonNZLRed Bull Racing018Jack DoohanAUSAlpine 019Gabriel BortoletoBRAKick Sauber0
Red Bull Racing are set to move Liam Lawson on after just two races.
That’s according to Sky pundit Ralf Schumacher, who also broke the news of the team sacking Daniel Ricciardo in September last year.
Speaking on a breaking news update, the six-time Formula 1 race winner said: “Liam Lawson is already out for the next race. Tsunoda will replace him. It’s not fully confirmed yet, but that’s how it looks.
“I have to say, it’s unbelievable. From a management perspective, I also find it incredibly bad.
“I don’t understand it at all because it destabilises the Racing Bulls team, which is finally in a good position with both drivers. Tsunoda is better, but still has no chance against Max [Verstappen].
“Lawson goes back to the Racing Bulls now. He’ll have to rebuild himself there again. This is pure chaos at Red Bull.
“Not only are they too slow in the main team, but now they are also swapping drivers around like a charade. I find that truly unbelievable.”
It appears that Yuki Tsunoda will finally make the jump up to the senior squad in time for his home race in Japan on the weekend of April 6.
Lawson was initially promoted from sister team Racing Bulls during the offseason, but will now likely head back in a seat swap with Tsuonda who spent the past four seasons with the junior squad.
Red Bull paid a hefty fee to get Lawson on board as they had to pay their way out of Sergio Perez‘s contract, which cost a reported £12million.
The Mexican joined a long list of drivers unable to get anywhere near reigning four-time world champion Verstappen in the same car.
Not since 2017 with Ricciardo have Red Bull had a second driver on pace with Verstappen, aside from a decent run from Perez in 2021.
Well respected duo Alex Albon and Pierre Gasly both failed to replace Ricciardo, but none quite so badly as Lawson.
The New Zealander, who raced alongside Tsunoda at Racing Bulls last season, has been at the back of the grid with Red Bull.
Lawson qualified 18th on debut in Australia and then was running in last in the race before crashing in 15th.
In China he qualified last and finished 12th, while in the sprint race he was 14th.
Red Bull’s management was bombarded with questions about Lawson’s struggles in Japan, with CEO and team principal Christian Horner saying: “Look, I think everything is purely speculative at the moment. As I say, we’ve just finished this race, we’re going to take away the info and have a good look at it.
“I think Liam still has got potential, we’re just not realising that at the moment. I think the problem for him is he’s had a couple of really tough weekends and he’s got all the media on his back.
“The pressure just naturally grows in this business. I feel very sorry for him that he’s… you can see it’s very tough on him at the moment.
“He’s a young guy, we’ve got a duty to look after him. We’re going to do the best that we can to support him. Liam’s still a very capable driver, we know that, we’re just not… for whatever reason, we’re not seeing him able to deliver that at the moment.”
Head of driver development, Helmut Marko, also discussed his struggles to find an adequate No.2 for Verstappen, but appeared to suggest another name.
The veteran Austrian talked up Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar, and also added that he wouldn’t rule out a driver swap.
Yet Tsuonda will be the one getting the chance, having been overlooked in the past for a promotion while Perez was desperately struggling alongside Verstappen.
Teammate Lawson being called up during the winter was seen as another hammer blow for the 24-year-old, but he’ll now make the step up to a potentially race-winning car in front of his home fans in Suzuka.
2025 Driver Standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | GBR | McLaren | 44 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | NED | Red Bull Racing | 36 |
| 3 | George Russell | GBR | Mercedes | 35 |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | AUS | McLaren | 34 |
| 5 | Kimi Antonelli | ITA | Mercedes | 22 |
| 6 | Alexander Albon | THA | Williams | 16 |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | FRA | Haas | 10 |
| 8 | Lance Stroll | CAN | Aston Martin | 10 |
| 9 | Lewis Hamilton | GBR | Ferrari | 9 |
| 10 | Charles Leclerc | MON | Ferrari | 8 |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | GER | Kick Sauber | 6 |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | GBR | Haas | 4 |
| 13 | Yuki Tsunoda | JPN | Racing Bulls | 3 |
| 14 | Carlos Sainz | ESP | Williams | 1 |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar | FRA | Racing Bulls | 0 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | FRA | Alpine | 0 |
| 17 | Liam Lawson | NZL | Red Bull Racing | 0 |
| 18 | Jack Doohan | AUS | Alpine | 0 |
| 19 | Gabriel Bortoleto | BRA | Kick Sauber | 0 |
