As the Formula 1 2025 season unfolds, speculation is rife over the future of Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, and it’s none other than Yuki Tsunoda who’s stirring the pot. While the whispers grow louder about Tsunoda’s readiness to replace Lawson, the latter’s response has been nothing short of dismissive.
Lawson, grappling with a shaky start to the season, has made it clear that he’s not losing sleep over Tsunoda’s claims. The Red Bull driver brushed off Tsunoda’s assertions, stating that the Racing Bulls’ driver can voice his opinion freely, but it doesn’t change the reality on the ground.
The murmurings about Lawson’s potential replacement began in earnest after a less than stellar performance at the season’s launch in Australia and a last-place qualification in both the sprint and main race in China recently. Such a start has drawn unfavourable comparisons with the likes of Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez, causing rumbles that Red Bull may consider a change before the upcoming race in Japan.
Tsunoda, a long-standing member of the Racing Bulls since 2021, previously known as AlphaTauri, is being touted as a strong contender to fill Lawson’s shoes. However, it’s pertinent to note that no final decision has been taken regarding Lawson’s future, who secured the coveted Red Bull seat following only 11 appearances for Racing Bulls in 2023/24.
Despite Lawson not outperforming Tsunoda on the track last season, he was promoted to Red Bull’s senior team. Tsunoda, on the other hand, completed his first test with Red Bull Racing at the end of the previous season and has since been vocal about his readiness to step into Lawson’s shoes, especially after qualifying in China. He’s confident about his readiness to drive the faster Red Bull car from the next race onward.
However, Lawson’s confidence remains unshaken. Post the Shanghai race, he highlighted his successful record against Tsunoda in both the junior divisions and Formula 1 as proof of his deservingness for the Red Bull seat. In response to whether Tsunoda’s comments worry him, Lawson simply laughed it off.
Further elaborating on his stand, Lawson highlighted his past victories over Tsunoda in F3 and Euro Formula, asserting that he doesn’t sympathise with Tsunoda being overlooked for a Red Bull seat last winter. In his view, Tsunoda has had his opportunities, and it’s now Lawson’s turn to shine.
As the F1 saga continues to unfold, the one thing that’s clear is that Lawson isn’t ready to give up his seat without a fight. He seems determined to prove his worth and silence the critics with his performance on the track. As for Tsunoda, only time will tell if his claims will bear fruit. For now, fans can only wait and watch as the drama unfolds on the race track.