After days of intense speculation, Red Bull has confirmed that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson in the second Red Bull from the Japanese Grand Prix.

"Following a difficult opening period to the season for Liam Lawson, Oracle Red Bull Racing have made the decision that from the 2025 Japan GP, Yuki Tsunoda will drive for Oracle Red Bull Racing and Liam will drive for Visa Cash App Racing Bulls," said the team in a brief statement.

"Red Bull are in the unique position of having four seats on the Formula One grid, across Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls. And as such, the Team have made the decision to exercise a driver rotation, that will see Yuki partner current and four-time World Champion, Max Verstappen."

"It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races," admitted Christian Horner, "and as a result we have collectively taken the decision to make an early switch.

"We came into the 2025 season, with two ambitions, to retain the World Drivers' Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors' title and this is a purely sporting decision.

"We acknowledge there is a lot of work to be done with the RB21 and Yuki's experience will prove highly beneficial in helping to develop the current car. We welcome him to the team and are looking forward to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21.

"We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well."

"We're incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Red Bull," added Laurent Mekies. "His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational.

"Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki's energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR.

"Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has.

"He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a team. With Isack having started strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong lineup."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Geeza1966, 7 hours ago

"I tend to agree with kenji here.... As Mark Webber stated more than once, "F1 isn't a finishing school... You have to arrive ready and deliver..." And I too believe after Yuki's performances last season, he should have been given the nod for 2025. I also wonder if in any way, Red Bull were in any way cautious that Yuki may be too quick and de-stabilize VMax??? Whatever the case, we are all about to find out!! Let the games begin!"

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2. Posted by kenji, 29/03/2025 10:44

"@Equator 180.... In a nutshell, exactement. The prevailing sentiment, that 'everyone's a victim' has no restrictive bounds. This sentiment is used to mask certain agendas and is designed to disrupt decisions that are at times prosecuted as harsh and unpopular but ultimately, necessary. During my business life I frequently had to make similar decisions. It's not easy, but life in reality, rarely is."

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3. Posted by equator180, 29/03/2025 3:06

"Very entertaining reading these comments. Seems most want to throw the admin of Red Bull under the bus for making a decision they are being paid multi millions of dollars to make. Bottom line the blond haired blue eyed, media heart throb kid, made his own bed and that is in the stats. In any sport people come and go F1 is no different and the stakes are high with only a limited number of races, bottom line if you can't row the boat, pass the oars."

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4. Posted by stackvideo, 28/03/2025 1:41

"Just moving deck chaifs on the Titanic if you ask me"

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5. Posted by kenji, 28/03/2025 1:04

"I remain ambivalent when it comes to the Lawson issue. On the one hand it appears to be a rash decision taken in haste. On the other hand it is, IMO,at the moment, that RB. were left with very little wriggle room given the devastating start to the season. Points gained at the very start of the season can play such an important factor that they obviously couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel and made a somewhat unpopular decision. Lawson has had a total of 13 races to cement his standing....how many more does he need to prove he's either got it or he hasn't? Whether Tsunoda can pull it off remains to be seen but at least they are prepared to take the gamble and for that reason alone they should be supported. After all there were many people who thought that Tsunoda should've got the nod in the first place."

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6. Posted by Chester, 27/03/2025 22:25

"This move hurts my sense of fairness. But I also remember, even in American high school football, how easily coaches promoted and demoted players based on performance

Many here express that Tsunoda is on a Fool’s Errand, that the Red Bull is inherently an oversteering wicked machine, a feature that is preferred by Verstappen. I see some reason to believe that to some extent- but i equally see a knives-out attitude no that RB and Verstappen are struggling.

I hope Tsunoda and Lawson both succeed.

"

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7. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 27/03/2025 21:34

"So this is how Tsunoda's F1 dreams get dashed, feet first into the meat grinder that is RedBull #2. If one considers that it took Yuki years to get as punchy as he is in the VCARB, would he be able to get on pace straight away at RedBull? A quick shake of the magic 8-ball reads "outlook not so good". Good luck to him, nonetheless. Maybe Lawson can reset in a less abrasive environment, one without Marko looming over him like a haunted tree."

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8. Posted by Simon in Adelaide, 27/03/2025 19:41

"I’m just waiting for the first 10 minutes of FP 1 and Tsunoda’s team radio

“This car is !@#$ing undriveable”"

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9. Posted by rambler, 27/03/2025 16:39

"A very poor move for Tsunoda. Hopefully Honda will save him. "

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10. Posted by KKK, 27/03/2025 15:33

"I can only say one word that highlights what The Management ar red Bull have done : "SHAMEFUL"
Tsudoda best watch his back or he will get the push.
In all honesty I think this is the beginning of the end of Red Bull"

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11. Posted by Spindoctor, 27/03/2025 15:32

"Let's hope that Liam gets his mojo back at the 'junior' team & that Yuki doesn't end-up on the increasingly large Horner\Marko driver scrapheap...."

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12. Posted by meatball, 27/03/2025 15:07

"The car lives on a knife-edge and there are precious few drivers that can handle that.
They really should have worked harder on getting Sainz into the 2nd seat."

Official: Tsunoda replaces Lawson at Red Bull

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