Liam Lawson’s future at Red Bull could be over before it ever truly got off the ground.
The 23-year-old has struggled to find pace and deliver any results after being elevated alongside Max Verstappen ahead of the 2025 season.
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Lawson qualified 18th for the Australian Grand Prix before he spun out and failed to reach the chequered flag.
His nightmare reached worrying depths during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend when he finished 20th in qualifying for both the sprint race and the main race.
Lawson managed to climb to 14th in the sprint race while he at least reached the chequered flag in 15th spot on Sunday.
Shortly after the Chinese Grand Prix came to an end a bombshell report emerged stating the team could look to swap Lawson out for Yuki Tsunoda before the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6.
“Amid a difficult start to the season for Lawson, Red Bull is already considering changing its driver line-up ahead of Suzuka, with Tsunoda named by paddock sources as a potential replacement,” motorsport.com reported.
“Although no final decision has been taken, discussions about such a scenario have begun – and the possibility of a driver swap between the two teams is understood to be likely.”
Lawson’s horror results to start the season have Red Bull in third place in the constructors’ standings on 36 points, a long way behind Mercedes (53) and McLaren (78).
Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko confirmed the team is set to hold an emergency meeting to talk through the slow start to the season.
“This week there is a meeting in Milton Keynes to discuss when and how we can close the gap,” Marko told Sky DE.
“Until then, it’s about scoring as many points as possible.
“We are worried, but it is not like we are throwing in the towel.”
When discussing Tsunoda’s impressive form to start the 2025 season, Marko was glowing with his remarks.
“Yuki is a different Yuki from the years before. He is in the form of his life. Obviously he changed his management. He has a different approach. He’s more mature. It took a while, but now it looks like it’s working,” Marko said to motorsport.com.
The internal team drama surrounding a potential driver swap went up another level when Tsunoda fronted cameras in the media paddock behind pit lane on Saturday.
The 24-year-old was asked if he would be happy to take Lawson’s seat if the offer presented itself.
“Yeah, why not? Always,” he responded.
He was asked about the potential of him bumping Lawson before his home Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit in two weeks’ time.
He replied: “In Japan? Yeah, 100 per cent. I mean, the car is faster.”
According to motorsport.com, Tsunoda was then pulled out by the team’s public relations officer because the conversation was getting too casual.
Lawson looked every bit a driver with the weight of the world on his shoulders when speaking to reporters after qualifying.
“It’s just a very small window,” Lawson said, describing the car’s narrow operating band, per Autosport. “It’s hard, you know — it’s hard to drive, to get it in that window.
“I’d like to say that with time that’ll come. I just don’t have time to do that, it’s something I need to get on top of.”
The second Red Bull seat has been cursed ever since Daniel Ricciardo departed the team, with Sergio Perez last year becoming the latest driver axed.
The Mexican driver was even paid out millions of dollars to terminate his contract early.
Perez was nowhere near Verstappen in both qualifying and championship points, and it was expected that his replacement would bridge the gap.
He hasn’t.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was asked in brutal fashion on live TV by Ted Kravitz whether the team had made the right decision in overlooking Tsunoda and now had a “little Liam Lawson problem”.
Horner responded: “It’s been a tough day in the office for him today, so we’ll have a good look at it and go through it and obviously try and give him the best car for tomorrow.”
Then Kravitz hit him with a brutal truth bomb.
“But you need him to score the Constructors’ [Championship] points. You didn’t pay off Checo (Perez) for this, did you? I mean, the point was to replace Checo with a quicker driver, and is he just not a quicker driver?”
Horner did not offer much of a response.
“As I said, we’ll have a good look at it, and we’ll do what we can tomorrow,” Horner replied.
Lawson may already be walking the plank with Red Bull kingmaker Marko last week suggesting the team had a five-race period for the Kiwi to find his feet.
It appears results over the first two races, however, may expedite their plans with Lawson.
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