Liam Lawson AXED by Red Bull as official team statement issued

An official statement from Red Bull has confirmed that Liam Lawson will no longer drive for the team for the remainder of the 2025 Formula 1 season, starting from the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend.

Lawson, 23, has been replaced by Yuki Tsunoda in what will be a straight swap between the two Red Bull teams on the grid.

The New Zealander returns to Racing Bulls – where he impressed during a brief run of races in 2023 standing in for the injured Daniel Ricciardo – after a dire start to the 2025 season at Red Bull.

Lawson failed to score a point at the opening two race weekends, finishing outside the top 10 in Melbourne (DNF) and Shanghai (P12), as well as the top eight at the sprint race (P14) in China.

Speaking in an official Red Bull announcement, team principal Christian Horner said: "It has been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races 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 Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a team he knows very well."

Red Bull confirm Lawson demotion

The second Red Bull car has long been seen as somewhat of a poisoned chalice, with Lawson following the likes of Sergio Perez, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Daniel Ricciardo as those who were unable to compete alongside Max Verstappen.

Lawson made no secret of his difficulties in getting to grips with the nuances of driving the RB21.

The RB21 follows a long line of Red Bull cars that have a particular driving style to them. Alex Albon perhaps summarised it the best when he compared driving the Red Bull akin to using a computer with the mouse sensitivity turned up to 100.

This now begs the question as to whether Tsunoda can at long last be the answer to Red Bull's second driver headache.

Many have tried and failed to come close to Verstappen – such is the incredible talent that the Dutchman possesses – but Horner and the rest of Red Bull's senior hierarchy have clearly decided that they cannot afford to wait another weekend for Lawson to get it right.

The team are already 42 points adrift of McLaren after two race weekends and know that they need another driver to start putting serious points on the board in the constructors' championship.

What happens if Tsunoda also has a miserable first two race weekends to kick off his senior Red Bull career is a question that still needs answering – something that Red Bull and the hundreds of thousands of home fans waiting to cheer him on at Suzuka will hope to be a question that does not need to be answered.

READ MORE: The shocking way Liam Lawson learnt about his Red Bull 'demotion'

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