Formula 1: Lawson ‘surprised’ by Red Bull demotion, says ‘I did not foresee this’
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Synopsis
Liam Lawson was taken aback by his replacement at Red Bull by Yuki Tsunoda starting from the Japanese Grand Prix. After disappointing results in Australia and China, Lawson has been reassigned to Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls, as part of the swap with Tsunoda.
Key Takeaways
- Liam Lawson was surprised by his demotion at Red Bull.
- He has been replaced by Yuki Tsunoda from the Japanese Grand Prix.
- Lawson delivered poor performances in his first two races of the season.
- He will return to Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls.
- Red Bull acknowledged asking too much too soon from Lawson.
New Delhi, April 2 (NationPress) Liam Lawson expressed his surprise upon discovering that he would be replaced by Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull starting from the Japanese Grand Prix. Lawson had taken the position alongside Max Verstappen after the departure of Sergio Perez but was dropped after only two races in the new season, where he delivered unsatisfactory performances in Australia and China. He is now returning to Red Bull's junior team, Racing Bulls, in a swap with Tsunoda from Japan.
"It was honestly a shock. I didn’t expect this at all. The conversations we were having didn’t indicate this direction, so it was truly unexpected," Lawson told Sky Sports.
Lawson competed alongside Tsunoda in the latter part of 2024 after stepping in for Daniel Ricciardo at the then-named RB team. His performances led to a promotion to Red Bull as Verstappen's teammate in 2025 following Perez's exit.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also addressed the situation with Sky Sports on Wednesday, acknowledging that the team had "expected too much too soon" from Lawson.
"It's heartbreaking because you are affecting someone’s dreams and ambitions, but sometimes you must be tough to be kind. I believe this isn’t the end for Liam. I made it clear that this is just a sample of two races. We asked too much of him too quickly," he stated during the interview.
"We need to recognize that we were demanding too much from him prematurely. This is a chance for him to further develop the talent we know he possesses back in the Racing Bulls seat, while giving Yuki the opportunity to utilize his experience," he added.
