Formula 1 News: Tsunoda and Lawson will swap seats

(GMM) The decision has been taken – Liam Lawson will reportedly not be returning to the cockpit of the 2025 Red Bull Racing car.

Dutch newspaper De Limburger, and the equally authoritative De Telegraaf, reveal that after a meeting involving 51 percent Red Bull owner Chalerm Yoovidhya in Dubai on Tuesday, it was decided that Lawson will return to Racing Bulls.

From Suzuka, it will be Yuki Tsunoda who becomes Max Verstappen’s next teammate, reportedly strongly supported by Honda in the final season of the Red Bull-Honda collaboration.

Yuki Tsunoda in Red Bull Driver’s Suit. Image by ESPN

Some, though, are skeptical that the Japanese driver will fare any better than Lawson, who was basically dead-last throughout the Chinese GP weekend.

“It is not possible that whoever comes alongside him (Verstappen) has such enormous difficulties,” former F1 team boss and owner Giancarlo Minardi told his own website.

“It is probably a very difficult car to drive and manage, having been built entirely around the Dutchman (Verstappen) who has a particular style of driving, putting his teammates in difficulty.

“I find it hard to imagine a different explanation, since the ‘cousins’ (at Racing Bulls) are faster and better performing than Lawson.”

Red Bull figures continue to deny that its Formula 1 cars are built exclusively to Verstappen’s style, but boss Christian Horner does admit that the main team’s car has a “sharper” front end than the Racing Bulls.

“That is the difference,” Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel told Viaplay, “because Max has always wanted a car that is very loose at the back.

“That does not give other drivers confidence. If you steer into those fast turns, and you are constantly on the edge, you see that Lawson does not trust the car – and then you can never drive on the limit.”

Lawson, 23, is expected to now simply return to Racing Bulls, with Alpine rubbishing a theory that Franco Colapinto – already on loan from Williams – could now be loaned to the Red Bull family.

“The rumors are not true,” a team spokesperson is quoted as saying by Ole. “Colapinto is an Alpine driver.”

March 25, 2025

Red Bull has made the shock decision to drop Liam Lawson after just two grands prix and hand Yuki Tsunoda the chance he has long craved, according to the Dutch newspaper De Limburger.

The move comes following a meeting in Dubai of Red Bull’s senior management, including team principal Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko, who had placed their faith in the New Zealander to replace Sergio Perez.

De Limburger reports power unit provider Honda was prepared to pay Red Bull an additional 10 million euros to guarantee Tsunoda a drive for this year. It is claimed the Japanese manufacturing giant already pays 10 million euros to Racing Bulls for his seat. It was a move rebuffed at the time as Horner favored Lawson.

It is further suggested that Honda has recently been approached again, with Red Bull inquiring how much it would be willing to pay for Tsunoda to take up the seat alongside Max Verstappen. The suggestion is it is willing to pay ‘several million $’.

The report says that Tsunoda and Lawson will swap seats, with Lawson returning to Racing Bulls and Tsunoda becoming Verstappen’s teammate in time for the upcoming Japanese GP at Suzuka.