Red Bull’s Contentious Driver Change and Max Verstappen’s Dissent

In an unexpected move, Red Bull Racing swapped Liam Lawson for Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season. This decision, which has sparked controversy among fans and experts alike, was met with disagreement from none other than four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

The Performance Woes of Liam Lawson

Red Bull made this call after Lawson failed to deliver at both Albert Park and Shanghai, placing last in both qualifying sessions at the Chinese Grand Prix, a fateful lowlight.

Eagle-eyed observers may have caught a glimpse of Verstappen’s opinion on the matter through an Instagram post by former F1 racer Giedo van der Garde. The post, liked by several current drivers including Verstappen, suggested that the decision to replace Lawson was more akin to bullying or a panic move than high athletic achievement.

Max Verstappen’s Preference and Red Bull’s Response

Asked by Motorsport.com’s sister publication Formel1.de whether this Instagram like indicated that Verstappen would have preferred to continue with Lawson, Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor, confirmed: “That conclusion is correct, and he did express that. But we explained to Max that, in order to win the championship, we have to do everything we can to have two cars in the top 10.”

Despite Verstappen’s argument that the car was difficult to drive and that Lawson’s performance would improve with a better car, Red Bull is focusing on further development. However, it remains unclear how quickly these improvements will materialize.

Red Bull’s Reputation and the Future of Liam Lawson

Known for their ruthless approach towards drivers, Red Bull has seen many drivers demoted or let go over the past two decades. Lawson, Verstappen’s fourth teammate since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018, finds himself in a less competitive environment after this decision.

Despite the controversy, Marko is keen to argue that this decision should not be labeled as a ‘demotion’. Instead, Lawson is moving to Racing Bulls, a highly competitive car, and given another chance to regroup and put his F1 career back on track.

Although there were rumors of Franco Colapinto replacing Lawson, Marko clarified that these talks were merely discussions about Red Bull juniors with Hitech Grand Prix founder and Alpine team principal Oliver Oakes. Colapinto was not a topic in these discussions.