Yuki Tsunoda Addresses Liam Lawon’s Red Bull Demotion

Japanese racing sensation, Yuki Tsunoda, has spoken about the demotion of his former Red Bull teammate, Liam Lawson, during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. With a confident tone, Tsunoda assured that both he and Lawson had given their best, and he believed Lawson would make a strong comeback in the RB squad.

Red Bull’s Decision to Replace Lawson with Tsunoda

After just two races into the 2025 season, Red Bull opted to replace Lawson with Tsunoda, who stepped into the Red Bull seat alongside four-time champion Max Verstappen in front of his home crowd at Suzuka. Initially, Tsunoda missed out on replacing Sergio Perez in the top team, as Red Bull chief Christian Horner and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko showed faith in Lawson.

However, Lawson’s tenure with Red Bull was short-lived, lasting only two race weekends in Australia and China before he was moved to the sister squad.

Tsunoda’s Perspective on Lawson’s Exit from Red Bull

During an interview with Sky Sports during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Tsunoda addressed Lawson’s departure from Red Bull, stating: “Well, it wasn’t easy for me at the end of last season either. He did his best for sure. We all did our best, and he got the Red Bull seat which was fair. I just had to accept it. He’ll bounce back very strongly in the RB.

Tsunoda praised the Red Bull team, calling them “amazing” and “very supportive.” He added that if all four cars could fight for top 10 positions, it would be the best Red Bull result ever, emphasizing the need to bounce back strongly.

Tsunoda’s Performance in Japan and Future Prospects

Despite finishing twelfth in Japan, Tsunoda has shown potential for improvement, according to Red Bull chief Christian Horner. Horner expressed confidence that Tsunoda would make a step forward in the upcoming races. He commented: “That race was totally dominated by qualifying, and probably 90% of the drivers finished where they qualified. He made one pass, and then we undercut Pierre [Gasly] during the pit stops, and then he was stuck behind Fernando [Alonso]. So he’s dialed himself into the car. He’s dialed himself into the team, and I think he should make a step forward, certainly over the next few races.