Red Bull’s decision to drop Liam Lawson after just two races was a ruthless move, even by their own high standards. While not entirely unexpected, this change speaks to deeper issues within the team that extend beyond a single driver’s performance. Replacing Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda signals an urgent need for adaptation, as Red Bull struggles with a car that is not meeting expectations and a frustrated Max Verstappen making his dissatisfaction clear.
Lawson appeared shaken by the end of the second race in China, pleading for more time to prove himself. However, Red Bull had already made up their minds. On Thursday morning, they announced Tsunoda would take his place, despite initially being overlooked for the seat at the end of last season.
The expectation had been that Lawson, though less experienced, could quickly adapt and provide a closer challenge to Verstappen. That plan fell apart almost immediately. His qualifying performances were among the worst in the team’s history 18th in Australia, 19th for the sprint in China, and 20th for the Grand Prix. He crashed in Melbourne and failed to score points in Shanghai, struggling to control a car that seemed beyond his grasp.
Despite his struggles, the situation is more complex than Lawson simply underperforming. The team is not where they expected to be at the start of the season. After dealing with an unbalanced and unstable car last year a problem Verstappen was still able to overcome to secure the title Red Bull aimed to make significant improvements over the winter. That goal has not been achieved. Even with Verstappen behind the wheel, the RB21 lags behind McLaren and may even be struggling to match Mercedes.
The team principal admitted as much when announcing the driver switch, acknowledging that the car requires serious development. This admission underlines the severity of the team’s current situation. When Lawson was chosen for the seat, Red Bull expected a more competitive car. Given the reality, Tsunoda’s experience became a valuable asset in diagnosing and addressing the car’s issues.
Red Bull had a dominant car in 2022 and 2023, but their recent development direction has not yielded the same success, while competitors have caught up McLaren, in particular, has surged ahead. Verstappen has voiced his concerns for some time, and his dissatisfaction with how the situation has been handled is apparent. His engagement with a social media post criticizing the treatment of Lawson only adds to the speculation that he is losing faith in the team’s approach.
The fundamental issue extends beyond driver selection. The car itself is tailored to Verstappen’s strengths, making it incredibly difficult for a second driver to succeed. The team prioritizes a sharp front end with significant oversteer, allowing Verstappen to maximize cornering precision. While he thrives in this setup, it makes the rear of the car unpredictable and difficult to control. Adapting to such a driving style is a major challenge, particularly for newer drivers.
This has been a persistent problem for Red Bull’s second drivers. Sergio Pérez struggled with similar issues over the past two seasons, despite his proven capabilities. Lawson stepped into the seat and faced the same difficulties. Now, Tsunoda has been given the chance to see if he can handle the car better and provide crucial feedback to improve it.
For Red Bull, the priority now is to develop and adapt as quickly as possible. Tsunoda’s role will be pivotal in this process, and if he also struggles, the team will be left with limited options. The need for immediate solutions is clear, but whether they will find them remains uncertain.
