Lawson Out, Tsunoda In at Red Bull for Japanese GP After Just Two Races
Red Bull has made a shocking driver swap ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix. Liam Lawson is out, and Yuki Tsunoda will take his place after just two disappointing race weekends for the New Zealander.
The sudden switch has sparked heated debate across social media.
“Guarantee Lawson will now start succeeding and Tsunoda will struggle,” wrote one fan on X, highlighting the unpredictable nature of F1 driver changes.
Many fans are pointing to the notoriously difficult handling of the Red Bull car as the real issue.
“Idk how Max can handle that car and no one else can but it’s mighty impressive. Red Bull really need to build a car that both drivers can excel with,” one user commented.
Another added: “I don’t rate Lawson that highly but he’s not this bad.”
The timing of the decision has raised eyebrows, with many feeling Lawson wasn’t given a fair chance to prove himself.
“Sacking Liam Lawson just after 2 races is a terrible thing. Red Bull should have given more time for him to get used to that tricky car,” wrote one disappointed fan.
Some are even predicting an ironic twist at the upcoming race. “Lawson in VCarb beating Tsunoda in Red Bull this Saturday will be soo funny,” one commenter speculated.
The Red Bull car’s notorious sensitivity has been a recurring theme in the reactions. One fan pointed out: “Liam is clearly struggling with a car that even Max finds difficult to drive. Let that sink in combined with everything we’ve heard from Max’s former teammates about how sensitive the car is!”
Others are taking a more optimistic view of Lawson’s future despite the setback.
“Being demoted from Red Bull is not the end of the world. Gasly and Albon are both leaders of their new teams and Perez, well he’s rich and we might see him again,” wrote one supporter.
The upcoming Japanese Grand Prix will be particularly interesting as it’s Tsunoda’s home race, adding extra pressure to his sudden promotion.
Some fans are already looking ahead to the next few races. One noted: “The absolute peak content out of the Lawson/Tsunoda switch is going to be if Lawson, now getting to three tracks he’s raced at before, finishes ahead of Yuki for three straight race weekends.”
Whatever happens this weekend, the driver swap has certainly added another layer of drama to an already unpredictable F1 season.
