After all the reports that have emerged in the past 24 hours, it seems that it is only a matter of time before Red Bull officially announces that Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson from the Japanese Grand Prix onwards.
It seems that several experts and fans are not happy with Red Bull’s decision to replace the New Zealander after just two races. However, former F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has defended the Milton Keynes-based team.
The Italian-American believes that Lawson cannot afford to be performing so poorly, having been eliminated in Q1/SQ1 in all three qualifying sessions he has competed in so far this season. Steiner pointed out how it is unacceptable for a team like Red Bull to have one of their drivers a second slower than the other.
Yuki Tsunoda will swap seats with Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen’s teammate for next week’s Japanese Grand Prix after a Red Bull meeting in Dubai, according to multiple reports.
They said an official announcement was expected later in the week. pic.twitter.com/reboclA7zy
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 25, 2025
“I think it’s a Liam Lawson problem. I mean, you know, if you’re half a second slower than your teammate, you’re already a lot slower. But being over a second [slower], it’s a difference,” Steiner explained on the Red Flags Podcast.
Steiner could be right as it could be a cause of Lawson being overconfident about establishing his place as the second Red Bull driver. Recently, Lawson brushed off the suggestion that he should feel sympathetic for Tsunoda.
“You can’t in this sport, and anyway, if I look back over our career, I was team-mates with him in F3 and I beat him. In Euro Formula I was team-mates with him in New Zealand, and I beat him there,” Lawson said in an interview with The Telegraph.
Lawson might feel that he deserves to be driving for Red Bull, but those words will now probably haunt him.
“And then in F1 last season, I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no. He’s had his time, now it’s my time,” Lawson added.
Nevertheless, Steiner was still sympathetic to Lawson’s plight and urged the six-time Constructors’ champions to give the 23-year-old one more shot before pulling the plug on him.
Steiner wants Lawson to drive for Red Bull at the Japanese GP
The 59-year-old explained that Lawson’s problems with extracting performance from the RB21 were augmented by the fact that he had no experience of racing at the Albert Park Circuit or the Shanghai International Circuit.
But as the sport moves onto the Japanese GP weekend, Lawson could redeem himself. The Kiwi racing ace has extensive experience of racing at the Suzuka International Circuit, given his time in Super Formula.
“I would say Liam Lawson [in Red Bull in] Japan. Because now it’s like ‘oh he never raced in Australia, he never raced in China’, good for him. But now, let him go to Japan, he knows the racetrack, at least, you know,” Steiner added on the podcast.
For Steiner, if Lawson cannot perform even then, it would be the last chance for him.
But as things stand, it seems that Lawson will not be given that chance by Red Bull. With Honda’s involvement in Tsunoda’s career, they have reportedly ensured that the #22 driver will debut for Red Bull at his home Grand Prix next weekend by offering the team $21.5 million.
