Speculation mounts as Red Bull considers driver swap: Lawson out, Tsunoda in

LONDON – Speculation about Liam Lawson's Red Bull future picked up speed on Tuesday with reports suggesting the Formula One team had decided to replace the New Zealander with Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda.

Dutch newspapers De Telegraaf and De Limburger reported Honda-backed Tsunoda would swap seats with Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate from next week's Japanese Grand Prix after a Red Bull meeting in Dubai.

They said an official announcement was expected later in the week.

There was no immediate comment from Red Bull.

The New Zealand Herald newspaper said Lawson’s representatives were "unaware if what’s been reported has been finalised by Red Bull."

Lawson was promoted from Racing Bulls, Red Bull's feeder team, to replace Mexican Sergio Perez alongside four times world champion Verstappen this season but has struggled in his first two race weekends in Australia and China.

The 23-year-old Kiwi was at Racing Bulls with Tsunoda for six races last season, after being drafted in as replacement for Australian Daniel Ricciardo, and was then preferred for the Red Bull seat.

While Verstappen is second in the 2025 standings, eight points behind McLaren's Lando Norris after a second and fourth place as well as a sprint third in China, Lawson has yet to score a point.

Tsunoda meanwhile has made a strong start and scored three points when he finished sixth in the Shanghai sprint last Saturday.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said after the Chinese Grand Prix that Lawson was struggling but the team would support him as best they could.

Red Bull have a history of swapping out Verstappen's teammates, with the Dutch driver the clear number one at a British-based team who lost the constructors' title to McLaren last year.

Verstappen has acknowledged the current car is difficult to drive, with Lawson saying in Shanghai that he was struggling to get performance out of it.

Reuters