Just two rounds into the new Formula 1 season, Red Bull have decided to demote Liam Lawson back to junior team Racing Bulls and replace him with the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda
Liam Lawson has the full sympathy of Formula 1 fans after he was brutally axed from his Red Bull seat. The 23-year-old has been demoted back to the company’s junior team Racing Bulls after just two rounds of the new season.
Over the course of Grands Prix in Australia and China, and a sprint race at the latter event, Lawson failed to score a single point. Amid fears he was buckling under the pressure that comes with the seat, Red Bull have opted to take him out of the firing line and promote the more experienced Yuki Tsunoda instead.
Team principal Christian Horner cited his team’s “duty of care” to Lawson as part of the reason behind the swap. But the reaction on social media has largely been critical of Red Bull for not giving the Kiwi more time to find his feet and his form behind the wheel of the tricky RB21.
One fan wrote: “I feel for him. It obviously will hurt him a lot. I will die on the hill that they should have given him this triple header [races in Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia] to improve. Two races is way too harsh.”
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Another said: “I don’t like the guy, but this is sad to see to be honest. Red Bull are so ruthless.” And a third added: “I really feel for Liam and hopefully he will bounce back in style at Suzuka in the Racing Bulls and get that confidence and speed back.”
All those comments were in response to a statement issued by Lawson in the wake of the official confirmation that he had been removed from the Red Bull seat. In it, he appeared determined to make the best of the situation in which he finds himself having had a much shorter career with the top team than he had anticipated.
The Kiwi said: “Being a Red Bull Racing driver has been my dream since I was a kid, it’s what I’ve worked towards my whole life. It’s tough, but I’m grateful for everything that’s brought me to this point.
“To every one of you who’s stood by me, thank you for all the support it means the world. Thank you VCARB for the warm welcome, I’m excited and ready to go to work at one of my favourite places.”
Tsunoda will hope to make the most of being given the chance to do better than Lawson could and will make his debut for the team at his home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, on April 6. In his fifth season as an F1 driver, he will hope that his experience will help him get to grips with the team’s tricky car more easily than his predecessor could manage.
But Tsunoda is clearly ready and raring to go, judging by what he said about the prospect of stepping up before it was even confirmed. Asked about that scenario, he replied: “Yeah, why not? Always. In Japan? Yeah, 100 percent. I mean, the car is faster.”
