Red Bull has made a stunning call, dropping Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen’s teammate after just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season and replacing him with Yuki Tsunoda, effective immediately.

The decision, announced Thursday, sees Tsunoda step up from Red Bull’s junior outfit, Racing Bulls, ahead of his home Japanese Grand Prix next week, while Lawson returns to Racing Bulls alongside rookie Isack Hadjar.

Lawson, a 23-year-old New Zealander with only 11 prior F1 races, faltered in his Red Bull debut. He crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix opener and qualified dead last for both the sprint and main races in China, failing to score points.

In contrast, Tsunoda, 24, brings four years of F1 experience, having consistently outperformed Lawson during their six races as teammates at Racing Bulls in 2024.

Team principal Christian Horner called it a “purely sporting decision” aimed at retaining Verstappen’s drivers’ title and reclaiming the constructors’ crown. “It’s been difficult to see Liam struggle with the RB21 at the first two races,” Horner said. “We’ve collectively decided to make an early switch.” He admitted the car needs work, adding, “Yuki’s experience will prove beneficial in helping develop it.”

Horner framed Lawson’s demotion as a protective move. “We have a duty to develop Liam. After such a tough start, it makes sense to act quickly so he can gain experience in an environment he knows well at Racing Bulls,” he said.

The ruthless swap underscores Red Bull’s cut-throat approach and raises questions about their initial choice of Lawson over the more seasoned Tsunoda, who now gets his shot at the top team on home soil.