• Liam Lawson is reportedly set to be replaced by Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull Racing. 
• It has been suggested Lawson should have been cut in the winter to minimise damage. 
• Lawson has driven just two Formula One grand prix this season and has struggled. 

Red Bull Racing shouldn’t have put Liam Lawson into their senior team so early, as the Kiwi awaits demotion to junior side Racing Bulls, says a Formula One commentator. 

It follows reports that Lawson is set to be replaced by Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda for the next race in Japan. 

Formula One journalist Chris Medland said Red Bull may be forced to face a difficult reality if Tsunoda does not live up to expectations and admit the car is the issue - not the driver. 

Lawson has faced immense pressure after two consecutive poor race weekends. The 23-year-old crashed out of his Red Bull debut in Melbourne before qualifying last for both the sprint and Grand Prix in Shanghai last weekend eventually finishing 14th and 12th respectively. 

Medland says giving Lawson more time in Racing Bulls in the first place, instead of promoting him after just 11 grands prix, would have been “far less damaging for everyone involved”. 

Liam Lawson's days with Red Bull Racing could be numbered. Photo / Red Bull 

Medland told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that as an inexperienced driver, Lawson’s confidence was not established enough to weather this storm. 

“They have probably seen that Liam is struggling so much and [he] is a young driver, so inexperienced. 

“From my point of view, it’s a decision they should have taken over the winter.” 

He said Yuki Tsunoda is much more experienced and a better risk to bet on than young Lawson. 

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“Hopefully, this gives [Lawson] a chance to go into a car he knows well, an environment he’s performed well in and he can rebuild from there.” 

Liam Lawson at the Chinese Grand Prix. Photo / Red Bull 

Medland did not know what would happen if it was found the car was too difficult for Tsunoda to handle. Lawson was promoted to the Red Bull team at the end of last year, replacing Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who trailed teammate and world champion Max Verstappen by 285 points at the end of the 2024 season. 

Medland said Perez had much more experience than the Kiwi and questioned why Lawson was expected to outperform him. 

“Perez was highly experienced, a proven race winner, and it all went wrong for him last year, and then they thought the way to fix that was someone with little experience... it’s always been a source of frustration that they have not made it work for both drivers.” 

He said Red Bull has had problems with the second car for about six years now and he hoped if Tsunoda could not effectively race the car then it would prompt an “inward look” for the higher-ups. 

“Red Bull always seems to blame the driver, hopefully, if [Tsunoda] also struggles it will finally mean that someone goes ‘Okay this is not the driver’s fault we need to change something ourselves’.” 

Tsunoda has insisted he is up for the challenge, telling reporters in China he was “100%” ready. 

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.