Red Bull Racing has made a lightning-fast driver change, demoting Liam Lawson to the Racing Bulls after just two Grand Prix and a sprint race with the team. This swift decision has sparked considerable debate in the motorsport world, with fans and pundits discussing the reasoning behind it.
Semi-retired NASCAR driver Parker Kligerman has weighed in on the situation, as Lawson was swapped with Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
The Milton Keynes-based team made the official announcement today. After a tough performance in the Australian and Chinese Grand Prix, where Lawson qualified 18th and 20th respectively – the lowest a Red Bull driver has ever qualified in the team’s 20-year history – Lawson failed to score any points. Following a meeting among Red Bull executives after the Shanghai race, the decision was made to replace him after just two race weekends.
According to F1 photographer Kym Illman, Lawson was not informed of the move until the media released the story.
“My understanding, and this is terrible, is that Liam was not aware of the decision. He would have heard about it as soon as the news broke,” Illman said. “It’s a terrible thing to do to a young driver.”
Before the news of Lawson’s demotion, Kligerman had publicly defended the young driver and his position at Red Bull.
“He’s only had one race with the team,” Kligerman said prior to the Chinese Grand Prix. “Being a Red Bull driver, not named Max, must be the ultimate test of mental fortitude in professional sports.”
Today, Parker Kligerman shared his surprise on X:
“One of the wildest and fastest driver changes and changes of direction I’ve ever seen in motorsports. Potentially, when finances (funding) aren’t the issue, this is what happens in motorsports?”
In response to the announcement, Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull, explained the decision:
“We entered the 2025 season with two main goals: to retain the World Drivers’ Championship and to reclaim the World Constructors’ title. This is a purely sporting decision.
“We recognize there’s still a lot of work to be done with the RB21, and Yuki’s experience will be invaluable in helping develop the current car. We’re excited to have him on board and look forward to seeing him drive the RB21.
“We also have a responsibility to protect and nurture Liam’s development. After such a tough start to the season, we believe it’s the right choice to act swiftly, allowing Liam to continue gaining experience while he resumes his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, a team he’s very familiar with.”
Both drivers, Lawson and Tsunoda, will race at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend, which will be Red Bull’s final race in Japan before they replace their Honda partnership with Ford for the 2026 season. Tsunoda will be eager to meet the team’s expectations.