Liam Lawson has rejected claims Red Bull made a mistake by promoting him instead of his 2024 team mate to their senior team this year.
He is competing in his second weekend for Red Bull after the team hired him to replace Sergio Perez at the end of last season.Yuki Tsunoda, who was Lawson’s team mate at Red Bull’s second team when last season ended, was also in the running for the seat. Having already spent four years in F1, Tsunoda is significantly more experienced than Lawson, who had entered only 11 grands prix before this season began.
Lawson endured a difficult start at Red Bull, dropping out in Q1 at Melbourne, then crashing out of the race when he tried to stay on slick tyres during a shower. He qualified last for this weekend’s sprint race in Shanghai.
“Then in F1 last season I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no. He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”
Tsunoda and Lawson were team mates many times during their junior careers. Lawson out-scored Tsunoda in the 2019 Euroformula Open, where both drove for Motopark. The order was reversed in the FIA F3 series that year, though they drove for different teams.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is among those who queried Red Bull’s decision to promote Lawson instead of Tsunoda. Lawson said he “couldn’t care less” about his opinion. “I think he’s still hurt because I talked about his national anthem,” he said.
However Lawson admitted he was impressed by Verstappen’s performance in Melbourne last week. “Just the way he gets up to speed and gets straight on it, you know?” he said. “There’s no delay, there’s no warm-up.”
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories - and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
Go ad-free for just £1 per month
>> Find out more and sign up
2025 Chinese Grand Prix
- Red Bull reassure Verstappen over ‘when we’ll have a winning car again’ in meeting
- Mercedes explain impact of Antonelli’s floor damage on his Chinese GP performance
- “I gave a lot of lap time away in that first stint”: Verstappen’s full Chinese GP radio
- Stats: Chinese Grand Prix saw most disqualifications in an F1 race for 21 years
- Even the best driver on the grid needs a team mate to push them – Norris
David BR (@david-br)
21st March 2025, 17:43
Our popcorn awaits.
El Pollo Loco
22nd March 2025, 20:56
By this logic, Logan Sargeant is better than Liam. As an F2 rookie in the same team, Logan tied Liam who was in his second year. Liam didn’t help his case by never out qualifying Yuki at RB either.
Laz
21st March 2025, 17:53
Gotta admit I know it’s meant to be about showing confidence, but saying such things does come over as arrogance, and it does make me pull for Yuki to keep outqualifying and finishing ahead of Lawson. Yes Lawson beat Yuki in Euroformula during Tsunoda’s first season in Europe where he was using Euroformula to learn the tracks. But Tsunoda beat him in F3 where Tsunoda was with a much worse team in Jenzer, and yet still scored a win and podiums. Then in F2 Tsunoda looked the far more impressive of the two. Tsunoda in his one season scored 4 poles 3 wins one of which was feature race, finishing 3rd in the championship just 15 points shy of winning it. Where it took Lawson two seasons to get 1 pole and 5 wins all of which were sprints having finished 9th in his first season and 3rd in his second season some 156 points away from winning the championship.
So yeah if you just want to look at Euroformula then yes Lawson beat Yuki. But if you look at everything else, then frankly Lawson doesn’t look to quite have Yuki’s pace. That he typically trailed Tsunoda by a tenth and a half in qualifying was pretty indicative of it, and yes I know Lawson was a rookie, but then I keep seeing it being touted that quick adaptation is one of his strengths. Which is it that he’ll get up to speed quick, or that he has more speed to unlock?
Tsunoda had a lot more to adapt to when he made his move from Japan to Europe than Lawson ever had, so that first Euroformula season is unlikely to have really shown their comparative level. No I think of the two Yuki’s the faster, Red Bull just got put off by his temperment.
David BR (@david-br)
21st March 2025, 18:02
Have to admit, I’m totally unconvinced by Lawson and was nonplussed when Red Bull promoted him. I’m totally in favour of giving new drivers a chance, but yeah, he’s not going to make himself popular by dissing Tsunoda. His talk is hot air until he shows something better on track. Arrogant and not very good are never an appealing combination. More likely he’ll be encouraging the media to begin even earlier on the ‘will Red Bull be replacing Lawson by summer’ narrative. And surely the replacement would be Tsunoda? Some extra incentive for the latter then.
BasCB (@bascb)
21st March 2025, 18:17
I really don’t get these comments from Liam. Thanks for filling in some reality about the junior series proving even THAT is not something Liam should brag about too much. He didn’t really beat Tsunoda last year, he showed he’s not mature enough with his agressive moves on Perez (yeah, Perez also shouldn’t have let that provoke him).
And now he failed in 2 qualifying sessions in a row, and did not do anything special in the wet race either.
David BR (@david-br)
21st March 2025, 18:53
Just to emphasize that information came from Laz!
Yes, I agree, waiting to see it all happen as promised (by LL).
Dex
21st March 2025, 19:05
No, he didn’t beat Tsunoda, but Tsunoda did beat him. Again.
bull mello (@bullmello)
21st March 2025, 18:19
What an ouch by Lawson!
Speak with your driving, not with your mouth.
I am still surprised that Tsunoda was not chosen by Red Bull.
We shall see what happens. RB has switched drivers in their teams at times.
anon
21st March 2025, 18:28
@david-br it would be rather embarrassing for both Horner and Marko to do so, given both of them have repeatedly downplayed Tsunoda’s performances in the press.
As recently as just two months ago, they were talking about how they believed Lawson had a more mature mindset and greater potential than Tsunoda and that Tsunoda was lacking the right skills to join the parent team. To go back on that now would be rather embarrassing, so stubbornness and pride alone might mean they hold off on replacing Lawson for a while.
David BR (@david-br)
21st March 2025, 18:55
I’m sure it would be momentarily but then both seem to deal with public embarrassment OK…
If not Tsunoda, is there any other option?
James Borland
22nd March 2025, 9:46
I don’t think the short term embarrassment would be as bad as the long term of watching Lawson fail to get out of Q3 every week.
Having a driver win the championship last year with the team finishing 3rd is not a good look, especially when it can be shown that it was down to a decision from management, who actually signed Perez for more seasons during 2024. I’m a firm believer of cars suiting specific drivers so although Daniel wasn’t doing the best in the junior team, I can’t see why they didn’t do a mid season swap to see if he still had the feel for the red bull, what did they have to loose? They need to make better driver decisions for that 2nd seat
Alonslow
21st March 2025, 18:26
100% agreed, Lawson had his time pre F3/F2, after that Yuki has the better results.
Overall Lawson is by far the worst ‘Rookie’ this year, I would not be surprised if they switch him with Tsunoda or even with Hadjar if he keeps being this bad, he doesn’t have the security in that seat that Perez had with his sponsors.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
21st March 2025, 21:58
Hadjar didn’t run his last F2 or his first F1 race. All he has to do is overcome that bit of anxiety scratching and think positively like Lewis. Hadjar has been doing pretty good this season. And the sprint qualifying, he should have had a banker, and not been allowed to throw it down on one lap (desperation play).
The strategists at VCARB need to see him as a Q2 finisher before they think about saving tires for Q3, let him earn it and get over the anxiety he clearly having to overcome. Hadjar is a racer that needs to earn his position (cause hes an honest bloke) in order to understand it. Just let him earn his position, and he will move in the right direction. This guy needs time to feel the car out, to work out the bugs in his game.
El Pollo Loco
22nd March 2025, 21:37
Some of the worst cherry picking from Yuki. I’m going to copy your comment, OP, for easy reference.
Riccard
21st March 2025, 18:16
Attacking other drivers because you’re nervous isn’t classy… it just shows the pressure is getting to him.
F1 is a crucible, and I’m sad at how quick some of the press have been to get in Lawson’s face, try to make him stress to get that headline or video moment. However, he can hardly expect to be treated kindly himself if he’s attacking others!
The sprint race is a bit of a write-off, so he can take his time to learn the track. Hopefully that leads to a better performance in grand prix qualifying and a first trip out of Q1. Perhaps that will relieve some pressure and let him relax into the role a little.
Riccard
22nd March 2025, 8:51
Ouch: last again in main race quali. At least this time though he’s acknowledging he needs to work on himself rather than distracting himself with thoughts of other drivers.
If he can hold that focus through the week off and put more time into the simulator, perhaps that’s a platform for improvement.
Whatever rookies job F1, I want to see them do well, so – fingers crossed.
Axa
22nd March 2025, 21:55
Press is not after Lawson. Lawson chases the press.
There was no reason at all to trash talk Zack Brown and Yuki Tsunoda this week that he was allegedly “decompressing”.
Edvaldo
21st March 2025, 18:31
The heat is on.
DaveW (@dmw)
21st March 2025, 18:32
“Then in F1 last season I think honestly, if I look at all the times he got promoted instead of me in those early years, then no. He’s had his time. Now it’s my time.”
Yuki now looking like the chill and likeable one somehow.
Applebook
21st March 2025, 18:42
Over and under whether he makes it to the end of this year at RB? I’d say under 50% chance right now.
auskpylate
21st March 2025, 18:51
Both of them are B-tier drivers.
Roy Beedrill
22nd March 2025, 0:06
Hi Helmut!
Dex
21st March 2025, 19:03
I’ll celebrate you getting fired with a nice, cold beer; so get it done before the end of summer if you can. What an awful, arrogant and self-centered person. I was just thinking today about his reaction to Ricciardo getting the drive a couple of years ago, when “he deserved it more”. He was so bitter. Then we saw Ricciardo showing class when he got replaced by this little man. And not to mention how he raced Perez, damaging his race, but also his current and future team in the process.
No, you didn’t deserve driving for the B team, considering how average you were in F2; but you did a decent job to be honest. Decent, not great, since Yuki was obviously a better driver. You in Red Bull, now that was a joke performed by Marko. And the joke is on him, again.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st March 2025, 19:21
So true, he comes across as arrogant indeed, and I’m also one of those who like when such people get fired, which is definitely gonna happen with this performance, I don’t care if tsunoda replaces him, as long as someone does!
FERNANDO Martins (@fmrace)
21st March 2025, 19:17
I think Lawson, or Slowson as some press is already calling him should just be quiet and get on it. Yuki’s on a mission to prove everyone wrong and hell hath no fury like a driver scorned…
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
21st March 2025, 19:23
I didn’t hear this saying before, but makes sense, tsunoda was very quick lately and a driver who impresses after being fired or passed over can sometimes attract interest from unlikely teams, such as perez’s late 2020 performance, when he got red bull interest while in a force india.
El Pollo Loco
22nd March 2025, 20:58
You mean Liam Laston?
AndrewT (@andrewt)
21st March 2025, 19:32
I think when someone is signed for a season, or for multiple seasons, it’s not the first or second race, when he or the choice of the team should be evaluated or judged.
But similarily, it’s hard to see the reason for rubbing salt in the wound of someone on the wrong end of that particular decision.
I wish we could discuss how awesome wheel-to-wheel action we get to witness race by race, but verbal aggression takes the place of on-track action, that is how great Formula-1 is nowadays.
MichaelN
21st March 2025, 19:48
Lawson really making the most of the “rookie with 12 GP starts” angle. Used to be that was almost a full season.
Nobody would blame him if he was two to four tenths off Verstappen. But his first three competitive outings for Red Bull 1 have been notable for all the wrong reasons. Not a great time to go talking smack.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
21st March 2025, 19:53
Every driver that reached that level in any discipline is arrogant to an extent. They have to be. So I think Lawson does a good job rebuffing his critics. It still doesn’t make sense that Red Bull promoted him, for me. Not because of his capabilities but because of the task, and the risk to burn him out quickly, like Albon or Gasly. Yuki had the experience and if it didn’t work out, it was an easy exit from the Red Bull camp which will happen anyway.
Jorge Jaime (@jorgejaime)
22nd March 2025, 12:42
Maybe RB perhaps is saving Tsunoda from that hot seat and it’ll promote him when the car is tamer. LL is doomed, his mouth and the pressure will take care of him.
JoshAtTwo
25th March 2025, 0:14
I’m not sure how you are so sure that every successful driver has been arrogant. There are far too many examples in sport of incredible athletes who are anything but arrogant. I don’t think it says anything about the ‘nature’ of athletes, somuch as how YOU view human nature.
Francesco (@schivo69)
21st March 2025, 19:59
He knows that his career might be finished, as it happened to all Max teammates.
Hopefully he is going to be the exception but one thing is for sure: RedBull is burning all the second drivers, and the fact that Max is performing doesn’t give them any motivation to nurture young talents.
btcamp (@btcamp)
21st March 2025, 20:00
Has Lawson never heard “you’re only as good as your last result” before?
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
21st March 2025, 20:06
OK Liam, now you can prove it.
You have the A team car and total Red Bull support.
Show us how good you are at outperforming Yuki.
You know – like, in qualifying and stuff … scoring points, etc
Or are you just a mouth on a stick?
Adam (@rocketpanda)
21st March 2025, 20:15
I really want to like this guy because he seems to get such a hard time from everyone, I’d like to see him prove himself but he makes it *very difficult* to like him. He has not done enough races or performed half as well to carry that kind of attitude when the dude that ‘had his time’ has qualified in Q3 and you’ve been pretty much last in both so far. Maybe Red Bull are right and Lawson has a higher ‘potential’ than Tsunoda but he’s not going to realise that potential if he’s consistently going out in Q1 is he? Also Red Bull questioned Tsunoda’s attitude yet I’ve not see anything from Tsunoda that’s as bitter, entitled and dim as what Lawson has come out with – and I’m trying to like him!
Nuno Moreira
21st March 2025, 20:20
So far, for me, Lawson looks like a poor choice. Tsunoda still has time for RB.
iFuel
21st March 2025, 20:23
Talking smack about someone who’s handily beating you in an inferior car is not the way to go my dude
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
21st March 2025, 22:48
He literally just qualified in last place.
MarkWebber (@markwebber)
21st March 2025, 23:50
I love these villainous personalities in sport. I wish Norris would talk like this instead of always beating himself up.
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
22nd March 2025, 5:40
At least Perez kept his mouth (mostly) shut.