Yuki Tsunoda’s “sensational” progress has made him fully deserving of a Red Bull drive, but Racing Bulls team principal Laurent Mekies says he is ready to help Liam Lawson rebuild his confidence.
Red Bull opted to swap the two drivers after just two rounds of the new season after Lawson struggled at Red Bull, failing to escape Q1 in either Australia or China or to get anywhere near a points-paying finish on each occasion. Tsunoda was selected as his replacement early in his fifth season with the junior team, and Mekies says the Japanese driver’s development needs acknowledging amid the shock of the switch.
“We’re incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing,” Mekies said. “His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational.
“Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki’s energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at [Red Bull].”
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Lawson was dropped by Red Bull after only two races with the team — the fastest change by far, beating the previous record of 12 races for Pierre Gasly in 2019 — and Mekies says his focus is on helping the New Zealander regain the form he showed for Racing Bulls last year.
“Everyone here at VCARB is looking forward to working hard with Liam to give him the best environment possible for him to shine in our car and to express the talent we all know he has. He fit in so well last year, and we cannot wait to challenge ourselves and grow as a team. With Isack [Hadjar] having started so strongly with us already, we know we have a young and strong line-up.”
The change takes place with immediate effect, with Tsunoda racing for Red Bull from his home race at the Japanese Grand Prix onwards. Red Bull said the move was made for sporting reasons alone, with the team already 42 points adrift of McLaren in the constructors’ championship.