There is a possibility that Yuki Tsunoda could take over Liam Lawson’s seat at Red Bull for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. Discussions are already taking place about this move. Though nothing has been decided yet, it’s looking like it could actually happen.

Liam Lawson’s season has been far from easy. In the opening race in Australia, he qualified 18th and crashed out on lap 46, but he was able to make some progress. Expectations were high for his performance in China, but Lawson ended up qualifying at the back of the grid and managed to finish 14th in the sprint and 15th in the main race. Yet, he struggled to get close to his teammate, Max Verstappen.

After the race, Lawson spoke openly about how challenging it has been to get comfortable with the RB21 car. "It’s just really tough, honestly," he admitted in an interview with Sky Sports F1. "The window’s really small – I mean, that’s known – but honestly, it’s not an excuse." When asked what he needed to improve, Lawson said, “It’s just time. Unfortunately, I don’t really have time” (Sky Sports F1, 2025).

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, agreed with Lawson’s statement, saying, “He is right.” However, it’s still unclear whether Lawson will be given more time to figure things out. The team management is reportedly considering an immediate change, especially after seeing Tsunoda performing well.

On the other hand, Yuki Tsunoda has been in excellent form so far. In Australia, he qualified 5th and was running in 6th place before a strategy mistake dropped him to 12th. In China, Tsunoda was impressive again, finishing 6th in the sprint and holding off Kimi Antonelli for the entire race. However, a late front wing issue in the main race cost him valuable positions.

Helmut Marko has been impressed with Tsunoda’s progress, noting that he is in the best shape of his career. “Yuki is a different Yuki from the years before,” Marko said in an interview with Autosport. “He has changed his approach and is more mature now. It took a while, but now it looks like it’s working.” This new version of Tsunoda has sparked speculations about a possible move to Red Bull’s main team, and while it wasn’t expected to happen this early in the season, the ongoing discussions suggest that a driver swap could happen soon (Autosport, 2025).

When Tsunoda was asked about the possibility of swapping places with Lawson, he didn’t hesitate. “Japan? Yeah, 100%. I mean, the [Red Bull] car is faster,” he said, showing his readiness for the challenge (Autosport, 2025).

However, Red Bull will continue to discuss their options after the China race, and a final decision on whether to give Lawson more time or replace him will likely be announced next weekend.