Having been demoted from Red Bull to Racing Bulls after just two races of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Liam Lawson claims that Red Bull’s decision does not change his self-confidence.
Following a difficult opening period to the season for Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing have made the decision that from the 2025 Japan Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda will be promoted to the Milton Keynes-based outfit while the New Zealander will return to Racing Bulls.
Since the announcement, the Japanese driver has completed a second seat fit as he has already performed one earlier during the weekend which was necessary because he fulfils the role of reserve driver at Red Bull.
Tsunoda, who lives in Italy next to Racing Bull’s Faenza headquarters, took part in a Honda event in its Aoyama headquarters where he said that he is welcoming the pressure associated with being Max Verstappen’s team-mate and driving Red Bull’s troublesome car.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s decision, Lawson has revealed that he the Milton Keynes-based outfit communicated the news with him via a phone call right after the Shanghai round.
“It was more of a done deal, I would say. I left China, started preparations for Japan, and basically I had a phone call saying that this was what was going to happen. So, yeah.
“I think we know how Formula One is and how quickly things change. I mean, if I look back a year ago, I had no seat. I was here a year ago watching and wishing I was racing. Then I had the opportunity to race at the end of last year and the opportunity then to go to VCARB. So a lot has happened in 12 months. For me, the main thing is being in a car.
“I have the opportunity to prove why I belong here and that’s what I’ll try and do, and that’s what I do every single time I get in the car. That’s what I’ll be doing this weekend. I think things change very, very quickly and where my future is, I don’t know. The only way I can control that is by driving fast.
“I guess that’s part of the conversation. I guess in a way that’s great. But obviously I was already there starting the season and was focused on proving myself in the team at that point. So look, whatever happens down the line is more or less out of my control. What I can control is the driving stuff, to prove that. So yeah, where the future goes, honestly at this point, I’m not really thinking about too much.”
Asked how different the Red Bull is compared to the Racing Bulls car, Lawson said that he tried an aggressive setup direction in Shanghai after the sprint race which did not work out as they had hoped for.
“I mean, China was a bit more unique, I would say. Just with the race we tried something with the set-up quite aggressive and it was to sort of get some answers and build a direction with the car. So we went with that and in the end it didn’t work too well in China specifically with the degradation that we had on the front.
“The car itself felt quite good, but just on the tyres, we were struggling. Coming here, it’s a new place for Yuki. Obviously, it’s a great opportunity and on a track that he’s done a lot, I’m sure he’ll probably be more comfortable. And I’m sure they’ve done work over the last week as well in the short break to try and work on improving things.
Pushed on to reveal whether he thinks it was right the right decision from Red Bull to make changes to their drive line-up as quick as after just two races into the season, Lawson said that he had hoped to get more opportunities to prove his skills.
“I think, in Formula 1… It’s motorsport — we have issues, that’s part of it, especially with these cars that are pushing the limits like they are. I’d maybe hoped that would be taken into consideration more, and I think that’s why for me it was important to come to a place that I’d raced before and driven before. Melbourne and China are both tough tracks, and as you said, with the way the weekends went, they weren’t the smoothest. But it’s motorsport. As I said, the decision was not mine, but I’ll make the most of this one.
“I think confidence-wise it doesn’t change a lot. We all have enough self-belief to be here and to make it to Formula One. If you don’t have that self-belief, it makes it very difficult. So I think we all have that naturally — it doesn’t really change how I feel about myself. I think what it’s doing for me… Obviously, the best opportunity I had felt like it was with Red Bull Racing.
“That’s where we’re all working towards. That’s what I was working towards since joining the junior programme as a 16-year-old. So obviously, I would have liked to make that opportunity work and that’s in my best interest. But obviously, Christian and the team will have their opinions on what’s best, and that’s up to them to decide,” Lawson concluded.
