2 weeks Ago By Harry Smith
Liam Lawson will make an undesired return to the Racing Bulls squad at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend after his dream Red Bull promotion was cut short just two rounds into the 2025 campaign. The New Zealander failed to score points in both the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix, and didn’t make it out of Q1 in any of his three qualifying sessions. These dismal results put Lawson under immense pressure, and Red Bull ’s leadership took the opportunity to take him out of the firing line.
Lawson now finds himself in an uncomfortable situation. To fail in Red Bull ’s second seat is nothing new, as Pierre Gasly , Alex Albon and Sergio Perez all suffered similarly dour fates during their time alongside Max Verstappen . However, none of the trio made their way back into top-level machinery after exiting the Milton Keynes squad.
Gasly suffered the same fate as Lawson, dropping back to Toro Rosso mid-season, but despite establishing himself as one of the midfield’s biggest talents and even scoring a Grand Prix victory in Monza, he was denied a fairytale return to Red Bull . When news of Lawson’s demotion broke, team principal Horner explained: “We have a duty of care to protect and develop Liam and together, we see that after such a difficult start, it makes sense to act quickly so Liam can gain experience, as he continues his F1 career with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, an environment and a Team he knows very well.” However, if Red Bull truly see Tsunoda as the better option to salvage the team’s 2025 Constructors’ Championship campaign and develop the car moving forward, then Lawson’s future role within the set-up has to be questioned.
The 23-year-old’s chances of returning to Red Bull are now extremely slim, and his reputation has been dealt a brutal blow. With Isack Hadjar and Formula Two rookie Arvid Lindblad both highly rated by Horner and Helmut Marko, Lawson has competition from below, too. Lawson must, therefore, ask himself an uncomfortable question: Is it time to look for a future outside of the Red Bull set-up? If the answer is yes, then the New Zealander’s agent will be wise to target the new Cadillac team as a potential landing spot.
However, securing a seat with America’s latest F1 entry won’t be easy. IndyCar starlet Colton Herta is the heavy favourite for one seat, while Perez and Valtteri Bottas are compelling potential team-mates with a combined 16 Grand Prix victories and extensive experience on the grid..
