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Red Bull Formula 1 Team Drops Liam Lawson and Replaces Him with Yuki Tsunoda

AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
Team RB driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, March 15, 2025.

The Associated Press

18:00 JST, March 27, 2025

MILTON KEYNES, England (AP) — Red Bull has dropped Liam Lawson as the teammate of Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen after just two rounds of the season and replaced him with Yuki Tsunoda.

Lawson was given the Red Bull seat on Thursday despite not having previously driven a full F1 season and struggled immediately. The New Zealander did not score any points, crashed out of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and qualified in last place for both the Chinese Grand Prix and its sprint race.

Tsunoda moves up from Red Bull’s second team, Racing Bulls, in time for his home Japanese Grand Prix next week. Lawson will take Tsunoda’s place at Racing Bulls alongside rookie Isack Hadjar.