Red Bull’s Driver Crisis Deepens: Lawson’s F1 Future Hangs in Balance as Colapinto Talks Leak
Shanghai, March 25, 2025 – Liam Lawson’s Formula 1 dream is unraveling faster than a pit stop gone wrong, with Red Bull’s emergency Milton Keynes meeting casting a dark cloud over his future. After a dismal Chinese Grand Prix—where he qualified dead last in both Sprint and main sessions and limped to P12 only due to others’ misfortune—the Kiwi’s Red Bull debut has turned into a nightmare. Now, leaked talks with Franco Colapinto and a looming Yuki Tsunoda swap are threatening to boot Lawson not just from Red Bull, but from F1 entirely. Is this the end for the 23-year-old, or can he claw back from the abyss?
Lawson’s woes are stark. Two races into 2025, he’s yet to crack Q2, a stark contrast to teammate Max Verstappen’s podium-chasing pace. Red Bull’s RB21, a car honed to Verstappen’s razor-sharp liking, has exposed Lawson’s struggles. “Max demands a sharp front end, but it unsettles the rear,” Christian Horner explained. “He thrives on that edge—others find it draining.” Lawson’s P20 qualifying flops in China scream mismatch, and his blunt “no sympathy” retort to Tsunoda’s promotion claims—“I beat him in F3, Euroformula, and F1 last year; it’s my time”—feels hollow against his current form. Red Bull’s patience, famously thin, is wearing thinner, with Helmut Marko admitting, “We’re worried, but not giving up yet.”
Enter Tsunoda, the Racing Bulls ace itching for a Red Bull shot. Fresh off a Q3 appearance in China and a fearless “100% ready” vow for his home Japanese GP, he’s the obvious swap candidate. Pulled from an ESPN interview by a nervous PR handler, his confidence is palpable—and Red Bull’s brass are listening. Marko praised Tsunoda’s “quantum leap” and newfound maturity, hinting at a Suzuka switch. But here’s the twist: Lawson might not just slide back to Racing Bulls. Franco Colapinto, the Argentine sensation who dazzled at Williams in 2024, is now in Red Bull’s sights for the sister team’s seat. Cheap, talented, and untainted by Red Bull’s internal drama, he’s a wildcard shaking up the script.
Colapinto’s 2024 stint wasn’t flawless—crashes cost Williams dearly—but his Baku points in just his second race turned heads. Now an Alpine reserve, his potential move to Racing Bulls raises eyebrows. Red Bull rarely looks outside its family, a lesson etched by Nyck de Vries’ flop. Yet, with Lawson faltering and Tsunoda eyeing the big leagues, Colapinto’s low-cost allure tempts a cash-conscious team. Verstappen’s own take—“Liam would go faster in Racing Bulls’ easier car”—doubles as a lifeline and a gut punch, suggesting Lawson’s Red Bull days are numbered.
The Milton Keynes summit will decide it all. A Tsunoda-Lawson swap seems likely, but Colapinto’s shadow looms large. If he snags Racing Bulls’ seat, Lawson could be out of F1 by Japan, a brutal exit for a once-hyped prospect. “I want to be at the front,” Lawson insists, but time’s running out. Can he defy the odds, or will Red Bull’s revolving door claim another victim? The F1 world waits, breathless, for the next twist in this high-stakes saga.
