Red Bull Faces Major Shakeup After Liam Lawson’s Disastrous Australian GP Debut
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off with a seismic jolt at the Australian Grand Prix, but not in the way Red Bull had hoped. Liam Lawson, the highly touted New Zealander stepping into the coveted Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen, delivered a debut that can only be described as a catastrophe. From a dismal qualifying to a race-ending crash, Lawson’s weekend in Melbourne has sparked intense scrutiny, reignited debates about Red Bull’s driver choices, and left fans questioning whether Yuki Tsunoda might soon reclaim a shot at the top team. As team principal Christian Horner defends his rookie while McLaren’s Zak Brown stirs the pot, the pressure is mounting on Lawson to prove he belongs—or risk a swift exit.
Lawson’s troubles began in qualifying, where a power unit issue in FP3 and a series of mistakes left him languishing in P18, the lowest of the Red Bull family drivers. With rain forecast for race day, there was hope he could claw his way up the order, especially after three drivers retired on lap one. Yet, despite a pitlane start due to setup changes, Lawson failed to capitalize. Stuck in the midfield, he struggled with tire issues and pace, eventually getting lapped by Verstappen—a grim echo of Sergio Perez’s woes that led to his 2024 ousting. The final blow came on lap 47 when, gambling on dry tires as rain intensified, Lawson spun into the wall at Turn 2, joining four rookies who didn’t finish. “We took a chance hoping half the track would stay dry,” Lawson admitted post-race. “It was bucketing down. I backed out of pushing because it was so wet, but I couldn’t keep it on track.”
Lawson didn’t shy away from accountability. “There aren’t many positives to take away,” he said, eyes already on China. “I’m just looking forward to resetting. This weekend sucks, but I’ve been through this before.” His candor aligns with Horner’s defense: “It was a difficult weekend for Liam. We took a risk leaving him out, but it started raining more. It’s hard to blame him for that spin.” Horner pointed to a silver lining—Lawson’s second-fastest lap on dry tires—suggesting untapped potential. Yet, the optics are brutal: lapped by his teammate and outshone by Racing Bulls’ Tsunoda, who kept pace with Alex Albon and Lewis Hamilton despite poor team strategy, Lawson’s debut has fueled speculation about his fit at Red Bull.
Contrast Lawson’s flop with Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who rocketed from P16 to P4 after overcoming qualifying woes, or Tsunoda’s gritty P11-to-P8 charge before strategy faltered. Red Bull expected Lawson—veteran of 11 races with their sister team—to mirror such resilience, especially after his standout recovery in Austin 2024.
Instead, Melbourne exposed a gap that McLaren boss Zak Brown gleefully exploited. “Yuki did a great job—he’s probably the guy who should be in that Red Bull seat,” Brown quipped, questioning Red Bull’s “strange choices.” His jab, while provocative, lands on fertile ground: Tsunoda’s pace and composure in Australia outstripped Lawson’s, reigniting calls for the Japanese driver’s promotion.
Tsunoda, gracious yet ambitious, hasn’t closed the door. “I still want that Red Bull seat,” he said, revealing pre-season talks with Horner and Helmut Marko. “They said it’s not performance-related, more political. I just told them I’m still motivated.” That “political” angle—perhaps favoring Lawson’s mental toughness over Tsunoda’s occasional volatility—now looks shaky. Marko had set a benchmark: Lawson should stay within three to four-tenths of Verstappen. In Melbourne, he was miles off, lapped and pointless, while Verstappen battled for P2. With Red Bull slipping to P4 in the Constructors’ last year due to Perez’s struggles, they can’t afford another weak second driver as McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari loom large.
The clock is ticking. China’s sprint weekend looms as a make-or-break moment for Lawson to silence doubters. “It’s going to be tough, but I’m excited to get back out there,” he said, aware that one bad race doesn’t define a career—but a pattern could end it. Red Bull’s talks with the FIA about a 2026 super license for junior Arvin Lindblad hint at long-term planning, potentially leaving Tsunoda or Lawson on the chopping block. For now, Horner’s backing buys Lawson time, but patience will wear thin if results don’t improve. As Ferrari rebounds from their own Melbourne meltdown and Mercedes flexes with Antonelli, Red Bull’s gamble on Lawson looks riskier than ever. Can he rise from the ashes in Shanghai, or will Tsunoda’s smile grow wider? The F1 world is watching.
