Red Bull has reportedly declined a £16.7 million (€20m) offer from Honda to support Yuki Tsunoda in securing the team’s second seat over the winter. Instead, the team opted to give Liam Lawson the opportunity to partner with four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen.
However, Lawson’s opportunity was short-lived and disappointing, as he has been moved back to the sister squad Racing Bulls, with the more experienced Tsunoda taking his place alongside Verstappen.
Struggling to adapt to the demanding RB21 car, the New Zealander failed to perform well, not advancing past Q1 in qualifying for Grands Prix and the Shanghai sprint race, failing to score any points in the three races he participated in as a Red Bull driver.
In contrast, Verstappen amassed 36 points during the same period. With the constructors’ championship already proving challenging, Red Bull made the decision to replace Lawson with Tsunoda.
Tsunoda has had a strong start to the 2025 season, showcasing impressive speed and consistency with the Racing Bulls team. Reports indicate that Tsunoda’s management had been working on this move during the off-season. Honda, long-time supporters of Tsunoda, contribute £8.3 million (€10m) towards his Racing Bulls seat and were willing to double the amount for a Red Bull Racing opportunity.
As Tsunoda prepares for his new role, Lawson cautions that Red Bull might be making a mistake by favoring the more seasoned racer over him, citing their past competitive history. Lawson emphasized his dedication to improving his performance and adapting quickly to the car, acknowledging the pressure to deliver results promptly in the competitive F1 environment.
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