Red Bull point out what "everybody noticed" about brutal F1 driver change
Red Bull justifies the decision to drop Liam Lawson again amid wider questions about how it treats drivers.
Christian Horner says he spotted Liam Lawson getting stuck in a downward “spiral” at Red Bull and it was important for the team to take action before things got out of hand.
Lawson was demoted from Red Bull after just two rounds in 2025 after he struggled to adapt to the RB21 and qualified last in China.
While the Kiwi was given a reprieve at Racing Bulls, plenty of criticism was levied at the energy drinks giant for not giving him enough time to find his feet in the team.
Some quarters also questioned Red Bull’s decision to sign Lawson for its senior team in the first place, given it had a far more experienced driver like Yuki Tsunoda waiting in the wings.
Horner has now defended the decision to swap the seats, saying a return to Racing Bulls offers Lawson a chance to continue his development in F1.
“He had a very difficult Australia weekend [and] China,” Horner told the BBC.
“It seemed to be in a bit of a spiral and you could see that it was becoming an awful lot for him. Everybody noticed that.
“It was a question of… ’Okay, let's stop this before it becomes too much’. It's obviously a very difficult decision to make because you are taking away someone's dreams and hopes but we've got that unique situation [with Red Bull owning two teams].
“[We told Liam,] ‘Look, this isn't the end of your grand prix career. We are going to switch between the two teams to continue to develop and build your experience in F1.”
Tsunoda had already spent four seasons at AlphaTauri/Racing Bulls and was seen as ripe for promotion to Red Bull, particularly after he tested for the team in Abu Dhabi last December.
However, it was Lawson who was initially promoted to the plum Red Bull seat alongside Max Verstappen.
Since he got the nod to replace the struggling Lawson in Japan, Tsunoda has quickly adapted to his new surroundings, scoring his first points with the team in Bahrain and securing a second consecutive Q3 berth in Jeddah.
Horner admitted that Red Bull had asked “too much too soon” from Lawson, as he had only competed in 11 races in 2023-24 before receiving the call-up to drive for the team this year.
Asked if he wished he had given the Red Bull seat to Tsunoda from the very beginning of the season, Horner said: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
“Had the car been easier, it would have been easier for Liam at the beginning of the year. But we chose to make the decision very quickly so as not to procrastinate.
“The fact that Red Bull owns two grand prix teams gives us that unique opportunity. So it was a question of ‘Okay, Liam we still believe in you, but we need to give you more time to develop. We are asking too much too soon’.
“In Yuki, he has that experience [to tackle a difficult car]. So allowing Liam to continue his career and development in what is a strong car at Racing Bulls. It's better for him and obviously better for the team.”
Lawson has been slowly reestablishing himself at Racing Bulls, with the last round in Saudi Arabia marking the first time he had out-qualified his teammate Isack Hadjar.
Horner said “he has responded very maturely” to the news, before adding: He is finding his feet. He has got a tough teammate in Isack Hadjar who is doing a very good job. He is arguably perhaps the most impressive of the rookies so far this year.
“But I think [Lawson] is finding his feet and starting to find his form.”
