Red Bull axe Lawson for local lad Tsunoda at Japanese GP

Tsunoda will take over from the New Zealander starting at his home Japanese Grand Prix next week at Suzuka, Red Bull said in a statement

Red Bull said on Thursday that Liam Lawson has been axed and replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, confirming days of speculation following Lawson’s disappointing performances in the first two races of the F1 season. 

Tsunoda will take over from the New Zealander starting at his home Japanese Grand Prix next week at Suzuka, Red Bull said in a statement. 

Tsunoda, 24, moves up from the Racing Bulls (RB) sister team to partner four-time world champion Max Verstappen, with Lawson moving back down to RB, where he was last season. 

Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, said: “It has been difficult to see Liam struggle at the first two races and as a result we have taken the decision to make an early switch. 

“We came into the season with two ambitions, to retain the world drivers’ championship and to reclaim the world constructors’ title, and this is a purely sporting decision.”

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