Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda reverse their bays at the Japanese Grand Prix

Canal+ has just revealed the news, and as the official Formula 1 broadcaster in France, the channel is generally well informed when it comes to Red Bull. Yuki Tsunoda will finally get his chance in the Red Bull seat, starting at the next Grand Prix in Japan, where he will be racing in front of a home crowd that already holds him in high regard. Liam Lawson, meanwhile, will return to the Racing Bulls cockpit, Red Bull’s sister team.

A seat swap

Yuki Tsunoda will take over the Red Bull seat, while currently driving for Racing Bulls, and Liam Lawson will take back the Racing Bulls seat, a car he previously drove with some success at the end of last season.

This internal reshuffle within the Red Bull teams carries significant weight. Liam Lawson has not been performing well in the second Red Bull car. While Max Verstappen is currently second in the championship standings—even though the team’s performance overall has dipped compared to 2024—his teammate is consistently lingering at the back of the grid, struggling to extract any pace from a very demanding car, known for its aggressive front end and difficult balance.

Though only two races have taken place so far this season, Lawson’s performances are already raising questions, especially when compared to Sergio Perez, who, despite struggling last year, managed far better results in the same car.

This seat swap will help determine whether the issue lies with the driver or with the infamous and seemingly cursed second Red Bull.

A marketing and performance challenge

This isn’t a demotion—rather, it’s a test. Yuki Tsunoda is Japanese, and will be racing on home soil in Japan. Being promoted to Red Bull in this context is a commercial opportunity for the team, which enjoys strong sales in the Japanese market (+51% increase in 2024). This move will generate buzz ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix and finally provide a chance to evaluate Tsunoda’s performance in the main Red Bull car.

On the flip side, the Suzuka circuit is extremely familiar to Liam Lawson, who has raced there often in Super Formula. He knows the Racing Bulls car well, and the track even better, making this an ideal situation to assess his true potential—especially since he’ll be teamed with rookie Isack Hadjar.

Hadjar, who has posted lap times very close to Yuki Tsunoda’s after two races, could serve as another reference point. If he performs similarly to Liam Lawson, it will also offer valuable insight into the Franco-Algerian driver’s potential.