‘Duty of care’ suggestion behind Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda swap

A possible reason behind Red Bull’s swap of Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda has been suggested.

Lawson has been relegated to Racing Bulls - Red Bull’s sister team - from the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, with Tsunoda coming in to become Max Verstappen’s next teammate as part of a direct seat swap.

Red Bull have decided to axe Lawson after just two races following a nightmare start to his career with the team. 

According to Craig Slater, the “brutal” decision has been made to take Lawson out of the firing line.

“It is a brutal decision, it’s going be tough for Lawson to reconcile in his own mind,” Slater told Sky Sports News.

“There’s different ways to look at this. On one hand, is it excessively ruthless? Should they have given him more time?

“On the other hand, and this is what I understand may have influenced the decision-making process, is it part of their duty of care to Lawson to perhaps take him out of this situation before it gets any worse?

“Yes, it’s only been two races but he has qualified right at the back in three qualifying sessions, in 20th place a couple of times and 18th place. He just about avoided being lapped at the end of the grand prix in China.

“And this is in Red Bull’s senior team. This is in a car which Max Verstappen is sitting second in the world championship with, still.

“What I am understanding is, is that Lawson has just not gelled with the car at all. It’s characteristics do not sit well with him, and because of that, he has seriously lost confidence over these two races.

“So maybe it’s the best thing that he goes and regroups at Racing Bulls and perhaps can come again.”

Yuki Tsunoda faces ‘tough’ task

Tsunoda is set to make his Red Bull debut at his home race at Suzuka next weekend after insisting he feels “100%” ready for the chance, having originally been overlooked by the senior team.

But Slater warned it will be “tough” for Tsunoda to cope with a Red Bull car which has been tailored to Verstappen’s very specific driving style.

“He hasn’t the pre-season in that car but he is at his home race and he has been saying consistently that he wants this opportunity. Well now he gets it, let’s see what he can do,” Slater said.

“In terms of Lawson v Tsunoda, Tsunoda has this Honda affiliation. Liam Lawson was someone who would more obviously someone who would stay with the Red Bull family for a longer period of time.

“According to Red Bull, the two of them were close and viewing it after 11 races, if Lawson was that close to Tsunoda, surely his trajectory would continue to rise relative to the Japanese [driver].

“Tsunoda will be Verstappen’s fifth different teammate since Daniel Ricciardo left. It’s been very difficult for anyone to coexist alongside him.

“One of the reasons is a basic technical one. We’re in the final year of a system of rules. This had been a dominant car.

“It had been a car which Max Verstappen had orientated the development according to his particular style. He likes a very pointy turn-in. He is prepared to deal with a loose rear-end of the car.

“That is difficult for others to come in and manage. However Red Bull’s priority is to give him a winning car, rather than a car that is easier to drive for the number two driver.”