But Verstappen did indicate his position by admitting that his liking of an Instagram post by ex-F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who wrote that Red Bull’s decision was “closer to bullying or a panic move,” was not a mistake or an accident. “I liked the text,” Verstappen said. “I guess that speaks for itself, right?”

Barely three months ago, Yuki Tsunoda’s window to drive for Red Bull Racing in Formula One appeared to have closed. Despite putting forward a strong case through the 2024 season for its sister team, RB, Red Bull passed over Tsunoda when replacing Sergio Pérez. Instead, it promoted Tsunoda’s teammate Liam Lawson into the seat.

Yuki Tsunoda will replace Liam Lawson at Red Bull from the Japanese Grand Prix, and the New Zealander will return to the Racing Bulls.

Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson have switched rides, as Red Bull Racing hopes to keep its F1 Constructors' Championship hopes alive. Tsunoda comes to this week's F1 Japanese Grand Prix having not yet driven Red Bull’s RB21.

F1 returns to Japan next as Suzuka hosts the Japanese Grand Prix and round three of the 2025 F1 season. Oscar Piastri won the last race in China, as he looks to take the title fight to McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who has an eight-point lead to Max Verstappen in the world championship.

In the course of just a few days, Yuki Tsunoda's F1 career went from possibly getting his last shot to prove he could go somewhere else besides Red Bull's B team, to getting a spot in the big leagues with the team that passed him over time and time again.

The Red Bull Racing F1 team has parted ways with Liam Lawson after just two races for the 2025 season, making way for Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda.

Formula One has arrived in Japan for this weekend's Grand Prix and the talk of the paddock is Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson at Red Bull.

Red Bull’s decision to switch out Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda had the whole of Formula 1 talking in the build-up to the Japanese Grand Prix – here Motorsport.com picks out the best reactions to the n