Lewis Hamilton was surprised by the decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two games, but admitted he found it harsh and unfair. The British spoke in live media before the 2025 Japanese GP, hoping that the New Zealanders would prove unfair in just two match weekends.

Max Verstappen He also shared his views on the situation, acknowledging Liam Lawson’s high expectations. One of the key reasons for the 23-year-old’s relegation was that he couldn’t get the top ten and eliminated three consecutive quarter 1 eliminations in two weekends, including the Sprint shootout. Red Bull’s first priority is to bring the second driver closer to Verstappen’s performance, thus providing the necessary support in the race.

Although Hamilton wasn’t shocked by Red Bull’s ruthless approach, he noted that adapting to the new car is a difficult task and the pressure on the driver can be immense. He thinks both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are talented, but points out that they are now testing their resilience.

Asked about his thoughts on Red Bull driver swaps, Hamilton said:

“I wasn’t surprised to see where they came from. I have no opinion on either of them. I think we have a lot of great riders here, especially young and talented drivers. I think there’s a lot of pressure naturally, a lot of pressure on young people. There’s no way to fully master a car that’s the most unlikely to drive to Liam.

Liam Lawson is surprised by Red Bull’s decision to devalue him into racing after two races

Liam Lawson admitted that he was surprised when the Red Bull told him about his relegation, thinking it was a decision when such a decision was made too early in the season. In a previous press conference by the Japanese GP, he thought he needed a clean weekend to properly demonstrate his potential, especially given his first two games. The GP in Australia is chaotic, while the Chinese GP runs in sprint form, offering only one practice lesson, all circuits he is not familiar with.

After being a Chinese GP, Liam Lawson had two days to handle the decision before returning to Vcarb’s headquarters in Faenza. Just four days after the Shanghai game, Red Bull confirmed Lawson’s replacement Yuki Tsunoda. Despite the setbacks, the 23-year-old remains optimistic and has the opportunity to use the F1 car as a positive step in his career.

Asked about his reaction to swaps, Lawson said:

“I would say, as I said, I was even more surprised. Obviously, it was early in the season. I hope to walk a track I used to race and have a clean weekend with a chance like that. Obviously, the decision was made when I was told that, although it was hard to hear, I had a day or two to think about it.”

“Then I was in Faenza with Vcarb and started getting ready and seating right, and then you basically have to focus on the job. I had the opportunity to still get into Formula 1 and still be in the race, which was the main thing for me. With this opportunity, I was excited to be a season on this team here. It was an exciting job for Vcarb in Lakson.

Liam Lawson’s return to the Racing Bulls has provided him with a valuable opportunity to prove his true potential. He lost little to his premature promotion to the senior team, which made it difficult for him to perform best.

Given Red Bull’s historically unruly attitude to driver management, he replaced him only after two games, even by his own standards. But Liam Lawson now has the opportunity to reset in a familiar environment, regain confidence, and rebuild himself as a competitive force on the grid.