Max Verstappen has weighed in subtly on Red Bull’s decision to demote Liam Lawson, following speculation sparked by his liking of a social media post describing the move as “a panic decision” and “close to bullying.”
The post, authored by Dutch former Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde, criticized Red Bull’s decision to swap Lawson for Japan’s Yuki Tsunoda just two races into the season.
Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 champion and a family friend of van der Garde, defended his action, stating, “I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right?” He declined to delve deeper but assured that his thoughts were shared internally with the team.
Red Bull’s decision marks a stark reversal, having preferred Lawson over Tsunoda last winter to replace Sergio Perez. Lawson, with just 11 races over two seasons, struggled with the team’s challenging car design, qualifying at the back of the grid in both Australia and China. Red Bull cited his “spiraling performance” as the rationale for his demotion.
The decision has drawn mixed reactions across the F1 paddock. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton called it “pretty harsh,” while fellow drivers Oscar Piastri, Pierre Gasly—himself no stranger to Red Bull’s mid-season swaps—and Nico Hulkenberg also showed silent support by liking the post.
Yuki Tsunoda now finds himself debuting for Red Bull at his home Grand Prix in Japan.
Reflecting on the drama, he said, “I’m in the best situation ever,” while acknowledging the emotional toll of such swift changes in Red Bull’s driver structure. Tsunoda expressed confidence in his ability to make a strong impression, emphasizing, “If I did not have confidence, I might as well stay in Racing Bulls.”
