Honda Pays Millions for Tsunoda in Red Bull, Yuki to Replace Lawson for Japan?
According to reports from Dutch and French sources, Honda is prepared to pay several million euros to secure a seat for Yuki Tsunoda in the Red Bull Racing team, replacing Liam Lawson starting from the Japanese Grand Prix. This move is expected to be officially confirmed by Red Bull during the week.
Liam Lawson was chosen over Tsunoda at the end of 2024 to replace Sergio Perez. However, in the initial races of the season, Lawson’s performance has been under scrutiny, with early eliminations in qualifying sessions making it challenging for him to achieve significant results.
It’s also reported that Red Bull inquired with Honda about the financial commitment they were willing to make for Tsunoda’s placement. Honda’s response was “several million.” Previously, during the selection process for Perez’s replacement, Honda had offered €10 million, which was declined by Christian Horner in favor of Lawson.
This early-season driver change is unprecedented for Red Bull Racing, a team known for making mid-season adjustments but not typically this early. Analysts, including former team owner Giancarlo Minardi, suggest that the RB21 car might be particularly tailored to Max Verstappen’s unique driving style, potentially making it challenging for other drivers to adapt and perform optimally.
The official announcement regarding Tsunoda’s promotion and Lawson’s reassignment is anticipated soon.
