Red Bull axe Liam Lawson as brutal statement released ahead of Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing have confirmed they have replaced Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda for the Japanese Grand Prix as team make official statement.

The news of the switch broke on Tuesday evening by Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, and now we have had official confirmation that Tsunoda will partner Max Verstappen from the Japanese Grand Prix.

With just two races to his name, Lawson has become the shortest-serving Red Bull driver in history after crashing out in Australia and coming home 12th in China.

Red Bull announced Tsunoda's promotion via social media with a rather brutal statement that didn't even mention the departing Lawson.

They posted on X: "Announcing that Yuki Tsunoda will partner Max from the Japanese Grand Prix."

Racing Bulls also released a statement congratulating Tsunoda for his promotion, however, they also failed to mention Lawson with the only confirmation that he will be still be racing coming on the official F1 website.

RB Team Principal, Laurent Mekies, said: “We’re incredibly proud of Yuki earning his well-deserved move to Oracle Red Bull Racing! His progress last year, and more recently from the very start of 2025, has been nothing less than sensational.

"Personally, and collectively, it has been an immense privilege to witness those progresses for all of us in Faenza and in Milton Keynes. Yuki’s energy and positivity has lightened up every corner of our factories and of our garage and he will always be a Racing Bull! We wish him all the success he deserves at ORBR.”

While demoting Lawson after just three races may seem like an extremely harsh decision, Sky Sports F1 expert Craig Slater claimed on Wednesday the decision was based on a 'duty of care' for Lawson.

"What I'm getting to understand is it's almost a duty of care scenario that Red Bull are evaluating in making that switch," Slater told Sky Sports News.

"He's talked about almost being at a loss in how to put things right, so the kinder thing to do to him, although it seems harsh and ruthless, is allow him to regroup."