The seven-time world champion has offered his take on Liam Lawson's Red Bull demotion ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Red Bull's decision to swap Liam Lawson with its junior team driver Yuki Tsunoda has had no impact on the rookie driver.

Liam Lawson has openly discussed his unexpected demotion from Red Bull Racing, describing the decision as a “shock” after being replaced just two races into the 2025 Formula 1 season. The 23-year-old was initially brought in as a potential long-term solution following Sergio Perez's dramatic exit at the end of the 2024 season.

Red Bull’s decision to demote Liam Lawson has divided opinion at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. After two poor showings in the Red Bull, Lawson was unceremoniously demoted for this weekend’s round at Suzuka. He has been sent back to the Racing Bulls sister team, with Yuki Tsunoda swapped into the Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen.

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

Liam Lawson joins a long list of athletes and coaches who will think they should have been given more time with their teams

The change to the Racing Bulls car has not helped Lawson in his first full season as a F1 driver. Lawson finished with a slower time in practice than Racing Bulls teammate Frenchman Isack Hadjar, who is also a F1 rookie. Hadjar was eighth.

The team, with a history of midseason switches, moved Lawson to Racing Bulls, their B team, while Tsunoda was added to Red Bull's lineup next to four-time champion Max Verstappen. Lawson netted zero points and qualified no greater than third-to-last in three tries.

Sergio Pérez has addressed Red Bull's strategy to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda, starting from this weekend's Japanese GP