Crimson Bull have changed Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda for the Japanese GP after a troublesome begin to the System 1 season as Max Verstappen finds himself with a brand new team-mate as soon as once more
Former System 1 staff boss Gian Carlo Minardi believes Max Verstappen have to be in charge for the continued struggles of his team-mates at Crimson Bull. Liam Lawson has discovered himself changed by Yuki Tsunoda after simply two races within the hotseat the place he failed to attain a degree.
The Dutch driver has claimed 4 world titles in a row because the staff’s lead driver, and recorded finishes of second and fourth within the opening grand prixs of this yr. Verstappen has constantly seen his team-mates fail to match his outcomes and cycled by way of the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez.
Albon has beforehand mentioned the difficulties of battling in a automobile that’s tailor-made extra in direction of Verstappen. And after getting into the season stuffed with promise, Lawson seems to be the newest who has discovered issues taking up the problem.
Minardi, whose self-named staff was bought by Crimson Bull in 2006, believes Verstappen’s fashion of driving has primarily left the constructor with one driver. The F1 veteran can discover no different rationalization for Racing Bulls outcompeting the 23-year-old Lawson.
READ MORE: McLaren ace Oscar Piastri sends message to System 1 title rivals and team-mate Lando NorrisREAD MORE: F1 icon’s verdict on Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes speaks volumes about Ferrari
“Crimson Bull has fairly a special downside, if we are able to name it that, within the sense that it finds itself as soon as once more racing with just one driver, Max Verstappen,” mentioned Minardi.
“Nonetheless, it isn’t potential that whoever comes alongside him has such monumental difficulties. It’s most likely a really troublesome automobile to drive and handle, having been constructed fully across the Dutchman who has a specific fashion of driving, placing his teammates in issue.
“I discover it arduous to think about a special rationalization, because the similar “cousins” let themselves be sooner and higher performing than Lawson.”
Tsunoda will now be the newest to make his Crimson Bull debut on the Japanese Grand Prix on April 6, whereas Lawson has been relegated again to junior staff Racing Bulls. Nonetheless simply 24, Tsunoda has been in F1 since 2021 and has beforehand been neglected regardless of his better expertise.
Crimson Bull boss Christian Horner defined that Lawson’s difficulties with RB21 noticed them transfer swiftly in a bid to avoid wasting the staff’s season. Horner reckons Tsunoda will have the ability to assist develop the automobile.
“It has been troublesome to see Liam wrestle with the RB21 on the first two races and consequently now we have collectively taken the choice to make an early swap,” he mentioned. “We got here into the 2025 season with two ambitions, to retain the world drivers’ championship and to reclaim the world constructors’ title and this can be a purely sporting choice.
“We acknowledge there’s numerous work to be executed with the RB21 and Yuki’s expertise will show extremely useful in serving to to develop the present automobile. We welcome him to the staff and are wanting ahead to seeing him behind the wheel of the RB21.”
