Yuki Tsunoda claimed the unofficial ‘best of the rest’ title in China’s Sprint Qualifying, going 8th overall in another strong showing for VCARB. He again demonstrated an impressive level of speed – something which has become standard practice in recent years.
The situation is very different for former teammate Liam Lawson, who was rock bottom in Sprint Qualifying.
The Kiwi continues to struggle, as Tsunoda goes from strength to strength with the Faenza-based operation.
Red Bull’s Helmut Marko recognises this – though it is unclear how far Tsunoda’s position at Red Bull can meaningfully improve.
Tsunoda could have his best year to date
Since the 2022 season, when he was evenly matched with teammate Pierre Gasly, Tsunoda can be described as among F1’s most consistent performers.
Against a variety of teammates, Tsunoda has established himself as the reference at VCARB. He defied both internal and external expectations against the likes of Nyck de Vries and Daniel Ricciardo, for example.
With Isack Hadjar making his F1 debut, Tsunoda has cemented himself as team leader.
Although the 2025 season has just begun, it is difficult to ignore the alarming trend emerging at Red Bull.
Liam Lawson has been nowhere near contending for Q3 thus far, let alone matching the efforts of Max Verstappen.
Meanwhile Tsunoda is fast becoming a regular name in the top 10, even in this year’s hyper-competitive midfield.
According to Helmut Marko, the 24-year-old has “made another quantum leap” this year.
“He’s changed his management and has been performing absolutely top-notch so far,” argues the 81-year-old.
“He’s in the form of his life.”
Is Lawson’s position under threat?
For almost a decade, drivers in the second Red Bull seat have tried and failed to perform at a consistently high level.
However, Lawson’s current difficulties go beyond any comparisons with Verstappen. The 23-year-old has finished behind both VCARBs in the first two qualifying sessions of 2025.
The Kiwi finds himself near the back of the field, delivering performances that will make Red Bull vulnerable in the constructors standings once again.
Despite this, as mentioned previously on LWOS, Lawson is not under an immediate threat.
Red Bull will give Lawson time to get up to speed. Not only is this for his sake, but also because of the context surrounding his appointment.
The Milton Keynes outfit went against the consensus last season by picking the Kiwi instead of Tsunoda.
Having failed to select the right option alongside Verstappen for so many years, Christian Horner’s team will wait as long as possible before making any changes.
Putting Tsunoda might be the objectively correct move in the upcoming rounds, but it would be another admission of Red Bull’s shortcomings in terms of driver selection.
Regardless, as outlined over the winter break, Red Bull are not the only option for the 24-year-old.
With a seat alongside Verstappen unlikely, based on the team’s attitude to Tsunoda over the last three years, raising his market value is important – especially given the limited seats available for 2026.
For now at least, the Austrian squad will likely attribute Lawson’s results to the RB21’s poor drivability and the ‘Verstappen factor’.
Only time will tell how long these factors can be used as a viable justification.
