In the recent Formula 1 face-off at the Australian Grand Prix, Red Bull’s secondary driver didn’t merely qualify among the top five but was a mere two-tenths of a second behind Max Verstappen, the leading driver. Not only did he put up a spirited fight against Ferraris throughout the race, but he also missed scoring due to a miscalculated tyre selection amid fluctuating weather conditions. This performance was a marked improvement over Sergio Perez’s performance in 2024 and an indication that Verstappen might finally have the support he needs for the challenging championship defence.
Surprisingly, the star performer for Red Bull was not their second driver but Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda. Red Bull Racing’s actual second driver, Liam Lawson, had a rather vacillating performance. He had a messy Q1 exit and spent much of the race grappling with Haases at the back before crashing out after being lapped just after half-distance. Christian Horner, Team Principal, highlighted Lawson’s brief spell of brilliance as he clocked the second-fastest race lap during a dry spell. However, Lawson’s inconsistent performance and his time spent mostly in the 15th place, lapping several seconds slower than Verstappen, cast a shadow over his brief flash of brilliance.
Lawson faced several setbacks, including being the only driver unfamiliar with the Albert Park track and an air intake problem that cost him all of the final practice. Despite these hurdles, Lawson brushed off the unfamiliar set-up as a non-factor and admitted that he simply wasn’t fast enough. He did confess to making errors when he was gaining speed.
Melbourne has a history of drivers performing poorly for new teams before finding their ground with time and more typical circuits. Therefore, it is premature to pass judgment on Lawson’s performance. Horner, too, anticipates another difficult race weekend for Lawson at Shanghai, a track where Lawson hasn’t raced before.
Tsunoda’s remarkable performance in Melbourne, where he outpaced Ferraris and was in line for a top-five finish before being relegated to the 12th position due to changing weather conditions, does not directly threaten Lawson’s position. Red Bull has a history of overlooking Tsunoda for four years, primarily due to character-based reasons, and it is unlikely that his performance at the opener will change this stance.
Tsunoda’s emotional nature has been a concern for the Red Bull hierarchy. However, his measured response to a race that could have ended better had it not been for poor forecasting and strategy calls, might change their perception. His post-race conversation with engineer Ernesto Desiderio revealed a mature, composed driver who was ready to learn from his mistakes and move forward.
Tsunoda’s plea for Racing Bulls to understand how they managed to be so fast in qualifying so that it can be replicated might work in their favour for the forthcoming Shanghai sprint race. Horner, on the other hand, anticipates another challenging weekend for Lawson. The question remains – how many more divergent performances will it take for Red Bull to consider accommodating Tsunoda’s emotions in their team?
