The 2025 Australian Grand Prix highlighted a pivotal decision by the Red Bull team that may have lasting implications for their championship aspirations this season. According to Matt Beer from the British media outlet The-Race, Red Bull's choice to promote Liam Lawson over Yuki Tsunoda could prove to be a costly mistake. Beer expressed skepticism about the decision, labeling it as a missed opportunity to enhance the team’s competitive edge with a "clear upgrade" in Tsunoda.
In the lead-up to the season opener, Tsunoda demonstrated significant potential. During the pre-season tests, however, Red Bull's new car, the VCARB02, did not showcase its speed, with Tsunoda ranking 14th overall out of 20 drivers. Nevertheless, the mood shifted at the Australian GP, where Tsunoda managed to finish 5th in qualifying, edging past reputable rivals, including Carlos Sainz from Williams and two Ferrari drivers.
During the qualifying session, Tsunoda consistently improved his times, finishing Q1 in 7th, Q2 in 8th, and ultimately securing a 5th place grid position. His impressive performance meant that he was closely contesting with top drivers—only half a second separated the 3rd place Max Verstappen and Sainz. The emerging narrative was that Tsunoda was not only performing well but also entering the race with robust prospects for scoring points.
The race began with Tsunoda maintaining his starting position but faced a setback when Charles Leclerc overtook him early, pushing Tsunoda back to 6th. Despite this, he held off challenges from Alex Albon and Lewis Hamilton and even managed to retake Leclerc's position after the second safety car period.
As the race progressed, the weather conditions took a turn, leading to confusion on strategy. On lap 44, heavy rain hit Albert Park, causing teams to rethink their tire strategies dramatically. While competitors like McLaren, Mercedes, and other drivers quickly opted for rain tires, Tsunoda and the Ferrari duo hesitated. This proved detrimental; they were slower in the wet conditions, and by the end of the race, Tsunoda fell to 12th place due to a strategic miscalculation by his team.
F1.com reflected on Tsunoda's race, noting that until lap 43, he had shown impressive promise, maintaining a 6th place during the initial and second stints and demonstrating the potential to score points. However, the team's decision to delay the final pit stop became a focal point of criticism, resulting in Tsunoda sliding out of the points entirely.
Amidst all this, Liam Lawson's debut in the race was far from stellar. He failed to make an impression, retiring after a crash and finishing near the back. His performance has drawn scrutiny, especially in comparison to Tsunoda's potential, as Beer lamented on Lawson’s inability to capitalize on his opportunity, suggesting that perhaps Lawson existed as a temporary placeholder rather than a long-term solution.
The team principal, Christian Horner, attempted to frame Lawson's weekend positively, highlighting that he recorded the second-fastest lap time during the race’s dry conditions. However, Beer dismissed this as insubstantial, remarking that it only came about due to slipstreaming from competitors ahead, obscuring the reality of Lawson’s overall performance which was marked by a disappointing 15th position for most of the race.
The question looming over Red Bull's decision remains: What will it take for them to reconsider Tsunoda’s place in the team? Beer pointed out that despite four years of neglect regarding Tsunoda, perhaps a few more races like the one in Melbourne could finally prompt a reassessment. He emphasized that such changes would be reactive rather than based on a fair evaluation of skills.
This season ranks to be highly competitive, underscored by other teams like Williams and Aston Martin who have already begun earning significant points. Williams netted a considerable 10 points, and Aston Martin scored 8, highlighting the tight race for position in the midfield. With the 2025 season underway, the stakes are higher than ever, and both Tsunoda and Lawson will need to capitalize on their performance in the upcoming races to establish their positions within the Red Bull team.
As the dust settles from the Australian GP, the hindsight view on Red Bull's choices will be critical. Will they continue to overlook Tsunoda despite his evident talent? Only time will tell, but as the championship unfolds, every point becomes precious, and decisions made today will reverberate through the rest of the season.
