Thursday, October 2, 2025

Liam Lawson Shades Yuki Tsunoda After Red Bull Duel in Baku

Liam Lawson delivered a pointed critique of Yuki Tsunoda following their intense battle at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, expressing surprise that the Red Bull driver did not prove faster during the race. Lawson secured his best Formula 1 finish by holding off Tsunoda to claim fifth place in Baku, having started third on the grid after an impressive qualifying lap.

Throughout the closing stages, Lawson demonstrated strong defensive skills to maintain his position against a pack of challengers, including Tsunoda, despite not having the advantage of DRS. His ability to fend off attacks played a crucial role in securing valuable points for Racing Bulls during the event.

Lawson Expected Tsunoda to Have the Edge

Lawson spoke candidly about his expectations as Tsunoda approached on fresher, grippier Medium tyres, anticipating the Red Bull driver to overtake him quickly.

“I mean, for sure, [Tsunoda] is on a fresh set of tyres, on a Medium, on a grippier tyre and, honestly, I was preparing for him to end up catching me quicker, and I expected them to be faster,”

Lawson said.

He added that Max Verstappen’s strong performance indicated the car’s competitiveness at this event.

“So I think when I saw him come out on a better tyre, I was expecting him to catch me faster. But I think our sector three was extremely strong this weekend, it’s where it needed to be.”

Lawson’s teammate, Isack Hadjar, also contributed to Racing Bulls’ success by finishing tenth, helping the team achieve a double points finish. This outcome enabled Red Bull’s sister outfit to surpass Aston Martin and move up to sixth place in the constructors’ standings.

Tsunoda Admits Holding Back During the Duel

On his part, Yuki Tsunoda, who has been under scrutiny after replacing Lawson at Red Bull, confessed that he deliberately restrained his aggression during the battle. He acknowledged that although he had chances to attempt overtakes, he refrained for strategic reasons related to championship standings.

Liam Lawson
Image of: Liam Lawson

Especially [with a] McLaren behind, [I was] thinking about the championship, both the team and drivers’ championship for Max,

Tsunoda explained.

There were a lot of opportunities I could probably go inside and attack Liam, but there’s a lot more risk that maybe the McLaren will overtake both of us, or either [of us],

he said.

So I think as a Red Bull [driver], you don’t want to have that, and I think I did the right decision [by] not challenging him. But at the same time I didn’t have enough pace also to overtake comfortably.

Both drivers are facing pressure regarding their future with Red Bull, with Tsunoda fighting to retain his seat for the 2026 season and Lawson striving to remain with Racing Bulls. Currently, Lawson is positioned 13th in the drivers’ championship with 30 points, while Tsunoda ranks 17th, trailing by ten points.

Notable Performance for Red Bull’s Drivers in Baku

The race in Baku was significant as it marked the first time since the 2020 Russian Grand Prix that all four Red Bull-backed drivers finished within the top 10. This collective achievement highlights the strength of Red Bull and its affiliated teams during the 2024 season, despite ongoing uncertainties for individual drivers.

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