Yuki Tsunoda: What's it like being a replacement F1 driver?

Yuki Tsunoda will make his debut for the Red Bull team in front of his home fans at this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, undoubtedly a dream come true. However, beyond this sense of pride, the 24-year-old driver may also feel uncertainty and pressure, especially since he was promoted after only two races into the season, replacing Liam Lawson. This debut at his home track adds an extra layer of excitement and responsibility.

Lawson was demoted after crashing out of the opening race in Australia and then starting from the back of the grid in both the sprint race and the main race at the Chinese Grand Prix the following week. Meanwhile, Tsunoda has been promoted from Red Bull's sister team (now Racing Bulls). He himself said in an interview with BBC Radio 5: "It's a complicated feeling, even with the pressure and challenges, you might only experience something like this once or twice in your life, so overall I'm very excited." The prospect of driving for Red Bull presents both opportunities and significant hurdles.

The challenge for Tsunoda is that he needs to learn a lot in a short amount of time. Although he is only 24 years old, he is already an experienced F1 driver, having raced for AlphaTauri and RB (now Racing Bulls) since 2021. However, after familiarizing himself with the Racing Bulls car in pre-season testing, he must now quickly learn how to drive Red Bull's RB21 car. He said he has spent a lot of time in the simulator, but nothing compares to the experience of actually driving the car. The transition to a new team and car requires a rapid adaptation process.

Tsunoda said: "I don't think it's easy to get into any new car, but at the same time, I've been driving the simulator car pretty well, it's close enough to the feeling of the real car. I know the direction I want to go in terms of car setup, and when I try it in the simulator, it still works well, and I'm confident I'll start in that direction." In addition, he must quickly build relationships with his new race engineer and teammate Max Verstappen, relationships that other drivers have already established. Building rapport with the team will be crucial for his performance.

Former F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari said in an interview with BBC Radio 5: "I don't think Yuki Tsunoda has anything to lose, because everyone is struggling in that position. Everyone is trying to find the right setup to understand how Max does it. He has a lot of experience. Many people doubted him when he entered F1, but he has developed himself. He had a good season last year, and I think he is a very competitive driver." Tsunoda's past performance suggests he has the potential to succeed in this new role.

Lawson's demotion means he will be racing for Red Bull's sister team (Racing Bulls) this weekend. The 23-year-old New Zealander is certainly not the first person to experience this at Red Bull, a team known for giving young talent opportunities, but also for being ruthless if they feel a driver is underperforming. In 2016, Daniil Kvyat was demoted after two high-profile collisions with Sebastian Vettel at the Russian Grand Prix – then the fourth race of the season. The team's high standards demand consistent results.

Then-18-year-old Max Verstappen was promoted to replace Kvyat, and the Dutchman immediately impressed, winning the Spanish Grand Prix – his first race for Red Bull, also making him the youngest winner in F1 history. Verstappen has gone on to dominate the sport, while Kvyat's F1 career never really recovered. He raced for Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri for several seasons, but has been racing in different series since 2022. The contrast between their career trajectories highlights the pressure of performing at Red Bull.

Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate last season, endured a difficult period as he struggled with the RB20 car and was dropped by Red Bull at the end of the year. Perez said in an interview with F1.com: "When I joined Red Bull, there were a lot of great drivers who were struggling – Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly, they were all great drivers, but they were all struggling. For me, it's simple, this car is difficult to get 100% out of, it's difficult to get confidence from it – even former design chief Adrian Newey has talked about what I was struggling with." The challenges of adapting to the Red Bull car are well-documented.

Alguersuari is well aware of how tough the sport is, especially the pressure to perform at Red Bull. He spent three seasons in F1 from 2009, mainly for Toro Rosso, where he contributed 25 of the team's 40 points in 2011, but lost his place after that season. Alguersuari added: "Red Bull has the ability to make you feel uncomfortable and make you doubt yourself. Red Bull is a machine that destroys drivers because they have this mentality and philosophy that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So they are always pushing you and putting pressure on you. Even at Toro Rosso, they asked me to win a race or it wasn't good enough. You always have this feeling that unless you are a world champion, you are not good enough." The team's relentless pursuit of excellence can be a double-edged sword.

For a driver being demoted, there is no doubt that it is difficult to accept. Lawson responded to the news by posting a picture of himself as a child on social media and a drawing he made of becoming an F1 driver. He wrote: "Becoming a Red Bull driver has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, it's something I've been working towards my whole life. It's tough, but I'm grateful for everything that's brought me to this point." Lawson's message reflects the dedication and sacrifices required to reach F1.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said that every effort will be made to ensure Lawson gets the support he needs. He said: "We have a responsibility to protect and develop Liam and work together. We felt it made sense to act quickly after such a difficult start, so that Liam can gain experience as he continues his F1 career with Racing Bulls, an environment and team he knows very well." The team is committed to supporting Lawson's development despite the demotion.