In Formula 1, high-stakes decisions can make or break a race — or even a career. For Liam Lawson, the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix became a painful reminder of how quickly a strategy can unravel. And as I watched the weekend unfold, I couldn’t help but feel that he deserved better.
Back at Racing Bulls and under pressure
Lawson’s return to Racing Bulls followed a difficult stint at Red Bull, where early-season struggles saw him replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. Having failed to impress in Australia and China, Lawson rejoined the junior team determined to prove his worth.
Personally, I saw this as a key opportunity — a clean slate to show what he could really do. But racing, especially at this level, doesn’t always reward good intentions.
congrats to liam lawson for really showing redbull what the lost 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/OqRZFEIOMu
— liv ✦ (@lecdoll) April 6, 2025
A bold strategy with no reward
Lawson qualified a respectable 14th at Suzuka, ahead of Tsunoda — a promising start. But in the opening lap, he lost position to his teammate and quickly found himself mired in traffic.
The team responded with an aggressive call: extend the first stint and wait for a safety car. It never came. The gamble didn’t pay off. Lawson dropped down the order and crossed the finish line in a disappointing 17th place.
As a fan, I admire the courage of trying something different — but this time, it simply didn’t work.
Outshone by his teammate
While Lawson struggled, French rookie Isack Hadjar had a dream weekend. He qualified seventh and finished eighth, scoring his first F1 points.
The contrast was stark. Two Racing Bulls. Two very different outcomes. And it’s hard not to notice how this reshapes the internal pecking order. I imagine Lawson feels the pressure more than ever right now.
A critical moment in his F1 journey
With rising competition and high expectations from Red Bull leadership, Lawson’s future feels increasingly uncertain. He has talent, no doubt — but now, he needs consistency, clean weekends, and maybe even a bit of luck.
The next few races could define his trajectory in Formula 1. And I’ll be watching closely.
What’s your take — can Liam Lawson turn things around and fight his way back to Red Bull? Or has the window already started to close on his shot at the top?