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Max Verstappen has confirmed that his recent Instagram activity was no accident, as he deliberately liked a post criticizing Red Bull’s decision to replace Liam Lawson with Yuki Tsunoda after just two races into the 2025 Formula One season.
Red Bull’s early-season shakeup saw Lawson demoted to Racing Bulls, Red Bull’s developmental team, while Tsunoda was promoted to the senior squad. The abrupt decision sparked controversy, with Lawson himself admitting he was “surprised” by the demotion.
Following the swap, former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde shared an Instagram post criticizing Red Bull’s move, suggesting it resembled “bullying or a panic move” rather than a strategic decision based on performance. He also pointed out that Lawson had dedicated years of hard work to reach Formula 1 and deserved more than two races to prove himself.
Verstappen, who liked van der Garde’s post, was asked about it ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. The four-time world champion made it clear that his action was intentional.
“I liked the comment, the text, so I guess that speaks for itself, right? It was not a mistake,” Verstappen stated, as per Sky Sports. He also revealed that he had spoken to Lawson following the swap.
Lawson’s Short Stint and Red Bull’s Justification
Lawson’s brief run with Red Bull saw him fail to score any points, crashing out in Australia and finishing 15th in China (later revised to 12th after disqualifications). This led Red Bull to opt for Tsunoda, who had already secured three points while racing for Racing Bulls.
While Verstappen declined to provide further public comments on the swap, he acknowledged that he had shared his thoughts privately with the team.
“My reaction was shared with the team but in general, about not only the swap, but about everything. We discussed that already during last weekend and back at the factory,” Verstappen explained.
He emphasized that certain discussions are better kept internal: “Everything has been shared with the team, how I think about everything. Sometimes, it’s not necessary to always share everything in public. I think it’s better.”
Tsunoda Ready for Red Bull Challenge
Speaking about his conversation with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, Tsunoda revealed that the expectations were clear:
“Basically, be as close to Max as possible, which anyway gives a good result for the team (and) also allows the team to support as a strategy as well in the race.”
“They clearly said the main priority is Max, which I completely understand because he’s a four-time world champion, and so far already (during) the last few races, even in the car’s difficult situation, he’s still performed well,” he said.
Despite the challenge ahead, Tsunoda is optimistic, highlighting his contribution to car development as another asset: “(The expectation is) to be close as much as possible to Max, also help the development as well with my feedback – (they) seem very happy with my feedback I gave in Abu Dhabi (during the postseason test), so just continue that. But I think for now the main priority is to be closest to (Max), which won’t be easy, for sure.”
Red Bull’s Bigger Issue: The RB21’s Performance
“I think our main issue is that our car is not where we want it to be,” Verstappen explained. “I think everyone knows that within the team as well, and that’s what I focus on, to be honest.”
As Red Bull looks to bounce back, all eyes will be on Tsunoda’s first outing in the RB21 and how he measures up against Verstappen in what promises to be a thrilling Japanese Grand Prix.
