Grapevine : Liam out Yuki in second Redbull seat for Osaka

You heard it here first.

Apparently, Redbull has dumped Lawson and put Yuki in his place for the Japanese GP. The source of this story suggested that Liam may be heading back to Racing Bull in a straight swap. There are other talks involving Colapinto replacing Yuki at Racing Bull with Liam shown the door.

Liam Lawson, F1's Icarus, may turn out to be the driver with F1's shortest career with only two proper races for a team. Excluding the sprint of course.

It goes without saying, that this move may be a career suicide for Yuki. But l think this move may not be his desire but motivated by his Honda backing.

It would be tough on Yuki as he would not have the benefit of preseason testing to prepare and familiarize himself with the Redbull car. He would be heading into a team that would be passively hostile to him as they did not want him in the first place. He was not their first choice, hence they are likely to overreact to his slightest faults and shortcomings.

If Yuki can somehow; in spite of these not so ideal situations, somehow do better than Lawson in the first race in Japan, he would further stick his finger out at Redbull for not giving him the seat in the first place. If he doesn't, it would simply confirm the second Redbull seat is a dead-end. Yuki has nothing to lose moving up into that seat except his F1 career which may take a beating from poor showing that may ensue.

Did Liam get a bum deal out of this? Well, he knew what he was getting into. He thought he could pull it off but had a rude awakening of how tough it is to fill that second Redbull seat. He would be greatly disappointed but this situation is not about whether he is a great driver but simply about whether he could make a tricky car produce points in a team with a very low threshold for tolerating poor performances.

It is sad, but gives insights into why Checo, Albon, Gasly etc failed in that seat. Clearly, the problem lay with the team and how they go about designing that car. If they are unable to see that and take fundamental steps to address it, then the Redbull team shall always be a one-car team; but only so if Verstappen is in that first seat.

If Verstappen leaves the team, they would be shocked to find out where their car really is; deep in the midfield.

I'm actually more surprised that this year's Japanese GP will be held in Osaka rather than Suzuka.

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Originally Posted by gm99

I'm actually more surprised that this year's Japanese GP will be held in Osaka rather than Suzuka.

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Eagle-eyed GM99, you never miss a thing. I said Osaka because I normally fly into Osaka, Kansai, to get to Suzuka. Of course, the race is at Suzuka, which is the next principality to Osaka. But l am sure you got my jist anyway.

Dumb. Should have just let it ride.

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Originally Posted by Nitrodaze

Apparently, Redbull has dumped Lawson and put Yuki in his place for the Japanese GP. The source of this story suggested that Liam may be heading back to Racing Bull in a straight swap.

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It shows that Red Bull is in disarray. They don't even trust their process that installed Lawson ahead of Yuki in the first place. I would say Red Bull is "panicked."

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There are other talks involving Colapinto replacing Yuki at Racing Bull with Liam shown the door.

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I read a lot of articles on the rumors, never ready for anybody suggesting Colapinto was going to replace Liam. I was surprised there was no consideration of bringing in Albon to replace Liam at Red Bull (I believe RB has the rights to him).

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It goes without saying, that this move may be a career suicide for Yuki.

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It is either a great opportunity or career suicide. I am betting "suicide."

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But l think this move may not be his desire but motivated by his Honda backing.

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It was his desire. The race was not over in more than five minutes, and he was in the media pit telling anybody who would listen that he was ready and deserved the Red Bull seat, and the only reason he didn't get it was RB politics.

We will find out soon enough if Yuki can handle the car and pressure. History says likely not, but then again everyone handles pressure in different ways. Though Yuki can be a hot head on the radio, he might be the one to come to grips with the car and overall goals better.

Yuki is likely to stay with Red Bull till the end of the season as Helmut Marko has suggested. It would be interesting if the pairing of Max and Yuki can compete with McLaren and Ferrari in the WCC.