Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull Formula One seat swap with Liam Lawson leaves both with plenty to prove and still facing considerable career uncertainty. Tsunoda, in his fifth season and promoted from Racing Bulls on Thursday to partner four times world champion Max Verstappen from next week's Japanese round,

The way Yuki Tsunoda frequently expressed himself over the team radio is said to have been a contributing factor to Red Bull Racing initially promoting Liam Lawson as Max Verstappen's teammate. But since being promoted to Red Bull in place of Lawson after only two races,

It was only a few months ago that Yuki Tsunoda missed out on a Red Bull contract. At the time, the decision to put Lawson alongside Verstappen seemed hugely damaging for Tsunoda’s career – given the lack of available seats for 2026.

Yuki Tsunoda has secured a coveted seat at Red Bull after addressing his temper issues with the help of a psychologist. His openness on mental health has earned him support from fans. Tsunoda will debut for Red Bull at the Japanese Grand Prix,

The Japanese Grand Prix will be the first race since the huge driver swap between Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson. However, not everyone in the Asian country was aware of Red Bull Racing's decision, as old posters were spotted at a station in Japan.