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F1 News: Red Bull Under Fire As Sergio Perez Replacement Reports Emerge - 'What A Joke'

Fans express outrage over Red Bull's rumored decision to replace Sergio Perez with Liam Lawson, citing unfair exclusion of Yuki Tsunoda despite his strong performances.

Lydia Mee

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan (22) arrives for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drivers parade at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team driver Yuki Tsunoda of Japan (22) arrives for the Las Vegas Grand Prix drivers parade at the Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Red Bull has come under fire from F1 fans as sources close to the team have reported that VCARB driver Liam Lawson is set to replace Sergio Perez in 2025 with an announcement expected by the end of the week.

The crux of their frustration revolves around the apparent exclusion of Yuki Tsunoda from serious consideration for the coveted Red Bull seat.

Perez has been a stalwart of Red Bull Racing since 2021. His tenure with the team, once promising due to a contract extension earlier this year, now faces uncertainty following a series of underwhelming performances. The Mexican driver's season started strong with four podiums in five races in 2024, yet following the Chinese Grand Prix, his performance dwindled, contributing to Red Bull's loss of the Constructors' Championship title.

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, currently racing for Red Bull's sister team VCARB, finds himself overlooked despite his impressive performance history. Tsunoda has been part of the Red Bull system since 2019 but has never had the opportunity to test a Red Bull car during his career. His recent participation in a post-season test where he drove the RB20 car proved his capabilities and technical feedback, yet it seems that his chance for promotion remains a distant dream, leaving fans puzzled.

The news of Perez's potential replacement by Lawson has ignited strong reactions, particularly concerning Tsunoda’s exclusion from the line-up. Many fans believe Tsunoda outperformed his peers, including Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, and Nyck De Vries. They question why Tsunoda has not received the same level of consideration for a Red Bull seat. As one fan lamented:

"Yuki Tsunoda should walk. Take a year off, then return with Cadillac or any other team."

"Daniel Ricciardo.
"Liam Lawson.
"Nyck De Vries.

"Yuki Tsunoda outperforming all 3 of these drivers yet 2 of them had more serious consideration of being in the Red Bull than he ever got, contract renewed to be used as a benchmark and disrespected."

"If Liam Lawson gets the Red Bull seat over Yuki Tsunoda, then Yuki needs to leave the Red Bull programme and find another team that will actually appreciate how good of a driver he is. He'll make Hadjar look pathetic in 2025."

"Yuki Tsunoda does not deserve this treatment."

"I still can't wrap my head around blatantly overlooking Yuki Tsunoda for that Red Bull seat.

"Is there any logical reason behind this?"

"Ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, what a joke…"

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Lydia Mee
LYDIA MEE

Lydia is the lead editor of F1 editorial. After following the sport for several years, she was finally able to attend the British Grand Prix in person in 2017. Since then, she's been addicted to not only the racing, but the atmosphere the fans bring to each event. She's a strong advocate for women in motorsport and a more diverse industry. 

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