Jos Verstappen recently broke his silence after a whirlwind driver swap at Red Bull that occurred just after the second race of the season. On Thursday morning, it was officially announced that Liam Lawson will return to Racing Bulls for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda has been elevated to partner with Max Verstappen over at Red Bull.
In other developments, the FIA has reportedly suspected that McLaren would have tripped up on the newly tightened flexi rear wing tests if they had been in place during the Australian Grand Prix. These tests, which scrutinize the flexibility of rear wings, face further restrictions as announced before the Chinese Grand Prix.
Adding to the buzz, Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, has confirmed that Max Verstappen isn’t thrilled about the driver swap that was promptly executed after only two races. The change involved a seat swap between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda for the Japanese Grand Prix, a decision not linked to Lawson’s performance.
In another intriguing note, there’s a prediction from Schumacher suggesting that Max Verstappen could be even faster in Racing Bulls’ machinery compared to his current Red Bull ride. Despite Verstappen’s prowess, the Red Bull RB21 has been a challenging machine, even for the seasoned four-time champion, due to its balance issues.
Meanwhile, Christian Horner, the team principal, has issued a word of caution regarding the upcoming 2026 power units with a colorful metaphor, noting that “Cinderella has left the building.” This caution comes amid swirling discussions about a return to V10 engines, which were last used in 2005, with Toro Rosso running a modified version into the early V8 era. Since then, F1 has stuck with turbo-hybrid systems introduced in 2014, which have seen minimal changes over the years.
Lastly, Red Bull is gearing up for something special at the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend, with plans to unveil a one-time unique livery. Known for their traditional blue and red hues throughout their two-decade F1 history, the Milton Keynes-based team is set to bring a fresh look to the event.
