Liam Lawson set to lose F1 seat as Doohan gets unexpected reprieve

Formula 1’s silly season has officially gone off the rails following the Chinese Grand Prix, with Australian rookie Jack Doohan unexpectedly back in the frame—and Liam Lawson suddenly facing the chopping block.

Doohan, who’s had a rocky debut year with Alpine, was rumored to be on the verge of losing his seat to reserve driver Franco Colapinto before the European swing of the season.

But the script has flipped. Colapinto is now being linked to a surprise move to Red Bull’s junior outfit, Racing Bulls, a shake-up that could push Lawson out of Formula 1 altogether.

Lawson’s form has been rough to say the least, following a pair of nightmare weekends in Melbourne and Shanghai. A spin-out and a pair of last-place qualifying runs have done little to inspire confidence in the young Kiwi.

Top sportsbooks have responded, lengthening Red Bull’s Constructors’ Championship odds to +2800 with Nags.bet as Lawson continues to underdeliver.

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda has been turning heads with a strong start to 2025. Reports suggest Red Bull is eyeing a shock mid-season promotion for the Japanese driver—possibly as soon as the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka on April 6—putting further pressure on Lawson’s spot.

Should Tsunoda move up, Colapinto could slide into the second Racing Bulls seat alongside Isack Hadjar. That unexpected shuffle would spare Doohan from an early-season exit.

Veteran F1 analyst Kunal Shah called the development the “most unpredictable twist of the season,” while Ralf Schumacher told Sky Sports that Lawson is “already out” for the next race, according to his sources.

Red Bull has done little to silence the speculation. Team principal Christian Horner declined to confirm Lawson’s future, while Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitted the team is “concerned” and revealed an emergency strategy meeting is on the books this week.

Asked directly whether he’d take Lawson’s seat, Tsunoda didn’t hold back. “Yeah, why not? In Japan? Yeah, 100 percent,” he replied, before being pulled away by team PR.

Doohan hasn’t exactly lit up the timing sheets, but a cleaner weekend in Shanghai—and teammate Pierre Gasly’s ongoing slump—have helped his case.

With Colapinto now the center of Red Bull’s driver chess match, Doohan’s once-uncertain future may be getting a second lease on life.