Franco Colapinto targeted by Red Bull in bombshell move as Liam Lawson continues to struggle: Reports

Red Bull Racing is reportedly considering Franco Colapinto for the Racing Bulls seat as rumors of Yuki Tsunoda replacing Liam Lawson gain steam. As per rumors, Lawson's time at the Milton Keynes-based squad is up, as Tsunoda could replace him from the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

Lawson, the 23-year-old racing driver, was appointed as Sergio Perez's replacement at the Bulls for the 2025 season. While expectations were steep, Liam succumbed to the pressure, failing to score a single point in the first two races held in Australia and China.

On top of that, he has had two back-to-back Q1 exits in qualifying sessions, and his abysmal performance is costing the energy drink-based team big time in the constructors championship. Hence, according to rumors, Liam Lawson is set to be sacked in the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, with Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda likely to take his place.

If Yuki does end up getting promoted, his Racing Bulls seat will be vacant, and according to Motorsport.com, Franco Colapinto is a front-runner to grab that seat.

Colapinto left a significant impact in the nine weekends that he raced for Williams in the 2024 season. He immediately scored points and impressed Alpine as they signed him as their reserve driver for the 2025 season. However, if Red Bull is, in fact, serious about getting Colapinto in the VCARB seat, they would certainly have to negotiate with Alpine.

Alpine, on the other hand, reportedly has certain plans related to Colapinto's future. According to reports, Jack Doohan has a contract only for the first few races of the season. If he fails to match expectations, Alpine reportedly plans to replace him with Franco Colapinto.

The 2025 Japanese Grand Prix is set to be hosted at Suzuka Circuit on April 6. With less than two weeks to go, speculations around the Bulls' driver lineup might continue to dominate the headlines.

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Red Bull boss opens up on speculations around Liam Lawson's future

Liam Lawson [L] with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner - Source: Getty

Red Bull Racing appears to be in deep turmoil as they continue to lose points in the constructors championship. Liam Lawson has so far scored zero points as he faced a DNF in Australia and finished P12 in China.

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, rumors suggest that Lawson could be replaced by Yuki Tsunoda. Team principal Christian Horner broke his silence on the speculations and said (via F1's official website):

“There’s always going to be speculation in the paddock. As I say, we’ve only just finished the race here; we’ll take away the info and have a good look at it.”

Horner further answered on whether he considers Yuki Tsunoda as an ideal replacement candidate for Red Bull:

“I’m not even going to comment on a change, because that will be your first headline."

While Horner is not spilling any team secrets, rumors around the paddock have been raging, and heat is only increasing on Liam Lawson.